Varsity
70 CELEBRATING
YEARS
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
10 April 2012
VOLUME 71: EDITION 4
varsitynewspaper.co.za
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Tackling student mental health CLEAN TABLE
Muattham Carlie
U
CT’s Student Wellness Services (SWS) in conjunction with the SRC developed a series of talks concerning the mental and psychological well-being of students as part of an initiative to address serious issues affecting UCT students. The Mental Health Education Programme (MHEP) aims to raise awareness of the mental and psychological issues that often have severe consequences such as student suicide. The latest in the series of talks held on Friday, March 30th, concerned substance abuse specifically within the UCT student community.
cocaine, heroin and ecstasy are all ... commonly used drugs amongst UCT students
Image: Duncan Fraser CLEAN UP – UCT’s Mountain and Ski Club (MSC) took to the slopes of Table Mountain on Wednesday, March 21st, in an attempt to clean up litter which has accumulated on the mountain.
usage often has severe consequences amongst UCT students. The South African legal limit for driving under the influence is a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.05 grams per 100 millilitres where a single unit of alcohol measures up to 0.02 grams. A quarter of a beer, a 25 ml shot of tequila, brandy or vodka as well as a half a cider are each equivalent to one unit of alcohol. Binge drinking, which is common amongst UCT students, often takes students well over the limit with the common consequences including
alcohol poisoning and addiction, car accidents, and rape. According to the presentation, South Africa has twice the number of users of marijuana than any other country. Marijuana is extremely popular at universities world-wide, with UCT being no different. Teens who used marijuana at least once a month were three times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than those who did not use the drug. A long list of side-effects of the drug was presented with some of
the more sinister ones being anxiety, panic, short-term memory loss, and poor co-ordination. Frequent users may become lethargic and apathetic and find it hard to concentrate. Additionally, eating the drug in the form of “dagga” muffins and brownies intensifies the effects, making them harder to control. Harder drugs such as cocaine, heroin and ecstasy have shown an alarming increase in usage. Drugs traditionally considered upmarket, such as heroin, have become
increasingly popular for the less affluent and are versatile as they can be both smoked and injected. More talks regarding mental and psychological well-being will be hosted at the Steve Biko building on Thursday, April 19th and Tuesday, April 24th. For more information on treatment for substance use and abuse, the Student Wellness Services offers assessments and referrals and can be contacted on 021-6504119.
IN THIS ISSUE
Cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly used drugs within the UCT community, said Carmelita Lee Shong and Robert Artnott from SWS, who presented the talk. However, these are not exhaustive, with a significant amount of students engaging in harder drugs. In descending order of usage, cocaine, heroin and ecstasy are all found to be commonly used drugs amongst UCT students. The abuse of over-the-counter medication has also been found to be significantly high amongst UCT students. According to Shong, a major reason why so many students smoke cigarettes is because of its glamorisation. Since tobacco laws restrict the advertisement of cigarettes directly, cigarettes are glamorised by celebrities in entertainment media, without showing how harmful the product is, said Shong. The presentation showed that a lack of information regarding alcohol
Faculty scholarships?
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Green government
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UCT in numbers
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Alcohol IQ
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Sports Shorts
VARSITY, the official student newspaper since 1942, is committed to the principles of equality and democracy.
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news
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
NEWS BITES Assad’s peace plan for Syria UN – Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had accepted an April 10 deadline to start implementing a peace plan. This includes a complete troop and heavy-weapon withdrawal. US ambassador Susan Rice remained sceptical of Assad’s commitment: “Rather than a diminution of the violence, we might yet again see an escalation of the violence.� More than 10 000 civilians have been killed since the uprising started in January 2011. – News24
Deadly shooting at Californian university OAKLAND – Seven people have been killed and at least three more injured in a shooting at Oikos University, a private institution in California. According to police spokeswoman Johnna Watson, the detained suspect is a former student of the college known as One Goh, 43. – guardian.co.uk
MTN in US court for corrupt dealings in Iran IRAN – Iranian cellphone company Turkcell is suing MTN for R32 billion for what it claims were acts of corruption and bribery in MTN’s attempt to obtain a lucrative cellphone operator’s licence in Iran. Further allegations against MTN include “human rights violations� after it allegedly offered to spy on its subscribers on behalf of the Iranian defence department. – iol.co.za
Mali coup leader calls for elections BAMAKO – Captain Amadou Haya Sanogo, the junior officer who overthrew Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure in a military coup last month, has declared amid enormous international pressure that he will be reinstating the 1992 constitution and is planning to hold elections. Although he did not specify a deadline, Sanogo said he would set up a transitional government which will organise free and fair elections. – timeslive.co.za
DA implicates Madiba in party politics CAPE TOWN – The DA accused the ANC-led Eastern Cape of being ill-equipped after it was forced to borrow a specialised ambulance from the Western Cape government to transport aging former president Nelson Mandela to hospital when he became ill in January last year. The defence ministry said it was “shocked� by the DA “compromising the details of Madiba’s health and transport logistics to gain small political points.� – timeslive.co.za
Chris van der Westhuyzen
World Autism Awareness Day commemorated across the globe
Image: flickr.com-BC Gov Photos
Temi Oketunji
M
onday, April 2nd marked the fifth annual World Autism Awareness day. Every year, organisations and individuals around the globe participate in various events to raise funds and simultaneously create awareness of autism and the people who suffer from it. A major aspect of the awareness campaign this year was Autism Speaks’ Light it Up Blue initiative, which is in its third year. This year, famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building in New York, Aspen Mountain in Colorado, Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janerio, Brazil, The Great Buddha in Japan, Sydney Opera House in Australia, Niagara Falls in Canada and many more participated. They were lit up in bright blue to show support for the campaign and draw attention to the disorder which has shown an increasing prevalence over the last few years. Various organisations dedicate
this month to spreading information and generating funds for the cause. In particular, Autism Speaks – the largest Autism advocacy organisation in the world – has teamed up with several organisations, like Chevrolet, Toys R Us, Build-A-Bear workshop, Barnes and Noble, and the Bachman Company to do just that.
Lit up in bright blue to show support for the campaign Their methods range from virtual test drives of the Chevy Malibu on the Autism Speaks website, for which Chevrolet will donate at least $500,000 to the organisation, to discussions and activities centred around autism in Barnes & Noble stores. The funds generated are to be channelled into research of autism, support systems for adults and children suffering with autism, and support for their families. The
Fee benefits for UCT Staff Roxanne Jones
U
CT offers many remuneration benefits to staff members. One of these benefits is the reduced tuition rate that is offered to UCT staff, retired staff and the dependents of staff members.
However, not all outsourced staff qualify for this reduced rate On June 1st, 2011, the reduced staff tuition rate at UCT was extended to staff members from outsourced providers. However, not all outsourced staff qualify for this reduced rate as Nontobelo Maqongana, a security officer at Upper Campus, who does not reap the benefits of the reduced staff tuition rate stated, “The salary is not enough to send the children to varsity. At the end of the day you can’t even go to the bank and get a loan because as a security officer they say you’re a risk.� Depending on the reduction that the employee is eligible for, the staff tuition rate varies between 25 and 75 percent of the normal tuition fee. This reduction only applies for courses that are credited towards a formal qualification such as a degree and a diploma and it does not include
the short courses offered by UCT. The staff tuition rate is not applicable to all UCT staff members. As explained by John Critien, the Executive Director of Properties and Services at UCT: â€œâ€Śthis benefit is available to workers of third-party contractors who are covered by the Code of Conduct.â€? With regard to the children and spouses of staff members, to qualify for a reduced tuition rate they have to be financially dependent on the UCT staff member. In order to verify that the recipient qualifies for the reduced tuition rate, the staff member will be requested to fill in some paperwork, where they will have to provide certain necessary documents of the person receiving the reduced staff tuition rate. UCT has a reciprocal agreement with the University of the Western Cape (UWC). This allows the staff of UWC and their dependents who are eligible for the reduced rate to get a 25% reduced tuition rate at UCT.
campaign also aims to draw the government and other politicians’ attention to the prevalence of autism and the need to begin seeking answers about the disorder. Furthermore, the United Nations Postal Administration released six postage stamps and two collectible envelopes as their way of commemorating the day. These were commissioned by the United Nations in December 2007. The stamps were designed by artists who have been diagnosed with autism themselves.
According to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the stamps will send a “powerful message to people around the world that talent and creativity live inside all of us.� He further asserted the need to work together globally and focus efforts and investments not only on early detection and initial treatment plans, but also on long term therapies and support systems that enable people with autism to be active and meaningful contributors to society.
Investsoc turns young women into entrepreneurs Tshimologo Matlhaga
them and giving them advice to help them reach their goals. She also mentioned that the mentors in On Saturday, March 24th, the programme had been chosen the InvestSoc Young Women on the basis of their contribution Leading Entrepreneurs event was to and involvement in society. They held at Graça Machel Hall. This ranged from final-year students to project – previously known as UCT graduates. Young Women in Finance – is The theme of social awareness aimed at first- and second-year and responsibility was further InvestSoc members. expounded on by the guest Kabwe Musonda, the YWLE speaker, Jerome September, the Project Manager, explained that Manager of Student Governance the aim behind the project is to and Leadership in the Department encourage participants to develop of Student Affairs. a sense of social responsibility. September has been involved Musonda stated, “We want to in a number of initiatives aimed encourage the participants of at developing students, such this project to as the UCT Emerging Student be broad individuals who have Leaders Programme. He a sense of social awareness and spoke to the small group of ladies are not solely focused on their about their role in society, and enacademics.â€? couraged them A vital aspect to reflect on We want to encourage of the event was what impact the participants of the mentorship they hope to programme, make in their this project to be through which world, both durbroad individuals the students ing their time were introduced as students to a variety of possible mentors. The and afterwards. event gave them the opportunity to Diana Matumba, a first-year interact with the mentors present, student, expressed her excitement in the hope that they would at being a part of the YWLE event. connect with a specific individual When asked what she hopes to with whom they could build a gain from the programme, she relationship. commented, “I am really looking Musonda explained that the forward to having someone I can mentors’ role is to journey with rely onâ€?. the younger students, encouraging
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news
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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A paved road for high achievers? Tina Hsu
T
he allocation of funds and scholarships through the Dean’s Merit List programme has caused concern amongst some students at UCT; VARSITY investigates. The Dean’s Merit List is published annually in recognition of highachieving students at UCT. Based on academic merit, such students across all faculties may be eligible for funding from the university through scholarships and bursaries. These range from entrance scholarships to faculty scholarships. Scholarships in each faculty are awarded according to a particular process. Academic Manager of the Health Science Faculty Jason Stoffberg said, “There is a very specific process that we follow.” Some
questions arose last year and the process has since been investigated by persons outside the faculty. They reported that “allocations were fair.” “We have a policy which we do not deviate from,” added Devar Pillay, Academic Manager from the Commerce Faculty. However, according to a student at UCT who was on the Dean’s Merit List for three years, “It remains a mystery to me how they allocate it; I never received any funding from the university and when I enquired no one seemed to know how things worked.” UCT’s faculty student handbooks state that entrance scholarships are rewarded to potential UCT students on the basis of their high school results. Faculty scholarships are re-awarded in subsequent years of study. Students who do not receive
funding but maintain a high standard of academic work may be placed on their faculty’s Dean’s Merit List.
Students ... on the Dean’s Merit List may not automatically receive funding To be considered for the Dean’s Merit List, a student needs to maintain a high GPA on a full course load. The Law faculty requires a student to maintain a minimum average of 65% to be considered whereas the Humanities, Commerce, Health Science, Engineering and the Built Environment (EBE) and Science faculties recognise students who acquire a minimum 70% average.
Medical students are placed by maintaining the minimum of a First Class Pass of 75%. A letter of commendation from the faculty dean is issued to the students who are placed on the Dean’s Merit List. Students who find themselves on the Dean’s List may not automatically receive funding from the faculty. Each faculty is allocated funds which are distributed according to its specific regulations which are previously stipulated. Entrance scholarships are awarded automatically and all students who excel academically in high school may be considered for the scholarship. This scholarship is only available for their first year of study at the university. Faculty scholarships are reawarded at the end of each academic year to top students based on
academic merit. Law and Humanities faculty scholarships range up to R15 000 to R16 000 respectively, and Health Science faculty scholarships vary from R10 550 to R13 500, depending on the performance of the student. Commerce faculty scholarships reach a maximum of R10 000 per student. All faculties also offer various monetary prizes, medals, named scholarships and awards ranging from R50 to R5 000. No racial criterion is made and all high-achieving students are eligible to receive faculty scholarships, bursaries and placement on the Dean’s Merit List. Faculties such as Law and Commerce also allocate at least 50% of available funds for Entrance and Faculty Scholarships to students in the redress categories (Black, Chinese, Coloured and Indian South Africans).
Political name changes for Cape Town Fines controversy in residences Candice Land
Image: Uwais Razack TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ – Is the cost of changing street names really a budgetary priority?
Dashalia Singaram & Stephanie Venter
O
n Wednesday, March 28th, plans to rename politically insensitive street names in Cape Town were reported in a trend that has been sweeping across South Africa for the past few years. Naming Committee chairperson Brett Herron said four names were currently on the list of proposed changes discussed at the meeting: Port Road to Fort Amsterdam Road, DF Malan Street to David Poole Street, Coen Steytler Avenue to Walter Sisulu Avenue and Milner Street to Jan Rabie Street.Statements from the City of Cape Town suggested that these four proposed name changes had come from the public and not the Naming Committee. As in other cities where this has occurred, it has caused a significant public outcry. A member of the Freedom Front Plus, Andre Fourie, said that streets named after Afrikaans leaders like Andries Pretorius, Jan Smuts and Coen Steytler have been dismissed as “insensitive, offensive and provocative”.
According to the Cape Times, Fourie also stated that, “Cecil John Rhodes, who was responsible for the bloody slaughter of Matabele in Rhodesia, and Milner and Kitchener of Anglo-Boer fame, under whose direction thousands of women and children died in the concentration camps, are still cherished by the Democratic Alliance.”
This political issue has become racially and culturally sensitive However, City of Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille said, “Symbolically, these arterial routes’ renaming will contribute significantly towards shaping an inclusive city which recognises our collective history.” This political issue has become racially and culturally sensitive; it has become a case of the English residents versus the Afrikaans. The long-standing argument of government priorities still stands out above the rest, and another argument put forward by many is
that, in a country where much of the population lives below the povertyline, without access to clean running water and electricity, taxpayers’ money is being wasted on superficial change. The eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal faced criticism for the manner in which they implemented such name changes in central Durban. A recent court ruling forced the municipality to return a number of streets to their former names, among them the controversially-named Mahatma Gandhi Road. Originally named Point Road, this is the hub of Durban’s Red Light District. The road’s initial name change caused uproar amongst the Indian community and many other residents. Many felt the action was insulting to the name of the former peace activist. In the Western Cape, one of the most efficient provinces in the country, fears of mismanagement have also surfaced. The final meeting regarding the selection of street names was held on March 27th; it is unclear whether the City of Cape Town will implement the changes.
infringement found is then liable for a fine. The money accrued from Conflict has arisen between student fines is used either for the Student Housing and residence replacement of damaged items or students regarding fines. is added to a general account used Abigail Edwards has brought for residence maintenance. No forth her case of a R750 fine for a personal profit is therefore made stained mattress that she claims from the fines. not to have damaged. Baxter Hall Edwards’ case is not the only offered no proof of the stain. In example of controversial fines in addition, an unspecified fine of residence. A Tugwell Hall student R75 was charged. This was later was mistakenly fined R500 in determined to be due to neglecting 2011. When she investigated the to rehang curtains before leaving case, she was told that the fine had the residence. been assigned to the wrong room Edwards emailed a list of points number by accident. to Student Housing, stating her case The same student was fined a and thereby her innocence. She further amount for not returning highlighted the ease of intrusion her emergency light that she during the chaos of moving out had ticked off on the return list. at the end of After much first semester deliberation, and thereby the the Residence potential swap of Facilities fines often the mattress. Officer (RFO) exceed the cost of She also said that it replacing items made note of the would be fact that groups removed from of people use her student the residences as account. The a form of accommodation during fine, however, is still reflected the June/July vacation period. against her name. Edwards described the response Williams said that “it is the she received from student housing student’s responsibility to check as “a cold come-back” and she it.” The RFO of the residence is elaborated by saying, “I am highly responsible for detection of any frustrated that they are not dealing damage and uses a set system of with the issue in a professional fining to add an amount to the manner, as replies are slow and student’s account. they totally ignored my points There is a rule-book and posters of defence.” The fine remains that make the students aware of unpaid and 10% interest is added their responsibilities are hung up per month. in residences. Fines are also given Desmond Williams from for disobeying house rules, for Student Housing explained that example not signing out visitors an inventory form is filled out by before the required time. students to claim any damages Williams said that fines often prior to the start of the academic exceed the cost of replacing items, year. This room assessment is then but students need to learn that compared to the state of the room rules are there to be obeyed and at the end of the year and any rooms are there to be looked after.
editorial En Pointe
Editor-in-Chief
It’s always best to travel on your own road
A little nip and tuck at 70
urning 70 this year, it seemed it was time for a bit of freshening up at VARSITY. We made our design a little cleaner, our pages a little more colourful, and our logo a little newer. But, beyond the pages of the newspaper you’re holding, there’s another area of VARSITY that we’ve been working hard at getting off the ground: our website, varsitynewspaper. co.za. We’ve had a few websites in the past – I was bemused recently to come across one dating back to 2001, a year I would never have thought realised the importance of going online – but it is our fervent belief that VARSITY Online 2012 (and years to come) is a little different, and a little more twentyfirst century- and student-friendly than past versions. For a start, VARSITY no longer only consists of the printed articles you’ll read after this editorial. New articles not seen in the print edition go up throughout the week, making campus news quicker than ever before. The website is also more interactive: all articles in the printed edition of the newspaper appear online as well, and the comment function at the bottom of the articles is open to anyone viewing the site. If media and journalism are a public forum, then dialogue needs to take place. Let us – and the rest of UCT – know your views or thoughts on a particular topic. And, speaking of expressing your views, our
When I first arrived at UCT, I had the fear of God instilled in me that my acceptance was something of a miracle and I needed to hold onto my academics for dear life to survive
[Ctrl + C]
Yet again, I find myself with nothing to say. Nothing original, at least. Everything is a copy of a copy (That’s from Fight Club). I’ve come to the somewhat
— Maya angelou ERRATUM volume 71, edition 3: “The missing culture of giving” (p. 6): The views expressed in the article are those of the writer, and are not based on official SHAWCO statements. Current volunteer statistics show that 78% of SHAWCO volunteers are South African. The article intended to highlight the apathy the writer felt existed amongst South Africans, an opinion that can be extended to any volunteer organisation, and not necessarily only SHAWCO in particular.
Rhynhardt Krynauw, Copy Editor demoralising realisation that very little of what I say is my own. A few decades of interacting with people, reading, watching films and television and listening to music has filled my head with other people’s thoughts, at the expense of my own. Evidently, this head ain’t big enough for the two of us (Bugs Bunny Rides Again). When I hear something amusing, my brain says “I’m confiscating this. This too.” (Ten Things I Hate About You). I then regurgitate said quote, ideally without people realising, whenever I see fit. Someone drops or throws a book? “You didn’t like that one?” (A Time to Kill). Someone being unco-operative?
“Help me help you” (Jerry Maguire). Someone struggling to grasp what I’m saying? “English, Mother****er! Do you speak it? (Pulp Fiction). I find parking in Cape Town CBD? “Like a glove” (Ace Ventura), or “Eeeeexcellent” (The Simpsons). Someone say’s I’m late? “I arrive precisely when I mean to” (The Lord of the Rings). Anyway, all of this revelatory regurgitation was the result of the realisation that, ruefully, I reappropriated in my previous column, remorselessly and regrettably, some rip-roaring repartee, read in a letter written by one Nicola Sprawson. You’ve been referenced. Rightly. r
LETTER TO THE EDITOR In response to “Society often considers the mentally ill” (published on varsitynewspaper.co.za) The statement is true. Society does often consider “the” mentally ill, as it often considered “the” Jews, and it often considered “the” Blacks. We do not indulge in those “considerations” so much today (we know they are inconsiderate), and perhaps sometimes in the near future we will stop considering “the” mentally ill.
Tuesday, April 10th 1pm, LS2C Interested writers, photographers, copyeditors and designers should attend.
2012 Collective
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
So, my point is – don’t become too absorbed in the world of academia while sacrificing the joys of being young. I’m not advocating lying around on Jammie Plaza looking pretty all day, but get involved in the things that matter to you; take risks and travel on your own road. It’s never too late to try. At the end of your time at UCT, when you depart from its shores, I hope you leave with a sense that you did everything you wanted to, with a degree in one hand and a wellrounded individual with ideas and aspirations in the other. But for now, welcome back and have a productive term.
Copy. Edit. Regurgitate.
Caterina Aldera Newsgathering Managing Editor
here. Some of my peers surrendered to the freedoms of varsity life and I continued to think the only way I would succeed was to push myself to the limit. Some years on, I’ve realised that being part of this institution shouldn’t be about maintaining that 80% aggregate from the good old school days (as most of you will know, or soon come to find out, at the end of the day it’s all about passing and making DP). This is a time like no other when you have the freedom to wear what you like, say pretty much what you like and do what you like and people will take note of you, if not be inspired by your views on things like life, love and everything in between.
For anyone unaware, we, whom “the” mentally ill reduces to a generic, are as diverse as other once diminished groups. We earn to the millions, hold every professional, white and blue collar job, and every university degree. Name an award we have likely won it. To the suggestions that we (with a diagnosed mental illness) universally
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experience a “stigma:” I am certain that is not so. We, like most people with or without an illness, are far to busy accomplishing to be recognized for anything other than those accomplishments. Harold A. Maio Retired mental health editor
Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union
l w s op in io fe ns at ur sp es or ts w eb im ag e ad s s hr
T
fortnightly poll (question seen on page 5) is proving popular and can easily and anonymously be voted in on the website. Not at a computer very often? VARSITY’s mobile website went live at the end of last term, making Jammie rides a little less mindnumbing, we hope. Also accessible from our mobile site (in addition to the actual website) is our newly-constructed Upper Campus weather feature. Like every other UCT student for the past 175+ years, I too have been short-changed by Cape Town’s promise of sunshine/rain when I reach Upper Campus and discover the weather is the polar opposite of what I’ve dressed for. Introducing the VARSITY Weather Feature: a real-time, online weather information portal that allows students to say whether campus is hot/cold/rainy/ snowing/sleeting, etc. Thanks to the indignant curses that have flown around the VARSITY office for the years, what to wear to campus should never be an issue again. And, checking the weather is cool, mainly because cold, wet feet or knitwear in summer just are not. Finally, we come to Facebook and Twitter: arguably the kings of the internet at present. Interacting with VARSITY is now only a tweet away. Our penchant for livetweeting events such as Student Assembly seems to be popular in the Twitterverse, and is largely driven by our desire to see an informed, aware student body at the university. VARSITY Online is your website. Drop us a line if you have any technical queries, but above all else: let us know what you think. And, on a different note: welcome to term two at UCT. The vac was all too short, all too busy, and none too relaxing. But I’m repeatedly told that university years are the best of your life, so make this term worthwhile, however you decide to do this. Adios. S
Lyndall Thwaits, Deputy Editor
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Stephanie Venter
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Editorial
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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@varsitynewspaper.co.za
editor-in-chief Stephanie Venter deputy editor Lyndall Thwaits Copy Editor Rhynhardt Krynauw Managing Editor Caterina Aldera news Olivia Wainwright opinions Berndt Hannweg & Nick Corbett features Anade Situma sportS Sajjad Karamsi & Nicole Beale images Uwais Razack & Thabang Serumola Design Nic Botha web Chris Linegar, Alex Nagel & Carla de Klerk advertising Kaede Wildschut Finance Andrew Montandon OPERATIONS Jodi Edmunds marketing Andrzej Ogonowski human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Lydia Shilla I.T. Mfundo Mbambo sub-editors Hannah MacMillan, Cayley Mitchell & Robyn Veary HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Currin Cartoonist Julian Nkuna photographers Duncan Fraser, Nicholas Hops, Geoffrey Kilpin, Gareth Smit, Dennis Thiel & Jonathan van Rensburg Centrespread Design Azrah Osman
opinions
Much ado about zilch Chisanga Mukuka
A
few of weeks ago, Helen Zille’s Twitter account was the centre of controversy when a tweet from the leader was interpreted as “inhumaneâ€? and “racistâ€? by some users. Zille was called, among other things, “an empress of racism and racial bigotryâ€?, an amusing but surely underserved title. Her offense? Referring to learners from the Eastern Cape as “refugees.â€? This unassuming noun, which would most probably go unnoticed elsewhere in the world, drew endless criticism and comments about the DA and the Western Cape’s so-called “racist attitudesâ€?. This isn’t the first (or last) time that the region has been described as such, and truthfully one would have to be quite naĂŻve to deny the existence of problems regarding social and racial inequality.
This week’s poll I spent the Easter vac: t PO IPMJEBZ 8PSL DBO XBJU UJMM * N CBDL BU 6$5 t XPSLJOH 5IFSF T OP UJNF GPS SFMBYJOH PS t TQMJUUJOH NZ UJNF CFUXFFO XPSL BOE DIJMMJOH
But did this situation really warrant such a reaction? Is labelling someone a refugee really a “venomous comment?� After all, refugees are people (black, white, spotted) who leave their homes in an attempt to better their situations, whether this means running from power-hungry dictators or looking for better jobs. Border-crossing is completely optional. One could argue that the term used in the South African context is potentially quite offensive. It’s no secret that, in South Africa, migrants, refugees and the like are not exactly a desirable set. With this in mind, one can understand why people would be upset by such a comment, but this says more about the offended parties than it does about Helen Zille. I should probably indicate at this point that I am neither a DA supporter nor do I belong to the ANC camp. Evidently, Helen Zille could have exercised more caution
and maybe given some thought to the context in which her words would be interpreted. Her error was using the term too loosely. At the same time the reaction to her misnomer was a bit on the extreme side. The eagerness of parties and individuals alike to turn Zille’s comment into a racial slur is disappointing to say the least. While it is quite a stretch to generalise the entire region as being racist, racism and inequality are issues that need to be addressed. And if this is to be done effectively, then surely it only makes sense to call out and deal with authentic incidents? Winning a debate over the misappropriation of words seems a bit trivial when placed in the bigger scheme of things. If the intent is to resolve the matters at hand, then the battles chosen should be ones that have real-life consequences for citizens and in the long run improve their situations.
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
Burnt Toast
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Berndt Hannweg Opinions Editor
Unsanction sanctions For this, the United States has led a largely oil-based embargo on the country, hitting it where it hurts. Pressure on Iran seems to be increasing: even South Africa (not the most dedicated player of international politics) has begun to shun a former compatriot, as Engen and other petrol companies begin looking elsewhere for their black gold. However, the Iranian Sanctions showcase the exact problem with sanctions to begin with: they merely move the problem The word “sanction� has from the foreign to the domestic developed into an interesting arena. If the embargo is kept up, dichotomy in recent years. Its it means the Iranian economy standard definition is “to allow or will tank, dragging its populace grant permission, or to offer one’s down with it. support for a cause.� And since the Iranian populace I, for one, will happily sanction only has a so-so connection to its any student movement to give government, its people will suffer chocolate to any passing student while the government does what journalists they may encounter, it likes, thumbing its nose at the for example. American pig-dogs until a more In the hurlydrastic measure burly world of is taken, like International polassassinating the Ecowas itics, the term Iran’s nuclear sanctions, while “sanctions� means scientists... alswift and decisive, quite the oppothough that site, being a will do its population doesn’t appear “restriction on to be working little good goods, trade or either. services.� This Additionally, variety of “sanctions� is generally the system itself is only as good imposed on countries and as the international relations on governments whose actions aren’t which it is built and while countries “sanctioned�. like Canada and Britain are happy The civilised world is currently to follow the US’ lead (so long as imposing a range of sanctions on countries continue to do business the more embarrassing members with Iran) the sanctions are not as of our not-so-happy international nearly effective as they should be. family. Iran leads the pack, under Sanctions on Burma are only pressure for a murky nuclear now (tentatively) showing results, program, while late bloomer Syria because it took years and years for finds itself upstaged by newcomer the military junta to feel the pinch. Mali. Our neighbour Bob up North And Alleged-President Mugabe is an old hand at travel bans, while still does whatever the hell he Burma seems eager to end their pleases simply because there are own impositions. still other countries, like Singapore, At first, the logic behind who are more than happy to have sanctions seems self-evident. him visit and partake of their stillBy restricting imports, exports functioning healthcare systems. and financial transactions, a In the case of Mali, the Ecowas conglomerate of countries hopes sanctions, while swift and decisive, to keep the target country in line, will do its population little good as or to end whatever particular the damage is already done. Tuareg transgressions have earned them rebels have already seized half the political ire from overseas. state and even if Captain TotallyIran, not a country known for Not-a-Dictator Sanogo resigns its civil and religious liberties, has tomorrow, there will still be years made the West (and their buddy of fighting and pain for Mali. Israel) particularly nervy with Like all interference in foreign its (supposed) aim to begin self- policy, sanctions suffer from one supported nuclear power, that major failing: they target the oh-so-coincidentally may give country when they should target them nuclear weapons capabilities its leadership. as well.
Disclaimer The VARSITY Opinions section is a vehicle for expression on any topic by members of the university community or other interested parties. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY Collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to be kept to a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to:
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opinions
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
Arab Spring: is this where it was meant to bring us?
Beware the “mob”
Kabelo Mafiri
S
o what’s a mob? Imagine an angry crowd of medieval peasants with pitchforks and torches. Movies often conjure images of a suited-up Al Pacino-mobster. Over the past few years, mobs of teenagers with too much time on their hands have burst out dancing in public spaces. A mob rarely has positive connotations, so why would mobs taking part in murder and execution be associated with something as noble as “justice”? Recently in Khayelitsha and Macassar, eight murder suspects were tortured and killed by their respective communities. The main reason? They did not feel that the police and state were fulfilling their role as “protectors” of the community; of being visible and efficient in fighting crime. Therefore, according to them, they were completely within their rights to tie the suspects up with wire, beat them for hours and set them alight. So much for “innocent until proven guilty”. A community taking control over issues such as crime appears to be a romantic alternative to apathy. However, that’s also where it ends: they never live Happily Ever After. What does the dense black smoke signal through the “necklacing” murders? Messages of victory and achievement to surrounding neighbourhoods, and the police? Or an outcry for humanity to us all… Denying another human being their right to a fair trial is one thing, their right to live another. Denying someone dignity, to let them be bound like an animal and burned to death, calls for another rethink on
Image: life-takers-crayons.deviantart.com
Or is it? The countries that were involved in the civil unrest are struggling to Since the beginning of the Arab find their feet and yes, there are Spring on December 18th, 2010, still political problems that need we have seen presidents resigning, to be resolved, yet the fact remains governments being overthrown and that it has only been two years. a 19-year-old state of emergency Any revolutionary event has longbeing lifted. There has been some term effects which can only be fully success brought by the civil unrest measured after a significant period which was sparked by Tunisian of time has passed. This should citizens, to such an extent that be kept in mind when evaluating people have even suggested that the success or failure of the some of the protesters who stood Arab uprisings. out should be nominated for the Look, for example, at South Nobel Peace Prize. Africa: it has been more than 18 Nearly two years have passed years since the end of Apartheid, since the wave of revolution began, and even though the country is and one wonders where all that still facing poverty and a high demonstration, self-immolation, unemployment rate, many still rioting, and civil consider South disobedience has Africa as one brought us today. of the success more time needs to After the stories of Africa. be given to these period of civil If, after ten Arab countries unrest, Libya years, there is still finds itself still civil unrest having to deal and fighting in with roving militia gangs. Tunisia these Arab countries then maybe, is desperately struggling to revive just maybe, we can call the Jasmine its tourist industry – no surprise, Revolution a failure. Until that as few people are willing to put time has come, however, the Arab their lives in danger just to see the Spring can be seen to have brought sights – and Egypt has gone from us closer to a world where freedom one bad government to another, can surely reign. It has sparked the only difference being that this the realisation that civilians have one is controlled by the army. the power to change the structure This is surely not the place the of a country. Arab Spring was meant to bring Although many of these Arab us. Many envisioned a fairy-tale countries are still “works-inending – a better future brought progress”, the Arab Spring will go about through struggle and strife down in history as one of great – but it seems that the fairy-tale revolutions of the 21st century. ending is just that: a fairy-tale.
Carla de Klerk
human rights and respect. Isn’t it ironic how, in the process to “deliver justice” to suspects, these communities themselves become the murderers? By attempting to bring justice to a community, they themselves become perpetrators. The victims becoming the villains overshadows the actual motive behind these “acts of justice”, and this, eventually, becomes the main news headline in the media instead of the issue of an absent police force. What I would like to know is exactly how this system works. Who decides on the guilty party and on their punishment? In Khayelitsha, for example, a man was murdered for something as small as stealing televisions. I understand that people are frustrated with the police ignoring their voices, and that they are afraid of letting crime run rampant. Nevertheless, venting all your ire
on a suspected criminal isn’t going to change anything for the better. Rather, it actually creates opportunity for crime. As no one investigates the crime or suspect, the “justice” easily becomes an excuse for looting or for revenge over someone you just don’t like. The biggest issue over these mob attacks is that there is no control over them. There isn’t someone willing to take responsibility for the consequences of a community taking action. Everything just happens, usually with uncontrollable and horrifying results. So it’s true: not much has changed over the last few centuries. Pitchforks and torches are in some instances exchanged for pangas, whips or tyres, but these are just technicalities of a witch-hunt. The only question remaining is how far will we go to ensure our safety in a country rife with crime?
A lack of compassion Bonita du Plessis Freedom of speech may have begun as a means of giving controversial topics that welldeserved airtime. However, now it seems to be the opposition in battle. Abortion is one such a topic. Whether you are for or against it, it is expected to be handled with care, regardless of one’s rights to uncensored expression. A Print Journalism seminar at our university set the scene in giving platform to a girl who arguably appeared unaware of this global social code. “Ask a controversial question and report back on the for-or-against stance.” The task seemed straightforward enough and so, in show-and-tell form, it was performed by the class until the topic of abortion was raised. The girl acting as “Against” defended the unborn life, but it was her opponent’s response that stirred me. “It’s not life,” she casually said, and in moving her finger to her face, gestured, “It’s like popping a pimple before it comes out.” For me, it had nothing to do with the stance of the matter, but the insensitivity she so unflinchingly exhibited. Terminating a pregnancy
for one 21-year-old, seems to be as easy as one, two, squeeze. The insolence seems surreal. The decision to be pro-choice is well-understood. What cannot be condoned is the lack of compassion. Abortion is an extreme means of erasing something that has already happened, or a desperate attempt to avoid what it could become. No matter the belief you hold, the weight of such a decision cannot be denied, and most certainly should not be taken lightly. We are trained on a daily basis to deal with the contrasting opinions that challenge us, but the cliché “It’s not what you say, but how you say it” actually holds true. Never will we understand the repercussions of another’s decisions because we will never walk in their shoes, never mind be forced to carry their child. But what would become of the pro-choice advocate who never learnt that abortion is not a contraceptive? Today, we have the blessing of choice and the curse of consequence but there is also responsibility, respect and the reality that the decisions we make will be carried with us for far longer than nine months.
opinions
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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Why governments should act on climate change Andrew Fisher
T
Image: flickr.com/UNclimatechange
here is scientific consensus that climate change exists and that humans are responsible. We know that average global temperatures will increase by between 1.1 and 6.4 °C during this century, and this will lead to many more displaced, hungry and thirsty people. The choices that individuals, governments and corporations now make in response to climate change will affect the quality of future lives. If nothing is done, or if too little is done too late, preventable harm to future generations will result. There are three arguments which hold governments responsible for preventing this harm.
developed countries have more luxury (as opposed to subsistence) emissions First, the developed world has historically used a disproportionate share of a common and finite resource: the atmosphere’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. It is a moral principle that nations should contribute to fixing something in
proportion to their responsibility for damaging it. In the simplest terms, the developed nations are most responsible for damaging the atmosphere by causing the majority of greenhouse gas emissions. The developed world, therefore, bears the greatest moral responsibility with regards to this issue.
Second, regardless of the historical contribution to climate change, high-income countries continue to produce the bulk of ongoing carbon emissions. They therefore use a greater share of global carbon sinks. It is a sensible principle of distributive justice that all nations should have an equal share of a common and finite resource,
unless there are good reasons to justify unequal shares. Why should developed countries have a greater share than developing countries? It cannot merely be because they are rich and powerful. Further, it is clear that allowing rich countries a larger share is not in the world’s best interest. On the contrary, allowing such
inequality condemns poorer nations to bear the brunt of climate change and they are not equipped to do so. Therefore, the current unequal use of global carbon sinks is unjustified. Those who use more of a common resource should do more to cut back their use. Thus, developed countries have a weighty responsibility to reduce emissions, at the very least. This conclusion is supported by because developed countries have more luxury (as opposed to subsistence) emissions, which means they can afford to make cuts. They also have more resources – brainpower and money – to make cuts. Third, both developing and developed nations have a responsibility to take action now to ensure a sustainable future. Not taking such action would result in preventable harm to future generations. Distance in space and time is irrelevant to the moral duty to prevent harm to others. Whether it’s a drowning child in front of me or a starving child in Somalia, I have a moral duty to do what I can to save the child. Similarly, regardless of whether my act will affect someone living now or a future person, I should prevent suffering if I can. We all have a responsibility to ensure that the future world is a reasonably good place to live in for everyone.
YOUR CAREER
AS A CRYPTOGRAPHER
CAREERS CALENDAR APRIL
VARSITY speaks to THYLA VAN DER MERWE, Cryptographer at Tellumat Defence. Describe your role as a Cryptographer at Tellumat Defence. My main responsibilities in this role are centred on aspects relating to information security, i.e., keeping sensitive and critical information hidden from all except those who are authorised to see it. My main areas of focus include: development and implementation of cryptographic ciphers for embedded systems, implementation of key management systems for the Tellumat cryptographic product suite, development of cryptographic software and training clients when necessary. What are your academic qualifications? B.Com in Mathematics, Statistics and Economics, UCT (2005), B.Sc (Hons) Mathematics (first class), UCT (2006), M.Sc Mathematics (with distinction). What other student or community activities did you participate in during your studies? I was the Curriculum Co-ordinator for the SHAWCO Stepping Out Education Project (2003) and the Treasurer of the Mountain and Ski Club (2006). Which skills and personal qualities contribute to your success in this position? Assertiveness, determination and a love for problem solving. The environment I work in is tough and I’ve had to grow a very thick skin.
Describe a typical working day. I usually have project status meetings first thing and then I’m off to an undisclosed location where I do top secret work! I’m kidding – my days are usually far less glamourous. I do a lot of programming and implementation of well-established cryptographic mechanisms. I work on some of the SA Bureau of Standards Information Security standards and every now and then, I’m lucky enough to get to tinker with some machines in the lab. What is your greatest achievement(s) thus far? In 2010, my friend, Beth O’Conner (also a UCT alumnus) and I established a scholarship scheme for young women. We appealed to our network of working professionals to help fund a scholarship for a South African female student entering her fourth year of Science or Engineering. We were overwhelmed by the large number of positive responses and the Hope Network was born. I have been on the committee of the Association for South African Women in Science and Engineering (SAWISE), which I am now chair of, since 2007. Given my position on the committee, I was able to use the SAWISE Scholarship programme as a platform to help launch the scholarship. Besides providing funding, the network also provides mentorship for the recipient so that she may embark on her career with an established
network of professionals already in place. To date, we have made two awards and it is my hope that we will continue to grow and influence the lives of young women. Being able to actively and positively contribute to the educational challenges in this country has been a phenomenally rewarding experience. What challenges have you encountered? Finding my feet in a male-dominated environment has been tough. Establishing a work-life balance has also been difficult because my job is time consuming and demanding. Over time, I have learnt how to take time off for myself and get away from my computer more often What advice would you give to current students? Find something that you enjoy and stick to it. Don’t let others force you into something that isn’t right for you. There will be many challenges along the way but they will all make you stronger. Work hard, but also have some fun, and learn how to compile a remarkable CV!
. z a u c t . a c . s r e e r w w w . c a
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H ER ED U C A
TI O N D EV EL
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Career Inside Stories Listen to UCT Graduates sharing their career journeys. All talks will take place from 13h00 –13h45 in LS 2C 11 April A focus on Archaeology 12 April A focus on Anthropology
Opportunities 16 April
Accenture – Career Day 10h00 – 15h00, Leslie Mezzanine Analysis Mason 17h00 – 18h00, LS 3A
17 April
Standard Bank – Career Day 10h00 – 15h00, Leslie Mezzanine Standard Bank – Presentation 13h00 – 13h45, LS 3B
19 April
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Inc – Presentation 13h00 – 13h45 LT3, Kramer The Foschini Group – Career Day
ild in g ri kw ag go Bu Le ve l 1, H oe pu s U pp er C am N o rt h La n e, 4 9 7 1 6 5 0 2 ( + 2 7 ) 2 c.za a . t c rvice@u careers.se
10h00 – 15h00, Leslie Mezzanine 23 April
Rand Merchant Bank – Career Day 10h00 – 15h00, Leslie Mezzanine Rand Merchant Bank– Presentation 13h00 – 13h45, LS 3A
24 April
Procter & Gamble – Career Day 10h00 – 15h00, Leslie Mezzanine Procter & Gamble – Presentation 13h00 – 13h45, LS 3B
UCT Unwrapped Did you know? The oldest book in the library is Valerius Maximus’ “Factorum et dictorum memorabilium Libri X” printed in 1471, possibly using Gutenburg’s press.
The library has over 1.2 million books and bound journal volumes.
The Ikeys nickname was given to UCT because of the perceived high number of Jewish students at the university at the time.
5 250 students graduated in Devember 2011.
24%
Source: HEAIDS HIV/AIDS study findings 2010
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features
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
INTERVIEW Anade Situma
B
ehind every great leader is a personality. Thus, VARSITY has taken it upon ourselves to unleash the personalities behind the leaders in our midst. How? We ambush them with an array of questions that have nothing to do with their position, and everything to do with being a run-of-the-mill UCT student, the most important of which is “How much is a meal voucher worth?” First to face the gauntlet: Thandeka Xaba, the Business Science Finance CA student who doubles as the President of SIFE UCT, “an international organisation which brings together business leaders, university staff and student entrepreneurs to initiate positive social change through the power of business.” Have you ever broken the law? Probably, but it must’ve been a mild one. Would you rather go blind or deaf? Hmmm. Tough one. I’d say deaf.
How much is a meal voucher worth? with Thandeka Xaba, President of SIFE UCT
What is the current value of a meal voucher? It was about R17.30 last year; I think it’s probably R18.00 – roughly speaking – now. What was the first UCT rule you broke? I wasn’t involved in any orientation (not sure if that was a rule), but definitely using “academic use only” computers for nonacademic purposes. I don’t think UCT has a lot of rules, do they? When was the last time you got kicked out of a club? Yoh. Back in ’09. It was rowdy rolling without an ID. When was the last time you played a game that didn’t involve drinking and what was it? We played Secret Santa at my workplace in India; it was really funny. What is your secret aspiration, that shameful dream you want but will never admit to? To be a singer/dancer/performer like the Coyote Ugly or Pussycat
Dolls girls. I also want a flash mob for my birthday. On a scale of 1–10, how bad is your laundry situation? I must say it’s a 10, hey (10 being great). Do you offer to pay (with the actual intention of paying) on a first date? Definitely (well, for my portion). One thing I dislike is being paid for, and being expectant is not the way forward. My mom always says, “Very few things in life are free, my girl.” What do you do when you are procrastinating? I e-mail, eat or tweet.
Image: michael.currin.co.za
Last movie you paid to watch? (Laughs) This is a tough one, think it was From Nada to Prada or something like that and it sucked! Waste of cash. If an all-powerful being was taking requests, what super-power would you want? To be able to hear people’s thoughts. I could do tons with that information and it would save a lot
The Buffalo Effect:
of time, money and eliminate many awkward moments. What was the last pick-up line you used? I really don’t do the whole girlhits-on-boy thing – at all! And whoever told guys to start using them obviously knows nothing about getting girls. What’s the best conversation you’ve
A scientific(ish) theory on how drinking can make you smarter
Darren Rattray
D
rinking can make you smarter: not a statement quite so easily believed when cruising the streets of Claremont on your average Thursday night. The sight of a highly inebriated student hunched over in a dark corner, redecorating the walls of Stadium on Main with his insides while his mate, brimming with lustful intent, attempts to chat up the mannequin in a nearby shop window hardly conjures up an image of scholastic endeavour. Sceptical as you may be, the roots of this theory are founded upon the observations of one of history’s most renowned natural theorists, Charles Darwin. In his 1859 book, On the Origin of Species, Darwin introduced the world to the idea of natural selection, now considered one of the cornerstones of all modern evolutionary theory.
...you could land up dumber than the lovechild of Paris Hilton and Forrest Gump. For those of you who didn’t do high-school biology, natural selection is the biological theory behind the concept of “survival of the fittest,” whereby the strongest individuals within a population have the best chance of surviving. Despite Darwin’s invaluable contribution to the theory of how
Image: garethsmit.com drinking can make you smarter, the majority of the credit must be given to a binge-drinking buddy of mine who, for the sake of anonymity, we’ll call Jack (as in Daniel’s). It was during one of said binges when Jack expounded upon Darwin’s notion of natural selection to conceptualise the theory of what he calls The Buffalo Effect. Jack’s bergie-dronk train of thought accepted the medicallyproven fact that alcohol kills brain cells. However, in exactly the same way that a pride of lions stalking a herd of buffalo will attack the smaller, weaker, slower buffalo first, Jack theorised that alcohol first kills
eavesdropped on? Two drunk guys in town: Guy 1: We shouldn’t have spent our last money on Nando’s, Bro. Guy 2: Can’t believe that cab driver wouldn’t take our Nando’s as cab fare. Guy 1(straight-faced): we should’ve just walked from Town to Kenilworth; we would’ve been so healthy, Bro.
smaller, weaker, slower brain cells i.e. those which make you stupid. It’s these cells, Jack assured me, which are responsible for Malemalike brain farts such as asking how to spell C.P.R. or eating a winning lottery ticket, and are thus not worth having in the first place. Therefore, by indulging in the occasional bout of liver-bashing, we’re removing worthless brain matter, making space for the growth and proliferation of whatever valuable brain cells we have left and, subsequently, becoming more intelligent. Now, contrary to what everybody reading this is probably thinking,
this theory does not promote going out every night and getting so drunk that even the toothless bergie who reeks of pee and looks like an orc begins to resemble Megan Fox.
...alcohol first kills smaller, weaker, slower brain cells... In continuing with Jack’s metaphor of the lions and the buffalo: the more lions there are stalking the herd, the more buffalo are eaten, until eventually even the bigger, stronger,
faster buffalo start falling victim to Simba and his homies. For those of you who aren’t following, put down the brandy and Coke for one moment and read carefully. Although it’s theorised that drinking alcohol has the potential to make you smarter, drinking too much alcohol too often can have the opposite effect. Basically, try too hard to eliminate those slow and weak buffalo, and you could end up dumber than the love child of Paris Hilton and Forrest Gump. So yes, go out every Thursday, Friday and even Saturday if you must, and drink until you decide it’s a good idea to throw your cellphone at a girl or run home naked, but any more than that and it’s only a hop, skip and a stumble to academic exclusion, or worse, summer school. We’re students and we’re always going to have the burden of academic achievement bearing down upon us, but let’s not allow that to take from us what being a student is really all about. University is a time to meet new people, live new experiences, make lasting memories and, at least once, throw up on yourself or – even better – on someone else. Because let’s face it, unless you’re Charlie Sheen or Kenny Kunene, the real world is about as bland as a McDonald’s Filet-o-Fish and Cupo-Corn (undoubtedly the worst takeaway option in the history of time). So, the next time you find yourself on one knee with your best mate shoving a funnel down your throat, don’t fight it: not only are you becoming smarter, you’re also living the student dream.
features
V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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Hip-hop’s got a new face: Azealia Banks Kevin Minofu zealia Banks, the bombastic, in-your-face and outspoken New York rapper opens up her acclaimed single, “212”, with the line “Hey, I can be the answer”. The answer for modern-day hip-hop? Perhaps just. The 20-year-old Harlem-raised lyricist burst onto the scene with her songs “212” and “Liquorice”, songs marked by a laser-quick lyrical flow, profanity-riddled rhymes and beats more influenced by European techno and house than stock hiphop samples. And that’s perhaps what makes Banks so appealing: her ability both to straddle hiphop preconceptions and embrace influences from far-flung worlds seems so effortless and natural. It is perhaps not surprising that her rise to fame was a thoroughly leftfield one. She was a prodigious talent in the musical theatre world and attended the La Guardia Performing Arts School, which has also produced diverse talents ranging from Robert De Niro and Liza Minelli to fellow rapper Nicki Minaj. Despite pressure to move on to Broadway, she ditched the world of Cats and Wicked and went on to try and form a career as a rapper. By no means is Azealia the first or even the most notable female MC (the likes of Missy Elliot, MC Lyte, Lil’ Kim and others take that honour), but what makes Banks particularly interesting is the direction in which she seems to want to take her music.
Image: crackintheroad.com
A
The preconception of female rappers as effectively replicas of their male counterparts is not present in her music. She initially gained notoriety by doing a cover of the post-punk band Interpol’s song “Slow Hands.” In “212”, her almost sweet voice is contrasted by the refrain of “I’mma ruin you c**t”, a sort of Orphan Annie-like tough innocence. Her recent revelation of her bisexuality has further added to the conundrum that is her persona: seemingly equal parts hip-hop, techno, singer, naïve, vulgar,
High hopes for the high street Thapelo Teele
The Zara store was opened late last year in Sandton City’s new wing with Durban’s Umhlanga chain Perhaps thanks to the World following earlier this year. Those Cup, South Africa seems to have of us in Cape Town couldn’t help become an attractive place to invest; but feel insulted that Zara was in the fashion world in particular has Durban, of all places, before hitting taken a special interest in SA. home ground, particularly since To those who are familiar with Cape Town is one of South Africa’s the high-street fashion of Europe, high-flying fashion capitals, on par the names Zara, H&M, Topshop, with Johannesburg. and River Island will ring a bell. However, Cape Town shoppers These high-street shops hold firm will be relieved to hear that Zara places in the fashionista’s bible, not is, in fact, coming to the Mother only for their precise emulation of City – a fact confirmed by both the catwalk trends, V&A Waterfront but also due to and Zara South These high-street clothing quality Africa’s official shops hold firm places Twitter profiles. and affordability. Local TV and Local fashionin the fashionista’s radio personality istas have already fashion bible and style icon speculated that Bonang Matheba the V&A’s CNA is known to hit these high-street – big enough to hold a clothing stores in annual European shopping store – has been evacuated to make trips, resulting in a closet that has way for Zara. local fashionistas green with envy. It has also been rumoured that Those who can afford it may opt Topshop is coming to South Africa. for online shopping in the hopes Nothing has been confirmed yet, of acquiring the latest covetable but our eyes are glued to Twitter, items, but the downside of online fashion blogs and the brand’s shopping is the hassle of shipping – website for any clues or hints as dependability, cost, and the issue of to expansion into South Africa. If certain shops not shipping to South Topshop comes to South Africa, Africa. So, when the local fashion it is our sincerest hope that other scene heard that Zara was coming high-street brands will follow, and to South Africa, Twitter went crazy; one day – not too far down the line Zara was trending and Twitter – we shall dress as our European encountered overload problems. counterparts do.
sexy, homosexual, urban and yet alternative. This is why she is set to work with artists such as Diplo,
seemingly equal parts hip-hop, techno, singer, naive, vulgar, sexy, homosexual, urban and yet alternative Scissor Sisters and MIA, and has had her music played at both Karl Lagerfeld and Thierry Mugler’s
runway shows. But at the very heart of this weird talent is exactly that – actual talent. A proper listen to her work shows a knack for creating songs that could easily rock clubs and litter radio stations, but at the same time refrain from sinking into the clichés of modern pop fodder. Hip-hop has been going through a major upheaval in recent years. The stereotypes it once embraced: masculinity, extravagance and blackness, among other things, are being ameliorated, questioned and broken down.
Twelve years ago, Eminem showed us hip-hop could be white, Kanye West and Drake have shown us that popular hip-hop can be soulful and introspective; the Odd Future clan has shown that hip-hop can be middle-class but still young and angry; even Donald Glover’s Childish Gambino has shown us that it can be unashamedly nerdy. Azealia’s allure lies in the fact that we’re not yet sure what she shows us hip-hop could be, but we are very interested to watch and see where she takes us.
Honestly… WTF(.com) honestlywtf.com: Your how-to guide to the latest trends Alez Odendaal
Y
ou may be labouring under the misconception that I am here to tell you which blogs to read. I am not. What I hope to do instead is slowly to coax your mind away from the mediocrity that has flooded the internet over the past few years as a result of the invention of the “hipster” and your average multimedia student’s homework. You don’t have to read blogs that make you feel inadequate about your spending, nor do you have to read the half-arsed poetry of a 20-something whose twitter handle looks something like ‘MiSsPrinzessCT’. There are good blogs out there; blogs that deserve your attention as much as you deserve to read something substantial and interesting. Here is one such blog, I hope you enjoy it – mediocrity is never a good look for a generation. It’s always a bit of a treat to open a magazine (let’s not pretend you wouldn’t be a little upset if your friend read your copy before you), but how many of us can actually afford much in them? Yes, ELLE does occasionally throw in the odd T-shirt stocked by Mr Price, but most of the
gorgeous items inside induce heavy sighing and self-loathing in those who chose to study Astrology instead of Business Science. If only there was a way to have catwalk trends quickly and very cheaply… Meet honestlywtf.com. This website, owned by trés-cool Erica Chan Coffman and Lauren Kolodny, is jam-packed with DIY instructions on how to create the latest trends. Why don’t you try Louis Vuitton’s “Peter Pan Collar” trend on for size for under R50? Or perhaps you would be more interested in a recreation of a jewelled Miu Miu heel for under R30?
Throw in friends and some (box) wine and voilà – something new to wear If you were the kid that always stuck her fingers together with glue (first of all, congratulations for entering university and, secondly) don’t fret, the website makes it easy. Every DIY project has step-by-step photographs and instructions to help those (like me) who are fine until step three and then very suddenly reach
the point of “How did that happen?” If you haven’t made anything before, know that DIY is a simple, fun and cheap way of spending an afternoon. Throw in friends and some (box) wine and voilà – something new to wear. And you still have money to show it off. If you’re still not convinced, then fear not; honestlywtf.com is filled with other cool stuff including fashion finds, art reviews, décor, travel writing and more things than I have the commas for. Pay particular attention to the Photo Diary category; the photographs are all beautiful and strange and are nice to look at even if you have no near-future plans of ever getting your nails botched up with glue. This would be a good time to say “they haven’t forgotten about the guys either,” but it seems that, for the most part, they have. There are a few men’s fashion entries, but if it’s DIY you want then head over to manmadediy.com where Chris Gardner can show you how to make a vintage suitcase collection into a stylish cupboard, or perhaps you could start with something as simple as making a beer float. Also, check out his entry on how to make a Space Invaders wall piece.
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
Good fences make good neighbours? Secrecy Bill in the spotlight again as advertising campaign creates controversy Stephanie Venter
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he seven-year-old girl grins broadly as she recites the line she’s practiced: “I know who I am because my government protected my birth certificate. Because of this, I can go to school and one day, if I need help, my government will know who I am.” A man, dressed smartly in a white lab coat, with a microscope visible in the background, tells the camera that he’s working on a soonto-be-realised HIV/AIDS vaccine, and thanks the government for protecting him from corporate espionage. A truck driver proudly holds up his driver’s licence, declaring that he can have a job because the government protected the integrity of his licence... These unremarkable scenes of ordinary South African life make up the Department of State Security’s recently-launched adverts to promote the Protection of State Information Bill, more commonly known as the Secrecy Bill. “The department is merely educating South Africans on the facts around the bill, not
influencing or meddling in the parliamentary process,” said ANC parliamentary chief whip Mathole Motshekga indignantly, in response to extensive criticism of the adverts. And, make no mistake, the outrage has been widespread: The DA immediately laid a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (which was labelled “absurd” by Motshekga the next day), other civil organisations have spoken out against the adverts and legislation, and Facebook and Twitter have been abuzz with incensed commentary. The word “propaganda” has been flung about more times than anyone could count, and the “dislikes” for each video are climbing on YouTube. Behind the adverts The advertising campaign, which spans television, radio, and print media, is clearly government’s attempt to address their concerns about negative portrayals in the media, an attempt to “tell their side of the story”, so to speak. While this may be their intention, what the adverts actually portray is deep insecurity on the government’s part in their handling of the Bill. To have various citizens relate
Image: Chris Linegar instances in which securing personal information has helped them is misleading: the bill is not law, and thus it is disingenuous of the Department of State Security to suggest that unpassed legislation is responsible for citizens’ information security. In fact, securing personal information is but a minor part of the Bill, and, according to UCT’s Professor Pierre de Vos – who specialises in Constitutional Law – “the Bill does
not actually criminalise the selling of your ID by a state official and is in no way dealing with identity theft.” Other active legislation caters for this, said De Vos. At this point in time Primarily organised
under the umbrella of the Right2Know campaign, opposition to the Bill has been strong and scathing. Is it fair that the government is given a chance to change perception?
Perhaps. Then again, should South Africans need costly campaigns to support legislation? Maybe what the country needs is actually common sense among leaders who draft legislation. The big, unanswered question remains: what secrets does South Africa have that threaten our national security? If they exist, they aren’t out yet. Which surely means the current legislation is doing something right. Right?
Battles in the Twittersphere Robert Bryne
W
Images: flickr.com/thisiscow, gocitygirl.com, ask.com
e all know the power of social media. Whether it’s helping to topple dictatorships in the Middle East, making Americans aware of bad-guys in Uganda, or even helping their politicians get elected, it’s a powerful medium. More than that, it’s an online space that fosters debate. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has their opinion, and now they can smatter it all over the web – often doing so in the 140-characters-or-less format we’re all beginning to know quite well.
the term “retweet” is also recognised by some old guys in Oxford That’s right: we’re talking Twitter, reportedly the second biggest social network in the world. When not only the word itself makes it into the English language, but the term “retweet” is also recognised by some old guys in Oxford, you know it’s time to take notice. I was initially a reluctant user of Twitter. We students may use it for an array of purposes, but I am a little narrow-minded in my approach, being more of a follower than a prolific tweeter. As much as I want to voice my thoughts,
I often delete potential tweets when considering whether it’s too controversial, or more likely, if anyone would really care. This is advice a lot of celebrities would do well to heed. These celebrities form the Twiterrati (keep an eye out, Oxford guys), tweeters who command large followings. In an online
environment in which diverse people – including these celebrities, fans and haters – all coalesce unchecked, it’s not surprising that “Twitter battles” have emerged. It can get particularly ugly, for example, when two celebrities with very high opinions of themselves and not very many brain cells, do battle (Chris Brown vs
Rihanna, Kim Kardashian vs Kris Humphreys, to name a couple). While Twitter battles may be sparked by some of the most important debates in society – politics, war, the environment – it seems that the average Joe is more interested in Miley Cyrus dishing the dirt on her ex-boyfriend. It’s sad, really, but the clash of
celebrity egos seems to draw all the attention. Perhaps the most embattled tweeter known to me is Piers Morgan, current American talk show host and former editor of The Mirror. Forgive my anglocentricism, but this is a man who regularly pops up on my Twitter feed, frequently poking fun at premiership footballers. Morgan has a reputation for being a spiky, sarcastic chap and also an avid Arsenal fan. One of his targets is Wayne Rooney of Manchester United, or, as Morgan calls him, “Shrek”. After much back-andforth with Manchester United players, Rooney gained the upper hand after their 8–2 demolition of Arsenal, merely asking, “Hi mate, how r u?” That was all that needed to be said. The battle rumbles on, however, and Piers has a number of adversaries on the go at once, including Sir Alan Sugar. He recently gained a larger number of followers than the millionaire, and their spat now continues on an almost daily basis. Tweet battles don’t, however, have to be celebrity-on-celebrity. Ricky Gervais has become well-known for provoking previously unknown Christian fundamentalists. The Twitter battle can thus elevate the little person. We don’t know who our tweets might strike a chord with, so please think before you tweet. Let the battle commence.
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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Gig guide: April 11th–15th until April 21st. This performance is one of the many featured in the 2012 World Tour Vodacom Funny Festival: Adapt or Fly. Lottering is one of South Africa’s most talented funny men and has won many awards for his talent. Showtime is at 8.15pm for only R80–R100.
FRIDAY, April 13th
Alex Nagel
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ith the mid-term vac a few days behind us and the class schedules already in hand, lecture halls are not the only things you should be attending this week. Take a peek at what VARSITY prescribes as a post-vac remedy when a serious case of campus fever hits you.
WEDNESDAY, April 11th The Kalk Bay Theatre will be premiering Tonight Neither Hamlet, starring Guy De Lancey. Directed by Fleur Du Cap Lifetime Awardwinner Christopher Weare, this 1988
production details the life of a curtain puller forced to soak up the limelight when the scheduled play Hamlet fails to come to stage. He reveals to his audience what lies behind the stage’s curtain: a world much different from what is expected. Tickets will cost you R65 for the show alone, but R115 including a meal prepared by South African chef Hannah McMahon.
THURSDAY, April 12th For all you Marc Lottering fans out there, the stand-up comedian is back with a brand new show. This one-man act will be performing his brand new stage show I Don’t Work on Sundays at the Baxter Theatre
If you are into Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and are a bit superstitious (it being Friday the 13th and all), why not make your way down to the Grand West Arena to witness EFC Africa 13, held live in Cape Town for the very first time? This actionpacked event will feature Jadyson Costa from Brazil battling it out against our very own welterweight titleholder Dallas Jakobi. It starts at 6.30pm and tickets are anything between R190 and R1 280, depending on how close your seat is to the ring.
and entrance is R60 if you dress for the 1920s, and R80 otherwise.
SUNDAY, April 15th Why not end off your weekend by a giving a little back to the South African community? ABSA is hosting a charity event, ArtLife; proceeds will be given to four different beneficiaries. The event
will be showcasing a variety of performances, art, music, fashion and even a round of polo (for those skilled with a horse and a mallet). Comedian Mark Palmer and rock musician Ard Matthews will also be performing. It will be held at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl and tickets will cost you R150.
Chinese papercuts exhibition
SATURDAY, April 14th For those of you in the mood for a birthday bash with a retro twist, then this is the party for you. Come and celebrate Barcardi’s 150th birthday at Casa Blanca this Saturday night with a flashback to the années folles of the luxuriously sinful 1920s. The musical ensemble will consist of DJ hosts such as 5FM’s Poppy and Good Hope FM’s DJ Loyd, as well as Micasa and DJ Lyle, who will be scratching the decks. It starts at 9pm
Lori-Rae van Laren Paper cutting sounds more like a form of Chinese torture than a form of Chinese art. But the Chinese Paper-Cuts exhibition, currently on at the Erdmann Contemporary Gallery, is anything but torture. The gallery has 51 original paper cuttings from the Shaanxi Province of China on display until the 26th of this month. It includes a total of 222 paper-cuts selected out of 1000 from the Shaanxi region. The exhibition is currently touring the country and Cape Town is lucky enough to provide it with a temporary home before it moves on up the West Coast. The tour is the initiative of the Chinese Embassy and South African National Association for the Visual Arts (SANAVA). The subject matter of the papercuts ranges from kangaroos and forest scenes to Buddha himself. These delicate artworks form an important part of Chinese culture and folklore, and highlight Chinese family life, hopes and expectations. The paper-cuts are traditionally crafted by rural farmers as decorative art for their homes and in celebration of the Chinese New Year. Customarily, it was Chinese women who learned the craft and the paper-cutting skill was pivotal to their search for a husband. To quote a representative of the exhibition, you “can’t find a man if you can’t paper cut”. A “double happiness” motif, in reference to marriage and wedding celebration, is evident in several of the pieces on display. Four categories of the art form
are represented in the exhibition: everyday life scenes, figures, animals and auspicious flowers and grasses. It is not by chance that the paper-cuts found themselves in the Erdmann Contemporary Gallery. The gallery is commercial by nature, but the current exhibition does not include any paper-cuts for sale. It’s thus safe to say that the exhibition must be something rather special if the gallery is willing to take it on. Gallery owner Heidi Erdmann had specific reasons for putting the collection on display. Not only does the exhibition coincide with her increasing interest in Chinese photography, it also serves as a prelude to the gallery’s next exhibition. From April 28th, the gallery will host their fifth exhibition of contemporary artist Barbara Wildenboer’s work. Wildenboer (a Cum Laude graduate of Michaelis and lecturer at City Varsity) has obvious links to paper-cutting in her art. According to Erdmann, the current display serves as an “ancient tradition of Wildenboer’s contemporary art”. The exhibition also provides a refreshing change to the increase in laser-cut art work that we are presently witnessing. It is even easier to marvel at the intricate, handcrafted designs when you realise how many current artists and designers are relying on machinery and computers to create the same effect. The Chinese Paper-Cuts exhibition is an example of how beautiful something as simple as paper can be, and how much creativity can stem from nothing more than scissors and glue. The gallery is at 63, Shortmarket St.
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
Mountain and Ski Club clean The Table Olivia Wainwright
O
n the morning of Wednesday, March 21st, 60 volunteers from the Mountain and Ski Club (MSC) met at the Table Mountain Cableway station to start their cleanup initiative. The MSC was approached by Marie Abraham, the Environmental Control Officer from Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Co. Ltd. She explained, “I originally contacted the Mountain Club of South Africa (MCSA) to assist us with the cleanup and they mentioned that we should include the Mountain and Ski Club.”
The day was hailed a success, with 200kg of litter being collected In exchange for the MSC’s help, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Co. Ltd. donated R5000 to the club’s outreach programme, Siyenyuka. On the day, the MSC split into teams, some using ropes to abseil down cliffs in order to collect rubbish, others abseiling down and climbing back up, while others walked around the larger ledges to gather litter. The task, however, was not easy. Chris Laidler, Vice-Chairperson of the MSC, explained some of the challenges faced on the day: “It was a challenge to co-ordinate so many unfamiliar people in an
MOUNTAIN CLEAN-UP – Members of the UCT Mountain and Ski Club (pictured above) were part of an initiative to clear up the debris and litter that accumulates on Table Mountain. Image: Duncan Fraser inherently risky environment, not knowing their level of experience or capabilities.” The day was necessary, though. “As climbers, we regularly find ourselves on the cliffs and ledges around the upper cable station.
Unfortunately, these are far from pristine. They are littered with rubbish, building rubble and broken glass. This trash is not left behind by climbers, but [is] rather a product of the high human traffic around the upper cable station” explains Laidler.
The day was hailed a success, with approximately 200kg of litter being collected. Laidler commented on the day, saying: “I think it says a lot about the hiking and climbing community that so may people were freely willing to
Image: Nicholas Hops
A UCT Cyclist’s Absa Cape Epic Caterina Aldera
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he Absa Cape Epic concluded on April 1st, with Switzerland’s Christoph Sauser and South African Burry Stander again finishing first. UCT students Michael Bissett, Marc Brighton and Nicholas Hops rode in the 781 km race. VARSITY spoke with Nicholas Hops.
What did your training involve and do you feel like it prepared you well? How did you know how to train? My training involved a big mass of base training over Nov/Dec/Jan where I rode between seven and 30 hours a week. I also trained with Kevin Evans (2nd place in the Absa Cape Epic) during this period and he set me out a very detailed day-
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give up their public holiday to clean up the mountain they love.” Marie Abraham said that they are hoping to hold a similar event next year, as “in the past the mountain was cleaned on an ad-hoc basis, never in such an organized way.”
to-day programme with how many hours, hills, and intervals to do. I knew I would be prepared because Kevin is the consummate mountain biking professional and a world-class athlete. Did you stay in a tent? Did it affect your sleep and riding in any way? I did stay in a tent. It was small. I am 1.96 metres tall – very tall for an average person and extremely tall for a cyclist! All my bike frames are Extra Large. It didn’t really affect my sleep or riding as I quite enjoy camping anyway. It only got quite bleak when it poured with rain but it’s nice to be involved in the tented atmosphere. We got woken up by a man on bagpipes every morning at 5am, which was nice. Were you riding for charity? Did it affect your experience? Riding for charity really gives you an added bit of motivation. I raised money for the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital Trust. It means a lot to me, because it is where I was treated for 6 months when I had bone cancer at the age of 11. It’s great to get involved in giving back and it gave my partner (my dad) and me something to work towards alongside all the physical training. How did you find riding with
a partner? Riding with a partner was quite challenging, as I rode with my 48-year-old dad. While his training took a big hit in December due to his work constraints, I was obviously training madly for this event which left me quite a few leagues ahead of him as far as fitness, strength and technical ability are concerned. This meant that I did a lot of waiting, but it never affected my mood. If anything, it meant that I could enjoy the ride and the beautiful scenery just that little bit more than if I were racing properly. It was a lot of fun riding with my dad, but he says he won’t be doing the Absa Cape Epic again! So, are you planning to do it again next year? I am hoping to do it next year with a friend of mine, Richard Damant. We intend to raise money
once again for the Red Cross Children’s Hospital and are hoping to get a corporate sponsor on board and run the charity fundraising side with more intent than last year. What advice would you give to UCT students and staff who are aspiring to enter next year? Enter the lottery for race entries now, as early-bird entries have already gone. Don’t stress about training too hard until November, as you don’t want to overdo it. Work on technical skills, mainly climbing over very tough terrain. One of the biggest challenges is riding up climbs with gradients of over 25% of loose rock, sand and general bush. Get a partner of equal strength; it will make them a lot happier. Most of all, enjoy the race. It’s an adventure and something to be enjoyed and not taken too seriously. And try to find a cause to support. It’s worth it.
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V71 E4 – 10 APRIL 2012
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SPORTS SHORTS VARSITY’s round-up of action-packed, homegrown sports clubs Sajjad Karamsi Yachting They were always going to be the team to beat, having won the 29er class nationals for four consecutive years, but even for UCT Yacht Club member Neil Malan and team-mate Taariq Jacobs, placing first in eleven out of eleven races was an impressive feat. The duo have dominated South Africa’s top high performance dinghy – the 29er – for years, and have represented the country abroad on multiple occasions, placing 4th at the 2007 Youth World Championships. But their first place is not the only notable result for UCT: firstyear Brevan Thompson and his crew sailed into an impressive third place, and a first-time 29er team that included UCT student Thomas van der Ploeg placed 5th, ahead of a number of more seasoned 29er sailors – this in a class in which experience is considered vital. “It was a great regatta with good conditions and it was good to see so many young guys in the fleet,” said Malan, also mentioning that Thompson’s was one of the fastest boats on the water, suffering only from a few small mistakes and suggesting more competition amongst UCT sailors in the coming years. These results come on top of an eventful first quarter for the UCT Yacht Club – O-Week saw increased membership numbers, driven by the new and fast-growing kitesurfing section of the club, while it’s National Lottery Development Trust Fund-supported Windsurfing Development Programme, which coaches underprivileged schoolchildren, has continued to go from
strength to strength. One can only look forward to the club’s upcoming results – the prestigious Lipton Cup returns to Cape Town waters in August. Fencing UCT Fencing continued their dominance in provincial competitions, attaining sterling results in the Fencing Western Cape Ranking B competition that concluded recently. UCT’s Andrew Hochefeldon won the men’s épée event continuing the impressive form, which led him to qualify for the Junior Commonwealth Championships in February. Giselle Vicatos finished first in the women’s épée event. In sabre, UCT’s Joseph Baker took gold and Sam Wolski took the silver. The third fencing discipline, the foil event, saw Landon McClure finish first with UCT’s Andrew Hochefeldon finishing a close second. In women’s foil, UCT’s Alison MacLachlan came out on top with Susan Agrella coming a close second. UCT Fencing is also in the process of planning a Maties vs UCT competition, where the universities will face off in a traditional duel to determine the best fencing university in the province. Netball Three UCT Netball players proved their capability at the Western Province Open A, B and C trials at De Kuilen High School in Kuils River. Asanga Mehana qualified for the WP B Open team and Girly Mthimunye and Lisa Mbobo for the WP C Open team. The trials attract netball players from all over the Western Cape, ranging from the under-19 age
group to senior players. The event also attracts players who aspire to play for the national team, which is why the trials are so tough and competitive. There was more good news for the UCT Netball Club as Ziningi Madonsela, the club’s chairperson, was elected as the manager of the Western Province C team. She will act as the liaison between the Western Province Club management, coaches, officials and players, as well as ensure that all welfare and safety requirements for the team are met, along with a host of other responsibilities. Squash The UCT Squash Club is well into its preparations for the annual Keith Grainger Memorial Open to be held in the first week of May, right in the middle of the squash season, at the UCT Squash Courts. Results from the event will be used by Western Province squash to help select their interprovincial teams for the Jarvis/ Kaplan Cup. Most of the top 10 players (men and women) in South Africa have confirmed participation in the event. The event is named after the late Keith Grainger, who was an active member of the UCT squash community as both player and manager between 1999 and 2001, despite his cancer and having his leg amputated. He died in September 2001 during his third year at UCT. Keith’s sister Natalie (a former World Number 1), as well as his parents, have been great supporters of the event, which also raises funds for CANSA (Cancer South Africa).
Image: Geoffrey Kilpin MALAN RIDES WAVE TO VICTORY – Neil Malan put in a magnificent performance at the 29er Nationals, winning 11 races.
Driven past Point
Sajjad Karamsi Sports Editor
External players at UCT sports clubs – menace or blessing?
With contributions from Geoffrey Kilpin, Lisalokuhle Mbobo,& Alison MacLachlan.
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he Student Sports Union have just begun a review investigating the need for external players at UCT sports clubs. The current system stronglyly discourages having any external players in UCT teams, but teams can apply to have up to two external players in the squad if they can justify their inclusion. In general, it is required that these external players offer something extra to the club – whether it be special skills, help with a development programme or something else, and that they either have recently left university or are studying at an institution that does not offer the particular sport in question. These external players are generally required to pay double the normal club registration fees. Do we really need these external players? Can’t we find enough talent within UCT? Graeme Beghin, the UCT Cricket Club chairperson, thinks we don’t always. While he conceded that external players do take up “student spots”, he suggests that they do add great value. In cricket, for instance, the overseas player helps make the team more competitive and adds great experience. Beghin also mentioned that, due to the high turnover of players in university sport, a lot of players find themselves out of their depth in the 1st team, but can gain valuable game time instead in the 2nd or 3rd teams.
Critics would argue that, since we are a university, we should maintain a closed club system and have no external players, and seek to develop the players ourselves. While in the short term this may result in less than desirable performances, we’ll reap the dividends in the long run. Rugby and the Varsity Cup grappled with external-player issues this season as several universities got themselves into hot water over the definition of a “bona-fide” student. Is it acceptable for clubs to register players as occasional students to circumvent regulations? UCT has strict policies against this, but some other universities don’t. Clear guidelines need to be established. Allowing external players appears to be a necessary sacrifice, at least until proper development systems are put into place. UCT should invest in larger sports scholarships, not the measly R10000 they offer as a maximum for outstanding sportsmen. It’s also quite important for all players to voice their opinion, as their perspective matters most at the end of the day. Contact your club chairperson or the SSU directly at uct.ssu@gmail.com.
Sport
FIXTURES
VARSITY
USSA Basketball
USSA Soccer League
UCT SPORTS CENTRE
KOPANO ASTROTURF
April 13th
April 25th, 7pm
Men’s and women’s semi-finals UCT vs UWC
UCT vs MSC College (Women’s) UCT vs MSC College (Men’s)
Rowed to USSA victory Jonathan van Rensburg
A
fter three months of intense early morning training sessions, the UCT Rowing Club dominated at the renowned University Sports South Africa Sprints Regatta held at Vanderkloof Dam in the Free State from March 23rd to 25th. Battling through the wind and rain, competitors from nine universities arrived, boats in tow and ready to race. The qualifying heats took place on Friday the 23rd and UCT showed their intent, winning almost every race. The finals were held on Saturday. After a delayed start due to unfavourable weather conditions, the Ikeys rowers began to rake in the medals. From the men’s side, UCT won in the sculls, pairs, doubles and fours event across the A, B and C divisions in both lightweight and heavyweight classes. After dominating in the smaller boats, the Ikeys men went on to win the hotly-contested eights races in both A and B divisions. Both boats won with well over 15m of clear water to spare, and the A boat was crowned winner for the second year running. At the end of the day’s racing, the UCT men placed 1st in 10 events, along with a host of close
2nd- and 3rd-place finishes, leaving UCT, with 299 points, the victors in the men’s section. Tuks, in 2nd place, finished more than 90 points behind. The women fared just as well, beating Olympic-class rowers from UJ and TUKS in both the A eights (ending UJ’s three-year winning streak in this event) and the A coxless quads divisions. They also won convincingly in their pairs, quads and doubles races in all divisions and weight classes, with a special mention afforded to the novice scullers that battled the conditions to regularly place in the top three for their events.
13 UCT rowers received national full or half colours The sterling performance from the Ikeys women raked in 7 gold medals and 13 other podium finishes. UCT topped the women’s points table with 290 points, well ahead of 2nd-placed UJ on 246. The combined efforts of both men and women gave UCT an overall score of 589 points, winning the regatta for the first time in 10 years. The UJ rowers ranked 2nd with 428 points.
Image: Jonathan van Rensburg SPOILS OF WAR – The UCT Rowing Club placed top of the table at the recent USSA Sprints Regatta. In addition to regatta glory, a total of 13 UCT rowers received national full or half colours for their individual performances, more than any other university. Among them, UCT is looking to qualify Joe Muller, Leo Davis, Matthew Shaw, Marcus
Crowther, Chase Hyde, Cameron Hoey, Kim Joscelyn and Anthea Dickson to represent South Africa iat the Student Games in Russia later this year. With coaches of national pedigree, equipment of the highest
standard and rowers reeling in these results, it looks like UCT Rowing Club is all set for its final encounter of the sprint season at the South African Championship Regatta in East London later this month.
UCT Women’s Volleyball finishes 4th Christine von Hirschfeld
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Images: Dennis Thiel SPIKEY LADIES – The UCT Volleyball Ladies placed 4th in the USSA Volleyball Tournament displaying great fighting spirit.
CT Volleyball took part in the annual University Sports South Africa tournament from April 1st to 4th. This year the tournament was held in Pretoria, with Tshwane University of Technology and the University of Pretoria (UP) acting as joint hosts. There were 20 institutions from throughout South Africa competing in four pools of five teams each. The UCT men’s team were in a very tough pool. Despite convincingly winning two of their games against Wits and Walter Sisulu Univerisity: Umtata Campus they lost both their other games against the Durban University of Technology and the former champions Vaal University of Technology (VUT). This meant that they could not make the quarter-finals and were knocked out of the competition. The UCT Ladies displayed great mettle, winning all their pool games against Rhodes University, CIDA City Campus, the University of Venda and the University of Johannesburg eventually proceeding to the quarter finals against UP. The team continued to show
top form and went on to win the quarter-finals and proceeding through to the semi-finals, where they were met by former champions VUT. Despite their fighting spirit, the ladies eventually lost their game and dropped to the playoffs. In the playoffs, the ladies team once again played against UJ, but this time lost in a gruelling game which ended in a 3-1 loss with incredibly tight set scores of 25-22, 24-26, 2025 and 23-25. This meant that the UCT Ladies once again placed 4th in South Africa at the intervarsity level – an achievement to be proud of. The captain and team manager Chrissy von Hirschfeld as well as coach Alistair Glossop both agreed that a special mention needed to go to Eulália Mugabe, who dominated the court as the ladies’ middle blocker, and also to Cassandra Toogood, who, despite numerous injuries to her fingers, was setting magnificently. Jessica Davies was considered most valuable player of the team, showing excellent skills, team spirit and consistency in her game throughout the tournament. The men’s captain Gashirai Masvikeni nominated Benson Siyawareva as their outstanding player of the tournament.