2015: Edition 7

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

28 July 2015

VOLUME 74: EDITION7

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Challenging LGBTIAQ+ Rights at UCT

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IN THIS ISSUE

Robyn Ausmeier & Aisha Abdool Karim

T

he UCT Queer Revolution (UQR) was established in reaction to homophobic comments made by Zizipho Pae, Acting President of the SRC Vacation Committee on June 28th. The movement is aimed at providing a voice for the LGBTIAQ+ community in a space that privileges heterosexual experiences. The UQR has organised protests calling for action to be taken against Pae and for the recognition of queer bodies at UCT. On Tuesday July 7th, the UQR held a press conference at Molly Blackburn Hall in which they outlined their concerns and spoke out about the harm caused by Pae’s comments. The UQR also issued formal complaints against Pae with the Human Rights Commission, UCT Ombudsman and the Discrimination and Harassment Office (DISCHO).

The UQR is an inclusive movement formed in order to stand up for the rights of the queer community, which the UQR felt was being ignored by UCT. The UQR also raised the concern that Pae’s status “may cause further violence towards the queer community”.

RainbowUCT also released a statement saying that, as a student leader, Pae should be responsible for supporting and serving the interests of all students. Furthermore, RainbowUCT called for Pae to be held accountable for the pain she had caused and stated, “She cannot lead if she does not uphold the dignity of marginalized communities at UCT”.

Pae’s post on her Facebook wall, “We are institutionalizing and normalizing sin! Sin. May God have mercy on us”, came in response to the decision by the Supreme Court in the United States to legalise same sex marriage in all states.

These comments garnered much online attention with calls for her to withdraw her statement and be removed from the SRC. Pae later spoke to the Cape Times, saying that she would not retract her comment, and stood by her beliefs. She further remarked that she “[does] believe homosexuals that they are born that way, but it doesn’t mean it is okay”.

Formal protest action began on June 30th, when approximately 20 students staged a sit-in at the SRC offices. These students came from various organisations and demanded Pae’s removal, as well as “a public, unconditional apology for the hurt she has caused”. Pae was removed from the SRC Vacation Committee

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Image: UCT Queer Revolution-Facebook.com and the SRC released a statement saying that they would be investigating complaints of homophobia at the University.

LGBTIAQ+ community in a space that privileges heterosexual experiences In the SRC statement, the body voiced its support for LGBTIAQ+ bodies, although they refused to take a definitive stance on the matter and stated that they upheld Pae’s right to freedom of speech and expression.

A meeting with the complete SRC structure was to be reconvened after the semester resumed to decide whether Pae would remain in her position of Vice-President External.

On July 20th, the UQR met with SRC President Ramabina Mahapa where a decision was made to suspend Pae from her position on the SRC pending an investigation.

In addition, UQR also presented Mahapa with a memorandum listing their demands and encouraged

that he “take [a] decisive stance against the oppression of the queer community”. A meeting was then held on July 21st to make a decision on when Pae would be suspended.

Following the meeting UQR posted that Pae had been expelled from the SRC, however it is unclear whether or not an investigation still needs to take place before this comes into effect.

mandatory selfeducation and sensitization for all leadership structures The UQR criticised Mahapa, in a Facebook post on July 23rd, for not taking more definitive action to eradicate homophobia. Mahapa was also called out for hypocritical behaviour after he cited the SRC Constitution as the reason Pae could not be immediately removed from office, while this constitution was overlooked when the SRC positions were reshuffled earlier this year.

The UQR intends “to leave a

lasting impact for all queer students who attend UCT” and was founded with a focus on transformation. The UQR demands therefore extend beyond Pae’s removal and ask for UCT management “to enforce mandatory workshops on sexualities and gender identities for all students who enter student leadership, on all levels”. The aim of this is to educate potential leaders and create a more inclusive and supportive space for students.

RainbowUCT noted the need for further transformation at the University and stated that there should be mandatory self-education and sensitization for all leadership structures in order to promote inclusivity and confront the prejudice present within current structures.

The SRC was unable to provide a comment on Pae’s expulsion, but said a statement would be released soon. The UQR was also unable to provide a comment at the time of going to print, however their response will be made available in the form of a Q&A on VARSITY’s website.

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

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v74 e7 – 28 july

News

2015

A Focus on Social Responsiveness Robyn Ausmeier

News Bites

F

Ex-Chad leader removed from court

Dakar, Senegal – After a 25-year campaign to bring former Chad president Hissene Habre to justice for his crimes against humanity, he was removed from court due to disruptive behaviour. The trial, which took place on July 20th, got off to a riotous start, as Habre did not recognise the court and at one point was heard shouting “this process is a farce”. This trial is the first time one African country has prosecuted another.

- BBC News

China to train South African government

South Africa – The Presidency announced on July 20th that China has agreed to a placement with South African government officials and business leaders on a training and skills development programme. A South African delegation, comprised of Vice President Ramaphosa, Telkom, Eskom and SABS, was present at the talks to finalise the deal on July 13th to July 17th in China.

Relevant training programmes for public service managers are already underway.

- business tech

Fury over McClean’s back turn during God save the Queen anthem

United Kingdom – James McClean received major backlash after he turned his back during God Save the Queen during a friendly match in the US on July 19th. The Irish footballer, who plays for the English team West Brom, took the bold initiative not to sing along with his other team mates. This is his second defilement as he previously refused to wear a poppy on his kit citing “disrespect to troubled victims”.

- daily mail online

South African tourism index drops due to visa restrictions

South Africa – South Africa Business Index, which has been in operation since 2010, has dropped to its lowest in the second quarter in nearly four years due to visa restrictions.

New legislation requiring foreigners to provide biometrics and parents to carry unabridged certificates when travelling with children has resulted in a score of 83.6 compared to 99.9 from the first quarter.

- reuters

Vampire Fangs

United Kingdom – Charlotte Bateman was left embarrassed after her gum disease went undiagnosed, despite her complaints, causing her teeth to look like vampire fangs. The disease caused her teeth to drift around her mouth and her gums to rot. She has been awarded £25 000 to pay for corrective surgery.

- daily mail online

Gape Masole

rom July 14th to July 16th 2015, UCT hosted the Re-ACT Student Social Responsiveness Conference on Upper Campus. The conference focused on re-defining, re-evaluating and re-thinking social action and provided a space for discussion around social responsiveness initiatives.

During the three-day conference there were a number of speakers, panel discussions, and interactive group sessions focusing on what it means to be socially responsive and how to bring about social change.

The Department of Student Affairs and the UCT Social Responsiveness Committee were involved in the planning of the conference, along with student organisations and development agencies.

Sarah Oliver, one of the conference co-ordinators and the chairperson of Ubunye, commented that organising the conference was a collaborative effort, with a variety of people giving input. Oliver said that although it is difficult to get buy-in for an event such as the Re-ACT Conference, they received a great deal of support and found that people were willing to help out.

Applications for the conference were open to all students and the event produced a turnout of around 60 participants. A number of studentrun organisations and societies were represented at the conference including SHAWCO, Ubunye, The Collective, Green Campus Initiative and the Gender and Sex Project. Student facilitators helped lead discussions and participants were able to arrange in groups focused on different interests such as student governance, education, and

Image: Supplied by Re-ACT Image: uct.ac.za environmental issues.

The invited speakers presented informative sessions on a variety of topics, including the role of institutional structures in social justice, the representation of ‘communities’, and strategic approaches to fundraising.

Among the speakers were student representatives, social entrepreneurs, Professor Nicholas Longo from Providence College, and two members from the Boston Consulting Group. A main part of the conference involved interactive sessions where students were able to engage with the issues at hand. These sessions involved breaking into groups, brainstorming ideas around social responsiveness projects and presenting these to the other groups for feedback.

Oliver commented that the conference had been a learning

process, and that although there were things they could have done differently, overall she was satisfied with how it had turned out. The desired outcome, according to Oliver, was for the conference to generate awareness, get people thinking about new ideas for social action and for participants to leave the conference equipped with useful knowledge and tools to take back to their organisations.

Ali Dlamini, one of the conference participants, said he had thoroughly enjoyed his time at the conference and felt it was a necessary platform to find new solutions to societal problems.

Dlamini mentioned that a highlight for him was the presentation given

by Nicholas Longo, which looked at practices for community leadership.

He said that Longo’s advice – to follow up on commitments, harness your skills and turn challenges into

opportunity – was exactly what students needed to hear.

Another participant at the event, Julia Munroe, said she felt the conference had raised relevant discussions, although some of the talks could have been more focused and practical. She said she particularly enjoyed the gender workshop and felt that the project her group came up with was something which could be done.

This year’s event is not the first social responsiveness conference to be held at UCT, and the previous function, the Students in/and Communities Conference, took place in 2009. There are no current plans for the next conference on social responsiveness, although participants at this year’s event agreed that there is a need for spaces to engage openly on issues of social justice and transformation.

What You Missed Around the Globe An update on news that happened over the vacation

Adam Kleinschmidt Greek debt crisis challenges European unity

The Greek economy suffered major losses in June and July as the European nation defaulted on its debt repayment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In a referendum on the proposed bailout plans, a no vote led to the resignation of the country’s Minister of Finance, Yanis Varoufakis, and resulted in serious fluctuations in the markets. Owing to the debt crisis, banks in Greece were temporarily closed and cash withdrawals were restricted. A deal was eventually settled between the IMF, the European Central Bank and the Greek government for a three-year bailout plan.

US Supreme Court legalises same-sex marriage

The US Supreme Court passed a verdict recognising same-sex marriage as being in line with the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. After being passed in a 5-4 vote on June 26th, marriage between people of the same sex is now legal in the United States.

Before the verdict, 38 of the 50 states had passed laws allowing same-sex marriage. This case comes at the helm of a massive LGBT+ campaign across

the United States, which has found support in notable organisations, civil groups and political leaders. President Barrack Obama lauded the verdict as “a victory for America” and the White House was lit up in rainbow colours to celebrate the ruling.

killing several Shia worshippers. An estimated 300 people were killed in the attacks over two days that coincided with Ramadan. Foreign governments have condemned attacks and increased diplomatic pressure on the respective states.

Terror attacks intensified

General election trouble

On June 25th and 26th, there were a series of terror attacks by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, Tunisia and Kuwait.

In Syria, car bombs were detonated during attacks on the Kurdish people, killing dozens of civilians inside and around the border town of Kobane.

In Tunisia, a reported 38 people were killed in an attack on a tourist resort in Sousse. Among the dead were British, German and Belgian tourists.

In Kuwait, a mosque was bombed,

In the June 7th Turkish general election no single party was able to produce a majority, resulting in a hung parliament with no clear candidate for Prime Minister. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), while still the party with the most seats, lost their majority to three major opposition parties. This was blamed on the slowing economy and several ongoing political conflicts with Kurdish rebels as well as the Syrian Civil War. Due to this

result, the AKP do not have the power to make independent constitutional decisions. Calls of election fraud have caused controversy and threatened a constitutional crisis.

US-Cuba relations thaw

On July 20th, US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro strengthened ties in the wake of serious negotiation aimed at ending the 54-year stretch of hostility. The patron, Pope Francis, stated that the aim was to normalise relations between the two nations. The end of the diplomatic blockade sees the end of a lengthy political conflict that had its roots in the East-West conflict of the Cold War. Following discussions, both nations agreed to reopen their embassies and restore political links.

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Addressing Sexuality at UCT

Classroom Renewal Project

Robyn Ausmeier

Aisha Abdool Karim

A

draft sexualities policy has been formulated at UCT, with input from various university structures, to encourage a learning environment which focuses on the inclusivity of all sexualities and gendered identities. This policy addresses discrimination and exclusion based on sexuality, and aims to introduce new guidelines for engagement on these issues.

This policy addresses discrimination and exclusion based on sexuality The policy focuses on four main sections, namely Teaching Praxis, Communication, Administration, and Health Care. The draft policy was constructed by a committee including representatives from HAICU, RainbowUCT, UCT SRC, and UCT Faculty Student Councils, as well as external stakeholders and invited advisors who are gender non-conforming. This committee helped to conceptualise the policy, to define key terms to be used for non-discriminatory practice and to discuss implementation of the recommended changes.

According to Sianne Abrahams, Project Officer for HAICU, curriculum content commonly reinforces heteronormativity and excludes certain sexualities and gender identities. This can be seen through the language and terms used in course content, such as the reference to ‘man’ or ‘woman’ as opposed to ‘partners’. Additionally, the sexualities policy intends to transform teaching methods and encourage staff to ask students their preferred name and gender pronoun, rather than making assumptions about their sex and gender.

curriculum content commonly reinforces heteronormativity Furthermore, the policy addresses the way in which students are identified in university records, including electronic forms and administration documents. Using the University’s current system of identification, binary structures are reinforced and students are not given the ability to define their own identity. This is visible in the residence system, where individuals are placed into a residence based on gender binaries.

The policy calls for an internal record system to be introduced to encourage self-identification.

Along with challenging the language and curriculum content, the policy also suggests that certain staff and student groups receive sensitisation training.

Sensitisation will provide them with an understanding of key concepts and the necessary training to create an inclusive university environment. This training is run

by HAICU, with support from members of RainbowUCT, and was started in 2013. Anyone may request sensitisation training and can do this by approaching HAICU. It is highly recommended that those in leadership structures attend the workshops.

Another facility that aims to provide an open and inclusive space at the university is the OUTZONE IN counselling programme, which gives support and mentoring to selfidentifying students or those who have experienced discrimination based on sexuality. Through this programme, staff and student leaders with the necessary training will offer their services to individuals who request assistance or guidance.

Before the sexualities policy can be brought into operation, it will first need to be approved by the University Council and thereafter HAICU will be responsible for its implementation.

UCT will be the first university in Africa to produce a sexualities policy Abrahams noted that UCT will be the first university in Africa to produce a sexualities policy.

Abrahams stated that it is necessary to introduce a policy such as this to UCT in order to prevent discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity, and to promote inclusivity and transformation at the University.

Abrahams commented, “Institutions run the risk of marginalising students whose lived realities differ from hegemonic sexualities.”

Discussions around the sexualities policy first began in 2013, with initial funding by HAICU, and the policy was conceptualised in 2014.

Following this, with the support of the 2015 SRC and supervision by Nyla Ross, SRC Chair of Transformation & Social Responsiveness, the draft policy was presented to the University this year.

For more information about the OUTZONE IN counselling programme, or details of who to contact if you are questioning your gender identity or sexual orientation, visit the VARSITY website to read the online insert. If anyone would like to contribute to discussions or be approached about the policy, email sianne.abrahams@uct.ac.za.

Online This Week...

OUTZONE IN Student Counselling

By Marguerite Beningfield

Information and Communication Technology Services (ICTS), Properties & Services, and other departments have been in the process of upgrading lecture venues and classrooms on campus during winter and summer vacations.

The process has been underway since 2013 and is part of the UCT Classroom Renewal Project (CRP).

The project is led by ICTS Director Kira Chernotsky and involves upgrading the campus by replacing old technology, such as wooden lecterns and overhead projectors, with more modern alternatives.

The CRP is not exclusive to Upper Campus, but involves upgrading venues across Upper, Middle, Hiddingh and the Health Sciences campuses. Chernotsky said, “The multi-year project aims to enhance the teaching and learning experience in the most centrally bookable teaching venues across all campuses.”

The CRP aims to upgrade 15 venues at a time, with all work being done during long vacations in order to avoid disrupting lectures. As of July 2015, 63 venues have been upgraded as part of the CRP and

another ten were also improved due to other building projects.

The goal of the project is eventually to upgrade a total of 172 lecture venues at UCT within a time frame of five years. The CRP aims to change the venues completely by changing desks and chairs, as well as making technical improvements through data projectors and document cameras.

In some cases the layout of a venue may also be changed, through the provision of flexible teaching walls.

This involves having two projection screens allowing a lecturer to utilise one projection screen while also having the option to use a chalkboard or whiteboard (available by raising the projection screen).

upgrading the campus by replacing old technology The CRP also aims to upgrade audio equipment and certain venues have been provided with lecture recording. In addition, the CRP also aims to provide support for lecturers

using the new equipment.

Each upgrade is specific to the venue and the project team consulted with academics in order to ascertain what upgrades would be most beneficial to each venue. The project was unveiled at the beginning of 2014, after the upgrades had begun, at a launch in PD Hahn Lecture Theatre 2.

the project team consulted with academics A full list of the venues which have been upgraded is available on the ICTS website under “Using the new UCT Classroom”. Students are welcome to report any issues they find in venues to ICTS, if it is a technical problem, or Properties & Services, if it involves physical facilities, such as chairs and lighting.

The project team will also be posting a survey on the ICTS Facebook page for students to provide their feedback on the new facilities. Alternatively, you can e-mail icts-crp@uct.ac.za.

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Editorial

v74 e7 - 28 jULY 2015

2015 Collective editor-in-chief Parusha Naidoo

Where My Cool Kids At?

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deputy Editor Jena Ascough

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managing Editor Gape Masole

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Copy Editor Courtney Hope

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Y

es, it is upon us. That sneaky semester that everyone complains about as being the shortest but is actually the same number of weeks as first semester.

It’s the semester where friends disappear and never return to our island or jump ship and

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simply study at university. No, that’s not good enough for them.

They DO university. Plaza week seem like a distant memory for you? These cool kids didn’t forget all the societies they signed up with – they have attended every meeting, replied to every email and didn’t just go to society events for the free food.

You can spot them easily according to the t-shirt or hoody they are wearing, normally embroidered with the words, “SRC”, “UCT Hockey”, “SHAWCO”, “GCI”, “RAG” “Ubunye” and my personal favourite “VARSITY”, to name a few. But be wary of the ones who pretend to be cool kids – the ones who wear the t-shirt and title with false pride and have a lot to say but have never done anything.

The real cool kids are the ones who can look student apathy in the eye without flinching.

It takes a special kind of resilience to get through the university system and even more so if you’re a cool kid juggling

Jena Ascough

Deputy Editor

centrespread Michaela Findeis

So I learned a new word the other day: ghosting. If, like me, this is the first time you’ve heard of this concept then you too are considered shockingly old school (seeing as I work for a newspaper that comes out in a real life 3D model, I was not surprised by this revelation).

Ghosting is the new “We need to talk”...except no talking is actually needed. Instead of a long road of uncomfortable conversations, fights and awkward encounters, ghosting can be executed in two easy steps: 1. Decide that you no longer wish to be with your

current significant other; 2. Block and delete him/her off all forms of social media. Presto! You’re done! No awkward conversation, no tears; just a clean break and a distraught person on the other side of the gorge who thinks you’ve either died or fallen off the face of the Earth.

I’m going (to try) to reserve my judgement on this particular break up method and say that (maybe, by some strange string of circumstances) this may be a viable option for you. However, if this technique sounds particularly appealing to you, I just have one

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request: as a courtesy to your future ex, please be thorough in your ghosting. Don’t just unfriend him/her; delete your account.

That way, he/she doesn’t have to see every photo you’re tagged in with your new beau. Don’t just block his/her calls; get a new number so there is no possible way to contact you should he/ she be so inclined in a moment of weakness.

Or, better yet, why not go for the whole hog and pack up and move to the other side of the world? I really think that would be better for everyone...

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academics along with extra activities and commitments. But there is no secret formula or magic spell. We all have some cool kid resilience within us waiting to be tapped into and unleashed. We all have that extra potential to be more than a student number – to campaign for student councils, apply for executive positions of societies, become a mentor to first years, and even run a student newspaper.

So in the upcoming weeks among the chaos of watching your peers go through campaigning, interrogations, interviews and voting, find your inner cool kid in any small way possible. Volunteer with Ubunye and SHAWCO, write an article for VARSITY and Vernac Newspaper, question your faculty council and res house com, attend that society meeting you kept missing last semester or take up Ultimate Frisbee.

Go find your inner cool kid and conquer this semester.

Apply Now!

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Heartbreak is a Ghost Town

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move to another faculty or degree.

It is definitely the semester of change and growth and for some a chance to start over. Amongst all the trials and tribulations of second semester, it is also the most chaotic. If you are in your first year or just around for the semester, sit back, relax and watch the mayhem unfold.

This is the semester where you will be confronted with posters and people asking (read: harassing) you to vote, apply, campaign and nominate. People you never noticed or knew existed, will emerge from all corners of our university. They will not be White Walkers but students who will compete for your attention, time, and help.

These students are what my friends and I like to call the ‘cool kids’. They are a special breed of students who are known for being the overachievers that you both hate and want to emulate. A highly evolved breed with the superpower called “swag”, these kids don’t

Parusha Naidoo

Courtney Hope Copy Editor

Gape Masole Managing Editor

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Opinions

Policy versus Practice Image: Morema Moloisi

V74 E7–28 JULY 2015

Articulate

5

w

Opinions Editor

Yogi Shoba

Constantly Risking Absurdity

Claudia Harrison You may remember checking your Facebook newsfeed one day during the holidays and noticing that everyone you know had applied a rainbow filter to their profile pictures. This was Facebook’s way of celebrating the US Supreme Court’s verdict supporting same sex marriage. I too changed my profile picture to a more colourful variant, but this slacktivism got me thinking: does policy necessarily translate into practice?

Law is a double–edged sword. It has the power to legalize or criminalize certain behaviours and practices. To a certain extent, people view laws as guiding principles on how they should live their lives. However, unfair laws do exist and need to be corrected. One such law was that gay marriage was federally illegal in the USA. When that was changed it was a watershed moment for both the LGBT+ community and the nation as a whole. It spread worldwide as a symbol of hope for those living in countries where being homosexual is illegal.

In the face of all this hope and excitement, it is easy to forget reality.

Take South Africa as an example.

We boast 21 years of democracy, yet racist attitudes still abound. Previous generations were brought up with racist ideologies and that mindset cannot be

UCT is not necessarily the safe bubble on the hill altered overnight.

The same applies to sexuality. In the USA homosexual marriage has been illegal for much longer than it has been legal. This means that many people may not yet be comfortable with the idea. This does not mean that the new law, or same-sex marriage itself, is incorrect. They may keep their thoughts to themselves, but they may also see it fit to impart these on others. Therefore they could create uncomfortable environments for LGBT+ people. For example, a newlywed homosexual couple who are assigned to a homophobic adoption agent could end up never being able to adopt a child.

You may argue that my cynicism is irrelevant on the following two grounds: we don’t live in the USA and

UCT is a space where we can all be ourselves. Firstly, the USA is a highly influential country, which means that its laws and attitudes can spread around the world much easier than ours can.

Secondly, UCT is not necessarily the safe bubble on the hill that it appears to be. It is important not to confuse the existence of certain practices with the fact that you have never had firsthand experience of it. The very fact that you are free to be yourself in the campus environment extends to those with conservative views. Whether it is race, gender, sexuality, or any grounds really, not every student has the same attitude as that stipulated by university policy.

While I do recognise that everyone is entitled to their own view, I need to ask if that view is an educated one.

If not, then we as a university are not doing enough to help those who harbour discriminatory views.

It is clear that even though legislation has been drafted, much more still needs to be done on a person-to-person level in terms of eradicating discriminatory views. As with any paradigm shift it starts with searching ourselves to make sure we are not guilty. Then only can we start to educate others.

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T

his year has been a year of dire controversy in student leadership. Two SRC presidents were removed from office following contentious statements posted on Facebook.

Former UCT interim president Zizipho Pae was branded homophobic after referring to the US Supreme Court’s ruling to legalise same-sex marriage as ‘institutionalising sin’. Former Wits SRC head, Mcebo Dlamini was labelled anti-Semitic and racist after he expressed his ‘love’ for Hitler on social media.

the student body has conflict within itself

These incidents highlight a conflict between moral and ethical codes of conduct. As student leaders, the expected primary interest is that of the student body; however, must this prevail while trampling on the moral compass of the leader?

The notion of a unified and utopian campus community can easily be bought into when SRC candidates rally up the troops with rousing speeches and glossy merchandise. Sadly our diverse community should be seen less as a point of victory but rather as a death-defying challenge.

The student leader is a diverse individual in his own right, with a unique bank of experiences and a set of moral codes which he has internalised as personal truths. The student leader as a diverse individual is then placed in a position of authority to lead a diverse student body, with each individual expecting their agenda and needs to be fulfilled.

This is a recipe for disaster as there is bound to be opposition on some front. The student leader is forced to manoeuvre a thin tightrope, trying to please the masses whilst staying true to their own beliefs.

In the case of Pae and Dlamini,

their moral codes contradicted the ethics of upholding the interests of the LGBT+ community at UCT and the Jewish community at Wits. Not only are the leaders in conflict with the student body, but the student body has conflict within itself.

There have been motions for and against the student leaders.

A petition has been circulating online in support of Pae’s religious freedom, while Rainbow UCT is still angered, having called for her removal from office. The Wits Jewish Students Union called Dlamini a racist, while fellow Wits students flocked to social media to show the controversial leader support.

These incidents are merely a microcosm of a world plagued by disagreement. The utopia of a unified society cannot exist as there are few universal truths which are shared amongst the vast majority, despite this being what ethics suggest.

University is designed to be a space where this chasm of dichotomies can be debated, but it seems that this is not the case. University is seemingly an environment where each individual may harbour his own beliefs as long as he simultaneously adopts those of the masses. If he does not adopt them, he must lie and say he does or face dire consequences.

The law itself is not a concrete set of commandments; if it was, then humanity would be flawless and amendments would not exist.

It is a conflicted code where society is forced to adopt each wishy washy amendment whether it agrees with it or not.

the student leader plummets to his death

The fight of morality and ethics for the student leader is a choice: either he remains true to himself and risks absurdity and ridicule from the conflicted masses, or he suppresses his moral code and risks denying the foundations upon which his individuality is built. Either way, the student leader plummets to his death having lost balance on a doomed tightrope.

Essentially, in the words of Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a student leader is “constantly risking absurdity and death whenever he performs above the heads of his audience”. Yet; it is not a risk, it’s a certainty, for denying one’s morals is internal death but denying ethics is mortal absurdity.

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

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Opinions

V74 E7–28 JULY 2015

The Africa the Media Never Shows You Anthea van den Bergh

I

recently had an experience while on a summer course in England which brought to my attention the stereotypical and frankly untrue global views of Africa. Azeem (pseudonym) was a Pakistani-Canadian, taking a course in genetics, and was for the most part very friendly. However, one morning while at breakfast, I came close to strangling him. Azeem found it fascinating that I was from South Africa, but in the sense that I was a dancing bear who had just escaped from some exotic, beaten-down circus we’d all prefer to ignore.

He had very fixed views about what made countries “sophisticated” versus “poor and stupid”, and proceeded to spend the whole of breakfast looking up statistics about Africa regarding crime, poverty and illiteracy, taking vast amounts of satisfaction in “proving” Africa’s hopelessness. I could have blamed him for his ignorance, but I thought to myself, where is he getting this stereotypical view on Africa?

Azeem had never been to any African country, and so I realised that the only thing he had ever seen of Africa is what was in the media.

It turns out I am far from the

only African who is dissatisfied with the negative media portrayal of our continent. A few weeks ago, a group of young Africans on Twitter decided to set up the hashtag TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowYou, which calls for followers to begin a showcase of the “beauty of Africa".

Since then the hashtag has attracted over 42 000 tweets internationally.

the fight looks entirely against the West and Western media Upon inspection of the page, I observed that many of the posts are angled against stereotypical Western views on Africa, like the belief that we have no infrastructure – or if we do, it’s falling apart – and that we’re all uneducated and in need of the West to save us. The tweets on #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowYou instead show things like successful schools and universities in Zimbabwe and SA, as well as Africa’s three female heads of state.

On the surface, the fight looks entirely against the West and Western media. However, what impact does

Image: Francesco Zizola

Image: Dylan Harbour

our own African media have on setting up a stereotypical view of our continent? Yes, we can point fingers at Western media, but then we would be ignoring that our own media publishes a vast amount of negative news about our continent both locally and internationally.

I’m not saying that the media,

African or otherwise, should ignore the very real challenges that we face in Africa. Rather, the African media (possibly) in their quest for commercial viability are actually harming our continent both locally and internationally by only focusing on ‘what is going wrong’. That is why #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowYou

is so remarkable. It is trying to facilitate a global paradigm shift about Africa, in the media and the common person.

It is saying that we all need to start seeing that Africa is far from beatendown, and is, in fact, slowly beginning to thrive. It is asking that we believe in the prosperity of Africa and broadcast that belief, one tweet at a time.

Crowd Court is Now in Session

Image: Siphiwe Sibeko

Adam Kleinschmidt When one thinks of mob justice, images of violent crowds and civil violence come to mind. Historically, mob justice has been shrouded in controversy and infamy. After all, the actions many crowds resort to often involve dismemberment and death.

South Africa has a few unfortunate examples in its history, dating back to the darkest days of apartheid. If we remove the scope of violence, however, a clearer issue draws itself up from the mists: what is the truest form of retribution and justice? After all, it can be argued that no justice system on Earth is truly representative of social morality or popular views on crime and punishment. While it is the basis for some social morality, it fails to be truly representative.

I’d like to preface the next example with a disclaimer: I prefer my course material to have a wide variety of contexts, and it is even better if that context is African. However, I concede that it is sometimes very difficult to contextualise concepts in Africa, owing to poor information transfer and the availability of more information from other continents (most commonly Europe).

In a lecture a few days ago, members of the class felt obliged to attack the lecturer on the nature of the course. Owing to the fact that it revolved around Western philosophies and ideas, the course

was attacked for ignoring African contributions. When the lecturer challenged the class to consider all sides to the argument, the response was snarky and downright disrespectful. I’m all for challenging a convenor or lecturer on their course if it is problematic and the problem at hand can be solved. Additionally, I actively support any student action that has a clear and well-stated objective and goes through the proper channels. If those fail, more extreme action must be considered, clearly outlined and enacted in moderation.

Sneering at a lecturer and attacking their academic contributions is not an example of this. Challenging a professor during a lecture when other students are trying to learn is not an example of this. The issue at hand was largely dealt with by the end of the lecture, but it cost time and energy out of others.

I’m not saying students must tread the line of the powers that be if it has been proven again and again that this line doesn’t work. However, taking radical and misguided approaches to a problem leaves people on both sides angry and unwilling to cooperate.

Granted, mobs do go a little crazy sometimes and the energy is contagious, but this is irrational behaviour.

Sure, collectively stand against a problem, but a clearly guided force is better at targeting than a chaotic wash of confused emotions.

Opinions

V74 E7 - 28 JULY 2015

An Uber Intruder

d

Theona Geduld

S

o it seems like we can add yet another first-world bully to the list of ‘villains’ that cause problems for smaller local business structures. This bully goes by the name Uber.

Uber exudes convenience

Uber has come as a rude and unsettling awakening to the local metred-taxi industry. It is an awakening that is warranted and has provided a much needed shake up in the way that metred-taxis operate in Cape Town.

The American giant has put a spotlight on some serious issues with the industry and has exposed the second-rate service to which we have become so accustomed.

While I am sure that there are a number of reputable and efficient taxi services in Cape Town, there are even more examples of companies who offer horrible transport services. Too often has the scene been set: I finish my late shift at my retail job in the V&A Waterfront, and as I walk out to the parking lot, I get subjected to annoying badgering and

dangerous driving by the many taxis looking for business.

“Hi girl, where you going?”, or “Hey, how about I take you home?” (picture these being said in a pervy and suggestive tone), are just two of the many propositions that are thrown my way.

I have also on more than one occasion witnessed near accidents and the complete obliteration of traffic cones as a result of horrendous driving. Now tell me, who would want to get into your taxi once they have been catcalled like that, and have seen your complete disregard for the rules of the road? With instances like these, the Cape Town industry is making it very easy for clients to go in search of greater prospects... like Uber.

make it to an ATM. Despite, or probably because of, the success that the American brand has achieved, they have been met with quite a few hiccups of late. From having their vehicles impounded to having issues with licensing, to local metredtaxi drivers laying a number of complaints with the city council.

Quite frankly, it is easy and costs absolutely nothing to complain and moan about the unfairness of a situation. The Cape Town metred-taxi industry

The...taxi industry should actually be thanking Uber Uber exudes convenience, and this is what has attributed to its global success. The atyour-fingertips ease of the app allows for basically anyone with a smartphone to access their services. Also, the cashless transactions make it a breeze for hitching a ride when you can’t

Image: Morema Moloisi

Uber has come as a rude and unsettling awakening should actually be thanking Uber.

They should thank them for showing the industry how to use business savvy and technological smarts to further their business.

No-one needs to, at this point in our society, be reminded that we live in a competitive technological

7

world. Furthermore, business is business. And innovation and competition breeds good commerce.

There are always going to be new and improved ways to do business, and who knows, Uber could be kicked off their pedestal tomorrow. The key is for the smaller local businesses to keep up and try to stay ahead of the game. Or else, they just may get left behind in Uber’s exhaust fumes.

The ones you

apps’olutely have to have

Compiled by Michaela Findeis & Nikhil Gilbert

The top 7 bizarre apps:

e use apps everyday, almost to the point of not realising.

W A quick message on Whatsapp, a squiz at our Instagram feed mid-lecture, these are all little habits that we have devoloped as a result of the marvellous applications that have been designed for our smartphones. Most of them were created with the idea of making life easier, but as you will see here, some of them are simply odd.

Fake Me Out of Here This app is a lifesaver for awkward situations or situations that you just don’t want to be in. It creates fake calls in two ways. You can either schedule a call or two ahead of time if you know you will need to get out of there, or shake your phone to trigger a fake call. You can sync your fake calls with up to 50 different contacts, as well as choose whether you would like it to reflect in your call log or not. It even allows you to pre-record sounds and play them back during the call so that it seems real! No more subtly trying to text a friend to call you on a bad date or pretending to hear a phone that isn’t ringing. It’s all in your control now.

Drunk Dial No All of us have a contact or two in our phone that we know we shouldn’t touch on a normal day, but we definitely shouldn’t be touching at 2am on a Saturday morning. Often though, you add a little alcohol to the mix and those contacts become tempting. This is where Drunk Dial No comes in handy. You can use this app to hide selected contacts in your phone from one to 48 hours. It can also be used to set a warning message for some time in the future. Now, even after you’ve run away from your friends to go and make that ‘oh so important phone call’, sober you can logically remind drunk you why you should not.

Game for Cats Even our little feline friends get to have fun with technology these days. This game is designed for tablets (or really large phones). The first level (which is free) has a laser pointer that your cat can chase around the screen. The second level (not free) has a little mouse which runs around the screen for your cat to chase. Labelled as the first interspecies game on the app store, cats apparently love it. You can even share your kitty’s score with friends. Should your cat begin to outsmart the game, you are able to control the laser pointer and mouse with another app from your phone. Just be careful your cat doesn’t wise up to the fact that you’re the mastermind behind that little dot.

Annoy a Teen Although marketed for adults who want to irritate their kids when they’re being difficult (or just be plain evil), Annoy a Teen can work for those of us who have already damaged their hearing and want to annoy their younger siblings. This app works on how sensitive teenager’s ears are and produces a high pitched noise that only they can hear. You can adjust the frequency and change the mode in which the noise is emitted. The end result is an annoying noise that only those with sensitive ears can hear, allowing you to covertly take your revenge on an annoying sibling or roommate.

Places I’ve Pooped This odd little app allows you to (yep, you guessed it) track the places you’ve pooped. You can use it locally as you mark your territories around the city, or globally, marking each place you’ve pooped in foreign countries. You can share your location to Facebook, follow and view updates from your fellow pooping friends on the Poop Feed, and should you really, really wish to, add a rating and photo to each location.

I highly recommend adding a photo of the location, not the actual deed. The app is simple and easy to use; all it takes is a click of the ‘Bombs Away’ button to add a new event.

Run and Pee Many of us love to watch movies on the big screen. Surround sound, movie popcorn and super sweet coke, 3D glasses and a massive screen. It’s great. The only problem is, unlike at home, we can’t pause the movie to go to the loo. The creators of this app have solved this problem for us. The Run and Pee app looks for moments in the movie that don’t contain any exciting moments so that you can go to the loo without missing anything crucial. When you open the app, a list of currently showing movies appears. Select your movie and start the countdown. Your phone will vibrate at each optimal loo break, as well as let you know the amount of time until the next loo break. It conveniently provides you with a summary of what you missed while you were gone.

Brostache Do you struggle to grow a full moustache during Movember? Is the itch of growing one from scratch too much to handle? Then this app is for you! Download the app, choose a ‘stache, hold the phone to your face and start talking. Purely for entertainment purposes, the app uses your phone’s camera to match the movements of the moustache to your mouth. It comes with one preloaded moustache but you can unlock more by using the code ‘dawg’ and sharing the app on social media.

The top 9 student apps:

ost applications were designed to be useful, and as M students, we will take any help we can get when it comes to making life easier and quicker. These apps are some of

Whatsapp

the most useful ones that a student can possess, whether to help make general life easier or assist with studying and We all know and love Whatsapp. It is the communication tool essential for all people who possess a smart phone. entertainment.

Whatsapp allows you to get around the costly process of using SMSs for lengthy text conversations (although it does possess that socially destructive feature, the dreaded blue Feedly tick). For when voice notes just aren’t getting the message across, version 4 features online calls.

The Feedly app allows you to collect and organise your favourite blogs and publications, connect to news, YouTube channels and the knowledge bases that matter most to you. It Self Control lets you organise all your favourite publications, podcasts and channels into one convenient collection and receive updates from publishers. All of the information you want and need is This app helps you save on your most valuable resource, your time. It’s used to block access to all social media sites at your fingertips. and links that you could possibly use to procrastinate during study/work periods. Once you have set the restriction, it’s almost impossible to access the sites until the time-out you AllRecipes have set for yourself is over. For those of you lacking in the self-control department, I think we have a winner of an app.

For those of you who know the struggle of trying to decide what to cook for yourself everyday, this app will be incredibly useful. AllRecipes is one of the largest cookbook apps available. It has over 1000 video recipe instructions and Wolfram Alpha for mobile a mountain of reviews, instructions and cooking techniques that are helpful. To make life a little bit easier, it also includes a shopping list of all the ingredients you’ll need for your This is one of the most useful computational engines on favourite recipes. Gone are the days of staring at your fridge, the web for all numerically minded people. It is an engine for providing knowledge and computing answers, which wondering what tonight’s dinner will be. conveniently now offers a mobile version. So what exactly does that mean? Well, type “the integral of 5x^2 + lnx” into the text box and it gives you an answer along with a complete Uber graphical representation of the function.

This app is a lifesaver, especially on those weekend party nights. Uber works by connecting your (or your lovely parent’s/friend’s) credit card to the app. When you need a ride, open the app, set your pickup location, and voila, your own private driver shows up. You never again have to worry about reserving cash for a ride home, as the payment comes straight off the credit card. The next day you receive an email summary of your trip as well, allowing you to keep track of everything. Never again worry about whether your taxi is a trustworthy ride or not. This app works in over 50 different countries.

Mint Having trouble managing your cash? Mint is a personal money management app that allows you to keep track of your budget and see exactly when, where and what you are spending your precious money on. It also provides you with the option of securely connecting all your financial accounts in app. It automatically organises your accounts and allows you to create monthly budgets for all of your activities, as well as saving goals. The app is secured with a pin so that only you have access to it, and should your phone ever get lost, you can remotely delete all of your information from the app.

EasyBib Students, we have found the answer! We all know the pain of having finished an essay, only to realise you still need to create your reference list, a process which has been known to take as long as writing the essay itself. This app allows you to automatically generate citations based on what you have typed into its search engine. More accurate than its predecessors, it gives you access to 7000 citation styles (who knew there were so many?).

Scribd Scribd is your own personal online library. It gives you access to more than a million different publications, audiobooks, and comics. Once you’ve used it for long enough, it generates suggestions based on your previous titles, enabling you to find more publications of interest. It is available in over 80 different languages.

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Features

v74 e7– 28 July 2015

Topdeck Island Hopping Tour in Greece From donkey rides to coming home after sunrise, it was the trip of a lifetime Anna Insam

Y

Images: Anna Insam

es, I admit it, I am part of the SA crew that flocked to Greece to enjoy their summer, picture-perfect beaches and to make memories that will last a lifetime (although sometimes tequila had other plans). One of my oldest friends and I planned a Topdeck Island hopping tour together where we would share rooms at every hotel and would last 11 nights; one night in Athens, two in Mykonos, two in Paros and two in Santorini, with one last night in Athens.

Travelling with someone you know really well means fewer catfights, and doing it with a best friend made it all that much better. At our tour ‘meet and greet’ we met everyone, including a bright purple haired girl and a married couple who were spending part of their honeymoon with us. Already we were exposed to entertaining individuals as we had our first dinner, which was the traditional Souvlaki, which includes meat, chips and pita, on the streets of Athens where the sun only sets at 8.30pm. The mood was set for a festive adventure as we ended up at a rooftop bar overlooking the Acropolis, the most famous ruins which are lit up spectacularly at night, with the best table in the house and mini rubber ducky’s in our drinks.

Mykonos is known for Paradise Beach and for being one hell of a party island; Katy Perry had her own fireworks display on the yacht beach, which was behind our hotel. A massive ferry transported us between all islands, which resembled a luxury cruise liner - which we weren’t complaining about. We walked through Little Venice in town, holding Watermelon Coolers and dinner was arguably the best seafood risotto I have ever had.

Too many strawberry daiquiri’s and tequila shots later, I required some

assistance to get back to our hotel – I was victorious in keeping both shirts I had earned that evening from dancing on a bar... and a pole.

Paros was the hidden gem I didn’t expect to love as much as I did. The shopping was far less crowded than Mykonos, and we spent hours roaming the white and blue streets (the doors are painted blue due to a tradition that believes it will keep evil spirits away), ogling all the beautiful hand crafted jewelry and sandals. After a darn delicious burger during sunset, our night was spent at a Sheesha bar where some girls earned yet another shirt doing a ten shot challenge, which led to a lazy afternoon at the most beautiful beach on the island, Kolibithres, the following day.

cheeky locals and tropical cocktails As you can tell, Topdeck involves many free drinks (a great cost saver), a night out at every island, and free time.

You also have your fair shot at earning shirts as souvenirs. I haven’t done a Contiki, but I appreciated the value of free time and being able to decide on optional day tours at each island, where food and drinks were included too.

Having done my research beforehand, I was thrilled with the three out of four day tours I chose which let me visit the most important landmarks and experience the Greek culture, history and cuisine. Our tour guide, 36 year old Greek local, Panos, guided our tour from start to finish and welcomed any and all questions, meaning we were able to experience the culture, and not just the cheeky locals and tropical cocktails.

Next up came Santorini, which

ended up as my personal favourite due to the optional day tour. We took a pirate boat to the semi-dormant Volcano, which we hiked, and then sailed our way to hot springs where we rubbed this supposed ‘magical’ mud on our bodies. I, of course, chose the darkest shade, unaware it would stain my skin until I showered thoroughly, hence appeared super tanned for a couple of hours.

Having taken the cable car from the cliff to the water’s edge, this time we took the donkey ride back up all 586 steps. I recommend a selfie stick and gripping your saddle very tightly while making your way up, as they are not obedient, and tend to stop at arbitrary places or walk into innocent bystanders walking down the stairs. Hands down one of the funniest experiences of my entire life!

The Oia sunset is spectacular. I watched it the first night from the cliff side, whilst seated with a glass of wine at a café with girls I hadn’t known for longer than a week, but with whom I felt a special connection for sharing all these adventures with. The second night, we had our three-course farewell dinner that overlooked the sunset from the best angle possible, and danced the night away until the sun rose at KOO club.

The next day we rented quad bikes and went to the famous black beach. I managed to sneak in a street food Souvlaki and a Chillbox frozen yoghurt, which are musts when visiting Greece, before we boarded our last ferry.

Now that I’m back home I’m a lot more spontaneous - meeting new people and constantly drinking in all the amazing aspects of a holiday teaches you to just do it. For anyone who is considering this, it’s an absolute must. Plunge into the unknown!

Brace yourselves, winter is coming.

Tips and Tricks to fight the cold

Saara Mowlana We all know the feelings accompanied with winter. You have those who, like me, seek the bittersweet comfort of the cold so they can bundle up in layers and watch all of the series they have hoarded up. Then, those who are in serious denial that the warm summer weather has dissipated and are still sporting shorts and a t-shirt, perhaps with a hoodie for good show.

Whether you love or hate it, winter affects us all. And what accompanies this change in season, aside from many sporting navy and maroon, is being more suseptible to flus and colds. Not to mention the annoyingly constant nose drip no amount of sniffles can rid.

So just how does one stay healthy as a peach while facing these chilly weather conditions? Well firstly, you need to layer up. Thermals are recommended. If you cannot afford a mobile closet shaped heater that moves telepathically with you through the nippy air, then clothes are your best bet at keeping warm.

Socks are crucial; thick if you can or layer those puppies up. These are imperative as they keep your feet warm. Since your feet determine a lot

Image: Nicole Arends of how the rest of your body detects temperature, keeping your feet warm will in essence keep your body warm. This does not invalidate the importance of other clothing items; socks do some of the work, not all. So thermal or thick coats and jackets complimented with a beanie or snood will really help lock in some body heat against the Cape winter.

If you already are kitted in your entire closet and the closet itself, but are still feeling the shiver in your bones, you may need to rely on some external heat. Taking a hot shower before leaving home can really do wonders. It warms your body and muscles up and keeps you extra toasty beneath the layers of

thermal.

Heaters are a must, especially in the ice kissed library at campus or your freezing bedroom. If your body is cold, your mind is distracted and it makes it harder to focus on whatever you’re doing. So keeping a heater around ensures a warmer environment and thaws those brain cells frozen from the long vac.

A flask or travel coffee mug is definitely a big help against the chill.

If you can’t afford to pay for coffee or hot chocolate everytime you’re cold on campus, bringing your own from home in a flask will do the trick. It enables you to get more warm delicious goodness and the flask keeps it warmer for longer.

Electric water bottles or microwavable bean bags are sure to keep you brimming head to toe in warmth this winter. Since students are always on the go, we do not always have access on campus to a kettle every time you need to refill your water bottle; an electric one is quick to recharge and use again without the hassle.

If you still feel a sniffle tickling your nose, it’s best to get some cold or flu medicine from your local pharmacy. Prevention is better than cure, so stay safe and warm this winter and don’t let the storm catch you off guard.

Features

V74 E7 - 28 JULY 2015

11

PotAto, PotAhto, INTERNING 101 TomAto, Zomato? A guide to acing your first step to success

Bring out your inner foodie with this app

Nicole Arends

Lorena Lesna-Maranetto

A

s a student, the daunting labyrinth of career paths that lie ahead may often seem like a terrifying and gloomy road that you’d rather not venture onto. But, as Neil Armstrong knows, all you’ve got to do to succeed in the journey is to take the first step.

I

t might just be you want to try somewhere new, but aren’t sure where to go. Or, you may want to take your girlfriend to that restaurant everyone is raving about, but are unsure whether it is in fact good enough (or within your budget).

Either way, Zomato has you covered!

As stated on their website, their mission is “to ensure nobody has a bad meal ever again.” And never again you shall! It’s an online platform, website and app that contains listings and consumer reviews of restaurants within one’s vicinity or location of choice.

Zomato was founded in 2008 in Guragon, India by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah. It was initially dubbed “FoodieBay”, but due to the name sounding too similar to ‘Ebay’, it was christened its zesty new name, ‘Zomato’ in 2010.

The company – although still currently being a start-up – has grown from merely being a restaurant catalogue site around India, to one of the dominating platforms of restaurant listings and ratings globally, with approximately $163 million invested in it from venture capitalists. Since 2012, Zomato has ‘bought-over’ many restaurant catalogue platforms in various countries, for example, MenuMania in New Zealand, and notably its biggest buy-out being the popular consumer food review site, Urbanspoon for approximately $52 million. This has expanded Zomato’s range to countries such as the US, Canada, the UK and Australia.

a conversation between foodies Whilst seeming a purely consumer-driven sight, consumer reviews of restaurants are merely one aspect of the services that Zomato supplies: the main service being a catalogue or directory of restaurants within a certain vicinity.

The catalogue contains restaurants within one’s vicinity as well as a short description of what that restaurant is known for, its opening hours, price range, and menu. The social side of it creates a conversation between foodies, and aids one in becoming their own food blogger. It’s essentially a space where

Image: Sanjeev Verma

users can post photos of their meals (#foodporn) as on Instagram or Twitter, but goes beyond the picture with comments and ratings that add to the restaurant’s overall rating.

Unlike Urbanspoon, which primarily constitutes reviews from consumers, Zomato uses a ‘feeton-street’ model of collecting data whereby its staffers roam the streets of a city and collect restaurant information first-hand from cafés, bars and restaurants. This is done every three months in order to keep information relevant and accurate.

Whilst this sort of strategy may seem costly, Zomato co-founder and CEO, Deepinder Goyal, states that it is this that sets Zomato apart from competitors such as Yelp and other apps and platforms.

It can seem that marketing for restaurants on a platform such as this can go either way, but Zomato aims to rather create a relationship between restaurateurs and their customers, and overall, make the dining experience better for consumers as well as restaurant owners who can see where their restaurant needs improvements.

Zomato plans to integrate individual restaurants to a catalogue where services will eventually include online ordering for takeaways, online table reservations, as well as cashless payments, which will work in a similar fashion to South Africa’s Snap Scan.

In South Africa, Zomato currently has listings for Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria and the Garden Route. Globally, Zomato has its footprint on every continent (excluding Antarctica of course), with over 331 200 restaurants in 22 countries, and is still expanding into new territories.

With a whole host of ambitions, Zomato still has a long road left to go, but in the meantime, relax, and have a coffee – life is too short for bad food. Take a look at their website: www.zomato.com, or you can download the app which is available for Android, IOS and Windows Phone mobiles.

Image: zomato.com

if you want to defeat Voldemort, you’ve got to step out of Hogwarts.

Firstly, you’ll need a GPS (or a compass if you’re a hipster) to know exactly where you’re going. There are hundreds of both local and international interning opportunities to choose from which can be found on websites such as internship-sa.co.za or careers24.com. Choosing to intern in your field of study gives your CV a great boost. However, don’t be afraid to venture out of your comfort zone and intern in any field that you’re passionate about. Interning is a great way to explore various options and

it may just open the door to a whole new world you were previously unware of. Aladdin, eat your heart out!

Next on the inventory list is some scuba diving gear. Partially because it’s winter in Cape Town and umbrellas don’t make the cut, and partially because once you’ve picked the internship you want, you’ve got to dive in and go get it.

When applying, make sure you add an application letter and updated version of your CV. Add information, extra-curriculas and awards which are relevant to where you’re interning. No, reaching level 500 on Candy Crush Saga does not count.

There are some great free online CV generators such as rezumizer.com or cvcentre.co.za. Different firms may have different requirements, so it’s important to do your research thoroughly and read the terms and conditions! A good option would be to apply at more than one firm, as acceptance to a particular firm is not guaranteed.

You’ve jumped into the water, so now you just go with the flow, right? Wrong! As the wise boyband 5 Seconds of Summer sings: “If you don’t swim, you’ll drown.” It’s

Image: flickr.com

essential to find out your tasks and responsibilities from the get go, so you don’t end up becoming a gaping piece of decorative office furniture.

Make sure to plan your day once your tasks have been made clear to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re stuck! Another essential tip to remember is that you never know who you may bump into in the elevator – it could be the CEO or your future boss, so be friendly to everyone and network as much as possible.

Now that you have the guide, it’s up to you to use it. Take a page out of the Harry Potter books: if you want to defeat Voldemort, you’ve got to step out of Hogwarts.

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Features

v74 e7 – 28 July 2015

The Perfect Week That’s Just Hot Cocoa Authentic Hot Chocolate

The pearls of the Cape Town night life

Megan Thomas

T

he surest way to know whether someone comes from Cape Town is to check their Instagram.

If you see a photo of a mountain, a sunset, Jammie Stairs or the beach in their photo stream, you’ve found them. That being said, I don’t think I’ve gone one day in Cape Town without being grateful to live in such a beautiful, colourful city. I don’t think I’ve gone through a night without finding something exciting to do, either. The wonderful thing about Cape Town is its versatility and how many things there are to do, both known and unknown.

A q neve uiz nigh r t (wel l... e disappo x don cept w ints ’t kn h ow s en you tuff ) Here is what I’d consider the Perfect Week – I hope you’ve never heard of some of these things, so you are afforded that first-time-thrill.

Monday:

Every Monday, Oblivion Wine Bar and Restaurant in Harfield Village has a Quiz Night. There are few things I like more than knowing stuff and if you’re one of those people, a quiz night never disappoints (well... except when you don’t know stuff). If you answer the spot prizes correctly, your team wins a free round of drinks! It starts at 10pm and is R15 per person.

Tuesday:

Alas, my favourite activity... Ever.

Karaoke. While I know I’m in the minority of people who adore the activity, I recommend everyone go

to Dizzy’s for karaoke at least once when in Cape Town. (Bonus: you get a free shot if you sing).

Wednesday:

Every Wednesday, it is R80 for a platter of eight Dim Sum and free wine at I Love My Laundry, which is on both Bree street and Buitenkant street. It has a variety of art works you can look at and I would think you totally insane if you didn’t try their fudge as well.

Thursday:

I’m not going to mention First Thursdays, because by this stage everyone has heard of it. If you’re looking for a slightly less talented artistic experience, unless I’m there of course, Manila Bar is the place to go for karaoke night!

Friday:

Every Friday from 8pm, BlahBlah Live Sessions at the Blah Blah Bar have an array of local artists for only R50. That, or you could go to Manila Bar for karaoke night again.

Saturday:

Every Saturday, at 6pm for 8.30pm, a variety of popular comedians can be found at Cape Town Comedy Club (formerly known as Jou Ma Se Comedy Club) for R120 (and R60 on Sundays).

Sunday:

Every Sunday, Dizzy’s hosts a Beer Pong evening of epic proportion.

Entrance is R30 and if you win, you get R300 as well as a R100 bar tab. So practice your aim during the week and get to Dizzy’s ASAP! There you have it – a week’s worth of activities that will spice up your usual choices and will certainly ensure you are making the most of what Cape Town has to offer!

Tanya Magaisa

Y

ou’ve been mixing it wrong. Hot cocoa is an exquisite ancient art originating from the Aztecs of Mexico and introduced to Europe by Spain. The Aztec people of Mexico used to trade in cocoa beans. They also used to roast and grind the beans and mix it with water and chilli pepper to make a bitter and chilli frothy chocolate drink.

This drink is slightly different from the sweeter and more instant hot chocolate we know and love today; the instant hot cocoa you and I often make in the middle of a cold night does it no justice.

If one wants to create the delicate

piece of art that is authentic hot cocoa, throw out that bottle of Nestle brown powder and get yourself a beautiful slab of dark chocolate. It doesn’t really matter how high the cocoa content, as long as it is dark chocolate.

"sugar or honey can be added if you like it sweet" You’ll also need to get milk; I prefer and strongly advise full cream milk, but if you’re on a diet or are health conscious, then you can use low fat or skim milk. In France, that is all you need, but sugar or

honey can be added if you like it sweet.

The rest is basic maths really. Boil the milk and add the sweetener to the boiling milk if preferred. Don’t add the sweetener after. When the milk starts to boil, add a couple of pieces of chocolate, as much as you like, and whisk until it’s smooth and silky. Some like to add spices but I don’t believe that one should compromise the integrity of an authentic cup of hot chocolate. Keep it classic.

In French cafés, if you ask for hot cocoa, you’re given a cup of scalding hot milk and a medallion of dark chocolate which you just drop into the milk and stir. Instant fancy! And that is just how one makes Hot Chocolate.w

Red Mud, Loud Speakers and Late Nights Adam Kleinschmidt

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ith my ticket in hand and the sun rising slowly over the peaks of the Hillbrow skyline, I stood by the large bus. It’s eight in the morning and my last solid meal was nearly 24 hours ago. Yet, here I am, ready to board an eight-hour long bus ride to Thohoyandou, the capital of the former Bantustan, the Republic of Venda, and the venue for the 2015 South African National Universities Debating Championship (SANUDC).

Alongside 16 other UCT students and over 400 students from across South Africa and its neighbours, we spent just over a week participating in the biggest debating tournament on the African continent. With intense rivalries at play, frantic debates taking place every few hours and the fair amount of socialising taking place, the tournament is the highlight on any Southern African debater’s calendar.

Debating, like many inter-varsity activities, attracts a wide variety of folk to a myriad of locations. The World’s Championship this year, for example, is in Thessaloniki, Greece, and the Pan

African tournament is being held in Ghana in December.

It’s an intense undergoing, but the thrills of a debating tournament produce all the rewarding a person could desire. By challenging and stimulating your intellect, and by pursuing knowledge and reason, you’ll develop your mind and your skills. Is that nasty comparative legal history essay annoying you? Turn on your debating thinking cap, and the word count will rocket skywards.

the thrills of a debating tournament produce all the rewarding So, aside from experiencing the tournament, what is Limpopo like as a holiday destination? My resounding opinion: it’s great! A mildly humid climate, plenty of good places to explore and the close proximity of Zimbabwe and Mozambique are three of many characteristics that make the most-northern province in South

Africa a great place to get away. Fair warning: you may witness, for the first time in your life, red mud.

My travels didn’t end there, however, and two bus rides later – one of which nearly suffocated me thanks to a wayward AC system – found me in Durban at the crack of dawn. Finally, the busiest city in KwaZulu Natal, the home of the Zulu nation!

Durban was fantastic to experience.

Having lived in Cape Town practically all my life and having little experience outside the Western Cape, it came as a shock to the system. Everything from the sights to the people to the food is different and new. Even in the busy city centre – arguably a lot more busy and aggressive than dear old Cape Town – the learning curve was a real thing.

So my suggestion is as follows: when you’re next inclined to go somewhere boring like Mauritius or Thailand, follow the mantra “Local is Lekker”, and travel somewhere interesting in this wonderful country.

Also: debating is pretty cool, so try that out as well. We are the oldest society on campus and have cool forum debates and socials.

Capturing the Zeitgeist: Notable Blogs to Bookmark Nkhensani Manabe

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n the last 5 years, fashion blogging has been lifted out of obscurity and placed squarely in the centre of pop culture. Young women who have a keen interest in fashion, photography and styling have been creating spaces where they can express themselves and engage with a like-minded audience. The following is a sample of blogs you might consider adding to your daily browsing list.

“Blogging has created a different kind of entrepreneur” One blogger who is definitely worth watching is Cape Townbased Aqeelah Harron Ally (@fashionbreed). Aqeelah is a standout South African example of a blogger who produces high quality, professional work every time. This genuine leather enthusiast and budding make-up artist writes considered pieces on Fashion Breed about what she is wearing, how she put it together, and most importantly, how her style relates to some of her

personal life philosophies.

The words “modern”, “sophisticated”, and “edgy” come to mind when describing Dr Victoria Magrath, the lilac-haired Londoner who writes In the Frow (@inthefrow). As the title suggests, Victoria gives readers front row access to music festivals, product launches, top restaurants, and her international travels. Victoria is proof that academics are not all boring and hopelessly uncool. The look and feel of her blog lends itself to countless hours of browsing.

Brett Robson (@brettrobson) is a Durbanite fashion designer/buyer who takes her fearless, experimental fashion sense with her as she travels the world. Whether she is in China, Johannesburg or New York City, Brett is always seen in great make-up with a chic hairstyle to match. Blogging has created a different kind of entrepreneur and lifestyle brand. A testament to this is Brett’s eponymous clothing line – launched in May 2015 – which boasts well-made staple pieces that can be worked into any modern girl’s wardrobe.

Foyin Ogunrombi (@foyinog) is a UCT student, and writer at The Dear Solo Blog. The 19 year

old Johannesburg-born Foyin uses her corner of the internet to share opinions and observations on topics ranging from growing up to DIY, and from the local fashion scene to pop culture in general. Expect to find a new song from an artist you haven’t heard of (and that you will probably love) included in some posts.

“companies are realising the influential power a blogger has on consumers” More and more companies are realising the influential power a blogger has on consumers. Bloggers distil trends into something more palatable for the masses, and in turn brands have readily-available sample groups (i.e. followers of specific blogs) which they can tap into in order to find out what the consumers want.

Fashion blogging is far from being “just a hobby” or a fad. It is here to stay, and new creatives and influencers will be leading the way to a more diverse and consumerdriven fashion and media world.

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Sport

V74 E7 –28 JULY 2015

My first time at Polocrosse

Catherine Fulton

From the Bench Dean Horwitz Welcome back to varsity.

I hope you had an incredible holiday and that you managed to find some creative ways to stay fit and active. If you did, we would love to hear them. A number of UCT Sport teams have been working extremely hard during the vacation, either competing in national or international tournaments, playing for national or international teams or training for upcoming events. Have a look at our website in the following week for a wrap-up of all these events and also for a brilliant feature by my talented deputy Catherine on the best winter ways to stay fit without going to gym.

I want to touch on something extremely close to my heart. While I love almost every sport, Formula 1 is the one I am most passionate about. The speed combined with the precision of split second decisions which could change the course of a race or season, hooked me at a young age and my passion has only grown since. Earlier this month the Formula 1 fraternity was rocked by the death of Jules Bianchi. Bianchi was earmarked as a future world champion and was progressing his way through a number of smaller teams while training as a Ferrari development driver. He was involved in an accident in the 2014 season and was in a coma until his tragic death last week. For a sport that from the outside looks like a recipe for disaster, many are surprised by the fact that this was the first fatality since Ayrton Senna in 1994. However, as fans of the sport who study the intricate details of every car, every decision, and every regulation, we know how far safety has come in the sport and we know that with every race there is the possibility of this type of thing happening again.

For now though, we will go back to the racetrack, but Jules will be on everyone’s minds and even on some drivers’ apparel and helmets.

As Bianchi’s compatriot Romain Grosjeàn said: “This weekend we race for Jules”.

O

ne can describe Polocrosse as quite an unusual sport. Picture a game of lacrosse, but with a twist: the players are on horseback! I always had a vague idea of what it was, but never knew how much fun it could be until recently, when a friend of mine decided it was time I tried to play. The objective of the game is to score goals, which is done by throwing the ball between the opposing team's goal posts. Being a rider myself, I already knew how to ride a horse, however polocrosse was a whole new experience on its own.

I realized that the riding was only a small part of it - your main focus is not to fuss over staying on the horse, but to score a goal. It is similar to when you are learning to drive a car; what used to be a conscious effort quickly becomes second nature, and soon I wasn’t even aware of my riding. At first I practiced getting used to the racquet and ball while learning to pick up, throw, and catch the ball. I found it difficult at first, as it was strenuous having to lean over the horse’s shoulder constantly to pick up the ball as I wasn’t really good at catching it. I ended up chasing after my dog a few times as he had thought every time I dropped the ball it was his turn to ‘fetch’ (except he would fetch it and never come back).

One thing I found quite unique about this sport is that you and your horse have to work together in order to play successfully with your teammates, as your horse is your main partner. I was lucky that I was able to ride my friend’s horse who was very familiar with the game, and the horse didn’t even blink when the ball came flying its way.

It wasn’t as simple as I had thought.

I found this kind of sport to be a learning experience Images: Louis Wulff I watched my sister try with her horse, who wasn’t familiar with this sort of riding and got quite a few shocks when the ball came flying towards his face (due to my terrible aim). At one point my sister tried to ride forward, but her horse caught sight of the ball and decided to run backwards, much to my amusement. I learnt that it was not something your horse would naturally be able to do. When introducing your horse to the game, they have to get used to the whacking of racquets as well as the rider swinging around in the saddle. They have to learn not to be afraid of each other as well, as a lot of grappling is involved between riders

when fighting for the ball, and that can be difficult if your horse doesn’t want to go near another horse. I found this kind of sport to be a learning experience for both horse and rider.

The horse I rode was incredibly well taught. At the slightest shift of weight it would change direction, and would be able to go from a gallop to a sliding halt, spin around on its hindquarters and leap forward again. I nearly fell off when I accidently ‘asked’ the horse to spin 180 degrees on the spot – it was so sensitive to touch that often I gave it the wrong instructions, much to my friend’s amusement. I had watched my friend play in polocrosse tournaments

many times, and as a competitive sport it did not seem like something for the faint hearted. Often the players would crash into each other, or would get flung out the saddle one way or another and end up between the horse’s legs.

I had seen many riders go home with broken bones, bruises, swellings and scratches, which put me off at first when my friend persuaded me to try it. Nevertheless, I had such fun playing and would recommend this for anyone willing to try something new with a bit of thrill involved. For those caught in the dilemma of choosing between polo and lacrosse, why not do both, all while looking majestic on a horse!

My first time hiking the Wolfberg Cracks Images: Jarryd Son

Lauren Van Haght Anyone who has visited the Cederberg – a remote, mountainous area – will know about the infamous “Cracks”. The Cederberg boasts some incredible rock formations such as the Arch and the Maltese Cross, sites that can only be reached on foot across treacherous terrain. We arrived

Not for the faint hearted (or the weak-kneed) at 8am, and set off up the steep incline. Due to our large group – of which the majority were over the age of 50 – we had to have several breaks along the way, making our climb stretch over two hours. The entrance to the Cracks is difficult to find, because you have to duck and climb right through a hole in the rock. Being only 1.5m tall made the climbing difficult, as footholds are few and far between. I made it through the first hole with the help of two people, and at this point I realised how important it is to not do the Cracks alone. After all nine of us made it through, we edged along a narrow path next to a 20m drop.

The next section is a blur of climbing over rocks and through crevices. The path was not completely clear, as the Cederberg remains untouched except for the odd painted sign here

and there. Paths were optional based on capabilities and nearby cairns. We reached a spot where I realised how the name had come about – there are three huge cracks in the rock face, providing large windows to see the valley below.

The only way out is forward

The view is amazing – definitely worth the effort. But this spot was not the end as even narrower crevices followed, as well as scary climbs over rocks wedged between the cracks.

Even though you are able to see the sky it feels a bit claustrophobic, but

there is no turning back as the only way out is forward. The last obstacle was quite a challenge. The only way through was under. Big round boulders were wedged between the rock walls, the last one barely a ruler’s length above the ground.

Those bigger had to dig their way under, but I merely shuffled on my back and curled around the rock until I made it to the other side.

The trip down was tough on my ankles, which quivered for about ten minutes after the hike. However, I recommend this hike to those willing to push their bodies (and minds) to their limits. Remember to dress warmly, pack food and water, bring a torch for inside the cracks and a first aid as you are bound to obtain a few scrapes and bruises on your journey through.

Sport Sports Bites Dean Horwitz UCT tees off in the 2015 South African Universities tournament hosted by USSA

Hosted by University Sport South Africa (USSA) at Port Shepstone Country Club, UCT competed with two teams that consisted of four players each. There was a total of 22 teams competing in the tournament. The format of the tournament is two rounds of 18 holes medal stroke-play for the first two days, after which the teams are placed into an A, B, or C division based on their scores (each division was made up of eight teams with the exception of the C-division which was made up of six).

The next three days consist of match-play knockouts to determine the final placings for the tournament and who will win each division. After the two stroke-play rounds UCT A was lying 13th and UCT B was lying 19th. The next three days led to some exciting match-play rounds where the players fought hard and many of the results were determined on the last hole. Unfortunately, our matchplay was not as strong as we would have hoped, with UCT A finishing 14th and UCT B finishing 20th at the end of the tournament.

UCT basketball takes on the best at the USSA tournament

The annual University Sports of South Africa (USSA) Basketball tournament took place from Monday, June 29th until Friday, July 3rd. Both the men’s and ladies’ teams from UCT and CPUT were representing the Western Cape. It was not an easy week as the teams were competing against teams who have many national players and basketball veterans almost double their age. Both UCT teams lost crucial games that could have seen them in a higher ranking. The men’s team finished at 7th place and the ladies at 5th. Both teams did well considering that there were fourteen teams in each gender pool. The Western Cape League will continue this semester and the team is hoping for some good results.

South African cricket teams competing overseas

With the National cricket squad in Bangladesh, the Cricket South Africa Academy squad in Sri Lanka, and the National A squad in India, our national cricketers are getting some much needed game time. While the National squad has one more test match to play in Bangladesh, the academy squad will play three four-day unofficial test matches and three limited overs matches against their Sri Lankan counterparts. The SA A squad will square up against India A and Australia A in a triangular series before taking on India A in two unofficial test matches.

USSA Gymnastics

The UCT gymnastics team, with the fewest team members by a long way, came 5th overall and in the team routine at the recent USSA gymnastics tournament. They also came home with eight medals three for Andrew van Dorsten, three for Kahla Hackner, one for Madelein Karsten, and one for Camilla Koker. The team also pulled off a superb Disney themed performance which earned them much admiration.

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Rugby World Cup 2015: Who to watch Zuko Thando Madodonke

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ith a little under 60 days until the Rugby World Cup, it is time to get a better look at the teams that stand a chance to win the William Webb Ellis trophy. In this edition, we will be looking at the Springboks, the Wallabies and the All Blacks.

Australia

Australia has had a rocky road since the last World Cup in 2011.

The Wallabies have slipped to 5th in the world rugby rankings.

Surprisingly, Super Rugby teams such as the Waratahs and Brumbies have been able to work through this tough period, and have managed to win the final of the competition. The players proved to be victorious in the last two home tests versus the Springboks.

Forward to watch: David Pocock

David Pocock has done well enough in his comeback season to warrant a selection by Michael Cheika and company. Cheika is having to make a big decision between Pocock and Michael Hooper. Hooper has been fantastic in taking over captaincy of the Wallabies, and replacing Pocock while he was injured. Pocock, a former Wallaby captain, is a classic fetcher and single-handedly won the games for Australia back in 2011.

Back to watch: Israel Folau

Israel Folau has really come into his own since making the

Image: Jean Francois Beausejour code swap from Aussie Rules to Rugby Union in 2012. At 1.93m and 102 kilograms, it isn’t hard to see why defenders have a tough time defending against Folau. He adds extra heat to a very exciting Australian backline, with the likes of Quade Cooper and Henry Speight around him.

New Zealand

When aren’t the All Blacks favourites to win the World Cup? Throw in some brilliant coaching, skills training and large human beings that are super fit, and you might just have not only a great rugby team, but also a great rugby environment.

Forward to watch: Kieran Read

Kieran Read is your classic 8th man. He is a perfect link between the forwards and backs with his uncanny ability to offload in the tackle. He might not have the brute strength

of Jerome Kaino, but his work rate around the park makes up for it.

Back to watch: Aaron Smith

Why Aaron Smith? Well, he is probably the only player in that All Black backline who has cemented his jersey, after all he is the world’s best scrumhalf. The ever-present half back was instrumental in the Highlanders Super Rugby campaign, and has fit like a glove in the All Blacks number 9 jumper.

The Springboks need Vermeulen urgently. He has turned into a player who is very difficult to replace as Heyneke Meyer is now coming to realize. Not only is he a strong carrier, lineout option and tackler, but he can win crucial break down turnovers. If he makes it to the World Cup, the Springboks’ chances will be hugely bolstered.

South Africa

Back to watch: Willie Le Roux

The Springboks have been under scrutiny for a while, due to player selection and game plan. Heyneke Meyer has responded brilliantly in allowing the Springboks to be more expansive in their game plan throughout 2014. This rewarded them with a win against the All Blacks. Meyer has been able to conjure up something that will be knocking hard on Steve Hansen’s door, come World Cup time.

Is This Seat Taken?

Image: Matt Morelli

Adam Kleinschmidt No matter what the occasion, it is always hard to fill the seats of a stadium or sports venue. Whether it’s due to transport issues, the cost implication or accessibility problems, it isn’t uncommon to hear of venues having roughly ten or twenty percent empty seats.

However, notable sporting events during the holidays have proven that the situation is a lot worse.

With many priority games, stadiums and sports clubs spike the prices Take Wimbledon, the highlight of the British tennis calendar, as an example. Timed to coincide with the height of summer, the famous tournament marks one of the four Grand Slam titles that all tennis heavyweights aim to win.

So then why were so many seats empty? The weather was good, the talent evident and in both singles finals records and long-standing feuds were volleyed between some of the most influential tennis stars in history. Another example that’s a little closer to home: the rugby game at Newlands between the Springboks and the World

XV a few weeks ago. According to estimates, only less than half the stadium was filled with spectators.

What is the issue at hand? Can we really blame the cost of tickets, or the fact that public transport isn’t always accessible? In reality, it’s not a clear answer. In the case of the Springbok game, the ticket costs were higher than usual. With many priority games, stadiums and sports

Forward to watch: Duane Vermeulen

clubs spike the prices. While this isn’t an inherently flawed practice – these clubs do, admittedly, need to survive and cover their costs – but it does need to be controlled so people from all walks of life can enjoy the game. Returning to the Wimbledon story, I can also draw on a bigger issue surrounding commercialised sport: the role of corporate guests and boxes. It isn’t uncommon to

With 26 caps (to date), the elusive fullback has really grown into a strong rugby player, and has the ability to carve a world class defence wide open. There are still some question marks over his defence, but he has done enough to be a very dependable option in the Bok fullback jersey.

Look out for the pick of the Northern Hemisphere’s teams and players in the next edition. hear of this big company or that big multinational having a priority viewing box at Lord’s Cricket Ground or Newlands Stadium.

They do, after all, want to impress their guests and potential clients by taking them to a game and showing off their facilities. However, as is the case of Wimbledon, these boxes and priority seats are often those with the best views. Courtside seats, for example, are worth the cost and allow serious fans to see their heroes in action, almost within reach. Why is this problematic? Because many of these seats in the past were vacant thanks to a steak dinner elsewhere.

A spontaneous decision by some executive could leave several key seats vacant and several fans disgruntled at the inability to see the game in better detail. Do we deny these companies priority seats? I wouldn’t say so, as they have just as much legitimacy in reserving seats as any other person. However, whether they use them or not is important.

After all, what is the point of having something good if you don’t use it?

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”

Twitter@UCTupstarts

Facebook/UCTupstarts

Sport

What to Watch

July 30th – Proteas vs. Bangladesh 3rd test (Supersport 5:30) August 5th - UCT A Rugby vs Hamiltons (UCT A Rugby Field) August 7th - SA Schools A vs Italy U18 (Paul Roos Gymnasium, Stellenbosch, 12pm) August 8th - South Africa v Argentina (Supersport 17:05)

VARSITY

The Universiade – The Highlight of Student Sport across the World Image: Gordon Dodge

many medals as possible.

UCT was represented by one athlete, Leo Davis

Gordon Dodge

S

tudent Olympics, the Universiade or World Student Games, represents the single largest, exclusively student, multisport event in the world. Staged

every two years in a different city, the Summer Universiade is 12 days of sports competitions and includes 21 sporting disciplines, with record figures of 10 622 participants. As 174 countries have taken part, it is just second to the Olympic Games

in size. This year, the 28th Summer Universiade was hosted in Gwangju, South Korea, and once again Team South Africa sent a strong contingent of athletes, coaches, managers, doctors and physiotherapists with one simple aim: to bring back as

Taking part in Athletics, Football, Gymnastics, Rowing, Shooting and Swimming, universities from all over the country were represented by their athletes, with students from TUKS and UJ making up the bulk of the team. UCT was represented by one athlete, Leo Davis (a mechanical engineering graduate who rowed in the Men’s Heavyweight Pair), one team manager, Gordon Dodge (a chemical engineering masters student who managed the rowing squad), and a national executive member, Sarah Bishop (a physiotherapist student). Teams were accommodated in an Athletes’ Village, which is not only a living space, but also a 24-hour food hall providing a multitude of foods from all over the world. Furthermore, to keep people busy, there was a Samsung Athletes’ Meet which allowed visitors to try out some of Samsung’s new technology

and even rent it for the day, free of charge. There was also a games room where members could relax and play air-hockey, pool and many more games.

A number of these world-class facilities were built specifically for the occasion, using some of the most advanced sport-specific technology used in previous worldclass events, such as the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2013 World Rowing Championships. All in all, South Africa finished 25th on the medal table, claiming all its medals from athletics: two gold medals in the Men’s 100m and Women’s 400m, and four bronze medals in the Men’s 4x100m relay, Men’s 800m, Men’s Long Jump and Men’s Team Half Marathon. UCT athlete, Leo Davis, finished a respectable 5th place in the rowing Men’s Pair after racing against country’s senior national squads. The 2017 Summer Universiade will be hosted in Taipei, China. Wiith the country’s state-ofthe-art sports facilities and advanced IT infrastructure, the event looks to be another one for the history books. With two years to prepare, hopefully UCT will be sending a few more athletes!

UCT Athlete breaks All-African records Rowan Nicholls

friends creating a competitive atmosphere and only tried to keep up with them.” However, the peak of Mhlongo’s season was still to come.

At the National Championships for the Physically Disabled, in Johannesburg, Mhlongo became the South African T44 champion in the 100m, 200m, long jump and high jump. He surpassed the automatic qualification standards for the IPC World Championships in all four, officially breaking the South African (and African) records for the latter two.

Mpumelelo Mhlongo can clear 1,85m in the high jump. That is impressive. The fact that he is able to do so when one of his legs does not function fully? That is recordbreaking. This is because the thirdyear chemical engineering student is physically disabled; he was born with amniotic band syndrome and a club foot. Mhlongo has been officially classified as a T44 athlete under the International Paralympic Committee criteria (a disability category for people who have moderately reduced function in their leg(s) or a single below-knee amputation). Besides the constant pain and affected gait, he often experiences back problems and “other little things that gnaw away [at me] the whole day.”

he competed in five competitions and... earned medals in three Occasionally, it leaves him unable to walk. Despite this, the former College House student regularly competes against able-bodied opponents in no less than five events - 100m, 200m, high jump, long jump and triple jump - and has even been known to surpass them on occasion.

In fact, the lack of disability-only

he describes the experience as a humbling one

Image: Rowan Nicholls

competitions in South Africa means that he only gets a few opportunities each year to test himself against others on an equal playing field.

During trials for the Western Province disability team at Stellenbosch’s Coetzenberg Stadium in 2014, every jump that he took as part of the long jump competition was better than the previous South African T44 record. What makes this

achievement even more remarkable is that Mhlongo was not even aware of it at the time - he was told afterwards by his coach. Modestly, he describes the experience as a humbling one: “... all I had in my mind [was] ‘compete with myself ’, so I did not get caught up with other people’s performances. I could only ask to be sandier every time I landed in the long jump pit.”

He continued his good form into the

2015 season, taking part in a number of local meets and expanding his repertoire of events. At the Western Province u23 Championships (for able-bodied athletes), he competed in five competitions and surprised no one when he earned medals in three of them: bronze in the high jump and gold in the long and triple jumps. He is quick to share the credit: “I had a group of teammates and

The success did not come by accident.

Mhlongo trains four times a week with the UCT Athletics Club inaddition to gym work, and uses his spare time at track & field meets to learn from the talented athletes there.

Hailing from Klaarwater, a small informall settlement outside of Chatsworth in KwaZulu Natal, the former Kearsney College man has been doing athletics since Grade 1.

He’s come a long way since then, and perhaps has along way to go: “It is an exciting journey to think about, not only the athletics but the travel, company, culture as well as the atmosphere such competitions bring.”