2013: Edition 11 by VARSITY

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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

25 September 2013

VOLUME 72: EDITION 11

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UCT touted as host for Student Energy Summit Chris van der Westhuyzen

SRC Report Cards

n international organisation of youth leaders, the Student Energy Movement (SEM), has proposed UCT as host venue for the first-ever African Student Energy Summit scheduled for June 20th to June 22nd next year. The summit, one of six intercontinental events, is set to attract hundreds of young African leaders, student delegates, academia and policy-makers from across the world with the aim of adopting a charter for the development of sustainable energy resources in Africa. Steve Arowolo, who represents the SEM’s Africa arm, said he had been in correspondence with the Office of the Vice-Chancellor (OVC) to discuss UCT as a possible host for the summit.

“The proposal will be assessed based on its viability and strategic implications and benefits for UCT.”

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SRC 2013: End of term for 2013 SRC. The 2014 SRC take office from November 1st. Turn to the centrespread for SRC report cards. based on its viability and strategic implications and benefits for UCT.” The university was touted as the host for the summit after several organisations and constituencies on campus had endorsed the event. Professor Mark New, Pro ViceChancellor and director of the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI), said the impact of UCT’s Green Campus Initiative demonstrated a profound capacity among students to engage with issues around sustainable energy. “We have a range of research and teaching initiatives probing the transition out of carbon-based energy systems in the developing world,” New said. The Pro Vice-Chancellor said the diversity of students at UCT meant that the campus would be a

favourable environment in which to host the summit. “UCT’s student body is more international than most in Africa,” New said. “So it is well placed to be a friendly and welcoming venue for such a conference.” Dr Amos Madhlopa, Senior Researcher at UCT’s Energy Research Centre, said that while the development of sustainable energy for Africa was a global concern, youth engagement with energy policy was particularly important to ensure that the matter remained a priority for the next generation of political leaders. “The outcome of the African Student Energy Summit is bound to impact decisions at the African Union because sustainable development is something that

concerns government structures across the world,” Madhlopa said. In an official letter endorsing the summit, the Students’ Representative Council President, Lorne Hallendorff, described the event as an “excellent initiative” and encouraged the UCT community to support it. “UCT is placing a major emphasis on being an Afropolitan University and, along with being the top university on the continent , it is in the country that is considered the gateway to Africa, UCT is very well positioned to host this conference,” Hallendorff said. According to Pillay, UCT administrators would evaluate the merits of the summit according to standard practice, which required careful consideration of issues

like proposed time frames and the availability of resources. “There are several other competing events and conferences,” Pillay said. “We would like to be able to lend our financial and administrative support, but in a time of austerity, we have to consider our calendar and see whether UCT is able to afford to host the summit.” Arowolo said he was confident that next year’s summit would mobilise young Africans by giving them a platform to share their vision for the development of sustainable energy on the continent. “Plans for Africa’s energy are always discussed elsewhere, like in Europe,” Arowolo said. “This summit will herald a new era in which young Africans meet on African soil to discuss the future of Africa’s energy.”

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“UCT is the ideal venue for this event,” Arowolo said. “It was here where President Obama announced the Power Africa initiative when he visited the continent in June.” Obama’s initiative entailed a $7 billion US investment to improve access to energy in Africa. Arowolo said that the SEM was committed to furthering the implementation of the Power Africa initiative. He said the student movement planned to adopt a charter at its summit next year, after which the document would be presented to the African Union in an attempt to urge global policy-makers to deliver a clearly defined roadmap regarding the future of Africa’s energy resources. OVC Director, Royston Pillay, confirmed that his office had received the proposal to host the summit. He said UCT administrators would evaluate the merits of the proposal once all logistical details of the event had been submitted. “This is a very bold proposal,” Pillay said. “Once we have all the details, the proposal will be assessed

Pink Week

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news

v72 e11 – 25 September 2013

News Bites Pinetown crash driver gains online support PINETOWN – An online petition in support of the 23-year-old truck driver who killed 23 people in Durban last week has gone viral over social networks like Facebook. The petition, started by a Johannesburg man, is calling to hold Sanele May’s employers responsible for providing the truck driver with a faulty vehicle. -eNCA

“Man who could not get AIDS” commits suicide NEW YORK CITY – Stephen Crohn, known as “the man who can’t catch AIDS”, committed suicide on September 13th. A genetic defect in his white blood cells made him resistant to HIV, which helped contribute to medical knowledge. Crohn became famous in the 1980s after his boyfriend and friends died while he remained healthy. -New York Times

Mugabe calls the West “unprincipled, dishonest” ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe called Western critics “unprincipled and dishonest” after official criticism on the Zimbabwean elections was announced. Western powers promised a removal of decadeexisting sanctions if elections were to be held freely and fairly. Despite vote observation by the African Union and SADC (Southern African Development Community), elections were found not credible. -News24

West promises more support for Syria rebels SYRIA – Britain, the United States and France have vowed increasing support for Syrian rebels in the civil war. The countries agreed that if the Syrian President Bashar Assad continues to refuse the handover of chemical weapons for international control, there would be consequences. US Secretary of State John Kerry has said that they are “committed to the opposition” and that Assad had “lost all legitimacy”. -News24

Baby Samantha’s parents found guilty JOHANNESBURG – Adriaan Netto and his girlfriend were accused of raping and murdering their child, Samantha. The parents of the ten-month-old were found guilty of culpable homicide, child abuse and the rape of their daughter. The couple will be sentenced on September 30th. -News24

Ntando Mlambo

Political conflict in Cambodia Aisha Abdool Karim

n Sunday, September 15th, thousands of supporters of the Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) gathered in Freedom Park in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh. This marked the start of a three-day rally for an independent inquiry into electoral fraud regarding current Prime Minister Hun Sen’s victory in the Cambodian elections on July 28th.

Police claim to have only used tear gas, batons and smoke grenades The leader of the CNRP, San Rainsy, believes that Hun Sen’s party, Cambodia People’s Party (CPP), cheated in order to win the election. On Sunday night, after the rally began, police opened fire on the protestors. The police claim to have only used tear gas, batons and smoke grenades, however, one of the protestors died from a shot wound. In addition to this, several other protestors were injured and at least 24 were hospitalised. Due to the violence that ensued at the rally and the political tension in the country, the reigning monarch Nordom Schihamoni, called for protestors and security to avoid violence and urged both parties

Image: en.m.wikipedia.org

CAMBODIA: Protesting for an independant inquiry regarding their most recent elections. involved to end the stalemate. In response to this, both Rainsy and Sen met for a closeddoor meeting on Monday, September 16th. At the end of the day, both party leaders emerged saying that the meeting went well and they would continue negotiations in order to resolve the tense political atmosphere in the country. Yet after

an additional three hours of talks on Tuesday, September 17th, no progress had been made. Despite the continued tension between both parties, the protestors left the park on on Tuesday, September 17th. After the violent clash with the police on Sunday night, the rest of the protest was calm, with the exception of a monk who threatened to set himself on fire at the end of

the rally. By the end of the meetings and protest, Hun Sen had still not agreed to cooperate with the inquiry and San Rainsy is threatening to boycott the new session of parliament on Monday, September 23rd. Overall, there is still a political rift within the country and neither party has, at this stage, been able to resolve the conflict.

Pink Week: Christianity, intersections and drag queens Stefanie Busch RainbowUCT once again hosted its annual flagship event, Pink Week, from September 16th to September 20th. Seeking to create awareness on prevalent issues relating to the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersexual and Queer) community, Pink Week consisted of a number of informative events. The provocatively titled panel discussion “Homosexuality is more African than Christianity”, held on Tuesday, September 17th, was used as an opportunity for the panellists to contemplate how to engage with homosexuality from a religious perspective.

“There is a way to remain Christian and abandon homophobia” Reverend Rowan Smith, a former Dean within the Anglican Church, argued the archetypal “but-thebible-says-no” argument used by many Christians was a door-closing response, prohibiting any intelligent discussion from occurring. “There is a way to remain Christian and abandon homophobia,” Rev. Smith asserted. He went on to advocate that the interpretation of scripture by some Christians is done in the light of heterosexist and patriarchal beliefs, thus subduing the scripture’s true meaning:

Image: Sofia Gilli “We should keep an open mind. Be ready to interrogate scripture.” A further talk held by radio host Eusebius Mckaiser, entitled “Intersections: Race, Class and Sexual Orientation”, provided an interesting and controversial counterpoint to the usual LGBTIQ debate. He argued that, in the quest for fighting for their political rights, members of the LGBTIQ community have lost the importance of affirming their individual diversity. Mckaiser urged that the LGBTIQ community should stop obsessing on the one thing they have in common, namely their sexual orientation. “We seem to be scared to talk about differences within our community, because then we cannot unite against heteronormativity,” Mckaiser suggested. He went on to state that it is important to recognise that issues prevalent in the macro society, such as significant class, wealth and race differences, are also reproduced

within the LGBTIQ community. Furthermore, Mckaiser tried to explore the thinking that members of the LGBTIQ community ought to have a moral duty to care more for the struggles of the “black lesbian living in the township” than the jock walking down University avenue. “We should not have to care on the basis of being a member of the LGBTIQ community and by virtue of sharing a sexual orientation,” Mckaiser argued, continuing to say that one should rather care on the basis of being part of the human community. Pink Week also saw the relaunch of the Pink Closet. After having been

burned down in 2010, RainbowUCT felt it was important to maintain the tradition. “The Pink Closet illustrates that we are not going away and will remain visible,” stated Qama Qukula, a member of RainbowUCT. Finally, Pink Week hosted the Drag Race on Thursday, September 19th, inviting the UCT populace to arrive in drag. Drag Queen Odidiva and Drag King Johnny Deep were invited to serenade the audience. “This event is a way to subvert heteronormativity and to bring the LGBTIQ community to the forefront – a sort of “in your face” challenge,” Qukula stated.

news

v72 e11 – 25 September 2013

University clamps down on student media “First South African Charter of Students’ Rights and Responsibility” in planning

Tayla-Paige van Sittert

Hannah Gauss & Sandile Tshabalala

he independence of student media was a hot topic earlier in August after the North-West University (NWU) shut down its student newspaper, Wapad, due to an alleged debt of R80 000. The editor of Wapad, Kevin du Plessis, denied the alleged debt and said the newspaper was, in fact, forced to close because the management department at NWU was threatened by the content of the newspaper.

“There was also talk of restricting us in the way we use social media.” “We were not closed down because of any one article, but rather, in my opinion, because of the spirit of our news this term collectively,” du Plessis said. Johan van Zyl, spokesperson for NWU’s Potchefstroom campus, said the decision to debar Wapad was purely concerned with financial issues and not a plot of censorship. “We stand for media freedom and actually promote it,” van Zyl told the Mail & Guardian. “It's up to them [Wapad] to deal with the funds as soon as possible." van Zyl’s allegations seemed to be contradicted by the department’s refusal to allow Wapad to publish their edition online, as the process of online publishing would not have added any financial strain on the paper. According to du Plessis, the Marketing Department at NWU was pursuing a reformation in the media

Image: www.puk.ac.za

function on campus, a move Wapad strongly objected to. “The Marketing Department wanted or wants to hire a coordinator who would have known exactly what we would publish before doing so,” du Plessis said. “There was also talk of restricting us in the way we use social media.” The limited degree of autonomy granted to Wapad left the studentrun publication in a vulnerable position where they were subject to the control of the university, according to du Plessis. “We are too closely related to the marketing department at this stage,” du Plessis said. “Marketing and journalism do not gel, but we are hoping for some changes in the next few months.” In an interview with the Mail & Guardian, Johannes Froneman, lecturer in Journalism and Media Ethics at NWU, said Wapad’s closing not only negatively affected the reputation of the university, but also undermined the journalism teachers who served to promote media freedom. “My journalism colleagues and I have come out strongly in support of the editor and the paper,” said Froneman. “Should we fail in this duty, we fail as journalism teachers. If we can't stand up for freedom of the media, even in the confines

of a campus, should we have a journalism programme?” At UCT, there appeared to be less questionable links between University management and the student-run newspaper, VARSITY. Shannon Bernhardt from UCT’s Department of Student Affairs said the university upheld good governance and democratic values and encouraged free and critical press that was responsive to its readers. “VARSITY newspaper is a recognised student Development Agency and operates under the auspices of the Students' Representative Council (SRC),” Bernhardt said. “The University recognises the editorial independence of VARSITY’s Collective, who are responsible for the content, management and funding of the newspaper.” At NWU, du Plessis said Wapad was not going down without a fight, as everybody on campus was working together in support of the reopening of the student newspaper. “We have had immense support from our lecturers, from communications and from all over the country,” said du Plessis. “We are fighting the good fight and we are hoping that our efforts will leave Wapad much safer for future generations.”

a charter that, “in the longer process becomes a legal document enforceable by law,” as stated by South African higher Hallendorff. A future conference education institutions, unlike scheduled for July 4th to July 8th other global examples, lack a 2014, will bring about the final coherent document embedding outcome as well as initiating student needs and inquiries. nationwide student voting. On Sunday, September 10th, the Until then, SRCs nationwide South African Union of Students will gather student opinions (SAUS), in cooperation with the and comments through social UCT SRC and other networks, agendas at Student members of national “The Charter must Parliaments, SRCs held a drafting and planning legitimately speak for house committees, conference on the the students of today” faculty councils and society “South African committees in Charter of Students’ order to draft a legitimate student Rights and Responsibilities,” at charter. A mutual commitment The Ritz Hotel in Cape Town. signed by all delegates ensures Guest speakers Professor Crain a continuing progress until Soudien (Deputy Vice-Chancellor) July 2014. and Professor Ben Turok (Member The Charter “cannot end up as of Parliament) informed SRC a marketing gimmick that people delegates from universities around put into their top draw and never the country on how to create look at again,” says Hallendorff. a legal document focused on The Charter further focuses student issues like application fees, on giving international Southern financial exclusion, the right to African Development Community protest and the right to learn. (SADC) students equal rights Turok emphasised that the to those of national students. Charter must legitimately speak Thabo Moloja, President of the for the students of today, and SAUS stated that, “students from pave the way for the betterment of the continent need to be given student life in the future. the same residence and tuition UCT SRC President Lorne fees,” as accorded to South Hallendorff described the African students. conference as an opportunity “to “We believe that there is a create a political lobbying tool strong chance that the project will that has weight at the university’s be a success … or as Turok said, councils and with the Department “This could be one of the most of Higher Education, and the important moves for students bodies that the Vice-Chancellor in the 21st century”, comments sits on.” Hallendorff. The Conference is the first step in drafting and planning

Genshiken UCT hosts Cape Town’s first anime and gaming convention Clare Garrad On the weekend of September 14th and 15th, the Genshiken UCT Anime Society hosted UCON (University Conference), Cape Town’s first anime and gaming conference in Molly Blackburn and Jameson Hall. With planning starting as early as October 2012, this muchanticipated event was the brain child of the current chairperson of the society, Aamina Teladia. Previously, Genshiken UCT was only focused on anime, but, wanting to diversify the society, Teladia took it in a new direction by integrating gaming as well to attract a different crowd.

Vast array of attractions, from gaming, to anime, to Japanese culturebased activities This diversification has been a platform for expanding the society and taking it to new levels. A count of approximately 900 people passed through the doors over the course of the two-day convention. In comparison, Teladia cites most other conventions as hosting numbers in the region of 200

people in total. Yet despite this, an event of this scale was organised and put together by the ten committee members, with the aid of a handful of dedicated helpers and the assistance of All Otaku Magazine in the running of the event itself. This, however, did not come without a cost, with committee members running solely on energy drinks for most of the convention. Teladia stated, “Of course there were hiccups, as is expected with any first event.” With its vast array of attractions, from gaming, to anime, to Japanese culturebased activities, the convention appealed to people from all walks of life, and it was not just confined to the bounds of the UCT community. Highlights of the convention included the Kenjutsu demonstration, with the Japanese “art of the sword” being displayed, as well as the Cosplay (or “costume play”) fashion show – where people dressed up as their favourite characters, often having made their own costumes, and were judged on how well they were able to get into character. Despite these highlights, some visitors were disappointed, as

they were hoping for something “bigger”. The overall opinion was positive however, as visitors commented that they were “loving it” and that “there should be more” conventions of this kind. The society aims to please both opinion groups, taking constructive criticism into account for the next time around. Teladia hopes to turn the Conference into an annual event, hosting the next one in UCT’s Sports Centre to accommodate a larger event. April 2014 will see the next convention of this type. Commenting on what is to come, Teladia explains, “We’re planning to host the World Cosplay Summit prelims at the next UCON so all cosplayers should focus on getting a team mate if they want to go to Japan!”

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editorial

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

Editorial

Social NOTworking

Alexandra Nagel Editor-in-Chief

My Flawless Ending thank the Collective of 2013. Thank you for all your hard work, for putting up with me and my rampant mood swings and for being my friends at times instead Editors and Managers. I have a deep respect for each and every one of you and I hope we get to meet once again in the future (hopefully in New York or at Side Show next Tuesday, perhaps). I know we had errata in almost every edition, I left out adverts a couple of times, and the Human Rights Commission was on our butts, but we came out stronger, the paper came out stronger and now we have a lovely little tale to tell he final column. The one our offspring. From now on out, I no one has been waiting for. can only advise, and not dictate as The one that will happily send me before. I would strongly advise you on my way, never to return to the to stay away from pie charts, as they gallows of VARSITY ever again. I have proven to be crafty and have could easily do landed UCT and the usual episode myself in quite a of goodbyes and bit of dirt. Rather good lucks, but I a histogram. The end. Case closed useMingle fear this page will with end up on the RAG. They have sidewalk, like the enough Red Bull ones before this, to support a small or land up as cleaning tools for town from running low on energy, shining windows and not have any which has proven to be quite other impact besides that. helpful. Speak on UCT Radio, they So I have taken it upon myself are an awfully lively bunch and call to share with you, the UCT you by the right name when they community, a story that I have address you, unlike eNews. Work just made up in order to cure with Ubunye. They have a soft my tentative hand into writing nature and encompass the dream of a cliché of a final column. Once bettering our country, a vision that upon a time, there lived a unicorn VARSITY shares. named Jonah. It/she/he had an To my dear Deputy Editor, who identity issue and decided to wiped my nose every time it snotted share this with his other unicorn and calmed me down whenever friends. They shared in the joys of I claimed to be having a cow. You their weirdness in a meadow that were my saving grace and I will was guarded by a red door on a never forget your BBM ringtone of mountain. They lived happily ever “it’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!”. after. The end. Case closed. That is And finally, to my wonderful how quickly this year has flashed Copy Editor now taking on the role by as if I had shut my eyes, wrote of Editor-in-Chief, I wish you more a stupid story of about two lines, than the best. You have earned opened my eyes, and it is all over. the role of VARSITY’s humble Despite my ending being guardian and I have no doubt that anything but flawless and my your ending will be more flawless column starting to become than my own. everything that is cliché, I would Love Mother Editor like to take this opportunity to

Rebecca Dallas Deputy Editor

Over the past two years I have found myself becoming less patient and distracted. I find it difficult to recall the last time I

actually thoroughly enjoyed doing something. Where I used to relish in watching a good film, these days it’s impossible to participate in anything of the sort without someone criticising it. Social media and networking sites have given everyone a voice. Over this past year, I have come to witness these opinions that people think they are entitled to share. Defamation, hate speech and unfounded judgement [insert something nasty about Miley Cyrus] are but a few of the negative aspects to the media that I have been made aware of, and I really can’t stand it. Maybe we should just go back to the basics and criticise

ourselves. Where have we gone so horribly wrong that we find it necessary to expose our ignorance about people we don’t know and events that shouldn’t affect us? Me? I don’t have the answer. The media certainly acts as an important platform for communicating a variety of occurrences and ideas about the world, but when some people abuse these convenient platforms to convey very negative outlooks on life, it is very disheartening. I have had an interesting experience with campus media, to say the least, but on the whole I feel as though it will be refreshing to say a good-bye for now.

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2013 Collective

@varsitynewspaper.co.za editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel deputy Editor Rebecca Dallas managing Editor Andrew Montandon Copy Editor Laurie Scarborough online editor Mitch Prinsloo Online chief subber Theresa Scott news Krysia Gaweda & Chris van der Westhuyzen opinions Katy Scott & Uthman Quick features Daniël Geldenhuys & Lynne Marie Fraser sportS Rob Byrne & Megan Kinnaird centrespread Zarmeen Ghoor images Tebesethu Nkambule, Elelwani Netshifhire, Siyanda Ralane & Jessica Breakey Design Julien Speyer web Stephen Hulme, Robin Mukanganise & Peter Maluge advertising & Finance Imaad Isaacs & Salman Ghoor human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Kudzai Tabaziba Marketing manager Vikash Gajjar Operations manager Mwinji Siame sub-editors Kevin Elliott, Jena Ascough, Flavia Orman, Abigail Munroe, Julia Munroe & Evans Akatch

Staff writers Ryan Bird, Ryno Nortje, Busang Senne, Cai Nebe, Hannah Gauss, Sandile Tshahabalala, Stefanie Busch & Joe Simon

opinions

The Orwellian Revolution Xabiso Nokoyo I must admit, I am a sucker for conspiracy theories; I love a juicy plot. So it would not take very much to convince me of a possible sinister plot by some elite group or secret society, the proverbial men behind the curtain. You may not be so inclined, but you cannot ignore the hubbub over the Big Brother Conspiracy. Surely, at the very least, you must concede that there is some kernel of truth. The former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden (now currently sheltered by the Russian government) who spilled the beans on the US government secret surveillance programmes, took the Big Brother debate from conspiracy to truth. This is the world of Nineteen Eighty-Four, narrated by George Orwell. His narrative was of course limited by the technology at the time, but the essence is exact. We are definitely being watched. The advent and proliferation of mobile technology and social media has nested this reality. We are all switched on and connected, and quite happy about that. Recently,

we had a fairly new network/IM App showcase on Jammie Plaza, WeChat. I thought I would try out the application, but my experiment didn’t get very far. In fact, I didn’t even install it.

full access to your phone records and … your email and text messages If you are one of those people who actually read, or at least skim, the terms and conditions before clicking “accept”, you will have come across some disconcerting requirements on your part. The policy for this app requires, among other things, that you give full access to your phone records and the content of your email and text messages. It then explicitly states that information collected may include confidential information. Not only will they have my name and other personal information, they will also collect all details in my correspondences as well as my metadata. I regretfully decline! The US government was recently reported to have access and extracts to any and every piece of information

from your accounts with Google, Facebook, and Internet hosting companies, which track your every keystroke, under the NSA Prism programme. Yes, they know what you did last night, and it’s all above board (their conduct, not yours). With just about everything going digital and online, surveillance by the powers that be has become much easier. The South African government is showing footsteps in that direction. The ducks are being lined up; one example is the e-tolling system. With every car tagged and registered, which is an already existing requirement, they are able to track and monitor your movements. And, of course, information about any conduct by government will not be for public consumption, classified under the Protection of Information Legislation. There is an enormous amount of information that we entrust onto service providers, from banks and shopping reward programmes such as those from Clicks and P ‘n P, to email and social media accounts. It is nearly impossible to disconnect, but I would be careful about the kind of information I put out there. Big Brother is watching.

Students: Quit your slouching and get involved! Mikhail Manuel The only way that students will help contribute to the positive transformation of South Africa is through education and involvement – both possible on campus, and both necessary now. Active citizenry seems to have become the new buzzword when discussing any form of social awareness on campus. In this past term alone, I have heard of talks hosted by the SRC, Anglican Society of UCT, History and Current Affairs Society and the New Agenda Magazine; all trying to figure out what our role might be in active citizenry as students.

we have grown up in a country free from any major struggles. Active citizenry is not a new idea in South Africa; the fight against apartheid is a perfect example of its power. But the motivation and importance of being an active citizen has died down over the last 20 years, especially amongst us students here at UCT. When student leaders ask us to get involved, we all slouch lower in our seats in the hope of making clear our nonchalant “we-don’t-think-thismatters” attitude. An attitude which, I think, is somewhat warranted because we have grown up in a country free from any major struggles. But in recent times, we have begun to hear the rumbles of a failing government. The education system isn’t working, the health system isn’t either, crime is on the up and corruption appears to be rampant. So can we still slouch in our seats? Or should we be doing something to fix our array of problems? There is no doubt in my mind that it

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has become necessary for us to do what we can to solve the problems of which we are all ashamed. The solution begins with understanding where we fit into our society. Academically, we have been rated as the top university in the country. So if you have made it onto the slopes of UCT, you are amongst the best students in South Africa. This may be a cliché you are tired of, but it is true nonetheless and is one I think we should live up to and wear with pride. Throughout the world, the leaders of society are those who are the best at what they do. In South Africa, as apartheid struggle leaders get too old to lead our country, the next generation of leaders will have to take over. In all likelihood, this call will fall on us because of our potential and the opportunities that surround us at UCT. We must understand that we are becoming the intellectuals of South

Africa. Our role in the future is to lead our respective spheres using educated and critical thought to balance our complex and delicate problems. We need to realise that our role is to get the best education that we can. Working with careful thought, perseverance and sacrifice is what we need to be doing as the top students in South Africa. It is irresponsible of us to look the other way when we are faced with these opportunities and when the need is so apparent. It is equally important, as we have been told repeatedly, to get involved outside of academics. We need to expose ourselves to the challenges of leadership and get to grips with the idea of active citizenry. I have joined AgangSA, you could join InvestSoc or attend the upcoming TEDtalks. I am simply calling on you to do something, anything, to help transform our country for the better.

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

Scotty Does Know

Letters to the Editor need to be kept to a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to:

opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Katy Scott

Opinions Editor

I’ll be in my drunk tank something significant. For each 45-minute lecture I have taken on a role. I have pretended to be a media theorist, a linguist, a critical thinker, a philosopher. Club UCT has given me the confidence to really believe that I am the personas I adopt. I have found myself thinking, “I never want to leave this place” and “this is the best time of my life”. Safe to say, I’m “drunk” to the point of paralysis. With the closing of Club UCT ypothetically speaking, if in sight, I know the lights are soon UCT were a night club with a going to come on and that a bouncer ridiculous entrance fee and an open will be ushering me out. No longer bar tab, I would be that drunk mess will I be invincible. No more will slumped at the bar. there be a gold spoon in my mouth I have gone through all the and fluffy cushion under my bum. relevant stages of drunkenness. Over in the land of the poms, I have thought myself to be the there has been banter about the cleverest human in this entire introduction of drunk tanks to institution, sometimes so clever that detain the inebriated. my tutors clearly The police aren’t even on have argued my level (which these tanks Safe to say, I’m “drunk” to that explains some are safe places the of those below where drunkards can receive par marks). point of paralysis the medical I have waltzed attention they along University Avenue thinking that everyone is need, for a price of course. With the sobering thought of watching me because I’m looking hot to trot. I have struck up immediate graduation around the corner, I find friendships with people, even added myself entering my own personal them on Facebook, only to never see drunk tank. I know I need to place myself in a rational environment them outside of Club UCT. I have been so overcome with where the club lights do not warp hunger that I have found myself my vision. I am wallowing in self drawing money from random ATMs pity and denial about the fact that (because money isn’t an issue when the hangover that is my future is you’re drunk) and I have proceeded about to hit. But for now, the music is still to eat half my body weight going and I’m still dancing about in greasy meals. I have been under the false in my delusion. Only when that illusion that every test I have last call comes will you find me written, every assignment I toasting to my sobriety and retiring have submitted, has contributed to my tank.

I have joined AgangSA, you could join Investsoc or attend the upcoming Tedtalks. I am simply calling on you to do something, anything to help transform our country for the better.

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opinions

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

ANN7 – Gupta government news? Parusha Naidoo

irst they blessed us with a “critical, but fair and constructive” newspaper called The New Age (TNA). Now they have given us “the most technologically advanced 24/7 news channel in South Africa”. What have we done to deserve such kindness from the Guptas? The famous family has become synonymous with negative dealings with the state and highlighting the weaknesses of our politicians when it comes to accepting “donations”.

ANN7 has become a source of entertainment for viewers Painted as mystical creatures that came from a faraway land to become friends with our president while advocating for their politicallyconnected business interests, the Guptas became a household name in April this year with the contentious landing of a chartered jet at the Waterkloof Air Force Base. The newest addition to the Gupta scandal has been the launching of a news channel, Africa News Network 7. However, instead of being a source for news, ANN7 has become a source of entertainment for viewers. With errors ranging from the

Image: flickr.com.governmentza

mispronunciation of words, incorrect grammar, factual inaccuracies, technical glitches and presenters looking blankly at the camera, it’s hard not to find yourself wondering if you clicked the wrong channel and ended up on Comedy Central. ANN7 was launched in August under the holding company Infinity Media, which is a combined business project between Essel Media and Oakbay Investments, the latter being

owned by the Gupta family. Digging a little deeper, it seems that Duduzane Zuma, the son of Jacob Zuma, has a 30% stake in Infinity Media. While trying to avoid the conspiracy rant that ANN7 and TNA are government mouth pieces, these news mediums could be seen as potentially offering an alternative view for the public that goes beyond the middle class audience that many news outlets cater for.

Where they fall short is in their source of funding. This leaves you questioning their agenda and wondering whether the Guptas are South Africa’s very own version of media mogul, Rupert Murdoch. Notorious for biased news in favour of right-wing politics, Murdoch’s media reputation represents the consequences of media firms becoming playmates with people in power.

Through forceful influence on his media outlets, Murdoch has not only covered the news, but also shaped the news in favour of certain groups whilst aggressively attacking views that fail to fall within the conservative paradigm. Like Murdoch, the launching of ANN7 and TNA by the Guptas as a mission to provide pro government news is just one avenue to the persistent pursuit of power and control by government and corporates. While ANN7 has received distasteful reactions, other news agencies in South Africa are far from the golden standard of journalism. There is a gap in the market to listen and voice the news of groups that mainstream media has forgotten about. Just how well outlets linked to political ties can do that, however, is questionable. Given their friendship with Jacob Zuma and other political connections, it seems impossible to divorce the Guptas from those in power. Money and power together need to be monitored and questioned. Who better to do the monitoring and questioning than the media? Dubbed as the Fourth Estate or government watch dog, media theoretically plays the role of informing the public in an unbiased and objective manner. This seems like an unlikely task to expect from a newspaper or news channel funded by the friends of people in power.

opinions

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

Is there a “United” Nations? Angela Kirykowicz The goal of an international governing body has always been an idealistic one. After the spectacular diplomatic mash up which lead to the horrors of the First World War, a body which transcended national boundaries seemed suited to navigating an ever changing and complicated world. Bertrand Russell wrote in Political Ideals that, “There cannot be secure peace in the world…until states are willing to part with their absolute sovereignty with regards to their external relations, and to leave the decision in such matters to some international instrument of government.” The United Nations (UN) rose from the ashes of the politically impotent flop that was The League of Nations, and, whether for better or worse, has shaped geopolitics and social concerns for the last 60 years. There has never been a more pressing need for international cooperation and outlook; from solving the crisis in Syria to preventing serious climate change. As a body for discussion and cooperation, the UN facilitates (or at least tries to) resolving these problems. There have been successes; such as the peacekeeping mission in the Congo which has prevented the country, so far, from sliding back into another brutal civil war. The UN also gave us the World Health Organization (WHO), which was instrumental in the eradication of smallpox, and The International Court of Justice that can prosecute people, such as the Bosnian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, who could not be prosecuted in their own countries. There have also been appalling

failures, as was the case in allowing hundreds of thousands to be murdered in the Rwandan Genocide. The UN lives up to the literal sense of the word ‘united’ by gathering many of the delegates representing the conglomerate of countries that constitute the Earth’s land mass. However, in a more prosaic sense of the word there are some difficulties. As with most issues, real power lies in the hands of a few; in this case, the permanent members of the Security Council (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States) have disproportionate control over geopolitical issues, especially those regarding conflicts. All of the permanent members have the power to veto in Security Council meetings, meaning that they can block any resolutions, even when those resolutions have an overwhelming majority with the other Council members. Moreover, smaller and poorer countries tend to be marginalised in discussions. Yet, it would be a mistake to disregard the work of the UN, despite its failures and problems. This is because, with the rise of globalisation and international communication, a global body is needed now more than ever. The UN, like any democratic institution, can be improved upon; it can be made more transparent and inclusive. Finding resolutions on many issues is difficult, as the world is made up of governments with a myriad of opposing views and interests; it would not be wise to simply give up on cooperation in the face of adversity. We owe it to ourselves and to future generations to strive for a more peaceful and harmonious existence, as that is the essence of a democratic reality.

Premature celebrations and a Trojan Horse Quentin Coetzee Recently, President Jacob Zuma has done something we wouldn’t really expect of him: he sent the Protection of State Information Bill back to the National Assembly for revision, citing two areas that were “irrational and accordingly unconstitutional”. So maybe our president isn’t so terrible after all, and maybe plutonium isn’t a hazardous material. At first I thought that perhaps, like when he dropped lawsuits against Zapiro for that particular cartoon, someone had finally bludgeoned some sense into him, and I rejoiced. But on reflection, that court case that was due to take off was quite close to the Mangaung elective conference, and in this case the ANC has got an election next year. Does anyone else see a pattern? The supposed causes for concern were sections 42 and 45, supposedly unconstitutional, but what do they mean? Section 42 states that any person classifying information for more than 20 years without approval will be fined or jailed. Section 45, in short, says that people who wrongfully classify information will be either fined or thrown in jail. So what is wrong with these clauses? Well, they both look like they are trying to stop government from having the capacity to set our tax money on fire. Here, it looks like Zuma is trying to gut those in what I like to call a ‘Trojan Horse’ manoeuver; he presents the gift of sending the Bill back, but secretly

has done so to further subvert the situation to suit his own plans. This is all happening during a particularly troublesome time when the SABC claims that they are going to give 75% positive news. While a heart-warming story now and then does lighten the mood of watching news, trying to devote three quarters of your bulletins to not reporting serious events due to ‘negativity’ stinks of trying to hide something. Then there were a few bombshells that Zuma dropped, saying that the amount of bad news that gets reported makes him want to leave; Mexico was a shining example of journalism and; journalists are supposed to be businessmen and not watchdogs. Leaving aside the ‘shut up or die’ problem journalists in Mexico face, suddenly it is becoming clearer what our President wants this bill to really do: keep their parasitism secret. “Is that a government minister stealing from state coffers? Five years jail time for you, reporter. Honourable minister X can continue plundering the Treasury.” The suppression of the damaging Information Bill, from the start was a disease-infested pile of sewage, and with the sections singled out for revision, it is clear just what this Bill is meant to do. While he complied with activist demands here, I am sure that he would sooner demolish Nkandla than stop this bill from passing. So, next time a controversial politician makes a bold move that causes people to celebrate, investigate to see if it is a good heart or a figurative Trojan Horse fed to us.

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Marissa van Rensburg

Lorne Hallendorff

Degree: Final year BA Affiliation: SASCO

Degree: 4th year BBusSc Affiliation: Independent

Transformation

President

uring her tenure, Marissa van Rensburg has tackled the need for increased barrier-free access around campus, focused on issues around gender and has explored improving support systems for parent and pregnant students. Amongst lobbying for a decrease in Educare fees, she also initiated “Our UCT Movement for Inclusivity”, which demanded inclusivity for students with different ablities on Jammie Shuttles and on campus. van Rensburg’s finest achievement is the “KNOw it’s NOT OK” campaign. Unfortunately, her accomplishments have been marred by her involvement in outside politics. Occasionally, she has excluded the SRC from her endeavours, which has lead to the delayed initiation of her projects.

ften described as “an example to others this year. Hallendorf achieved many of his reviews as well as contributing to the success of projects including the 2014 Fees Proposal and successes, however, Hallendorf will unfortunate his management style was not always popula SRC president.

Emily Bate

Keenan Hendrickse

Degree: 2nd year BA Affiliation: DASO

Degree: 3rd year BSocSc Affiliation: Independent

Health, Safety and Environment

mily Bate has striven to improve security relations between the university, students, CPS, GSCID and SAPS and also attempted to promote sexual health on campus. She aimed to reduce the stigma around HIV and AIDS and encouraged students to become environmentally conscious on campus. Bate initiated the HIV testing drive in February and the “Promote Emotional Intelligence Campaign”, as well as hosting a self-defence workshop with Fuller Hall and promoting RideLink to the student body. Hardworking and a team player, Bate has accomplished her objectives; however, with a greater insight into her portfolio and increased integration, her impact on UCT could have been more profound.

Sarvesh Balkaran

Undergraduate Academic Chair Degree: 5th year MBChB Affiliation: Independent

arvesh Balkaran’s focus has been on revising faculty council constitutions and other academic governance policy and he spearheaded Academic Activism week. In keeping with the spirit of advocacy and activism, Balkaran has also worked towards more adequate representation of students during the Readmission Appeals process. He has worked closely with students to ensure they maximise the options available to them. However, possibly as a result of his demanding academic schedule, Balkaran did not go beyond the demands of his portfolio to address cross-cutting issues, such as academic transformation and accessibility.

Lwazi Somya

Labour and Services Degree: 2nd year BSocSc Affiliation: SASCO

ollowing the threadbare achievements of his predecessor, Lwazi Somya came into this relatively new portfolio having to establish, and in some cases repair, the relationship between the SRC, UCT and workers. He has largely been successful in championing workers’ rights, holding G4S to account for infringements of the Code of Conduct, and forcing a re-think on the benefits of outsourcing to both students and workers alike. He was hands-on when it came to handling the national labour strike at UCT, helping to ensure that a skeleton Jammie service was available in the face of union intimidation of workers. Somya can be commended for improving the Jammie service overall, despite some complaints of a lack of responsiveness. However, his contribution to the SRC team is less apparent. Nevertheless, in establishing a sub-committee and addressing issues such as food hygiene and pricing on campus, he has paved the way for his successor in 2014.

eenan Hendrickse showed dedication and commitment to the SRC this year. Hendrickse attempted to fulfil his portfolio objective which entailed representing international students at UCT. His focus was particularly on policy and procedure within UCT and was commended on his incredible work ethic. However, he was criticised for taking up initiatives that did not necessarily pertain to his portfolio, such as reviewing the constitutions of a variety of UCT societies and committees. Hendrickse was also criticised for showing poor team dynamics at times. In spite of this, he demonstrated a continuous interest in the student body by arranging several consultation times with students.

SRC

Report Card

Despite their rocky start, this year’s SRC has defin march, “KNOw it’s NOT OKAY” campaign, The Dr but a few. On top of that, this year’s SRC has be and has constantly been in the eye of the stud 2012 elections and political infightings, the 20 communication between members was inconsist and many members were seen working alone. T Stafford, who deregistered as a UCT student. Ese semester. While some memebers only worked wit for going above and beyond what was required. communication between SRC and students and which to follow, thus laying down a strong found Mangi Gondwe

Secretary General

Degree: 3rd year BCom Affiliation: Independent

Chanda Chungu Societies

Degree: 4th year LLB Affiliation: Independent

his year’s Societies Coordinator has excelled within, and reached beyond, his portfolio. Chanda Chungu’s foremost achievement has been the establishment of the Society’s Transformation Fund. The fund will essentially make participation in societies and Developmental Agencies more accessible to students on Financial Aid. Chungu has also worked alongside his colleagues to establish an International Student portfolio. This passion for serving those beyond borders was reiterated when he led the first Africa Month Plaza Day on Jammie plaza, bringing together a number of Cultural student societies. He also initiated the “To Whom Does Africa Belong?” series of talks, which sparked robust debates among students. Chungu has served his community well and has shown exceptional initiative. His work has embodied the intellectual culture of the University, as well as the transformation and integration called for by students.

angi Gondwe managed to fulfil her role efficiently as Secretary General in coordinating the internal procedures of the SRC. Gondwe chose to focus on the internal operations of the SRC and managed to set up processes such as the Committee Report Template and the SRC Development of Progress Report. Despite the difficulties experienced coming in to office after the issues with the elections, she managed to find her footing and help other members do so by arranging a group counselling session. Gondwe was criticised for not having a clear project to undertake in her portfolio, however, she was commended on her organisation of the SRC Internship programme as well as being a great team player.

Alex Swanepoel

Treasurer

Lusani Nemalili

Postgraduate Academic Chair Degree: Undergraduate PPE Affiliation: Independent

Vice President External

usani Nemalili initially experienced some difficulties in her portfolio, as she is an undergraduate student. She did however, start-up the Postgraduate Faculties Sub-Counsel, which is quite an achievement. She was prevented at times from attending meetings, due to timetable clashes and some family issues, and so tended to work alone on her portfolio and not involve herself in activities outside of her portfolio. Despite this, she did achieve many of her outlined goals, such as access to funding for international students and creating a Memorandum of Understand policy, and has shown strong leadership abilities.

Degree: Final year BCom Affiliation: Independent

lex swanepoel managed the SRC’s inter often failed to attend SRC meetings, thoug am a student first, and so academic commitmen and other community-based projects also tend Swanepoel assisted over 100 students who had the Financial Aid office and appealing on beha In addition, her management of the SRC’s bailo students. Finally, Swanepoel’s performance revi to the event only taking place later this week.

Tarryn Naude

Media and Communications

Degree: 2nd Year BSocSc Affiliation: DASO arryn NAUDE excelled at the beginning of the year with the first year’s orientation, co-ordinating the SRC events and compiling the Fresher’s Guide. Tarryn’s main objective of increasing the visibility of the SRC is evident in the increased Twitter following, as well as with the Mobile SRC project. The Night Vigil for Anene Booysen is an example of Tarryn’s diligence and initiative. Tarryn set up a Media and Communication’s sub-committee of which there is room for better management. Her drive and commitment to the SRC, though strong at the beginning of the year, has waned – hence the somewhat lower rating. Overall, Tarryn excels when committed, but lacks results when her schedule becomes too busy.

s”, Lorne Hallendorf has definitely shown qualities of a strong student leader s personal objectives including strategic planning and 100-day and mid-year f this SRC’s visibility and accessibility. Hallendorff worked closely with various d driving the Students’ Rights Charter project. Both projects have seen huge ely not be able to see the final outcome of the latter. Despite his achievements, ar amongst peers. Overall, Hallendorf has proven himself to be a worthy

Kgosti Chikane

Emma Selfe

Vice President Internal

Entertainment and Fundraising

Degree: 3rd year BSocSc Affiliation: SASCO

Degree: Final year PPE undergraduate Affiliation: DASO

ccording to peer review, Emma Selfe has been a tireless worker throughout the year, a selfless leader and a great addition to the SRC team. In her capacity in her Fundraising portfolio, she raised over R400 000 for the bail-out fund, which benefited many students this year. She has a passion to help others and actively contributed to her committees and sub-councils. The only difficulty that she seemed to experience this year was the lack of turn out at one of her events, Rock the Mile. Other than that, many SRC members highlighted her as an excellent member of the team.

escribed as a “visionary”, Kgosti Chikane definitely took his term in office to do all that he could. Chikane achieved many of his objectives set out for the year; these included implementing accountability measures within Student Assembly, bettering the coordination between SRC and Development Agencies, as well as between the Developmental Agencies themselves, and playing a pivotal role in steering the New Hope Summit. Being part of two successful working groups; STRIVE and The Dream Project, Chikane has much to be proud of. However, despite his outside achievements, Chikane seemed to lack the needed internal involvement within the SRC regarding internal affairs.

Darren Brookbanks

Sports and Recreation

Degree: 3rd year BSc Affiliation: DASO

arren Brookbanks’ portfolio focused on providing a student perspective on sporting matters to UCT management, as well as co-ordinating various UCT sporting events. These included The O-Week Sports Tournament Showcase and Intervarsity. Brookbanks brought his flair for internationalisation to his portfolio by means of his “Sport and Recreation Beyond Borders” objectives. The SADC football tournament was one of his biggest achievements in which UCT hosted both the Mauritius University and the Polytechnic University of Namibia. On top of his achievements in terms of his portfolio, Brookbanks has been described as an enthusiastic and participative member. Always having the SRC’s best interests at heart, Brookbanks has definitely been a great asset to the SRC 2013 team.

d 2013

nitely had their successes. The “We Say Enough” ream Project and 2014 Fees Proposal is to name een one of the most visible and accessible SRCs dents with the Mobile SRC Office. Owing to the 013 SRC strived to become one unit. However, tent and, at times, there was a lack of teamwork The SRC saw one resignation, Thomas Guattariethu Hasane was his replacement after the first thin their portfolios, others must be commended . This year’s SRC has definitely strengthened the d has shown future SRCs the right direction in dation for future SRCs to come. Timothy Winter

Deputy Secretary General

Degree: 3rd year BBusSc Affiliation: DASO

Jarred Devar

Residences

Degree: 4th year BSc (Eng) Affiliation: Independent he over allocation of student housing at the start of the year meant that Jarred Devar was thrown in at the deep end, but he rose to the occasion and did a great deal to ensure the needs of residence students were met during his tenure. He can be commended for ensuring the most vulnerable students had a bed during the crisis. He has also pushed for a reduced time period for returning residence students to help mitigate the issue next year. His main achievements include fostering greater cohesion and accountability within residence leadership, echoed in the restructuring of first and second-tier res councils, and through projects celebrating both residence leadership and history. Perhaps guilty of taking on too much, Devar passes on a number of issues to his successor, including a suitable meal-booking system. He has nevertheless shown an excellent understanding of residence leadership structures and affected meaningful change within the system.

im’s duties pertained mainly to the planning of SRC meetings: booking venues, compiling agendas and minutes and circulating these among SRC members. In addition, Tim regularly updated the internal SRC Vula site. The majority of SRC members were very pleased with his performance in this regard. Beyond his secretarial duties, Tim often assisted SRC members with the designing of their event posters, flyers, etc. Furthermore, as part of the secretariat for Student Assembly, Tim was responsible for minute-taking during sittings. Overall, the SRC was impressed with Tim’s fine attention to detail, his friendly demeanour and his serious attitude towards his role.

rnal budget however, her performance in this regard was lacking. Swanepoel gh never without a valid apology, according to the SRC’s attendance report. “I nts took priority” she told VARSITY. Swanepoel’s involvement with SHAWCO ded to restrict her role as SRC Treasurer. Nevertheless, during the first term, missed the deadline for Financial Aid applications. Through consulting with alf of students, she managed to minimise the number of academic exclusions. out fund ensured the successful enrollment of several financially disadvantaged iew could not take into account her organising of Entrepreneurship Week, due

Esethu Hasane Day Students

Degree: 3rd year BSocSc Affiliation: SASCO

sethu Hasane joined the SRC team at the beginning of the second semester to replace Thomas Guattari-Stafford who left UCT. Hasane emphasised the importance of continuing Guattari-Stafford’s objectives, such as the MySpace@UCT initiative, aiming to make the “dead, empty spaces” around campus more socially accommodating, which will come into effect in November. Hasane’s personal initiative of increasing the security of the trains by building a relationship with Metro-Rail should be seen with this semester’s examination period by increasing the security presence. Such initiatives like Guattari-Stafford’s and Hasane’s are on-going works in progress however, of which evidence will be seen later on. Hasane’s rating takes into account his late entrance to the SRC team therefore he hasn’t been able to prove himself fully.

Scale: Stars: 0-25

26-45

46-65

66-85

86-100

Compiled by: Laurie Scarborough, Krysia Gaweda, Chris van der Westhuyzen, Alexandra Nagel, Rob Byrne, Steffi Busch, Sophie Robertson, Vikash Gajjar, Mwinji Siame and Zarmeen Ghoor.

The SRC Report Card is an annual VARSITY project that is conducted to assess the performance of each year’s outgoing SRC. The Report Card is conducted in an open and inclusive manner. All information presented in these reports has been sourced from the SRC members themselves, council members, staff and students who have worked with the members of the SRC. VARSITY reserves the right to summarise and comment on the information provided by the SRC members and external sources, which resulted in the above grades. Every effort was made to remain fair and objective in conducting this process.

features

v72 e11 – 25 September 2013

50 year flashback: UCT’s true love story Lynne Marie Fraser

-week was chaos, House Coms thought first years would actually learn their names, Sax Appeal got everyone to party and sell their magazines and boys and girls gossiped and fell in and out of love – all between lectures, hand-ins, rugby tournaments and picnics, set against the backdrop of our ever-striking Cape Town views. UCT in 1945 was, of course, radically different to today in many, deeply significant ways. But the story of Nicolette Thesen and Dennis Beningfield reminds us that seeking love (and, on the odd occasion, finding it) is a timeless experience that is relatable to all of us at UCT today. It is that crazy, stupid, love that unites us across any

UCT rugby practice included running up to Rhodes Memorial and back Taken in 1948: Nicky is far right and Dennis is top middle. This was their Hawaiian float, on Float Day, the day they first met.

seeming barriers of difference. Nicky first came to UCT when Dennis was in his fifth year of Medicine, in 1948. She recalls her first Sunday in O-week, when she and a friend signed up for a picnic at Llandudno (this very same friend, Murreal, happened to phone Nicky mid-interview – they are still close friends!). The time on the beach, watching the boys play rugby was one of Nicky’s highlights, but O-week had more than that to offer her. At the time, there was a

competitive float-making element to the infamous Sax Appeal. The men would work on their floats every night after supper, Nicky says. When one of the girls who was meant to be on Dennis’ Hawaiianthemed float couldn’t make it, Nicky was asked to take her place. And the two met for the first time. The floats went up and down Adderly Street while students shook tins and people threw money. Nicky hardly said a word all day; Dennis was a fifth year Med student and she

Tendani Malaudzi

radio station in 1994, when it was commissioned by the Independent Broadcast Association (IBA). “It was made by students for students,” says Natalie. “The content is driven by our presenters who themselves are a part of our target audience,” Natalie says. “We’d like to see ourselves as a platform for the UCT community to communicate through.” The content of UCT Radio is a combination of music and talk programming, and the station keeps listeners updated with news broadcasts every hour between 6am and 5pm. There are many goals for the future of UCT Radio. One objective that is of huge importance is to acquire a radio frequency that extends further than the UCT campus. Although one can listen to the station off campus via live streaming, this requires Internet and isn’t as convenient as tuning in on the radio. Natalie also urges more students to get involved in UCT Radio, “It’s not only for students who want to be on the mic, there are many other things available for people behind the scenes.” So whether you’re an engineer, an accountant, a scientist or a journalist, there is always something for you at UCT Radio. If you aren’t interested in being a part of the station, then simply support them by tuning in; make it, as the UCT Radio motto goes, “the soundtrack to your campus life”.

was just a shy first-year Humanities girl. Nicky needn’t have felt so shy, because Dennis had already taken a fancy to her, to say the least. They had had a lecture together – on public health – a while before Float Day. And when Nicky walked into the theatre, Dennis says, he turned to his friend next to him (who had the strange nickname “White Ape” – perhaps a story on its own) and Dennis said to him, “I’m going to marry that girl.” And marry her he did! The

couple now lives in KwaZulu-Natal on a farm in Empangeni, happily sharing their story with me, a friend of their granddaughter who is currently a UCT Med student. Dennis was a very keen rugby player and, not only did he get the girl, but also got his “Rugby Blue” for playing in the Ikeys first team that won the Grand Challenge, that is, beat Stellenbosch! In Dennis’ day, UCT rugby practice included running up to Rhodes Memorial and back, twice every afternoon.

While this may sound a lot like military training to us, many of these men had indeed joined the army by then, including Dennis himself in his second year. A word of advice from Dennis: work hard and try keep up with your studies on a daily basis so that you can enjoy your leisure time. Who knows, you might end up with a story as wonderfully dear as this one. And fifty years later, someone may write about it and say how oldfashioned your Instagram photo is.

UCT Radio – By students, for students The vibe at the Vodacom shop on Main road in Rondebosch is ineffable. It is where I’m meeting Natalie Brandreth, UCT Radio’s station administrator and staff member for 15 years. There is a DJ booth in the corner of the shop, with UCT Radio DJ Khanye Siyengo, otherwise known as “Kyeezi”, playing good music and engaging with those in the shop through the broadcast. “Integrating traditional broadcasting and the newer forms, like podcasting and live streaming, are a big focus,” explains Natalie, when I ask her the reason for broadcasting from the Vodacom shop. “We’d like to go out into our community more and show UCT that its station is about more than just music. We aim to educate, inform and entertain in languages every student can understand.” Although out-of-studio broadcasting doesn’t happen on a daily basis, it is a necessary part of UCT Radio, as it gives listeners a chance to interact with the staff face-to-face and build stronger relationships with them. UCT Radio began in 1976 as a pirate radio station and a place for political expression by UCT students. At that time, it was only broadcasted to UCT residences via the phone network. It eventually became a fully licensed community

Image: Flickr.com.Coca-ColaSouthAfrica

features

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

features

v72 e11 – 25 September 2013

The Liminals: UCT students to open the Main Stage at RTD

Image: Flickr

Lynne Marie Fraser

aying tribute to the rapid pace at which this band is hurtling into the limelight is their unique name: The Liminals. The band is fresh, having only existed in its current incarnation since July this year; although their fast-paced success reflects the fact that they are riding on a strong foundation that began five years ago with current UCT student Dylan Fine (lead guitarist) and his life-long friend Aviwe Sikele (vocalist and guitarist). Now, with two new members, Angus Hardcastle (bassist) and UCT student Mitchell

Davies (drummer), these musicians are well on their way to realising their ambitious dreams for the band. ‘Liminality’ is a threshold or a transitional point from one place to another, they explain – an apt name then for a band that is progressing at an incredible speed with seemingly unstoppable ambition. Dylan’s enthusiasm is almost tangible as he says, “We are young and fresh. And we are ready for a challenge like this.” The challenge is the band’s next and biggest gig yet: to open the main stage at Rocking the Daisies on October 6th. The Liminals entered The Assembly Band of Choice Competition that

Dylan recalls being in the UCT library when he first found out the band had won and would be performing at Rocking the Daisies, “I had to stifle my shouts of victory before running out onto Jammie plaza to pump my fists in the air like Rocky!” he says, laughing. Just a few weeks since becoming part of the RTD line-up, the band has definitely

picked up momentum, being offered gigs left, right and centre. According to Dylan, they want to be as welloiled a machine as possible by the time they hit that main stage. What matters most to them is to give the greatest possible account of themselves and their sound. The band seems confident they will do this, relishing in the prospect of such a large audience and the masses of people that will see them for the first time. They say it is important for them to identify themselves as a Capetonian band, “We try to bring in a few African grooves with our rhythm section,” says Dylan, on how they achieve their sound. They also aim to combine the vigour of funk and rock with the soul of jazz and blues, gaining wide public acclaim through a rhythm that is both energising and expressive. The initial support for The Liminals began when they won Hectic Nine 9’s Rawkus in 2011, also by public vote, to be awarded a professional music video. An eclectic collection of musical tastes have resulted in a variety of influences on

the sound of the band and a passion for music that has ensured they are winning – literally. Some of their favourite musicians include the Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys, Hives, The Beatles and Jimmy Hendricks. “We are still learning to find a balance as each day goes by,” says Mitchell on the difficulties of balancing academic and musical commitments. They insist that it is their commitment to music that is the driving force behind realising their big ambitions. One of these is in their first tour, taking place in July 2014, in collaboration with some leading South African artists. But with planning still underway, the rest of the details are being kept tightly under wraps. Some creative stop motion compilations and brand new songs are soon to be released leading up to RTD. And if you miss RTD, once you’ve finished wiping away the tears and nurturing your FOMO, you can catch The Liminals doing an acoustic gig at The Armchair on October 26th. It is safe to say that this band is certainly on the threshold of major musical success.

Image: Provided

Emerging Markets and currently CEO of the Times Media Group) and Norman Manoim (chairman of the Competition Tribunal of South Africa). Looking to inspire a change in attitude amongst men, the movement was founded by Leroy Nyari with co-founders Dalisu Jwara, Tapuwa Mataruka, Munashe Gomwe and Munya Tshuma, who are all students at UCT. In a continent where absent fathers are as common as the pigeons in our food-court, it is refreshing to see young men challenging themselves to do better than their fathers did for them. Amadoda seeks to inspire and nurture a caliber of men that ensures that no child is left without paternal guidance. The response to the movement has been both astounding and humbling in a time when a juicy story seems to be in higher demand than a truly progressive initiative. Amadoda has attained a following of 834 people (at the time of writing) in three days. Men from

all walks of life and a range of different countries in Africa have contributed to the site by submitting a short paragraph outlining why they need to be successful and the aim for that success in the African context. Hundreds of individuals have been inspired already, with one female Facebook user posting, “I commend whoever started this page, because through its content many other individuals - male and female - will be inspired to do greater things”. The hashtag that underlines Amadoda’s key goal is #AfricaNeedsLeadership . Judging by the response to the page so far, men from all corners of Africa are accepting the gauntlet laid by the movement to lead Africa’s development through entrepreneurship and Ubuntu. Men from all over Africa are standing up and are asking to be counted and, in the process, they are inspiring and motivating hundreds and soon to be thousands of people around them to do the same.

would name the band with the most public votes act to open the main stage at Rocking the Daisies (RTD). “Our fans really rallied behind us and that’s why we won the competition,” says the band manager Hloni Coleman. One of the newer band members, Mitchell Davies, says one of the things he noticed when he first joined The Liminals was an already staunch following and fan base in Cape Town, formed in their earlier years together.

gaining wide public acclaim through a rhythm that is both energizing and expressive

Facebook the new African man Khethelo Maphalala

Business, leadership, and Ubuntu are the core pillars described in Amadoda’s manifesto: the movement that has taken social media by storm, running a “Why I have to be successful” campaign that provides African men with a platform to share inspirational stories. The movement has created a wave of ambition that is going viral with up to 50 photos and stories of ambition and passion for Africa amongst men. Amadoda seeks to inspire a new generation of African men through strong family principles, business, leadership and the perpetual spirit of Ubuntu. Although still in its infancy stage, the movement plans to host conferences and participate in community work to promote its vision to a wider audience. It has received contributions from prominent personalities like Kuseni Dlamini (former CEO of Anglo American, Old Mutual

features

I was not falling, I was flying Tayla-Paige van Sittert I knew I’d love skydiving because I crave the feeling of ultimate freedom. And I knew if I were to skydive, it had to be near the ocean so that I could ogle over Earth’s magnificent rotundity. It was my 16th birthday present. At the time, I was at that stage of my life when a kind of anti-consumerism jolt alleviated my desire for things and spurred on my desire for experience. On my previous birthday, I had done paragliding in Sedgefield, but I found it left me ravenous for more. I needed super-freedom and Plettenberg Bay Skydives was where it could be found.

I had to taste flight; I had to taste the sky

At the skydiving hut, a quote was scrawled on the door which induced in me a supernova of philosophical fascination: “Once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will long to return”. I had to taste flight; I had to taste the sky. After meeting my tandem instructor with his video camera questioning

Image: Flickr.com.orfeumiles

in my face, we attached our flying apparatus and went over the process of skydiving. Meanwhile, the sky was cooking. It began with a journey to the micro-plane through mole-hills and fynbos land-masses and my heart, instead of rushing adrenaline through my veins, hugged itself in a blanket of contentment. Once in the metal-cased bird, we waved goodbye to terra firma before taking a scenic flight around the bay, all the while climbing ten thousand feet into the sky. The suspense was supposed to be building as the rivers became rivulets and the trees became tufts, but all I felt was excitement. The plane’s window, slightly fogged by my panting, became the open door where I was suddenly perched between my instructor’s legs on the edge of my flight. And then, in a sudden state of hazy breathlessness,

I tumbled through the big blue, momentarily consumed by my weightlessness. The wind gushed, my eyes gushed, my blood gushed: I was flying. After taming my flapping lips and giving my limbs up to the powers of the wind, I looked around at the landscape becoming the sea-scape becoming the sky-scape. Nothing existed separately from the next, not even me – I was a part of the sky. I was in a jelly-like stupor as I became aware of the true feeling of freedom. There were no obstructions, no limits; just an infinite blue sky that gave in to infinite land. I was somewhere and nowhere simultaneously. I was porous, letting the sky pass through my body. I was screaming with a jubilance only a free man can know. The sky is where I had been. And now I look up, wishing for it to lap me up once more.

UCT students making a difference Maureen Zimba

The Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management (FAPM) class of 2013 is hosting its annual Fun Walk/Run on September 28th under the Do-It initiative. The initiative was started by the 2011 class, along with our very inspiring lecturer Hamed Behairy. In conjunction with the Learn to Earn program, DoIt is aimed at empowering women from underprivileged backgrounds. It exists as a platform to help these women rise up and become independent entrepreneurs.

“As FAPM students, we use our skills to mentor these women.” As FAPM students, we use our skills to mentor these women. They have passions in many fields with the potential to be converted into real business ventures – anything from becoming a seamstress to selling vetkoek and other baked goods. We are dedicated to giving them the knowledge they need to make sure their businesses thrive and that they are able to manage their earnings. In this way they can be not only independent in their business ventures but also able to grow and expand to the point where they can go on to employ others in their communities. We are currently working with three extremely enthusiastic women. They are beyond grateful to have this opportunity, as some of them do not have strong educational backgrounds and receiving this kind

Image: Maureen Zimba of customised, one-on-one business training would not have otherwise been possible. The ladies, namely; Vuyokazi Mmile, Sandiswa Mapoma and Noluvo Ntshokolwana are all talented in their own rights. Noluvo has just completed her sewing course and has a dream to become a fashion designer. "I had to drop out of college because of finances. Still there are so many things I wanted to do, I just needed a chance. For example I want to change the African clothing, you know the Makoti? I am a Makoti myself and I want to change the old style to suit the new generation. I want them to be more fashionable for women to wear and look modern." Vuyokazi (Vuvu) says, "Learn to Earn is a passage that has opened so many doors for me. I am now working on my clothing design and my catering business because they push you not to focus on one business. Every time the guys come

for the workshops I am learning and it is grooming me.” Sandiswa has made a name for herself with her vetkoek business. She caters to many police stations. "I would not see myself in an office job,” she says, “I want to push my business and do my own thing." The Learn to Earn team is also working on completing another syllabus to train people in the communities we reach out to in Khayelitsha. We want to be able to give them the very best we can within the best curriculum structure we can create. We are calling out to all students at UCT from all different faculties to participate in the Fun Walk/Run to be held on September 28th. The route selected is right on UCT grounds and shuttle service to the venue is available. Tickets are R50 and ALL the proceeds go towards the Do-It initiative. We have amazing prizes lined up and cannot wait to reveal them soon on our Facebook page.

v72 e11 – 25 September 2013

Ladies who lunch: Middle Campus Busang Senne The place is called Revelations. Fitting, I should think, and as Anita and I take our last lunch together, it can make one rather reflective. Our journey started at Jammie Plaza and ended with an over-priced couscous salad and an over-abundance of chinos. This week we braved the arctic tundra of Cape Town weather and conquered Middle Campus. Firstly, I hardly need to elaborate on the less than Spring-worthy weather. The only thing we could be grateful for on our way to Middle Campus was the lack of diagonal showers that Upper Campus prides itself on. Other than that, the wind still sent daggers through our stockings (as the sun had convinced us that it was okay to wear shorts… it was not) and the thought of hundreds of stairs left us less than optimistic. And yet, for the sake of ground-breaking journalism, we soldiered on like Frodo and Sam on the quest to Middle-Earth. From what we gathered, there are two options awaiting you at Middle Campus: you can opt for the Kramer Cafeteria in the Kramer building across from the fees office, which is similar to the Coffee to Go of Upper Campus; they offer suspiciouslooking pies, amongst other things, that won’t cost you more than R20. The other option, which we went for, is Revelations in the new Economics

building, Middle Campus’ answer to Panda Land. If we were to situate the new Economics building in the Lord of The Rings universe, it would be where the elves live. There, there are ottomans like hardened, polished marshmallows, the entire place is stark white with intermediate conditions of glass and sandy wood, and everybody is very serious and wears chinos. If you listen closely enough, you could hear a pin drop amongst the calculators and keyboards clicking away with resolve. Anita had a health roll with cottage cheese and I had a butternut couscous salad that cost more than I am willing to admit, but it was the best thing I’ve ever had on any campus. If you don’t feel like being stifled by the elves, you can always go and sit outside in the zen garden and take in the weirdly cool art on display; that is, if the Cape Town weather were to be kind. Yes, we did do that Rocky thing when we reached the top of Upper Campus again. Anita let me know that if I didn’t let the entire UCT community know this, we could no longer be friends. After conquering the last of the lunches, it is safe to say that UCT has a pretty sweet deal food-wise. Sure, there are the children of the underworld (pigeons) present and the waft of grease and hunger tends to be overwhelming, but if you look hard enough, there’s yumminess to be found around every corner.

sport

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

SPORTS BITES Rachel becomes Ray

One of England’s most well-known female footballers has recently revealed that she shaved her head and pretended to be a boy to be allowed to play football when she was younger. Rachel Yates, who now has 129 caps at international level, an MBE and ten topflight league titles, recalled in an interview recently that she adopted the acronym Ray (from her full name Rachel Aba Yankey) in order to get game time at a new club that was strictly for boys only. -bbc.co.uk/sport

Tokyo 2020 bad news for pensioner

As we’ve seen recently in Brazil, the awarding of major sporting events can be bad news for those whose homes infringe on proposed stadium developments. For someone to have their home bulldozed once in their lifetime to make way for a stadium is bad luck, but twice is, well, bizarre. That’s the predicament facing 79-year-old Kohei Jinno, a Tokyo resident who was forced to move to make way for the 1964 Olympic Stadium, and now faces eviction as the stadium is redeveloped for the 2020 Games, awarded recently to Tokyo. -metro.co.uk

MJ to be relocated

Many questioned the wisdom of placing a statue of Michael Jackson outside Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium in tribute to the late Fulham fan and personal friend of former owner Mohamed Al Fayed. Al Fayed, who told fans to “go to hell” if they didn’t like the statue, has since sold the club to American Shahid Khan, and it appears the new owner isn’t so keen on MJ, and is planning on returning it to Al Fayed. -bbc.co.uk/sport

“Selfie” ban at Marathon

Organisers of the Hong Kong Marathon have taken the unusual decision to ban runners from taking “selfies” with their mobile phones during the race. The decision comes after last year’s event was marred by a participant bending over to pick up her phone after dropping it in an attempt to photo herself at the start of the race. William Ko, Chairman of the organising committee, said, “For the race itself we will have officials to hold some message boards to remind people not to take photos at the start, on route or at the finish because it’s dangerous.” -metro.co.uk

“Hay solamente un Wayne Routledge”

Swansea’s amazing 3-0 away win against Spanish giants Valencia last week surprised the footballing fraternity. But even more surprising was hearing their Welsh fans singing in Spanish. While Brits abroad are better known for pointing and talking loudly in their native tongue, the visiting supporters managed a few words after receiving a special audio guide from the club, voiced by Swansea’s adopted Spanish stars Michu, Chico Flores and Jose Canas. ¡No estas cantando mas, Valencia! -metro.co.uk

Rob Byrne & Megan Kinnaird

How to: be a Springbok fan

UCT’s cricketers target 1A title

Joe Simon

Hugh Van Niekerk & Rob Byrne

For many Capetonians, Newlands Rugby Stadium is a bastion of the city, a monument where modern day gladiators battle for supremacy and where only the strongest survive. It is also the home of some of the most passionate supporters in the world, and on Saturday, September 28th, you might be one of them. For those making their first appearance as a Bokke supporter, here are some basic guidelines: Beers & Boerie An absolute must – no Newlands experience is complete without this combination. Luckily for fans, there is a plethora of options at your disposal. Be it the Slug & Lettuce, O’ Hagan’s, or the beer garden outside the entrance, failure to indulge in this traditional pre-match activity is an indictment on one’s status as a fan. This is where the pre-game banter is at its most virulent as supporters from all walks of life debate, haggle, and even lay down some audacious bets and predictions. I’d advise getting a bucket from the scantily clad beer girls. Waiting in the monstrous queues for one Black Label is a rookie error. Boerie stands are all over the place and their tastiness and

dicey ingredients are enough to fuel spectators’ appetites for success.

Image: flickr warrenski

Sing Roar when the teams come out, stand for the National Anthems, sing with gusto (even if you don’t know the words) and for heaven’s sake, DO NOT BOO! This is a task made increasingly difficult as the beer swells in your belly, but Newlands is a stadium which prides itself on a raucous atmosphere - maintain some class by clapping the opposition onto the field rather than denigrating yourself by booing them into oblivion. Know when to sit, and when to stand. There is NOTHING more infuriating than a fan bouncing in and out of their

seat like a jackass in the box. If you’re thinking of being that clown who wants to start a Mexican Wave at the most inopportune moments, just remember everyone hates you. If the Boks score, it’s every man for themselves Pandemonium. This is the only way to describe the intensity and explosion of adrenalin that occurs when the Boks score. You may find yourself wanting to jump into a stranger’s lap, highfive a steward, or throw your drink all over yourself. My advice: DO IT! For first-time supporters, experiencing this delirium is enough to drive the common sense right out of you, turning you into a beer swirling, lung-bursting troglodyte. And there is no greater experience than that. If you’re planning on leaving early, don’t bother coming at all This may seem harsh, as avoiding the human traffic is advisable, but hearing that final whistle blow after a Springbok victory is an experience in and of itself. Rather wait for the crowd to clear out, savour the moment, and have another beer. You are amongst a select few who have had this experience, so make the most of it! At the time of writing, standing tickets were still available at ticketpros.co.za for R100.

With the new cricket season approaching, Vice Chairperson of UCT CC Hugh van Niekerk looks back on a successful 2012/2013 campaign, and what lies ahead for the club. Last season saw the 1st team back in Cape Town’s top tier, the 1A League, after being promoted the previous year. After a season of consolidation in the top division resulting in an admirable fifth place finish, the side is now looking to push on, and have their sights on pole position for the upcoming season. In addition, the 2012/13 season saw the club make significant strides in the one-day format, reaching both the semi-final of the local 50-over competition, as well as USSASA tournament. While the club expects the usual influx of players at the start of the next academic year, they can bank on the talents of Michael Pote, a new-signing, explosive opening batsman and consistent spinner, who made both the SA University and Western Province sides in 2013. The first team will be led by Grant Edmeades, an exceptional performer last season with both bat and ball. He forms one half of the “brains trust” with coach Ryan Maron, who has made a tremendous difference to the fortunes of the club in the short space of time he has been at UCT. He has been instrumental in the club’s reversal of fortunes after relegation to the 1B league. UCT will, however, be without the services of club stalwart and former Chairperson, Graeme Beghin. After an exceptional period of service to UCT, he has completed his studies and thus decided to move on to the Western Province Cricket Club. His presence will be sorely missed. 2012/13 was disappointing for the 2nds and 3rds sides, with a seventh place finish and relegation respectively. While exams and other university commitments did have a part to play in their poor performance, both sides will be looking to right the wrongs of the past season. It should be easier for the 3rds especially, who now ply their trade in the One-Day League with games starting at noon – a change which will take some of the time pressures off the students and hopefully see the demand for cricket at UCT increase. Perhaps the biggest revelation of last season came from the “social” 4th side, who received Team of the Year with their second place finish and promotion into the 3C league. A tight-knit bunch, with a wellknown love of the social scene, the side expects to keep their 12/13 winning momentum going. We look forward to a busy but successful season in breeding not only tomorrow’s cricketers, but also tomorrow’s leaders as they grow and enhance their characters through the game. Here’s to a memorable 2013/2014 season of cricket for UCT. UCT 1st XI’s first competitive game of the season is on October 5th against Durbanville (away) in the AMA 20/20 Competition.

sport SPORTS SHORTS UCT Underwater Club

UCT Underwater Club was busy over the weekend in Simon’s Town, with approximately 150 individuals diving consecutively to clean out the harbour. The club organised the event for the second year running, incorporating a number of dive clubs, including their adversaries, the Maties Underwater Club. The CleanDIVER event also saw a clothing drive on behalf of Eco For Africa, an initiative that sees clothing going to over 40 informal traders who re-sell items at significantly reduced prices at their very own used clothing stalls in townships.

Capoeira

Tomorrow sees UCT Capoeira Club host their annual “Batizado”, a workshop and graduation week. The Brazilian martial art, developed by African slaves in colonial Brazil to resist oppression and maintain cultural tradition, is a “dancey-

fighty” sing and jump self-defence, gaining in popularity at UCT. The Batizado week is the culmination of a year’s training, with international capoeira instructors from Brazil and Russia facilitating capoeira, dance and music workshops. The highlight comes on Friday at 7pm when the club performs a show and “roda”, where club members fight it out in a circle of “happy people” at the Rochester Hall.

Rugby

The Steinhoff UCT Internal League final took place on Wednesday September 18th between the Steinhoff Cobras and the Nadoes, with the Cobras coming out on top with a 24-12 win. Despite the cold weather, the game drew out the crowds and they were treated to three first half converted tries by the Cobras, in comparison to only one at the hands of the Nadoes. The Nadoes had their say soon after the break, but it wasn’t enough, with a converted Cobras penalty seeing them clinch the victory. The Cobras’ win means that they will represent UCT in the Varsity Cup Koshuis League in 2014.

Image: Capoeira Archives

V72 E11 – 25 SEPTEMBER 2013

White line fever

Rob Byrne Sports Editor

Jolling Rajasthani style I

t’s going to be hot in Jaipur today, 38 celsius degrees to be precise. Strangely enough, that’s exactly where I’ll be, hopefully Kingfisher beer in hand, watching some cricket. I’m heading to India for the Champions League T20, a tournament that features the top sides from domestic T20 competitions around the world including South Africa, but not England after the event encroached on their domestic season. An odd place to be in the middle of semester, no doubt. Especially odd for me. The three regular readers of this column (hi Mum, Dad, Copy Editor) might recall that I previously wrote about having little time for the brash shorter format of the game, stating that the IPL and its associated fanfare made me “die a little inside”. Already numb inside from this prolonged Cape Town winter, however, I figured I had nothing to lose and promptly booked a ticket to Delhi. What I was surprised to find out was that the usual fanfare associated with the tournament has actually been curtailed as part of an “Operation Clean-Up”, designed to spruce up the image of the game after the recent IPL spot-fixing scandal that frankly surprised nobody. Did I mention I’m also going with a cricket bookmaker?

So there will be no shipped-in South African cheerleaders, no mingling of team owners and players, and no freely handing out of phone numbers, but hopefully still somewhere to buy beer. I’m sure the players are ruing the loss of the cheerleaders the most; they’ll only have hundreds of thousands of dollars to console themselves with. Poor chaps. As a cricket fan I’ve always fancied the sound of heading to India where, like in South Africa, cricket is one of the most popular national past times, alongside crime and fleecing tourists.

Did I mention I’m also going with a cricket bookmaker? Come to think of it, there are a number of similarities. Both countries have some Indian blokes running the government, currencies so weak they guarantee an endless influx of British tourists, and of course, a history of crooked politicians and cricketers. Hopefully though, as far as T20 cricket goes, I’ll be in better company in India than in SA. I’ve frequently been one of ten supporters backing the Cobras at Newlands in the RamSlam T20, and this time last year, I was also one of ten people that watched a handful of CLT20 games, also played in

VIEWPOINTS: title “quote” info about and from who

Cape Town. I’ll be backing the South African contingent of both the Lions and the Titans in India, the former being finalists in 2013 and the latter semifinalists, both going down to an impressive Sydney Sixers’ side. The Lions will be hoping that the big-hitting Gulam Bodi will come off like he did in 2012, while the nudging and nurdling of Neil McKenzie will be as vital as ever. Led by the Proteas Alviro Petersen and with the impressive Aaron Phangiso tying things down at one end, they could be an outside bet for the tournament. Likewise, the Titans will be relying on the twin pillars of Jacques Rudolph and AB De Villiers. Much more exciting is whether my constitution will be strong enough to handle Delhi’s finest street food, whether my real wallet will make it through the trip at the expense of my decoy one, and whether I’ll survive a wander in the dessert after a Bhang Lassi. Look it up.

Sport VARSITY

FIXTURES UCT Capoeira Club “Batizado”

Varsity Cup Netball

TOMORROW, 7PM

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 30TH, 6PM

ROCHESTER HALL

UCT SPORTS CENTRE

Details on p.15

UCT vs TUT

Port Alfred gold for UCT’s women Matthew Harris & Rob Byrne

arlier this month, the UCT Rowing Club once again confirmed their status as the best amongst South African universities, successfully claiming the Overall University Award for the second year in a row in Port Alfred. The cornerstone of their success came in the women’s events, with both the strong rowing and tactical prowess of their coxes. This saw the women’s B crew win their race, well ahead of second-placed Rhodes.

UCT’s dominance became quickly apparent during the event The real coup came in the women’s A race, where UCT’s eight took the gold medal ahead of Tuks, winning the A division for the first time since 2001. The Men’s A crew was able to secure silver, with a Tuks boat riddled with Olympic talent taking the win by a clear margin over the Ikeys, their fifth gold in as many years. The UCT men’s B crew lost narrowly to season-long rivals, Tuks B, that saw clashes, re-starts and some excellent coxing, keeping both crews neck and neck until the

Image: Jonathan Van Rensburg TAKE THAT TUKS: The UCT Women’s A eight stroke their way to gold in the A division for the first time since 2001. last corner - 4km into the race. This performance secured them a second place finish, marginally missing the season whitewash. UCT’s dominance became quickly apparent during the event, with all five crews qualifying for their respective “A” finals during initial heats, guaranteeing at least a silver medal finish for every Ikeys rower. The second day of the competition

saw the men’s C crew lose to a welldrilled Rhodes B crew, which secured the Ikeys a fourth place finish in the B division. This was, however, the best performance by any men’s C crew in the history of the Boat Races. Overall, the UCT Rowing Club was drowned in accolades during the prize-giving ceremony, recognising their achievements at the Boat Race as well as the rest of the season. The Club won awards for Indoor

Varsity Cup with only the top eight ranked teams chosen to compete. However, with two teams pulling out, one being CPUT, UCT got an invite, one which Mehana and her team gladly accepted. Considering the stiff competition UCT face in the inaugural tournament, the side has upped the ante in their training, adding an extra hour to their bi-weekly sessions. Ahead of the tournament UCT has also appointed a new coach, Stephanie Duursema. For the players, adjusting to a new coach and her techniques has proven to be quite the challenge. However, this has neither derailed nor deterred the team’s preparation according to Mehana. The squad will also have to balance academic pressures, seeing that the tournament comes at the crucial time of the semester where assignments and tests just seem to keep coming. Fortunately, UCT has stepped in and written letters to the respective faculties to which the players are registered, pardoning them from academic obligations that clash with Varsity Cup matches and allowing them to catch up later. UCT might be considered one of the tournament’s underdogs, but

the squad has plenty of experience. Most notably Fortuna Bakula, who featured in the SA U-21 side that played in Singapore earlier this year bringing in much depth in defence. Bakula’s experience at a junior professional level means that the team has a strong defence, which Mehana believes should enable UCT to progress in the tournament. Moreover, Lisa Mbombo, Bronwyn Bodley, and Mehana herself play for the Western Province netball team, while goalkeeper Simone Peters has shown admirable consistency in the USSA games this year. The games saw UCT finish 10th overall out of 12 in the premier section. Despite having won only three games at the competition, there is a quiet optimism ahead of the Varsity Cup. A must-watch fixture will be UCT’s televised home game against TUT on September 30th at the Sports Centre. On October 7th, UCT take on the University of Free State (Kovsies) in another televised game, followed by a home game against TUKS on October 14th. UCT also play NWU on October 20th in which is the final log game before the playoffs. Full details of the competition are available at varsitysportssa.com.

Rowing with Catherine Stark, Jaime Davidson, Marcus Crowther and Jonty Smith each winning their respective weight divisions. UCT also won the trophy for the Most Improved Women’s Crew (Women’s A), The Ian Maxwell Award for Best Cox at the tournament (Gordon Dodge) and for each of the Women’s crews winning their respective divisions. UCT also claimed perhaps

the most sought after accolade of the weekend, the “Best War Cry”, beating some stiff competition from Rhodes University. All UCT crews are to be commended for their hard work and dedication, congratulations especially going to coaches Brendan Gliddon and Tyrone Delaney, for instilling the drive to be the best university rowing club in the country.

Varsity Cup a “huge step forward” for UCT netball

Mark Nandi

Varsity Sports South Africa has gone the extra mile again to promote university sport with the launch of the Varsity Cup Netball in Port Elizabeth last week. Despite early losses to Stellenbosch and UJ over the weekend, the club remains positive about their tournament prospects. According to UCT Netball Chairperson Asanga Mehana, mental preparedness and confidence will be required if the team is to progress in this year’s tournament.

There is a quiet optimism ahead of the Varsity Cup “The Varsity Cup is a huge step forward for us since we are more accustomed to USSA competitions. “We need to be mentally prepared, but most of all we just want to enjoy the tournament,” she said. With UCT currently ranked 10th at USSA level, the team was not initially invited to participate in

Image: Richard Huggard

TOUGH COMPETITORS: UCT faced NMMU captain Dumisane Chauke on Monday (above), who was named goal shooter of the tournament at the recent South African Senior Championships.