Varsity
SINCE
1942
THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
23 July 2013
VOLUME 72: EDITION 7
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Student government reshuffles Krysia Gaweda & Alexandra Nagel
T
Image: Elelwani Netshifhire
Image: Supplied
SRC SHUFFLE: Day Students Co-ordinator Thomas Guattari-Stafford (left) resigned from SRC and Leroy Nyarhi (right) resigned as Student Assembly Chairperson. Hasane has said to be “wary” of his new position on the SRC owing to the fact that the other SRC members were inducted and orientated into their respective portfolios last year. Guattari-Stafford acknowledged that being on the SRC is “challenging yet rewarding” and that he is saddened to leave, but is confident that the SRC and Hasane are more than capable to fulfill the proposed mandate.
“My involvement Assembly represented interest that I have, sacrifice in order to studies,” he said.
Student Assembly Chairperson resigns
Nyhari expressed disheartenment in leaving his position as Chairperson, but has appreciated his time with the House. “The disappointment is easily overshadowed by a sense of appreciation for having experienced association with people that will shape this continent in the future,” he said. Deputy Chairperson Kabelo Musi
The Student Assembly Chairperson Leroy Nyarhi has resigned from his position which took effect on July 15th. Nyarhi stated in a general email sent out to the Student Assembly House that personal reasons justified his resignation.
in Student a passionate but I must advance my
the work of Student Assembly will continue unhindered
said he was deeply saddened by Nyhari’s resignation. “He has been a great asset to the House in 2013 and we have built a great friendship as the SAMC and it will be a great loss,” he said. SRC President Lorne Hallendorff commented on Nyhari’s performance as Chairperson being fulfilled excellently and that “it is sad to see him go”. One of the main concerns is for the effective control of Student Assembly House by the Chairperson, as it has proved to be challenging at times. “With the Admissions Policy Debate coming up, it will be especially challenging,” Hallendorff said. However, he has expressed faith in the remaining members of the SAMC, acknowledging them as experienced student leaders. Musi has reassured that the work
of Student Assembly will continue unhindered by this Nyarhi’s resignation. As stated in the Student Assembly Standing Rules, the Deputy Chairperson is to automatically assume the position of Chairperson in their absence. Musi stated that, in consultation with the SAMC, the best way forward is for him to fulfill the role as required. “I am not concerned with regards to the time left in the year as I believe that all the appropriate groundwork has been laid down,” he said. Nyhari is confident that the SAMC will continue to demonstrate strength despite the change of leadership. “At the end of the day, what matters is that Student Assembly must make the necessary decisions and pass resolutions,” he said, “regardless of who the Chair is.”
IN THIS ISSUE
homas Guattari-Stafford, SRC Day Students Co-ordinator, has deregistered as a UCT student, effective July 19th, thus terminating his position on the SRC. Guattari-Stafford owes his decision to greater employment opportunities arising. However, deregistering as a UCT student automatically terminates his membership as a SRC member. Guattari-Stafford graduated last year, but decided to stay on in 2013 as an occasional student and SRC member, thus being able to primarily focus on the SRC and prioritise SRC work over academics. However, due to an unexpected usage of time and finances, it has become more difficult for Guattari-Stafford to give such time and finances only being an occasional student. SASCO-representative Esethu Hasane will now take up GuattariStafford’s position as he placed 18th on the SRC Election results. “We are really focusing on giving him [Hasane] the best handover process as possible, getting him up to speed on all the issues and I think he will be a breath of fresh air, so he will bring his own ideas which will be a good thing,” said Guattari-Stafford. During SRC Campaign Week in 2012, Hasane focused his campaign on transformation, as he previously held the Transformation Portfolio on the Humanities Faculty Council for 2011/2012. “The portfolio won’t be abandoned; we have decided to coopt the 18th member on the SRC election result list. I will be spending time with Esethu and making sure that there is a comprehensive handover process,” GuattariStafford explained. Last year Hasane narrowly missed a position on the 2013 SRC by one vote. However, owing to his narrow loss, Hasane did not lose faith, but instead trusted that the other SASCO members on the SRC would carry forward the mandate.
Madiba magic
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news
V72 E7 – 23 JULY 2013
NEWS BITES Cause of death: Bulletproof vests
Imaad Isaacs
JOHANNESBURG – Beeld reported that the incorrect use of bulletproof vests, worn by soldiers during the Battle of Bangui in the Central African Republic (CAR) in March earlier this year, was probably the main reason why the 15 South African soldiers were killed. - News24
Thembu King Dalindyebo defects from ANC SOUTH AFRICA – The King of Nelson Mandela’s Thembu ethnic group has defected from the ANC to the DA after holding talks with DA Eastern Cape leader, Athol Trollip. King Dalindyebo previously called President Jacob Zuma “just a Zulu boy” highlighting a growth in ethnic tensions. - BBC news
Journalists apologise for rape comments SOUTH AFRICA – Suspended FHM journalists, Max Barashenkov and Montle Moorosi, apologised for “distasteful and insensitive comments” they posted on Facebook making light of rape, yet also attacked “the zealous and public crusaders for justice” who had slammed them. - Cape Times
Mexico elects 1st gay mayor
The UCT TV Studio, a facility housed in the Department of Film and Media Studies, recently had the opportunity to shoot the South African leg of Higher Education Today, an American Talk Show that deals with issues of education and learning. The five 27-minute-long episodes, which were produced at the UCT TV Studio, welcomed guests such as Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University Dr. Saleem Badat, Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, the Honourable Justice Albie Sachs and Professor Zubeida Desai of the University of the Western Cape. The guests addressed topics and expressed convincing views on the roles of the law, the Constitution, multilingualism, student life and politics in education.
crew members were primarily sourced from a pool of film production students The UCT TV Studio utilised this unique opportunity to film segments covering higher education in South Africa. This was the first shoot outside of the United States. The final shoot took place during the June vacation from July 9th to 12th.
Image: UCT TV
HIGHER EDUCATION TODAY: show-host Steven Roy Goodman (right) interviews Rhodes University's ViceChancellor Dr Saleem Badat during a film shoot at UCT TV's studio. A team consisting of twelve students, four of whom attend UCT, underwent a rigorous twoweek-long training programme conducted by the UCT TV Studio’s Chief Technical Officer Alan Johannes, Dr Liani Maasdorp, and Ms. Lisa Drennan. While the programme was open to anyone, the crew members were primarily sourced from a pool of film production students and other participants who have completed similar courses at Cape Town TV. The training sessions, conducted from June 10th to 21st, focused on
equipping the students with the necessary skills needed to film a multi-camera-setup talk show. The entire programme formed part of the studio’s Stepping Stones outreach initiative. “Stepping Stones provides aspiring film students an opportunity to gain practical experience and also develop their portfolios, which are required for admission into specific production courses,” said UCT TV Studio’s Producer Lisa Drennan. Higher Education Today is a cable television series produced
by the University of the District of Columbia in Washington, DC. The show’s host, educational consultant and author Steven Roy Goodman said that the talk show “aims to present serious discussions about significant topics while allowing guests the latitude to express their views [on issues affecting education].” The show was commissioned in 2010 and is presently in its fourth season. Episodes of the talk show may be viewed online at: http://www.youtube.com/user/ gotouniversity.
Obama: “I am betting on all of you” Krysia Gaweda
Mexico City – Mexico’s first openly gay elected mayor is set to take office in a rough part of Zacatecas state known for cowboy boots, embossed belts and drug gang shootouts. - News24
Cuba admits sending weapons to North Korea CUBA – A Cuban ship was seized by authorities in Panama after military cargo was found hidden in a shipment of sugar. Cuba has admitted being behind a stash of weapons found on board a North Korean ship seized in the Panama Canal. - bbc news
Cory Monteith found dead in hotel room CANADA – Cory Monteith, Hollywood star in the hit TV musical comedy Glee, died from a heroin and alcohol overdose. There was nothing indicating that Monteith’s death was anything more than an accident. - bbc news
Sophie Robertson & Krysia Gaweda
UCT TV shoots US Talk Show
O
n June 30th, UCT’s Jameson Hall was tightly packed awaiting the United States President, Barack Obama, to address the nation. Obama directed his speech to the youth of South Africa, reminding young South Africans that Africa’s fate is in their hands.
“My bet is on the young people for the heartbeat of Africa’s story.” He emphasised how South Africa’s past and future wasn’t simply about the “giants of history” that brought on the change in South Africa resulting in the end of Apartheid, but ordinary people too. “Think of the million acts of conscious that were part of that effort, think of how many voices were raised against the injustice over the years... think of how many times ordinary people pushed against those walls of oppression and resistance…the quiet courage they sustained,” Obama said. Drawing on US Senator, Robert Kennedy, and his historic speech delivered on campus in 1966 emphasising “ripples of hope”, Obama described how “progress has too rippled across the African continent”.
Image: Uthman Quick OBAMA: addresses a tightly packed UCT Jameson Hall on South Africa’s future and reminding young South African’s that Africa’s fate is in their hands. “There is an energy that can’t be denied; Africa rising.” However, despite Africa’s unquestionable progress, Obama further stated that this progress is not moving fast enough. "That's where young people come in," Obama said. "It is you who get to decide. You are going to determine the fate of this continent, and the world will be watching what decisions you make.” “My bet is on the young people for the heartbeat of Africa's story." Obama emphasised that it made demographic sense that students and other young people could bring about the change that the continent needed. Later on Obama raised the point of a greater partnership he wished to see from between the USA and South Africa.
He stated how he wished to draw the USA and South Africa closer and that the peace will in turn make the countries far more secure. Instead of dominating Africa, America wishes to “help Africa in Africa”. 2013 SRC President Lorne Hallendorff, expressed his appreciation for Obama’s focus in the partnership between the USA and South Africa rather than just another form of charity. “I really liked the focus on partnerships with Africa rather than just handouts, looking to hand over things for Africa to run themselves like the HIV care centre that is being fully run and managed by Africans now.” Obama took the liberty to also address governments and how “governments that respect the lives of citizens and abide by the laws
do better, grow faster and draw better investments”. "True progress is only possible where governments exist to serve the people and not the other way around," Obama explained. Hallendorff stated his opinion on such matters: “I appreciated Obama’s concern about governments who do not respect their people however, I felt that he could have been harsher there, taken more of a hard line.” UCT Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price was extremely impressed by the event as a whole and found that it was “hugely successful”. “I also think his focus on the youth and next generation is very much what the university is about and so I think it is appropriate that he should make a major speech here,” Price concluded.
news
V72 E7 – 23 JULY 2013
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UCT pays tribute to Madiba Mwinji Siame
O
n Thursday July 18th, SHAWCO partnered alongside the Student Representative Council (SRC), Remember and Give (RAG) and several other organisations to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 95th Birthday on Mandela Day. SHAWCO’s Hop-On-A-Bus initiative gave students the opportunity to catch a bus and help out at one of three schools in Nyanga, Mannenberg and Khayelitsha. Over 400 students spent 67 minutes engaging in an array of activities, including tree-planting, general clean-ups and soccer matches.
400 students spent 67 minutes engaging in an array of activities The 67 minutes is a tribute to the 67 years Mandela spent fighting against apartheid. Students as well as citizens all over the country
Image: Chris van der Westhuyzen are encouraged to echo this colossal effort by giving back to their communities. Students braved the cold and got their hands dirty erecting a new fence at Walter Teka Primary school in Nyanga. In addition to this, another group donned black bags and much to the amusement of the children, spent time painting the school’s bathrooms. The Deputy School principal, Dennis Duko, expressed his
appreciation for the support: “The assistance is to the benefit of the kids, and it means a lot to them. Madiba was an exemplary man. He sacrificed most things for the good of other people, and by doing so he paved the way for future generations…” Students who were unable to attend the SHAWCO activities left their mark through several events held on UCT’s Upper Campus. The Humanities’ Student Council held “67 Minutes of Sandwich
Making Marathon” in Leslie Social during Meridian. The sandwiches made were to be distributed later along Main Road on the “Long Walk to Woodstock”. Skills and education development organisation, Ubunye, also ran a day of events based on their three projects; Inkanyezi, Teach Out and the Township Debating League (TDL). Students were able to volunteer for the interactive tutoring
workshop, debating workshop and skills workshop respectively. “It was beautiful, as a collective to experience a spirit of Ubuntu and Ubunye from all who participated,” concluded Teach-out Director, Tshepang Molisana. Through the efforts of these student-led initiatives, UCT was able to celebrate Mandela Day by coming together for their communities, in the true spirit of Madiba.
Victory dance for UCT hip-hoppers Chris van der Westhuyzen A group of students passionate about music and dance were rewarded for their creative efforts at this year’s National Hip-Hop Championships. The event, organised by the South African Dance Teachers’ Association, saw eight members of UCT’s Hip-Hop Club achieve first place for their group’s dance routine in the Formation category of the contest’s Novice league. Held at Cape Town’s Good Hope Centre on Saturday June 15th, the competition was made up of four leagues including Novice, Amateur, Pro and World Trial Circuit. In each qualifying league, dance artists can enter either the Single, Duo, Trio, Small group or Formation category. Chang Jung, vice-chair of the Hip-Hop Club and member of the winning group, said entering the Formation category required exceptional teamwork and focus in order to coordinate each person’s movements. “For the routine to be successful, it has to be cohesive,” Jung said. “Whether it’s kneeling down, jumping up or popping a quick snap, it all has to be done with fluid linking.” The group’s choreographer, Saarke Buelens, said she designed the three-minute routine based on her knowledge of what judges like to see in the Formation category. “They want to see a variety of styles,” Buelens said. “So I mixed in some old school, a bit of House and then also some lyrical Hip-Hop.” For the group’s routine, Buelens put together a mix that included Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It,” a House
Image: Chang Jung demo compiled by a close friend and some new sounds from musicians Rihanna and Jay-Z. “After that, it’s all about creation,” Buelens said. “You listen to the song … the lyrics, the beat … then you create a sequence of movements around that.”
Mpanza. “There's no other feeling like getting absorbed in a song and expressing yourself through dance. It’s like a whole other world.” According to Jung, the performances at the National HipHop Championships were of a very high standard, with competitors hailing from some of South Africa’s
finest dance schools like Daphne Jubber studio. “The rules were strict, even in the Novice league,” Jung said. “For example, if I drop my cap, we would be disqualified immediately.” In addition to dance classes, UCT’s Hip-Hop Club hosts poetry evenings as well as the popular
“For the routine to be successful, it has to be cohesive”
Wednesday Cypher sessions. The latter, which takes place outside the Arts Block during meridian, is an opportunity for practising rap and beatbox artists to showcase their talents in freestyle format. “The beauty of Cypher is it doesn’t belong to anyone,” Jung said. “Anyone is free to join the jam.”
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Apart from the group’s victory, Hip-Hop Club member Sibu Mpanza and his dance partner Charlie Kasumba earned first place for their duo in the Novice league. “Winning felt amazing,” said
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news
V72 E7 – 23 JULY 2013
New violence in Egypt put democracy formation at stake Hannah Gauss On July 17th, new violent clashes between pro-Morsi supporters, opposition demonstrators and national forces in Cairo have caused further stirrings in Egypt's government formation. International news agencies have reported that approximately 261 injuries and over 400 arrests have occurred.
Continuous violence since 2011 in Egypt drags the country’s economy down The trigger for the riots was the detention of the first democraticallyelected president, Mohamed Morsi, two weeks before, via a military coup. Army forces arrested Morsi and fellow senior aides on July 3rd, after a resignation ultimatum expired. Hours before, General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had declared in a television broadcast the immediate removal of the president and suspension of the constitution. “The armed forces remained committed to what it considered the legitimacy of the ballot box, even though that very legitimacy began to do as it pleased and in a way that
Image: Amr Nabil
contradicted the basis and the origin of this legitimacy,” said Sisi. Precedents of the military’s decision were weeks of re-launched anti-Morsi mass demonstration at the Tahir Square and in the rest of the country. Morsi, a Muslim Brotherhood member, has been accused of deadlocking the government's democratic transformation and cooperation between the parties. According to former presidential aide Wael Haddara, Morsi had “indicated that he
would oversee the formation of a coalition government”. On Tuesday, Adly Mansour, head of the Constitutional Court, was sworn into interim presidency, leading an interim government until new elections proceed. New negotiations between military and the Muslim Brotherhood however remain at stake. As head of the Muslim organization, Mohamed El-Belgaty stated Mansour had not yet offered the Brotherhood a place in the transitional government. So El-Belgaty would in any case
be rejected out of protest against Morsi's detention. The Muslim Brotherhood has also called for new mass protests and protests against Morsi's toppling. The military and Mansour warned the Brotherhood and demonstrators to remain peaceful, as “whoever resorts to violence and deviates from peacefulness in Friday's rallies will put this life in danger”. The continuous violence since 2011 in Egypt drags the country's economy down, facing a dangerously low food stock and now a possible
cut off from American aid. As President Obama commented after the military coup, “The United States does not support particular individuals or political parties.” The unsuccessful government formation also turned down negotiations with Europe and the IMF on an $8.4 million loan, Reuters reported last week. After the removal of former president, Hosni Mubarak, and the country's historically first democratic elections in 2012, Egypt faces another period of military rule.
Diplomacy Course enlightens, entertains and engages Sophie Robertson & Mitch Prinsloo UCT’s United Nations Association of South Africa branch (UNASA-UCT) held their annual two-day Diplomacy Course on July 11th and 12th in Jameson Hall. The event marked the course’s second installation, once again with Jessica Hichens acting as event director. Students from the universities of Cape Town, Western Cape and Stellenbosch showed overwhelming interest in the course, which aimed to introduce students to the world of diplomacy, negotiation and bargaining. Furthermore, reality based contextualisations were used to demonstrate how these skills could be used to mediate conflict, alleviate human rights issues, and facilitate dialogue in complex social or diplomatic situations. Benjamin Mendelson, UNASAUCT’s marketing director and host of the Diplomacy Course, said his team invited a wide range of speakers who shared with students their experience of working in diplomatic positions. “The hope was that students would be exposed to speakers from a variety of different fields,” Mendelson said. “These speakers used their real-life experiences to educate the students on what a diplomatic life is actually like.” Various highly-respected speakers captivated students with their personal experiences of diplomatic service. Their accounts ranged from the humorous anecdotes of the exUS ambassador to Swaziland and
Image: Chris van der Westhuyzen Daily Maverick columnist, J. Brooks Spector, to the altogether more serious dissection of the United Nations Security Council’s exact powers by Cathleen Powell, a law lecturer and researcher at UCT.
highly-respected speakers captivated students Other speakers included: Janet Love, a member of the initial South African Constitutional Committee and current National Director of the Legal Resources Centre; Dr Tim Murithi, renowned author and head of the Justice and Reconciliation in Africa Programme; Dr Swati V. Kulkarni, Consul General of India in South Africa; and Chris Spies,
founder and director of Dynamic Stability Consultancy and former UN conflict mediator. Spies underlined the prime communication of the course: diplomacy is an art. He, along with the majority of the other speakers, described the concept as a tool in the resolution of dialogue disparity and interpersonal difference – a tool that was demonstrated to be vital to those both in attendance and not. “A consensual diplomatic footprint is not one that crushes but one that treads lightly,” said Spies, describing the process of effective negotiation and conflict resolution in this context. The delegates engaged fully with the speakers, asking thoughtprovoking questions and fuelling heated debate relating to several key illustrations. These engaged with topics such as the CODESA talks as
a part of negotiated constitutional formation and the future of the African Union as a continental thought and socio-political leader. According to event director Hichens, the enthusiasm and interest shown by both the guest speakers and the students was abundant and infectious. “In the two years this course has been running we've already seen immense progress in terms of attendance, the calibre of speakers and the reputation of the Diplomacy Course,” said Hichens. “I honestly believe it could become a full week, 500-delegate course attended by students from all over South Africa – even diplomats-in-training! I'm very excited to see what next year will bring.”
editorial
The wheels on the bus
Alexandra Nagel Editor-in-Chief
Dear Nokia, with love
W
ith your history of magnificent cell phones that never break, your ability to host an array of polyphonic ringtones and your attempt to bring out new generation smart phones, it has all come to a staggering halt. You have indeed built up quite a reputation for yourself, especially with the 3310 which has become a cliché for bottomless jokes of wanting that model of a phone over a Blackberry. Yet I have to ask, what has prompted you to create wellington boots? To tap into the fashion world when your background is cell phone-based is quite a brave leap over niches, but possible I suppose. Look, these boots are no Hunters, but they would be kind of cool to wear because of how strange the label would look. Where would you sell these things? In glass cabinets in Incredible Connection or perhaps in CNA in the phone section, lying sideby-side with SAMSUNG and the HTC’s? What do these boots do that others can’t (since I do expect something magical to happen)? Does the bearer of these boots have infinite cell phone reception when slipped onto feet? Or perhaps they are just really comfy when gardening and keep your feet dry when jumping in puddles. As you know, your father Fredrik Idestam created a wood mill pulp on the Nokianvirta River in Finland and it was very successful indeed. Making paper was a cutting-edge technology back then. Where even before the written
word (aka letter or text message) was born, human beings would have to use those weird looking flipper things at the end of our legs to walk over and talk to another human being with flipper things at the end of their legs. Luckily, you have created boots that will protect our flipper feet when I run and tell my sister how sorry I am for smacking her head in to the cupboard door before she runs with her Nokia boots to tell Mom that I did that deed. Or when I stroll next to my boyfriend down the wet road of Lover’s Walk just to break up with him at the end... whilst wearing your Nokia boots. Oh the memories. And memories are exactly what these boots create, what communication creates and what we are mediatised to believe cell phone technology creates. Advertisements upon advertisements about the different cell phone deals one can get tricks us in to thinking that if we purchase such packages, we will have the best experience with our loved ones…over the phone though so we won’t actually be experiencing anything with them. So well done, Nokia. You have indeed revolted back to what is important: communication; talking face-to-face. That is what these boots symbolise for me at least, not that I have a pair. Instead of a cell phone connecting people, the boots will take up this function: putting on the boots (picking up the cell phone with the intention to connect), opening the door to run down the road (pressing the green call button), running down the road (dial tone in your ear), getting to his door and knocking (no answer: please try again later). Not every call has a happy ending however. It is quite smart after all that you, dear Nokia, have produced boots for whatever purpose it may be for: capitalist reasons, Finnish reasons or maybe it was a drunkennight dare in the boardroom. Maybe I totally missed the ball on this one. Love, A possible consumer
Rebecca Dallas Deputy Editor A couple of months ago, perhaps just before exams started, I realised something terribly embarrassing about myself, something that I had constantly pushed out of my mind and up until then had managed
to laugh off … I have a fear of the Jammie. To narrow it down to only the Jammie is an exaggeration, so for the sake of being particular, I have something that is known as Amaxophobia – the fear of being a passenger. Where your worst nightmare might involve scar-faced murderers and freefalling from tall buildings, mine is simply being in a car, bus or truck. I remember the first time I told one of my friends about my irrational fear of being in a moving Jammie. He laughed it off and said “Don’t we all?” No, friend, you could not be more wrong. It started off with me joking about how the rides are scary, then slowly escalated to more dire conversations, such as
Laurie Scarborough
Mitch Prinsloo
Copy Editor
Online Editor
Confessions of a music elitist, addict
I have to accept the unfortunate truth that I have stopped growing. You can laugh, but couple my 5 ft 2 height and my enduringly babyfaced visage, I am often mistaken for a young teenager.
I remember experiencing a dreadful realisation, a spiralling sense of betrayal, at the fact that an administrative body could so easily strangle information, ideas and any attempt to break the status quo with a simple set of legislative manipulations.
We’ve all been there, right? One of those late nights, with friends, or alone (developing our narcissism). The song has just finished; an eerie silence appears and is amplified by the quiet hum of unattended computer fans. You can’t go back now.
Columns continued online
Newsgathering Leslie Social 1B Tuesday 1pm
ERRATA Volume 71. edition 6: Please accept our apologies for the following error: Page 20 UCT’s Women’s Hockey 4th team versus Stellenbosch 4th team. UCT Women’s Basketball 1st team won 57-51 against Stellenbosch.
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brainstorming all the ways one could die in transit, and finally led to me playing some serious WordMole on my BB to mentally remove myself from the situation. You might see me standing on the Jammie one day - eyes closed and grasping tightly to the hand rails holding on for dear life. Go ahead and laugh. It’s a pathetic state of affairs. I know that my fear is ridiculous and completely irrational. The Jammie drivers obey the rules of the road and I haven’t died yet. I need to sort out my issue, but for now I think I’ll survive. At least my laziness overcomes my fear of taking the bus, otherwise I’d sadly be trekking up to varsity everyday, and ain’t nobody got time for that.
er at io ns
Editorial
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V72 E7 - 23 JULY 2013
editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel deputy Editor Rebecca Dallas managing Editor Andrew Montandon Copy Editor Laurie Scarborough online editor Mitch Prinsloo Online chief subber Theresa Scott news Krysia Gaweda & Chris van der Westhuyzen opinions Katy Scott & Uthman Quick features Daniël Geldenhuys & Lynne Marie Fraser sportS Rob Byrne & Megan Kinnaird centrespread Zarmeen Ghoor images Tebesethu Nkambule, Elelwani Netshifhire, Siyanda Ralane & Jessica Breakey Design Julien Speyer web Stephen Hulme, Robin Mukanganise & Peter Maluge advertising & Finance Imaad Isaacs & Salman Ghoor human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Kudzai Tabaziba sub-editors Katelyn Mostert, Rhiannon Rees, Aisha Abdool Karim, Jena Ascough, Flavia Orman & Hannah Gauss Staff writers Ryan Bird, Ryno Nortje, Busang Senne, Cai Nebe, Hannah Gauss, Sandile Tshahabalala, Stefanie Busch
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opinions
V72 E7 – 23 JULY 2013
Scotty Does Know
w
Katy Scott Opinions Editor
A Crying Shame should NEVER be dismissed as “hormonal” and should rather be met with compassion and seriousness. Or just nods and hugs if you’re feeling awkward.
Gloomy Gabby
I
Time to make our own Madiba Magic
In times of sincere grief, sorrow or loss Gabby is bound to weep. Depending on the situation, Gabby may find herself submitting hopelessly to the floods or fighting with all her might to stop them, but failing, miserably. Gabby is aware of why she is crying and appreciates the sympathy, but mostly just wants to endure it all in private.
do not like to cry. It frustrates the hell out of me. After 21 years as a female I am still unable to understand, (let alone control), the tendencies of my eyeballs to drizzle so sporadically. One afternoon it was raining (on my face) for no particular Hissing Hilary It is in Hilary’s nature to burst reason at all, so in my agitation I decided to classify and categorise into fits of anger, the most ugly, red-faced kind the different of tantrums. female “cries” I When frenzies find myself and leaving Hilary alone to escalate to this others prone to. erupt is the only way she level of crazy, My findings it is evident were conclusive. will cool off that something I discovered that truly serious each type of “cry” has it’s own personality and set of has brought it about. Hilary can usually identify the rules regarding how to best deal with it. As I am a giving person I cause, (and will most likely be have outlined the different crying rather vocal about it). Comfort and cuddles are the last thing personas below for you. she needs and leaving Hilary Manipulating Molly alone to erupt is the only way she Molly learnt how to turn on will cool off and save her spews the waterworks to get daddy of anger from burning all those reaching for his wallet from a around her. tender age, and continues to manipulate those around her Soppy Sue A romantic movie, a sad movie, by transitioning into a pouty, a sweet silly something, whatever pathetic child. Whether it is sympathy, it takes, Sue will find herself forgiveness, money or guilt, when sobbing for something entirely Just like someone Molly cries she will nearly always random. be given what she wants. Those who laughs at an inappropriate on the receiving end should not moment, Sue is slightly retarded, fall for her little production and so just let her be. Molly should quit sulking and In spite of all this, science and just grow up. stuff has verified that weeping PMS Pam out prolactin and manganese It is commonly understood that temperament relieves stress and Pam’s body undergoes monthly tension in women such as Molly, spasmodic malfunctions. Her Pam, Gabby, Hilary and Sue. fits of tears usually have little So if Molly, Pam, Gabby, or no reason behind them and Hilary or Sue come knocking, simply cumulate from an excess you may as well just let them of emotions. in, for your own well-being, This being said, her tears you know.
Disclaimer The VARSITY Opinions section is a vehicle for expression on any topic by members of the university community or other interested parties. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY Collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to be kept to a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to:
opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Parusha Naidoo “I know this is going to sound bad but I can’t believe Mandela is still…” my friend hesitated as she searched for the right words. I decided to help her out, “What? Alive?” I didn’t blame my friend for her scepticism. Since Mandela’s admission into the Medi-Clinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria on June 8th this year, the world has been on death watch. The words “stable but critical” has become media’s anthem over the past few weeks with constant reports on who visited him and images of young, old, black and white coming together to wish him a speedy recovery. What was to be done? As impossible as it may be to believe, even the mighty and brave man that carried the pressures and troubles of our young democracy on his shoulders cannot be immortal. We all end up dying one day, unless you manage to turn into some mythical character (who drinks blood and sparkles in the sun). Without trying to sound like a parent telling their child the Tooth Fairy isn’t real: balloons, flowers and prayers won’t keep Nelson Mandela alive forever. Assuming that we all know death is inevitable and the elixir of life cannot be bought at your local supermarket, what’s the big deal? Why was South Africa holding on so tightly to the former president? I’m not particularly fazed at the
Image: jamati.com
prospect of him eventually passing away, but does that make me cold hearted? The frenzy around Mandela and his health has left me wondering if I’m a cynic or perhaps just too young to understand the greatness of Mandela and the role he played in shaping South Africa. Younger generations may not be able to understand the impact Mandela had, not only on South Africa but the world. However, the importance and significance of Mandela in the history of our country cannot be cast away. He is the embodiment of feelings once shared amongst South Africans of hope, unity and endless possibilities. This vision of a hopeful future has gone astray for many young South Africans that still face the scars of Apartheid every day. And these positive sentiments have been
forgotten in the whirlwind of weak leadership, poverty and injustice. There is an underlying fear that like Mandela’s fading health so fades South Africa’s road to equality. It is not so much the loss of a leader South Africa is faced with, instead it is the loss of a connection we once shared and struggle to find now. It is the realisation that we no longer have the Madiba Magic to bring together a nation. There is a hunger for new leaders of the same calibre as Nelson Mandela. However, the death of a great leader does not mean the death of their teachings, values and wisdom. The legacy of Nelson Mandela lies in the hands of our generation and generations to come and is dependent on the manner in which we face the current challenges of South Africa.
The truth will (not) set you free Quentin Coetzee You know that free press we South Africans take so much pride in? Well, there’s a very good chance it won’t exist in the near future. At time of writing, the Protection of State Information Bill aka the Secrecy Bill has been passed in the National Assembly (again) by You-KnowWho’s horde of yes-men, otherwise known as the ANC majority.
If you’re going to fix something, fix it properly! It has now been carted off to the President for his signature. But is this Bill now amended and valid? Short answer: No, and it will never be. Why should the people upstairs want to risk doing so? The Bill has admittedly changed a lot since its conception years ago. Before, there was no protection for whistle-blowers and journalists investigating government wrongdoing and corruption in the public interest. Now there is some protection at last! Alas, it’s only for whistle-blowers, and even then it’s very narrow, leaving out crucial areas such as “shady tendering practices or improper appointments within key state agencies”. One immediately comes to mind: Mogoeng Mogoeng as Constitutional Court Chief Justice despite his abysmal track record. Still, only
Image: pzAxeAlamy
improving slightly on a major problem of the Bill isn’t something to be proud of. If you’re going to fix something, fix it properly! There is also a major cause for concern with what the Bill can classify as secret, and if Right2Know’s predictions on their website come true, everyone with a skeleton or entire graveyard in their closet will abuse this. Nkandla might have continued to drain money from taxpayers if it hadn’t been brought to light. Also, recently, the Gupta wedding that saw the private use of a military base for illegal entry and the complementary blue-light brigade? Oh wait, all of that would most likely be a secret, and anyone with embarrassing information on that scandal would be jailed for up to 25 years. Siyabonga Cwele, the State Security minister and one of the biggest defenders for this Bill, has reassured people that it was for the State to criminalise espionage and
hostile activities, but a concrete definition of such is also lacking. Lest we forget, this is the same Siyabonga Cwele who, a couple years ago, labelled many civil society groups protesting against the Secrecy Bill (including Right2Know) as proxies funded by foreign spies, so he is hard to take seriously. So, the Protection of State Information Bill’s amendments seem less like revisions to adhere to constitutionality and more like attempts to get the activists to shut up for a while. What I saw before was a diseaseridden sewage pile, and now it’s the same disease-ridden sewage pile with a few white sheets over it; the problems are still very much there. Of course, the option remains that the President can send the Bill back to the National Assembly or refer it to the Constitutional Court, but that’s about as likely to happen as him taking a wrecking ball to his precious Nkandla!
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Has Pan-Africanism withered? Ramabina Mahapa There have been whispers behind closed government doors, in university lecture theatres, streets, alleys, townships and rural villages. The widespread rumour is about the death of Pan-Africanism. They say that we no longer hear the call for a united Africa, no longer is there a cry in the wilderness to remove the borders that were set forth by the Berlin Conference. It seems that with the bereavement of individuals such as Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Muammar Gaddafi and Robert Sobukwe, the call for a united Africa under one sovereign state has ceased.
If Africa is to take part significantly in the world...African unity is the only way I would like to offer a caveat to the notion that Pan-Africanism is abating to its grave. There shall come a time in the near future, where the masses shall experience an epiphany and come to the
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realisation that separate African countries will never have absolute independence until Africa is reunited. The United States of America’s liberators were quick to realise that they needed to unite the 13 colonies under one government for them to have any significant impact on the international arena and
for a former colony to rise to the status of being equal or above its former master. It will never be in the coloniser’s best interest to relinquish his stranglehold on his former colonies, as even in modern times these chains are economic or psychological. The USA has a land area of aproximately 9.83 million
km2 and around 314 million people. What South Africa or any other African country need to realise is that they are too small geographically, economically and in terms of populace to rise to equal stature. However, united Africa has a land area of about 30.2 million km2 and an estimated population of over a billion. It
is the second largest and most populous continent. If Africa is to take part significantly in the economy and politics of the world, if Africans want to be respected and feared then African unity is the only way. Africa will remain oppressed until we have autonomous sovereignty. If the black man is in pursuit of liberating himself from socioeconomic and mental slavery, then he must unite Africa to do so. I heard a story about a young man who listened to the counsel of his elders. They told him that the independence of separate African states is meaningless until the whole continent becomes free and united under one government. As Africans, our destiny is one, so our sovereignty must be one too. Africa, the land of my pride, the land where my umbilical cord fell, the land of my forefathers, the land of prosperity and abundance. Africa, the land of peace, do not stumble in your quest for absolute freedom and unity. There will come a time when we will join Martin Luther King Jr in his song of joy. We will also sing along “Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last.”
Winds of change blowing through Zimbabwe Sandile Tshabalala Zimbabweans are looking forward to cast their votes in the very much anticipated presidential and parliamentary elections on July 31st. The failed and violent elections of 2008 saw Zimbabwe stumble on its knees as then 84-year-old President Robert Mugabe demanded his 33rd term in office. It doesn’t come as a surprise that Mugabe is now running for his 34th term. It is for the first time that Zimbabweans will vote, not only for political parties but for individual candidates and their policies. It appears that troubled Zimbabwe is leaning towards becoming a democratic country with its new Constitution that took effect on May 22nd this year, leading its rise to new horizons.
Zimbabwe is leaning towards becoming a democratic country The Zimbabweans I have spoken to on campus are hopeful that their country is moving towards progressive change if these elections will not be manipulated. Instead, they ought to be fair and peaceful. They believe it is time for social, political and economic reform and the only way to achieve these prospects is through a new government harmoniously chosen by the people. Vigorous campaigning is evident from the high buildings of Bulawayo to the outskirts of Mashonaland as
Image: Reuters
Mugabe’s ZANU-PF and Tsangirai's MDC-T are contesting to be the change that the people of Zimbabwe desire. Promises of land, job creation, and cooperative governance keep the people singing and dancing with great expectations. It is safe for me to say that the coalition governance structure that was imposed by the South African Development Community (SADC) after the unsuccessful elections of 2008, has not resolved the issues of human rights violations, mass poverty and declining standards of living. Furthermore, it can be said that Mugabe and Tsvangirai have not effectively cooperated as the struggle for power is their core mandate. The battle to oust Mugabe is unclear as Zimbabweans are reluctant to give him another chance while it is also undecided which candidate is most trusted and fit to take the country to
its new horizons. I consider the possibility of the outcomes of these upcoming elections will surprise the people of Zimbabwe and the international community. It is without a doubt that Zimbabweans must be fed up with a government in power for 33 years. It is hopeful that this new Constitution will pave a way for a new regime in Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has begun preparing itself to run a peaceful election process, avoiding the atrocities of the 2008 elections. Despite the uncertainty of the election outcomes, the winds of change are blowing through Zimbabwe as citizens are not holding back from exercising their right to vote and hailing their leaders of choice. Zimbabweans on campus are excited and thrilled to see the future of their country unfold itself once again.
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The guillotine for Guptagate Marnus du Plessis Dear comrades, I feel there is a sore point we need to address. This point is the current metaphorical fly in the soup, the figurative cockroach in the pasta or shall we call it the wriggling hypothetic half-worm in our South African golden-delicious apple. The culmination of my allegorical culinary disaster wears a purple silk shirt, a brown snake leather belt, a pair of black pinstripe formal pants and snazzy pair of ostrich leather shoes. This fashion bonanza is rounded-off with a spectacularly radiant golden chain mesmerizingly entangled between the voracious black chest hair of a true capitalist crusader. Yes, you guessed it, I have just described a member of the Gupta family to you. You, my dear reader, are as sharp and perceptive as that traffic department official from Newcastle. Comrades, you must be wondering why I wish to discuss this family who are the modern day conquistadors. Come from India to bring us their bountiful rewards and who rightfully believe we should all grovel before them in the artificial sand of the pristine Sun City beaches. “Open your military bases!”, “Away with all these blackies, replace them with whities!” and “Zuma rub my feet and please put some cream on my back, darling”. These are
Image: Sunday Times
just some the things we have been hearing the Gupta’s say lately. Where have these quixotic adventurers come from? It seems like just yesterday when people didn’t know what a Gupta was and probably would have thought a Gupta was some sort of fungal foot infection. But, alas, things have changed.
Thanks to the magnificent forces of social networks and the printmedia everyone now knows what a Gupta is. The previous conjecture of what a Gupta is, was well… not all that wrong. The Gupta, one could say, is a sort of metaphorical fungal infection. If South Africa went to a doctor, the doctor would likely come up
with this diagnosis: “Sorry sir, I have to inform you that you have a serious case of Gupta in the posterior nervous area of your wallet. I would prescribe a heavy dosage of angry protests, violent uprisings and revolution but I am afraid even that might not be enough to cure you.” However, as any good doctor
can tell you, infections do not simply arise in a perfectly healthy person. There has to be some sort of problem before it can manifest itself. Therefore, it becomes patently obvious that the Gupta is not the problem but instead a result of other problems. This latest string of corruption is just another maggot feeding on the oozing sore which is the South African political scene. The sore is caused by crime, corruption, bribery, hate and the lust for power. Therefore you see the Guptas are not the problem in South Africa, they are merely a symptom of a much larger affliction. Thus, I put it to you that the whole focus on the Guptas is in fact misplaced. It is not their fault we have a government full of ministers lined up like eager unmarried girls at a wedding ready to catch the financial hand-out bouquet. No, we must not ignore the issues at the heart of this problem. We must not let the trivialities distract the public from the coreissues facing our country. I like to take a bold step here and look at this Guptagate saga as the cake the French citizens had to buy instead of bread and Sun City as the Bastille. The only question remaining, which we should perhaps address to Zwelinzima Vavi, is… who will be guillotined?
opinions
Is Contiki the new fad?
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'Fess up on UCT Confessions The Facebook page that’s caught, and maintained, our interest
Tk Matsabu For those of you who logged on to Facebook these holidays and saw the countless number of status updates about this friend travelling to London and that friend exploring Croatia, the standard “how was your holiday?” question you ask everyone at the beginning of the semester was more than painful. It seems that Contiki tours are the latest trend amongst UCT students since animal onesies. But even though you have heard about all the shenanigans that people have gotten up to in Europe, are Contiki tours really worth it? Are they just an excuse for students to let loose in places where no one knows their names? Or do people genuinely experience something culturally enriching and worthwhile? “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do by the ones you did do”, accompanied by the hash tag “No Regrets” on the Contiki website. Contikis are not about education; they’re about experience. As students, we are at a stage in our lives where we are still trying to find out who we are and where we want to be and Contikis can be seen as a way to aid the process. On a Contiki tour with a few friends, you can discover things about yourself and the people around you that you never could on a holiday with the family. One does not simply immerse themselves in a culture just by going to the hottest tourist area, sightseeing or going to art galleries
Image: flickr.com/jkdksh
Anna Insam
Image: selloffvacations.com
and museums. The true essence of experiencing something different is found when you are at a random bar in Soho, having a laugh with your friends and interacting with the Brits who go there on a weekly basis. It’s getting completely lost and trying to navigate your way through the train system on the way to your 3 star hotel that you are not quite sure how to pronounce the name; or even trying out your remedial high school French skills by attempting to clumsily order a pastry at a French bakery. Music festivals are also one of the reasons why there has been a sudden Contiki wave of tours because they coincide with the June/July Vac. On average one pays about R500 to R600 for a ticket to their favorite international artists whereas if
you invest in going to one of these Festivals, i.e. Glastonbury, you get to see a whole conundrum of your favorite music (The Rolling Stones, Tyler the Creator, Of Monsters and Men, Phoenix, Ben Howardwhatever tickles your fancy) acts live for a decent 2 grand or so. Who is to say that Contikis are not worth it? Above all the antics, it can teach a student great responsibility. You have no parents around you to keep your passport for you, to manage your money and spending, watch what you eat or tell what time the train that you need to catch is. Your fate for 3 weeks or so is completely unrestricted by any external obligations to anyone, besides the responsibility to get the best out of the trip and make it worthwhile yourself. #NoRegrets.
Last semester, as exams began looming, a new distraction introduced itself in the form of the Facebook page entitled "UCT Confessions". The page is dedicated to UCT students who send in anonymous confessions that range from the hardships of being gay, racism and how it exists today, to the general complications of life. It began with some juicy posts about promiscuous students, fueling the number of likes the page was getting. In a week it went from 5000 likes to 23000 likes. Personally, I feel that once this platform was opened and an audience gained, there were some very insightful and wellexpressed thoughts – particularly on being gay and not sharing this fact with others yet. Now, don't get me wrong because there is a heck of a lot of garbage on there, but if you sift through it, there is the odd post that makes one linger on the issue being raised, and therefore awareness is created and insight
gained, leading us UCT students to understand the people we are surrounded by on a daily basis a little better. It is difficult to understand how such a seemingly pointless page has stirred up such a craze, yet I believe that the success of the page stems from our need to feel understood and not alone. Many posts are relatable to other students and I think that it is a comfort to know that others understand what you're going through, hence why the followers have stuck around past the initial craze. The Confessions pages for Pretoria, Wits, Stellies, and UCT, were once front page news this holiday. The tone of that article made the confessions pages seem like a waste of time and something that disrupts social order, yet I feel that whoever wrote it was afraid of the loss of control and order, where practically no topic is off limits and nothing is too taboo to discuss. We are becoming a generation where boundaries are constantly being pushed and expanded, and UCT Confessions is a testament to this.
Smoking Marijuana can kill your career and physiology. So is smoking marijuana bad for your career? The answer is unfortunately not a simple yes or no. There is a long list of highly successful people who have openly admitted to their current or past pot smoking habits. A young black teen living in 1970s Hawaii, named Barry, used to regularly get high with his friends. In 2005 Barry, a.k.a. Barack Obama, became the first black president of the USA. Arnold Schwarzenegger has managed to smoke his way to 7 Mr Olympia titles,
Image: flickr.com/teosorama
Tendai Madzikanda Pot, weed, spliff and dagga are just a few of the nicknames used when referring to marijuana, but whatever you chose to call it, there is no denying that we have all been exposed to it in one way or form. Although many students will claim to have never smoked or eaten the drug, the portrayal of marijuana in modern media has allowed it to slowly begin to lose its taboo status. In certain cases one can even be seen as an outcast for refusing to use in
the herb. If you take a good look at your friends, family and res mates and can honestly say that if you don’t know anyone who smokes, then you probably live in your little utopia where roses are blue and violets are red. Despite the widespread usage of marijuana across the world, there is still a general stigma associated with being a ‘stoner’. There is a general belief that smoking marijuana can lead to laziness, lack of motivation, impaired mental functioning and hallucinations, and by and large this belief is somewhat substantiated by
research that explains the effect of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the chemical that gets you ‘high’) on the central nervous system. Logically it makes sense to conclude that if one suffers from all the above side effects then it is unlikely that they will be successful in most professions (imagine a brain surgeon with impaired mental function). However, as with most drugs (nicotine and alcohol included), users seldom suffer from all the side effects, as they are largely dependent on the doses one takes, as well as an individual’s psychology
a successful acting career spanning over 40 years, and more recently is the former governor of California. The list of successful weed smokers includes the like of Richard Branson, Ted Turner and Michael Phelps. In some instances smoking marijuana can have adverse effects on one’s career. As with the surgeon example earlier, if a job requires high levels of concentration, or can lead to loss of human life... Just make sure that whatever you do, you do it with the consequences in mind.
DEMO : Purchase from www.A-PDF.com to remove the watermark
The wet weather didn’t prevent UCT students from eagerly participating in Mandela Day events both on and off campus.
SHAWCO, RAG and the SRC, in partnership with UCT Radio, HG Travel and Cape Gate Fence & Wire Works (Pty) Ltd headed up the festivities. They planned venture that included activities at SHAWCO’s Nyanga, Manenberg and Khayelits
Hundreds of UCT volunteers turned up to help paint walls, plant trees and vegetables an sporting activities with the children. The day’s events even included a Mandela pup Matric learners in the area were also assisted with their online applications to UCT
Ubunye consisting of Inkanyezi, Township Debating League and TeachOut conducted tutoring sessions on computer skills, English and debating with students from Khayelitsha.
The EBE Student Council spread awareness about Mandela Day by inviting students to share their 67 minute experience on paper. The brightly coloured flash cards were displayed on the walls of the Glass House in the Menzies building.
VARSITY’s Editor-in-Chief Alexandra Nagel participated in Ubunye’s project and had this to say about it: “I was fortunate enough to spend a portion of my Mandela Day with four young students from Khayelitsha who were in attendance at Ubunye’s Mandela Day event. They accompanied me on a tour of the VARSITY office and were, I hope, inspired to become thriving future journalists either for our newspaper or for their own community papers. “
A mural of Madiba was created by the children participating in SHAWCO’S programmes. It was the day’s most colourful event!
The Humanities S Council had a san marathon in Leslie was then distribut mission entitled “L Woodstock”. Sand handed out to the while the excess w a shelter.
DEMO : Purchase from www.A-PDF.com to remove the watermark
NELSON MANDELA DAY
l an ambitious sha centres.
nd participate in ppet show. and UWC.
No one inspires like Madiba.
Megan Parker, a SHAWCO volunteer shared her Mandela Day experience: “We spent our 67 minutes at Walter Teka Primary School in Nyanga. We volunteered to do a general clean-up. Their break started and the SHAWCO team asked us to keep the children occupied. We then ended up singing Zahara songs and the national anthem, and did a little dancing as well. We bonded with these Grade 3 and 4 girls in such a short time – we didn’t want to leave.”
tudent ndwich making g e Social which ted during a Long Walk to dwiches were e less fortunate, was donated to
Words & layout: Zarmeen Ghoor & Zafeerah Omar Photographers: Tshepang Molisana, Jamie Sadan, Sive Nobevu, Julien Fievez, Chris van der Westhuyzen & Zarmeen Ghoor
On Thursday, the world donning their Good Samaritan shoes and did their small part to make the world a happier place. Nelson Mandela International Day, made official by the UN in 2009, was inspired by a speech Madiba gave at Hyde Park in London in June 2008 with his words “it is in your hands now”. He deliberately misread the speech he was given, which read “it’s in our hands”, and now, every year on the former president’s birthday, July 18th, people spend 67 minutes doing charitable work to commemorate the 67 years that Madiba spent in service to his country.
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Behind the scenes at the Obama talk in Jammie Hall
The Obama Show at UCT
Uthman Quick
N
o matter how critical of US foreign and domestic policy one is, when the first person of colour to be president of the United States reportedly asks to give a major policy speech at your campus it is highly significant and undeniably leaves one feeling a sense of pride. Anyone who has read my work on Barack Obama will know he is not exactly my favourite person. Yet when I received press credentials to cover the event, I was briefly overwhelmed by excitement at the thought – this is the most powerful man on earth we are talking about here. And we have all seen the countless White House / Air Force One movies that glamourise the US president and his secret service. That has to have affected you. On the day, driving to campus felt different. Coming around the bend on Woolsack to a heavily policed road block reinforced that feeling that this was important. To the left of the road block stood a small group of semi-comical NOBAMA protestors. After being shuttled to University Avenue we were met with a queue that stretched from Otto Beit to the Molecular Science building. Thankfully, my VARSITY colleague and I only waited five minutes before going through security at the top entrance to Molly Blackburn until we were led into Jameson Hall through the side entrance. Inside the hall, the set-up was surreal. The huge podium in the middle made me realise just how small Jameson Hall really is. Looking out of the hall’s double door entrance, where Obama would
Image: BBC live stream shot soon stand, provided a view that is stunningly unique. And I have been to the University of Greenwich – it doesn’t compare. As the invitees streamed in, the atmosphere was electric with excitement. How exactly the invitees were chosen remains a mystery to me. What was clear was that this was the “upper crust” of Capetonian and South African society. The front row was like gold – from the wealthy business characters like Patrice Motsepe to politicians like Trevor Manual – South Africa’s elite were out in force. Despite the power and money in the audience, there was a giddiness that prevailed. Like children opening
UCT – Just another holiday resort This is how campus makes your vac last a little longer.
Ryan Bird
weather can be experienced at any given time. It is a light hike away from Rhode’s Memorial, Endless reading, awkward tucked neatly into the foot of our tutorials, counting coins, great mountain. deadlines and recycling outfits. Make the most of free periods This the reality of our lives as by taking advantage of the students. Although we can thank many sweet picnic spots that are our university for that, we can available on campus. A jogging also thank it for making our trail and a bicycle service keeps student experience one which is the active ones satisfied while the close to that of a holiday. library’s unlimited resources and We do not need to search good Wi-Fi could keep students very wide to inside for days. get a holiday Different experience at hang with the coolest n a t i o n a l i t i e s UCT. A simple and cultures are stroll down crowds in Cape Town represented, so University it feels as if you Avenue offers are at a universal the time to reflect with the gathering and a social hub where freshness of nature and the there are endless possibilities majesty of ancient architecture for networking: one could find and national monuments. As a business partner, a soul mate, you approach the plaza, your even a life-long friend (maybe mind will open up with the even a few enemies). grand view of Cape Town. Once So you’re looking for the you have finished admiring the silver lining in new-semester view as an artist would his muse, life? Here is a very noticeable you can enjoy the convenience one at UCT: there’s a long list of a diverse food court and of holiday-type activities to hang with the coolest crowds in keep you occupied out of class. Cape Town. So stop complaining about the Jammie Plaza offers live new semester and use the time entertainment on Thursdays – that you have at this hotel resort just remember that all types of of a university.
up birthday presents, people could not contain their excitement – even the man who put the presidential emblem on the podium was given a round of applause. After heartwarming performances by the UCT Opera School, some amazing percussion by AmaAmbush and an introduction by Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price, the moment had finally arrived. When Barack Obama stepped out the audience went into raptures. The human wallpaper of UCT students forgot they had been standing for over an hour and waved and applauded wildly. In the fleeting moments I had in-between photographing and live-tweeting
the event, I could not help but think that for some this seemed like their Mandela moment. Except Obama is no Mandela.
the “upper crust” of Capetonian and South African society I’ve spoken to people who have met Nelson Mandela and they talk of an infectious genuineness. To me, the Obama experience was plastic. I wondered if anyone else was baffled by the audacious hypocrisy of this man pontificating to us
Africans about good governance, transparency, the promotion of peace and the need to fight corruption. Meanwhile, his government actively hunts down whistle-blowers, runs an illegal prison in Cuba and assassinates people around the world with immunity. Instead everyone simply erupted into applause at his every word – overtaken by the glamour of it all. In the end, I felt as if I had seen a show – perhaps a live episode of the West Wing except the secret service agents don’t look nearly as impressive in real life. And if it wasn’t so darn cold and hadn’t been a Sunday night, there might have been an after party too.
Why not buy your likes? Laurie Scarborough In simpler times, before Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, popularity was measured by the amount of friends you had. Back then, businesses were successful when they earned more money than the other shops on the street. Now, in the 21st century, Facebook Likes, re-Tweets, followers and virtual friends are tallied and totalled to determine the popularity of people and businesses alike, and the more likes you get, well, the more you’re liked.
companies will employ people to like Facebook pages So what to do when no one likes you? In a world where money really can buy everything, the answer is simple: cough up. There are new companies that, for a modest sum, will employ people to like Facebook pages and follow Twitter accounts. Businesses can use these services to increase the likes on their official Facebook page, to make them seem more reputable and established than
Image: blackhat.com
they actually are. It’s not just businesses who can benefit from these services. Individuals can use similar sites to get fake girlfriends or boyfriends, or just to raise their friend counts or followers on Facebook and Twitter. Fake Facebook profiles are also created to befriend people willing to pay their way to popularity. If you’re thinking this sounds like a quick way to gain those coveted
thumbs-ups, don’t. Said companies have websites so dodgy that a free anti-virus software blocks them from opening. Obviously, there are many warnings about these sites as many of them are merely scams, preying on people feeling free with money. But if it ever turns out that money really can’t buy everything, there certainly is a price to pay to be a little more likable.
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Liberal holidays and dictatorial budgets – think closer to home Yazmine Horowitz
H
olidays are over: a sad reality realised as we all attempt to ease back into the chaotic chasm of university’s universe. But it’s never too early to plan for the next vac. You could spend the whole of this semester drooling over the thought. Allow me to tease your taste buds with probably the greatest idea for student travel. The best part? It has a South African flavour.
I decided to create our own adventure...with a dictator of a budget Some are lucky enough to afford international travels and come back with stories like accidentally bringing home a Thai she-male. During this past break, my boyfriend and I decided to create our own adventure, and with a dictator of a budget, we decided to keep it local. We hopped into his little Yaris, and with only a couple of grand between us (not even enough for one ticket to London) we made some fantastical memories. Starting off in Durban, we
Oh Ship! Exploring your options for next year?
Image: Julia Smith
travelled down the South Coast and stayed in a whimsical Backpackers called Mantis and Moon. With wooden walkways and tree house accommodation, you could swear one of those she-males would be waiting for you on your bed. Backpackers are affordable, fun and
foreign. By foreign I mean that the number of actual South Africans travelling around South Africa is so few that you could go a couple of days not understanding the mixture of accents. But that doesn’t matter, because most Backpackers have bars, and we all know beer is the
best interpreter. When you need to pass out, all Backpackers have a menu of options ranging from R70 to pitch your own tent to R350 for a private en suite room. None of them are complete luxury, but we’re students, our standards are pretty low. Still,
it is important to research which Backpackers you want to stay at. For instance, on our next stop in Port St Johns, we failed to take others’ advice. This resulted in us sleeping in what we could only presume was a brothel. After three hours of what sounded like a murder, we fled with the key to our room and an unpaid bar tab. They did not seem to notice, even though we were the only guests. Our next stop was our mecca, one of the most glorious places I have ever seen. The road through the Transkei wasn’t easy, but when you reach Coffee Bay all your worries just drop off your body. The budget was not pleased and ordered us to leave, so we headed to Grahamstown for the National Arts Festival. No matter what you’re into, there’s something there for you (hypnotists, experimental theatre and good old fashioned music included). On our way home, we stopped off in Hogsback, said to be the inspiration for the shire in Lord of the Rings. A wicken priest offered to marry James and I in front of the fairies. Sadly, we needed to go home. The budget was getting grumpy. I hope my little story has moistened your palate. For next time, just remember that you don’t need to go very far in order to escape.
A gap year: gone sailing
Georgie Lockwood It was something along the tales of Captain Jack Sparrow when the threemasted Picton Castle set sail from a small fishing village (with a drinking problem) called Lunenburg, situated on the East coast of Canada. The aim was to circumnavigate the entire world. A crew of 50 inexperienced sailors, under Captain Dan Moreland, entered the depths of the Atlantic Ocean, parting the phosphorescence with the bow. A new world opened up to us, one of bowlines, charts, constellations, rum and occasional postcards. We steered for adventure, picked a course for trouble and ignited fierce friendships to join the
always know your wind direction, and knots are only tied to be untied ranks of WAFI’s (Wind Assisted F*#king Idiots). The ship was run by Vasco De Gama and Magellan traditionally, with manila (organic) lines, minimal power tools and lots of tar and linseed oil. There were three watches that worked around the binnacle and around the watch. They performed tasks like sail-handling, ships work (painting and rust busting), domestics, lookout, helm and deck wash. There were also day men – individuals that specialised in sailmaking, rigging and carpentry. We quickly learnt the most important rules: always know your wind direction and knots are only
Image: Liam Tayler
Tallship Picton Castle anchored in Maewo Island, Vanuatu. tied to be untied. We learnt the ropes quickly. But there are no ropes on a ship, only lines, 175 of which would help you clew up before you sheeted home. In this vast deep it isn’t surprising that sailors once mistook Dugongs for Mermaids - the rigorous routines highlighted a creative side in everyone. We soon discovered that we were as insignificant as a deckchair on the Titanic due to the might of the ocean and authority of our officers. Our ages ranged between 18 and 60. The younger girls dwelled in the ‘Batcave’
aft the 60m vessel and the young boys, known as ‘bros’, in the forepeak. Everyone else was somewhere in between. The dynamic ‘bros’ were characterised by poetry, sex and sails, tarnished by rum, tempted by ladies and provided beef behind the halyards. Over ten nationalities on board added a culture shock to the seasickness, one of the fundamental differences being whether you build sand castles or snowmen in December. The saying goes: ‘Ports rot ships and men’, so on our days off we explored and on our days on we
watched the mates find good use for drunken sailors. What was crucial was the Picton Castle never stayed in one of the infamous Ports too long. On the gusts of Columbus’ trade winds heading west the ship made stops in some of the most uncharted, rustic and charming places on the globe. These included Pitcairn’s island where the Mutineers turned up in 1808, French Polynesia where whisky was traded for handfuls of black pearls, the untapped waters of Vanuatu where volcanoes and cannibalism existed in the not-so-
distant past and Puka Puka where the crew survived off coconuts and crackers and the fruit flies on us. There is a universality to Picton Castle. She has altered the course of many adventurers lives and their futures and she will continue to do so. The world becomes bigger, opportunities greater and life on land more confusing when you have not encountered buildings higher than a coconut tree in months. Tallships like her ensure your friendship base becomes international and your sailing skills supreme.
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features
V72 E7 - 23 JULY 2013
His or hers? Or his?
The gender lines are blurring in fashion. Is it time for guys to slap on a skirt?
Daniël Geldenhuys
J W Anderson was quoted saying that his show in question was about relating the male body to column architecture. This has less to do
L
ast month, the next-bigthing designer J W Anderson sent three dainty floral halter-neck blouses down the runway of his menswear Spring 2014 show. A month before that, my Art History class rep announced in a tutorial conversation that she felt sorry for men who would never experience the freedom of wearing a skirt on a hot summer day. The class agreed. Why aren’t there any menswear skirts? Not dainty chiffon numbers with daffodil print, but perhaps something more sturdy in an earth tone with brass buttons. Something masculine. What tut group 1 of PD Hahn 4 (yes, there are Art tuts there) didn’t know at the time was that some of the stand-out pieces to be shown at Men’sWeek would include colourful clutches, neck scarves, short shorts, and yes, skirts. The skirts were at Givenchy: they were always worn over pants and formed part of a mish-mash of tribal-meets-futuristic prints that are just about the coolest thing since sliced bread. It was anything but girly. The other aforementioned items only seem anti-man when discussed in the context of womenswear. Mr Anderson’s halternecks were the only garments that really pushed it. Perhaps this flirtation with
it’s good to know that someone is pushing the boundaries
Image: godammit.com
previously exclusively womenswear items in the menswear collections is long overdue. When it comes to different items of clothing, women can choose from tops, dresses, skirts, trousers, jackets, shirt dresses, jumpsuits, and even the new short/skirt “skort” hybrid. Men can take their pick from a selection
of shirts, trousers, and jackets – now isn’t that just revolutionary? Why is it that men are so afraid to take a page out of the womenswear clothing book? Women are so fearless in wearing mens clothing that it has become a social nonissue. But dare a man to walk town the street in a skirt? That skirt had
A bankable mindset: Think like this, save like that. Malilimalo Phaswana Three thousand five hundred and eighty four: That is the estimated capacity of the brain in terabytes – proving that it is the most complex and powerful object known to man. It is however, susceptible to some usually unknown and unintentional errors known as cognitive biases. Being aware of said biases may save you a buck or two for a Big Mac at the end of the month. The decoy effect is a good example of a cognitive bias that marketers use to take advantage of us. Suppose you want to buy one of two memory sticks: R75 for 8GB and R100 for 16GB. The second option probably looks more attractive because of the price difference in relation to memory, but if I were to include a third option – R80 for 8GB – the first option suddenly looks best. This third option can be used as a “decoy” to lure you into buying the 8GB memory stick for whatever reason the seller may have.
Being aware of said biases may save you a buck or two When Apple introduced the iPod, there was speculation that sales for Mac Books would increase. The connection? It’s called the Halo Effect. In this instance, the bias takes effect when a good experience with one product inclines you to believe that all products from the same company will generate a similar
better be a kilt. Although it is safe to assume that J W Anderson’s man blouses will not be best sellers, it’s good to know that someone is pushing the boundaries. By no means will we see those tops on sale at Woolworths next year, but it is a nod (or a stitch) in a more modern clothing direction.
with gender and more with finding new ways to dress the individual. And there’s that most-loved fashion buzz word: individual. Designers are working harder than ever to dress a unique customer: each season you can take your pick from a wide variety of looks, aimed at the dizzying spectrum of modern personalities. It’s one small step towards a future where you’ll be buying not what’s designed for your sex, but rather what looks good on you. I remember reading a quote by a local blogger (who’s name would go unmentioned even if I could still remember it) who said that he shops at a store as a whole, ignoring the menswear/womenswear divide. My initial reaction involved an exaggerated eye roll, but now I think there might be some merit in his statement. After all, I know for a fact that before they made skinny jeans for men that guys would shop the ladies section to get them. But still, you won’t catch me dead in a dress.
Nomzamo’s playlist UCT’s favourite local celeb shares her edit of local and international culture.
Image: Michael Currin
Image: www.flickr.com/bjmccray
SAVE: Think better and spend less. experience. One simply has to walk past the Eco’s Building during Meridian to see how well it’s worked for Apple’s MacBooks. The next one is slightly mathematical: say I flip a coin four times and they all land on heads. What’s the probability the fifth throw will be a tails? If you thought it was any more than 50% then you may have fallen victim to the Gambler’s Fallacy. This is when we think previous outcomes of independent events affect their future outcomes. The kind of gambling addiction that sees you frequenting Grand West more often than you should are a consequence of this cognitive bias. Did you know that we humans tend to value losses more than we do gains? That means that the
satisfaction lost from losing R100 will be greater than the satisfaction gained from receiving R100. This principle is called Loss Aversion and it is caused by the additional value we place on having owned something. This is one of the underlying principles in the success of “free trials”: if you’ve been using a certain app for a week, you’d rather pay the purchase fee than lose the benefit of its use, although you probably wouldn’t pay the same amount had you not used it in the first place. Is it possible to reduce cognitive biases? Absolutely! Just get smarter. It’s all about training your brain to make decisions more rationally. Of course, it not only applies to finance, it will help you be a better-rounded individual in general.
Nomzamo Mbatha in her VARSITY STYLE cover shoot. She wears local designer Kat van Duinen. Nomzamo Mbatha wowed Books close to my heart: UCT for the first time when she Paulo Coelho – Manuscript went from being a commerce from Accra student to a finalist in the MTV Bonnie Henna – Eyebags Base JV Search. The second wow and Dimples came when she landed a leading Khaled Hosseini – A thousand role on Mzansi Magic’s hit show splendid suns Isibaya, and the third when she People who inspire me: graced the premiere cover of Fana Mokoena is an amazing VARSITY STYLE. Here’s Nomzamo’s list of must- South African actor who plays Brad Pitt's mentor in World War Z. hear, must-sees, and must-knows: He is definitely flying the country's flag high and he is such a brilliant My 5 favourite songs at the actor and great individual. moment: Beyonce’s work ethic is just Beyonce – “I was here” out of this world. She is not only Miguel – “Candles in the sun” perhaps the greatest performer of Macklemore – “Thrift shop” our time, but also arguably one of Drake – “Started from the bottom” the most hard-working woman Nicki Minaj – “Fly” in the entertainment industry. These attributes inspire me to My favourite shows: work harder. Isibaya Homeland Love and blessings, Greys Anatomy True Blood Nomzamo Glee
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Harry Potter in the Muggle world
Celebrities and why we’re so obsessed with them.
Hannah MacMillan “Mr Potter. Our new celebrity.” Celebrity! Cha-ching: A new word entered into my seven-year old brain and it sounded like a spell. As a result of this early association, I have always measured so-called “celebrities” against Harry Potter: an iconic individual capable of performing magic who didn’t go looking for fame. Rather, Harry
Is there place for women in the male-dominated rap industry?
Siphiwe Zwane & Sibabalwe Mona
obtained and maintained his reputation in the fight against the dark side (sorry Star Wars). He has stacks of money in his volt at Gringotts and endures undesirable encounters with Death Eaters, critics and general haters every day. Harry also has a massive following and is regarded as a leader by most people in the wizarding world. Back in the muggle world, we have our own set of celebrities with
Images: flickr.com/ Edmond Wells
their own kinds of magic – political, cultural, scientific, medicinal,
How influential are these individuals really, and why? monetary – and we look to them in a similar way. Time magazine
releases an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. These individuals are not numbered, rather they fall under five categories: Titans, Artists, Pioneers, Leaders and Icons. How influential are these individuals really, and why? I must confess that the list includes the names of many people who have never crossed my consciousness, but further reading revealed them to be (for the most part, in my mind)
Her silence behind the mic
E
very once in a while, a famous rapper will start an entourage. There will be one female MC in the crew, fulfilling an unspoken gender quota in hip-hop. Are our talented female wordsmiths reduced to mere mandatory additions to a predominantly male crew? There have been a few Fe-MCs who have broken out and found a solid listenership like American superstar Nicki Minaj, but even her roots lie with YMCMB, a group led by a male. Will women ever take to the mic and represent South African hiphop? Will South African rappers Nthabi or Ms Supa ever release tracks again? Will Gigi La Mayne break into stardom? Rogue may be featured in I Speak Hip-Hop & DJ C-Live’s song, but will she get the deserved commendation? These are a few questions that we ask ourselves as hip-hop fans, and the questions that aspiring female MCs should consider. Hip-hop is about storytelling and there is a lack of female voices in South African stories. We can’t fully rely on or relate to a man speaking on behalf of women, though often we have no choice. While male voices that tell womens’ stories deserve respect, they lack the emotions that
individuals who have done things/ are living lives worth celebrating. The extent of their influence may be seen in the way they are celebrated as well as hated. Why do we celebrate? Perhaps it is because of the thrilling truth that many of them were once peasants too. Perhaps it is because their work benefits said peasants. But more than anything I think we celebrate (and hate) these individuals and their work because many of them rose to prominence by doing what they love. Most of them didn’t go looking for fame. They went out looking for answers, solutions and fulfilment. They proved successful; the world noticed their passion and demanded to know their names. Their names were then taken, shared through mass media and are now offered up daily, like a prayer (or curse). We feed on the magic of their success and hope for similar fulfilment and recognition in our own lives, for our own dreams. The basic truth is this: none of us want to die with our song unsung. Some of us simply don’t want to die. We crave immortality and hey, Elvis is still alive and well in the 21st century. We all desire some degree of recognition, appreciation and celebration and we look to celebrities because they are recognised, appreciated and celebrated. Their example, so eternally apparent through work of international media, encourages us to discover and share our own personal magic and to lead lives worth celebrating. Or something like that. Harry Potter still wins.
Image: Elelwani Netshifhire
a woman’s delivery would have. A great example is highly acclaimed rapper Tumi’s “Yvonne”, where he tells the story of Yvonne’s brutal rape through his voice. While the song is emotive and poignant, it would be even more so if a female voiced it. There are women who say hiphop is a misogynist genre – this may very well be true. Most lyrics nowadays are about “bad bitches” and “twerking”. But, it remains true that women are so influential to hip-hop that they can become the tastemakers of the genre. If you can rap, you can tell the story on behalf of women: from the eyes, heart and mind of a lady. USA female rappers such as Missy Elliot, Eve, and Nicki Minaj are extremely talented, and Jean Grae actually out-classes a number of male MCs with her rap skills. Locally, Nthabi had the best verse in Entity’s Touch & Go Remix alongside highly acclaimed South African rappers like AKA and Reason & Maggz. She also had a very touching verse in 2012’s “16s for 16”. I wish females would take to the mic with ferocity in the future. I wish women would come out and tell their stories on the mic instead of sitting on the sidelines. I appreciate lyricism from whatever gender, but I write this in the hopes that, soon, women will take over the hip-hop throne.
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sport
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Groomed for success Megan Kinnaird
M
eet Nic Groom: professional rugby player and full-time UCT student. VARSITY recently caught up with UCT’s very own Stormer to find out about his career to date, and how he balances his student and professional responsibilities. Groom has been playing professionally with Western Province since 2010, coming from Rondebosch Boys, and then the Western Province Rugby Institute. He enrolled at UCT to study a BSocSci, became a key member of the 2011 Varsity Cup-winning side, and has since gone on to win three trophies for Western Province in three years. This Super 15 season he has played nine games for the Stormers and, needless to say, the former Ikey is sure to have a bright future ahead of him.
Would you say you’ve always wanted to play rugby professionally? Rugby hasn’t always been my be all and end all; if rugby was going to happen it was going to happen, I did what I could and worked as hard as I could, and now that it has happened I’m very grateful. I don’t for one second take it for granted because tomorrow it could be gone. I would say that to play for the Springboks one day is definitely a goal of mine, but it isn’t going to define me. You’ve got to keep the balance.
Were you expecting your call-up to play for Western Province?
No! I had already forgotten about playing for Western Province and I love UCT rugby. Originally I was still doing a full course load, having to skip lectures, and driving to Bellville every day. And then I started playing for Western Province U21 that year they offered me my first contract to start in 2011, as a contracted rugby player.
Can you give me some insight into your debut game in 2011? I was obviously very stoked. I actually remember going onto the field, and then it sort of hit home, I’m playing with all these guys who I train with all the time but never really thought I’d be playing with them. It was a really good feeling. I get it every time I play for the Stormers; you feel as if you can do anything. You feel invincible.
Which game this Super 15 season was most special or important to you – and why? I think it would have to be the game against the Chiefs. I’d just come off a knee injury and during the build-up to that week I was seriously unsure of myself. We had lost our first two games against the Bulls and the Sharks away, and we were under a lot of pressure - playing against the defending champions. It was also my first start for the Stormers at
Image: Marcsingkey photography Newlands, and it actually went really well. I scored my first try for the Stormers, which was a vibe. I think that was really special to me because I felt settled.
What was the significance of last year’s Currie Cup win, of which you were a part, for Western Province? I think what was amazing was the actual final. We were written off
completely, massive underdogs. We had lost some of our Springboks, we were a young side and WP hadn’t won a trophy in 11 years. It was honestly one of the best wins of my career. And from a local point of view it doesn’t get much bigger than the Currie Cup.
Would you say the balance between varsity and rugby is hard to maintain?
I think most important for me is when I’m not playing rugby, that’s my study time so it’s hard to relax. Whenever you’ve got free time you think you should be studying. So the biggest challenge is managing your time so that you actually make time to chill and make time to work. It’s taken me a while to get used to that. I love going to varsity because I really need that balance. I’d never be able to just play rugby.
We need to talk about Kevin we pull together and get behind this phenomenal sportsman in a bid to catapult him to the next level. Any sportsman will testify to the massive impact that home support has on one’s performance. You might argue that Anderson needs to prove he is consistently a top performer before he will attract the level of support the likes of Murray, Djokovic and Nadal have. But if we only use these criteria to judge who we get behind as spectators, then I would suggest that we have
ANDERSON IN ACTION: The South African has now ranked 23rd, best in his career.
Hugh Van Niekerk You don’t have to be an avid sport enthusiast to hear about the manner in which Britain has stormed the sporting world in the past few weeks. The British and Irish Lions beat the Wallabies, breaking a 16 year drought, Andy Murray triumphed at Wimbledon (the first British man since Fred Perry 67 years prior) and most recently, England achieved a 14-run victory over the Aussies in the first test of the Ashes. Needless to say, the Brits have plenty to crow about and crowing they are.
We, as South Africans, pride ourselves in our sporting traditions and our support of the various codes and usually we don’t miss the opportunity to let the rest of the world know just how proud we are. This is evident through the large amount of publicity that surrounds the Boks, Proteas, Bafana Bafana and our athletes at the Olympic Games. However, there seems to be one South African sportsman flying under the radar, whose recent success has gone unnoticed, drowned out by the cries of “ANDY, ANDY” at Wimbledon. The name is Anderson. No, not the James who steered England
Image: Badger Swan
to victory by taking 10 wickets in the first Ashes Test. You can relax, there isn’t another South African in the England cricket side. I am referring rather to Kevin, our top ranked tennis player, who reached a career best ranking of 23rd in the world after his performance at Wimbledon this year. Kevin has been on the rise since he turned pro in 2008 and continues to create upsets with victories in the past few years over Djokovic (#1), Berdych (#6) and Murray (#2), yes “ANDY”. With the massive impact the crowd had on Murray at Wimbledon clearly evident, perhaps it is time that
all together lost the true essence of being a supporter. He is South African, he plays on the world circuit and he is very much, as I previously said, on the up. What more do we want? Let’s begin to raise our voices for one of the lesser-known sports stars of our country, and who knows, a few years from now perhaps we will be crowing not only about our World Cup winning rugby players, top ranked Test cricketers, but also OUR Wimbledon champion.
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SPORTS BITES Player in the buff 77 year-old golfer Gary Player is well known for his strenuous fitness routine, and now the South African veteran has decided to show exactly what’s behind that legendary swing for ESPN magazines 2013 Body Issue. Age is certainly no boundary for Player, who still competes at the highest level and evidently looks good for it. His secret? “I used to do 1,000 sit-ups a day; now I’m up to 1,200. I do all different kinds of core exercises: lying on the medicine ball; holding a weight and rocking right to left; crunches with a 100-pound weight on my chest, sit-ups with my legs up.” - espn.go.com
Aggy in the act too Not only have veteran golfers featured in ESPN’s issue, but the slightly more savoury body of tennis player, and world number four Agnieszka Radwanska has also caused waves. Radwanska, 24, who makes no secret of her strong Catholic faith, is photographed in profile without a stitch, sitting in a lawn chair by a pool filled with tennis balls. She has consequently been dropped by a Catholic youth movement in her native Poland. This year’s beaten Wimbledon semi-finalist previously appeared in a television commercial sponsored by the group in which she spelled out the word “Jesus” with tennis balls and urged young Poles not to be ashamed of their faith. - Metro.co.uk
Suarez in a suit Want-away Liverpool striker Luis Suarez undoubtedly feels misunderstood in the Premier League as it seems many in England don’t share his light-hearted take on taunting others about their race, diving, or cannibalism. They may be more inclined to laugh at a recent TV ad featuring the forward from his home country. The ad, which shows Suarez as a competitive office worker, pokes fun at the forward’s diving antics, although the more sensitive subject of arm-chewing is not broached. Suarez is currently four games into a 10-match ban for biting the arm of Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic towards the end of last season. - Metro.co.uk
Nigeria results raise eyebrows When Nigerian club sides Plateau United Feeders and Police Machine figured they needed big wins to outdo each other to earn promotion to Nigeria’s professional football league, their results aroused suspicions. They won 79-0 and 67-0 respectively. The results have sparked outrage, an indefinite suspension of the four clubs involved in the games, and an investigation into match-fixing by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The NFF called the results from the tournament on Monday in the northeastern city of Bauchi “a mind-boggling show of shame”. The scorelines were “scandalous”, the NFF added. - foxsports.com.au
Rob Byrne
SPORTS SHORTS Surfing UCT ended their four year USSA drought, claiming overall victory at Victoria Bay in George, on July 10th to 12th. With excellent waves and some high performance surfing on show, UCT’s women led the way with Nikita Kekana placing 2nd, Jess Lee coming in 4th overall. Whilst teammates Katrina Kern and Nicole Eddy also put in strong performances helping the girls team to place 1st overall. In the Men's Division Phillip Vasagie finished in 2nd place, and Logan Eales came in 4th overall meaning that for the first time in four years UCT’s men took first place at the tournament, and the overall trophy too.
USSA Round-up UCT’s 2013 USSA GYMNASTICS TEAM: Back row: Thulani Baca, Jason Fourie, Benike Palfi, Jason Miller, Andrew van Dorsten, Jarred de Beer. Front row: Naadirah Moola, Josh Light.
Rugby UCTRFC took a young side consisting of 21 U20s and four open players to the USSA Championships at TUT in Pretoria. Despite coming up against seasoned Varsity Cup Seniors, the emerging squad managed a 29-22 win in their final game against Wits. This followed an initial humbling loss against NWU-PUKKE 50-14, which was the followed up with a much improved loss of 6-0 at the hands of NMMU. Lisa Gagiano of UCT Rugby said that the club used the tournament as a developmental exercise, and was pleased that many young players had shown that they could compete at a higher level.
Basketball Tournament hosts UCT clinched 5th place in this July’s USSA Championships, a significant improvement from the 10th position
Image: Kenny Williams they held three years ago. UCT started well, claiming victories over both Durban University of Technology (DUT) and NMMU on the first day, before losing out to eventual second place finishers Wits. This was enough to see a 2nd place group finish and progress into the quarter finals where they faced reigning champions Vaal University of Technology (VUT), winner of the tournament for the last six years. Despite a tough battle, the favourites VUT came out on top, relegating UCT to fight amongst the others for 5th place. UCT rallied on the final two days, coolly dispatching both local rivals UWC and strong contenders UJ. Top performers for
UCT included Siphumle “Simba” Quanya, Wilfried Nguz, while the performances was greatly helped by the arrival of 7-foot center Christopher “Big Chris” Trauernicht and David Thompson, who in tandem with forward Timothy Magezi, wreaked havok in the paint. The UCT 1st men’s team returns this coming semester to take place in the Western Cape Play-offs and all fans are welcome to watch at the sports centre.
Gymnastics UCT’s gymnasts headed out in a tightly packed minibus for the 17hour trip to the University of Pretoria
on July 2nd. While their small team was unable to challenge Maties, the eventual winners, they put in a spirited show, with some excellent individual performances. Although they were outmatched in terms of total numbers, the UCT squad (directed by Andrew van Dorsten and Jason Miller) put forward a sensational effort. Senior gymnasts Jason Miller, Josh Light, Benike Palfi, Andrew van Dorsten and Thulani Baca took home more medals than they, or indeed the organisers, could keep track of. Jason Fourie took 1st overall for artistic level 4 while Jarred de Beer took 3rd place overall in artistic level 6 and 2nd
A blue moon rising in South Africa? Joe Simon Manchester City’s tour to our shores marks a watershed moment for the club. Interest in City’s fortunes has peaked since they were taken over by Abu Dhabi United Group and their reclusive owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. With a name that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, few could forgive the average football fan for referring to him as “that rich guy”. Sheikh Mansour heads an ever-expanding list of football owners from the Arab Emirates whose collective wealth and willingness to splash the cash at will is akin to a game of monopoly. Indeed, it is silly season all round for these fellows. It is no surprise then that an antagonism that has festered in the depths of football fans’ psyches has come to the forefront following football’s own “Arab Spring”. Man City were the peripheral secondstringers, plodding along under the radar with no real sign of a dramatic ambition or upturn in fortunes before Old Sheikhy decided to open his wallet with great enthusiasm. But at least they had integrity. Their successes (however miniscule) were earned, not bought. Before the likes of Aguero, Tevez, and Balotelli
Image: sportblog.co.za
THE BOYS IN BABY BLUE – Will SA take to the City circus? donned the light blue, they had humble Shaun Goater plundering the goals (“Feed the goat and he will score”, anyone?). This is the City I remember, and to a certain extent, respected. A team punching above their weight and refusing to march to the beat of a Manchester United infused drum. My feelings towards this current crop can only be described as ambivalence tinged with resentment.
It is for this reason that when I heard of their impending tour to South Africa, I responded with a rather lacklustre “oh, cool”. Perhaps it is the cynicism that has enveloped my soul after years of supporting Liverpool, but if Man City is here to grow their support base, they are flogging a dead horse. The euphoria that surrounded their arrival will soon evaporate and their matches against Supersport United and
Amazulu will be lost in the sands of time. Their legacy will be a fleeting one, a footnote in what is a hotbed of Man United and Liverpool support in this country. When South Africans under the age of 25 tell me that they support Man City, my spidey senses go into overdrive and the “F” word springs to mind, fair-weather that is (get your mind out the gutter). I respect someone’s right to support whomever they desire but when you constantly feel the need to justify your support, then one can see where the problem lies. Man City might go on to win 100 trophies, yet they will have done so purely because “some rich guy” decided to play eenie-meanieminey-mo with his wallet. No supporters can escape that fact. Perhaps I am living in the past (an affliction of most Liverpool fans) when I say success should be earned and not bought. It is an impossibility in this day and age to even compete without an oligarch using your club as a plaything. Win or lose on tour, I, for one, will be humming along when United fans start their own rendition of Yellow Submarine, “City’s going down with a billion in the bank, a billion in the bank, a billion in the bank”. Sheikh Mansour eat your heart out.
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V72 E7 - 23 JULY 2013
White line fever
SMALL BUT MIGHTY – UCT’s depleted USSA Squad, from left to right: Gabriel Kesekile, Phillip Monthso, Benson Siyawareva, Kershin Gauden, Simon Abbort and Bruce. on the mini-trampoline. As the hosts for the competition next year – the UCT gymnasts all look forward to being able to show off their skills in front of their home crowd in the year to come.
Volleyball A depleted Spikey Tigers squad managed an eighth place finish out of 17 Universities at the University of Fort Hare during the vacation. With a squad of only six players owing to a lack of availability during the break, UCT were drawn into a pool of five teams which included the hosts, University of Zululand, Medumsa University, Limpopo School of Medicine and Walter Sisulu Umtata. The Tigers managed to defeat WUSU 2-0 (25-9: 25-20), MEDUMSA 2-0 (25-16: 25-22) and lost to University of Zulu Land 2-1 (28-26; 25-23), the eventual silver medalists. UCT were led well by captain Benson Siyawareva, while Phillip Monthso and Kershin
Gauden showed their character with some outstanding spikes, blocking and covering skills.
Netball UCT’s top netballers registered an impressive 10th place finish out of 34 universities competing at the University of Pretoria between July 1st and 6th. Accompanied by Team Manager Theophilus Moletsane, Coach Stephanie Duursema and enthusiastic Sports Administrator Peter Buckton, the team underwent a week's training camp in Johannesburg before departing for the tournament in Pretoria. UCT competed in the Premier League, registering an impressive win against VUT winning by a five goal difference, followed up with two other victories out of seven games in total. With contributions from Logan Eales, Lisa Gagiano, Simone Peters, Benson Siyawareva, Jason Fourie and Charlie Turnley.
Image: Benson Siyawareva
I’m not a walker
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s an enthusiastic amateur cricketer, I’ve been in the same situation the Australians found themselves recently in at Trent Bridge. That is, standing with amazement as to how an umpire cannot give out a batsman who has clearly edged the ball. I am of course referring to the “courageous” actions, to quote one big-nosed Sky Sports commentator and former England Captain, of Stuart Broad. In my games, there are no referrals, no slow motion replays, just a decrepit old man who’s turned up his hearing aid and given his glasses a good polish. Despite this fine-tuning, they quite often get it wrong, and you just learn to accept it. But what you hope, and do see from time-to-time, is that a player who has obviously edged the ball walks, taking the decision out of the umpire’s hands. An admirable act, one in keeping with the spirit of the game set out by the MCC, but something that is increasingly becoming absent from the modern game. Sadly, on closer inspection, we have to ask ourselves what we would have done in Stuart Broad’s situation, and the answer is often an uncomfortable one. I’ve stood full teapot, gesticulated, conversed, subtly enquired, and more often than not, hailed abuse down on a batsman
that has refused to walk. We all do it – we feel we have been wronged as a fielding side, we feel it’s the biggest crime against humanity when we are denied a rightful wicket. The verbal tirade continues for many overs after, as I’m sure it did from big bad Brad (Haddin), the not quite so threatening Nemo (Michael Clarke) and all the Aussie fielders: Watto, Patty, Mitch, Ash, Eddie and the like.
The higher the level of competition and rivalry ... the higher the stakes. But then the funniest of things happens. As much as we are disgusted with the non-walkers, the Stuart Broads and Michael Athertons of this world, we get thinking to ourselves what we would do at the crease.? The higher the level of competition and rivalry (the Ashes possibly being unrivalled in sport, let alone cricket), the higher the stakes. You’re not simply going to give your wicket away if the umpire has made a mistake – that’s his problem not yours. Besides, there are plenty of times when an umpire’s mistake has resulted in you wrongfully losing your wicket. I’ve also found myself at the crease being on the other end of a bowlers
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Rob Byrne Sports Editor full teapot, gesticulating, enquiring, and full-on abuse, when I know I’ve hit it and got away with it. I know what it feels like to be wronged, and if it’s just some friendly game against a bunch of guys that seems OK – I’d walk without hesitation. If it’s a final against an arch enemy team, who is a bunch of knobs, then I’d want to do the best for my team no matter what. If I can wind the opposition up in the process; even better. So put yourself in Stuart Broad’s shoes. You’re playing in probably the highest profile series of your career, against the old enemy. The match is delicately poised and the umpire makes a mistake. I’m not saying what he did was courageous, that’s a step too far. He did what the majority of modern cricketers would do. Broad was hammered in the media, but they never liked him much in the first place. It speaks volumes however, that both Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin came out after and said they don’t begrudge Broad for what he did. It’s because, deep down, they know that firstly, they made a mistake in using up the reviews on dubious shouts, and secondly that when it comes down to it, at the highest level, it’s about winning at all costs. That may not be in the spirit of cricket outlined by the MCC, but that in itself seems an outdated concept.
Sport VARSITY
FIXTURES Varsity Cup Football MONDAY, JULY 29TH, 7.00PM THE GREEN MILE
UCT Vs NMMU
Super League A Rugby SATURDAY, JULY 27TH, BELVILLE
Belville A Vs UCT A
Varsity Football comes to the Green Mile Rob Byrne
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ast night in Bloemfontein, UCT kicked off their first game in the new Varsity Cup Football campaign. The Ikeys are one of eight teams taking part in this historic drive to promote football at University level, with the sport joining the likes of Rugby, Hockey, Athletics, Rugby Sevens and Beach Volleyball within the expanding Varsity Sports franchise.
He praised the progress made by the club in recent years Speaking to VARSITY Sports, the brainchild of the tournament and former World Cup winning Springbok, Francois Pienaar, said football has been targeted as “the biggest sport in the world and a passion on the African continent.” “There is little doubt in my mind that working with SAFA, USSA, and the participating Universities, Varsity Football will unearth future national stars and help build the passion and pride for football in South Africa,” said Pienaar. While the TV cameras were not covering the action live at Shimla Park last night, UCT can look forward to featuring live on Supersport for three of their clashes. The first is against tournament favourites UP-TUKS on August 12th, followed up by an away clash against TUT the following week, before heading into a potential do-or-die Cape derby at UWC. Varsity Football comes to the Green Mile in the form of a doubleheader, starting next Monday night when the Ikeys will host NMMU. The following Monday, August 5th sees the Ikeys face Wits on home
Image: Rob Byrne NEW BOYS ON THE BLOCK: From left to right, UCT’s Varsity Cup captain Bisi Mtshali, Vice-Chairperson Velani Mboweni, and Coach Monwabisi Ralarala. turf, and Sports Co-ordinator Peter Buckton is expecting a raucous home atmosphere, with fans encouraged to come out and support the University en masse. At the official launch of the tournament in Cape Town last week, Head of UCT Sport and Recreation Jonathan Stones emphasised that this was a historic moment for the sport
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at UCT. He praised the progress made by the club in recent years, something that was highlighted by all the speakers at the event, and evident in the club’s first USSA qualification in 2012 after a seven year drought. Finishing ninth after a tough draw which saw them up against eventual finalists UP-TUKS and NWU, the
club have gone from strength-tostrength under the stewardship of head coach Monwabisi Ralarala. Then, his understrength squad learnt a lot at the tournament about competing with the top footballing universities. However, now the current crop of players faces an uphill task against tough opposition, and a scrutiny unparalleled in many
of their fledgling careers. Nevertheless, Stones sent a positive message to the players: “Here is the opportunity for you to go out and play for UCT against some top-class opposition…this occasion is an experience you need to embrace and you will remember for the rest of your lives.” According to Stones, the aim for the University is “to be competitive” in the tournament, targeting a finish above the relegation zone of seventh and eight positions, adding, “I have no doubt that we will not be embarrassed – I have great faith in the coach, committee and players.” UCT will face football giants TUKS and Wits, both of whom have professional sides plying their trade in the PSL. However, unlike Varsity Cup Rugby where five professional players are permitted per side, the football tournament will be exclusively for students. Despite this, the University will be entering unchartered waters, something that excites Captain Bisi Mtshali. “We want to excel in all the facets that we can; it’s our chance as the football club to show that we are not just elite students, but that we are elite athletes as well,” he said. A full match report of last night’s fixture against the University of Free State is available on our website at varsitynewspaper.co.za/sport.
UCT’s 2013 USSA Surfing Champions
Silver in Kazan for UCT’s Stark Rob Byrne UCT Rower Catherine Stark helped South Africa to their highest medal count ever in the World Student Games in Kazan, Russia, during the vacation. She was part of the silver medal winning Women’s Coxless Fours team that contributed to one of the 14 medals the country won (seven gold, three silver, four bronze). The strongest SA performer was runner Steven Mokoka (TUT) who brought back three gold medals. The Russian hosts proved unstoppable, with their 18 strong Olympic gold medallists contributing to a staggering 222 medal lead over the next country, China.
Captions from top left to top right: Michael MacDonald aka “the Ninja” – KAAPOW is the best way to describe how dangerous this oke’s surfing is! Bjorn Larsen – the secret lost member of Die Antwoord. Logan Eales (Captain and author) – trying to be Mr Responsible after fines is a losing battle. Robert Shaff (Manager) – with only 21 working days leave, let’s just say the only thing he was able to manage was his hangover. Philip Vasagie – Not even MJ can top this guy on a dancefloor when a mop and a wet floor is available. Griffin Nortje – Loves the taste of a good old sloppy second. Katrina Kern – Surfing for over five years and still unsure of what a dropin entails. Natasha Berstein – The fluffy teddy bear of the trip.
Captions from bottom left to bottom right: Aaron Simmons – so smooth he slides uphill. Daniel Wilson – Dan calls me the morning of the competition from CT, “Howsit Loges, bru is the comp today or tomorrow?” Two minutes after this call he was driving to George, alone. Dex Zweistra – If you’re ever keen to surf and can’t find a friend to go with you, call this guy and he’ll definitely be keen! Jessica Lee – The most irresponsible team mummy. Nikita Kekana – Has the strangest frog/karate/yoga warm-up routine prior to a heat, but it obviously works, 2nd in the final. Nicole Eddy – The most undercover drinker on the trip, silent but deadly!