Varsity
70 CELEBRATING
YEARS
OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
28 February 2012
VOLUME 71: EDITION 2
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UCT to focus on postgrads Aimee Carelse
W
ith annual and growing increases in student numbers at UCT, the University’s Size and Shape Project presented a strategy to Council in December 2011 to cope with growing student numbers. UCT will be forced to cap its undergraduate admissions and expand teaching facilities to cope with the growing increase in student numbers. Additionally, UCT intends to increase the number of postgraduate research students and enhance its reputation as a researchled institution. UCT has an approximate growth rate of 3.5% per annum. Should the student body continue to expand at this rate, there will be an expected 33 000 students at UCT by 2020. However, by planning to cap undergraduate admissions, the project is working with a target number of 28 310 students for 2020.
“the space required ... can be met only by the acquisition of additional land and property”
OVERCROWDED – UCT will halt the increase in undergraduate student numbers and will expand postgraduate research. related activities. Growth in focus research areas as well as in group work and group learning require smaller seminar venues that can accommodate these modes of teaching. According to the report, “the space required to accommodate expansion in research can be met only by the acquisition of additional land and property in areas close to current university land.” There remains a need to increase the provision of physical space and infrastructure if the growing number of students is to be accommodated. “The University recognises the need for additional student social and learning space, residence places and
sporting facilities” said Jane Hendry, Chief Information Officer of the Institutional Planning Department.
“the Size and Space Project intends to implement new teaching technologies“ According to the Size and Shape Project, student numbers have led to “growths in class sizes and the necessity to undertake double teaching due to lecture hall constraints.” “Significant increases in physical provision have been and are being
made,” explained Hugh Amoore. In 2010, ICTS was moved to Main Road Mowbray in order to provide added teaching space in the Computer Science Building. Last year, the new Student Administration and School of Economics Buildings were opened on Middle Campus. Once renovations have been completed, the movement of the Psychology Department into P.D. Hahn will see the release of much needed space for the Humanities faculty. Furthermore, “a new lecture theatre is planned and work on the new Engineering building is [progressing] according to schedule”, explained Amoore. In order to cope with over-
whelming class sizes, the Size and Shape Project intends to implement new teaching technologies, namely the podcasting and digital audio recording of lectures. Despite their advantages, these teaching technologies require additional space for group learning and, most importantly, “[do] not replace lectures and face-to-face teaching,” said Amoore. The project’s developments will hopefully curb any unnecessary pressure on the University’s resources and make the current and future growth of UCT as smooth as possible.
IN THIS ISSUE
As this year’s registration process remains incomplete, the exact number of students for 2012 cannot yet be confirmed. According to UCT Registrar Hugh Amoore ,“indications are that there will be a very small increase in enrolment in 2012.” In contrast with plans to cap undergraduate admission, UCT aims to increase postgraduate research substantially. The University projects that the proportion of postgraduates at UCT by 2020 will be 39% of the student body, as opposed to the current 32%. This is motivated by South Africa’s need for graduates competent in the fields of science, engineering and commerce. To do so, UCT requires additional space that will foster an increase in postgraduate students and research-
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Jammie safety
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Local is lekker
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Summer hotness
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Rhino horn farms?
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Two Door tickets
VARSITY, the official student newspaper since 1942, is committed to the principles of equality and democracy.
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news
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
NEWS BITES Mugabe’s lavish birthday plans HARARE – Zimbabwean Pres-ident Robert Mugabe is set to spend US$1 million on his 88th birthday celebrations this week. The rally, to be held at a stadium in Mutare, has been met with widespread criticism. “This is a total waste of taxpayers’ money and typical of the attitude of Zanu-PF,” said MDC spokesperson Douglas Mwonzorag. – News24
Man survives 2 months in frozen car UMEA – A 44-year-old Swedish man who survived being trapped in his snowed-in car for 2 months has baffled doctors. Peter Skyllberg was pulled from his car on Friday after two men spotted him curled up in his sleeping bag on the back seat. Doctors believe that Skyllberg’s organs slowed down to a state similar to hibernation. – Daily Mail
Iranian nuclear developments TEHRAN – The inspection of a suspected nuclear weapons research site by the United Nations (UN) Nuclear Agency on February 21st last week was blocked by Iran. Fears that the country is increasing its nuclear capabilities have been heightened by a statement made by a senior Iranian general who said that the country is ready to launch pre-emptive attacks if it feels its security is threatened. Iran maintains that its increased nuclear activity is aimed solely at improving civilian power plants. – Guardian.co.uk
Mugabe looks to elections Krysia Gaweda
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obert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s President, in an interview to mark his 88th birthday on Sunday, February 19th, informed Africa, that elections will “definitely” be held this year. He hopes that this will end the three-year power-sharing agreement with the country’s former opposition party. Mugabe went on to say that “only cowards” – referring to the former opposition, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai – would want the elections to be held in 2013. Since the violence-plagued 2008 elections, Zimbabwe has had a coalition government. Mugabe’s Zanu-PF, who had been in power since the independence of Zimbabwe in 1980, lost the parliamentary race in 2008. Mugabe dismissed all objections to early elections. The President said that finances would be raised and put aside within the economy to pay for all presidential and parliamentary election expenses.
Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) objected to the proposed election action, saying that polling could not go ahead until constitutional reforms had been completed and human rights groups had been made
Mugabe dismissed all objections to early elections aware of an imminent upsurge of election violence. Mugabe has acknowledged that there were “negative forces” within his government in 2008 which may have caused him to lose the parliamentary race. He also agreed that he was aware that there were factions that wanted to see him defeated. Ideas of certain constitutional reforms, such as proposing a limited presidential term of ten years as well as prohibiting any candidates older than 70 years of age, have been mentioned.
Jammie safety called into question
Former head of IMF detained FRANCE – Dominique StraussKahn, former chief of the IMF, turned himself in for questioning last week following allegations that the prostitutes he was involved with were funded by a major French construction company. Prostitution is legal in France, but formal charges can be laid for using company funds to procure them. Strauss-Kahn claims that he did not know that the women were prostitutes. – Guardian.co.uk
Lucy Wileman
RE-ELECTION HOPES – Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has called for elections in 2012. However, Mugabe has stated that he would not sign this change as it would disqualify him from running. According to Mugabe, “Any new constitution should reflect the people’s view and those calling for an age limit are afraid of losing the vote to me.” Mugabe continues to allege that Tsvangirai’s MDC is “dishonest”, and wishes to return to a system where the country greatly relies on
them through UNASA. UNASA sees itself as a “critical friend” of the UN and stresses to he UCT chapter of the the UN the importance of their United Nations Association collective focus on UN principals. of South Africa (UNASA) held Regarding issues closer to their opening function of 2012 home, Grade 10 and 11 pupils from on Monday February 21st. The township schools are said to be function was held in the Leslie debating confidently about serious Social Sciences building and world issues. UNASA, through over a hundred people, mostly their outreach programmes, aim students, attended. Over the past to nurture and develop these few years, the number of students young people, indicating that it is attending has increased from an serious about local development initial turnout of about 20. as well as international issues. Professor When asked Harold Herman, why he would vice chairperson encourage stuUNASA sees itself of the World dents to become as a “critical friend” Federation of members of of the UN United Nations UNASA, Darren Associations, Brookbanks, the was the main Secretary-Genguest speaker of the evening. eral of the 2012 MUN conference, The organisation introduces answered: “It is a stimulating students to the world of diplomacy and prominent organisation and international relations with which helps facilitate UN career a firm focus on matters closer involvement.” to home. The organisation – as Additionally, Brookbanks pointed out by key member Darren explained what the UCT chapter Brookbanks – “wants to put a stop has achieved: “one of our members, to the story of Africa being told by Thandeka Cochrane, was awarded different continents.” the Best Speaker prize at the After brief introductions from European international MUN the executive members, Professor conference at the Hague. We were Herman spoke about how UNASA also ranked the third-best society serves as a breeding-ground for on campus last year.” future leaders. Students have their Monique Rodgers, a secondleadership capacities developed year student, commented on what via the Model United Nations UNASA means to her: “Through (MUN). The MUN simulates various outreach programmes, the real UN, with the aspiring UNASA makes me feel more leaders focusing on mediating, human and I really look forward debating, and arbitrating heated to the MUN conference.” global issues. The MUN conference will He described the UN as a take place on the September 15th country on its own, and encouraged and 16th. Students wishing to its members to graduate into the participate in this event are invited world network. Addressing those to register online at munuct.org. aspiring future leaders wanting to know how to get a job in the UN, the Professor encouraged them to get heavily involved in the chapters and networks available to
T
Image: michael.currin.co.za CONCERN – Students worry about their welfare on UCT’s transport system.
Alyssa Kleintjes & Cai Nebe
C
oncerns about the safety of the Jammie Shuttle Service at UCT have been rasied by students after a reported accident that involved a Jammie Shuttle on Wednesday, February 1st. Shamiel Samuels, Operations Manager of the Jammie Shuttles, said one Jammie was involved in an incident. The windscreen was broken, but nobody was injured. Complaints about the shuttles include speeding drivers, reckless cornering and overcrowded buses. Kelly, a second-year student, said: “The Jammies are really packed. They drive rough. Luckily there are people to break your fall.” Samuels said drivers were strongly advised against overloading their vehicles to avoid unsafe driving
conditions and structural damage to the buses. Jammie driver Lionel da Silva said he empathises with students who are “crushed up like sardines.” He added, “Overcrowding is always a danger, because buses are difficult to handle when they are full.” Captain Delvin Matroos of the Mowbray Police Station said, “We have monthly meetings with Jammie Shuttle Service and we have no problems, because their buses are always in good condition.” Around 25 Jammie buses operate daily. Vehicles have to pass roadworthiness tests operated every six months by the Transport Board of the Western Cape and face daily checks by G4S inspectors. “We’ve had some teething problems in the first two weeks,” said Samuels, citing excessive numbers of students commuting around UCT at the beginning of term.
foreign investment and therefore the support of foreign countries. “They [The MDC] are for whites being the main players. We [Zanu-PF] rely on our views [...] the good views we have adopted from socialists in the past.” Mugabe has said that he wishes to move forward and be remembered “just for what I am: a man, lover of my people and a fighter of oppression.”
UNASA UCT arrives Muattham Carlie
Bullied teenager commits suicide PRETORIA – A grade ten school boy has committed suicide in an attempt to escape school bullies. David Hlongwane, 16, was found by his stepfather shortly after hanging himself in his home. The previous day the alleged bullies, one of whom had formerly been suspended for violence, were sent home with a letter urgently requesting that their parents come to school to discuss the increased incidences of bullying. – IOL
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news
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
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Former Google CEO Speaks at UCT
Kaede Wildschut
O
n the evening of Wednesday February 22nd, UCT’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) held their opening event on campus. Old and new members as well as other interested students met in the R.W. James building for SIFE’s launch, as well as to hear the anticipated guestspeaker, Stafford Masie. In her introductory speech, SIFE UCT chairperson Thandeka Xaba stated the aim of the society: to empower the South African nation to empower itself. She briefly described the four main SIFE communitybased projects that UCT is currently busy with: the Angel Fund, Money Mind, Solar Energy and Food Tunnels.
Image: Siyanda Relane ADVICE – Students gather around Google CEO for business insight.
focus on making a difference, rather than on making a buck Each project is headed by a UCT student, and is being implemented by UCT volunteers in areas of Cape Town where there is great need for intervention of these kinds.
The main attraction of the evening was a presentation by former Google SA CEO, Stafford Masie. Masie encouraged students to focus on making a difference, rather than on making a buck. Leading by example he said, “I could move back to the US and go make more money, or I can stay here in Africa and make more of a difference.� He currently has seven start-up
Ikhaya Day House moves Chris van der Westhuyzen Earlier in February, UCT’s day residence Ikhaya relocated from their former space in the Leslie Social Science Building to the Sir Richard Luyt room in the Otto Beit Students’ Union. This following a call for extra office space by the School of Economics. Ikhaya provides a recreational space for members – students who are not in residence at UCT – to enjoy in between lectures. House committee head Ziyana Lategan, explains “The move was made unexpected[ly]. However, since the move, we are receiving a lot more help from the university regarding the management of the day house. What appeared to be a problematic situation, consequently worked in our favour.� In April 2011 the School of Economics moved to the newlybuilt School of Economics Building on Middle Campus. However, staff members of the department with permanent offices in the new building
required workspace for when they need to work on Upper Campus. John Critien, Executive Director of Properties and Services, confirmed the university’s decision to relocate Ikhaya, saying: “The Space Allocation Committee made the decision at their June 2011 meeting�. According to Paula Bassingthwaighte, Postgraduate Administrator in the School of Economics, Ikhaya’s previous room on level 3 of the Leslie Social Sciences Building will be used by Commerce lecturers for work and consultation with students in between lectures. Ikhaya members are satisfied with their new room. Kiren Reggo, Boys Sports and Events Co-ordinator, said the area had a “professional feel� to it, adding, “We don’t really mind the move because our new room is much bigger and more spacious.� “I also like the fact that it is so central�, added Mark Wilkinson, who serves as head of safety and management on the house committee. Smoking members expressed regret, saying they miss their old balcony.
companies in South Africa, through which he hopes to “fill the gaps and make a difference.� While SIFE is a relatively new concept to the university, UCT joins a well-established worldwide network consisting of university students, academic professionals and business leaders. SIFE is aimed at bringing together and developing students who are, or who aspire to
about – students who feel the same way we do, and who want to make a difference.� One of these students, new SIFE member Timothy Joseph, said that “it was really cool. I found [Masie’s presentation] really inspiring – I’m really into entrepreneurship and social development, so this was interesting.�
Transit TVs installed on campus Tayla Africa & Aimee Carelse
D
uring the December vacation, six television sets were installed around UCT’s Upper Campus. The Volvo Research and Education Foundation (VREF) sponsored the TVs to develop intelligent transport system software that will improve the running of the Jammie Shuttles at UCT. The creation of the new software began in 2008 as a student thesis project founded by Devin Devries and Chris King. This aimed to create a management and information system around the Jammie Shuttles. The project was later entered into the 2008 Microsoft Imagine Cup – a student technology competition – where it placed third. It is now an accredited Microsoft software package. Following its success, the project quickly developed and sought to expand beyond the borders of UCT. Associate Professor Marianne Vanderschuren of the Civil Engineering Department says, “Its main aim is to promote, optimise and improve transport for society by incorporating IT into transport.� Vanderschuren is working with
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be, entrepreneurs in social change. The society encourages members to apply business concepts in developing community outreach projects that aim to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need. Xaba felt the launch was wellattended, and had been a success, “It was really great to have these students come and see what we’re
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Image: michael.currin.co.za LESS WAITING? – The newly installed TVs aim to help students save time. Devries in co-ordinating and implementing the TV screens around campus. “The old system had no passengercommuter element to it and students were constantly missing shuttles,� said Devries. “The route timetables that were available online did not at all match what was actually occurring on the road� he explains. “The project is still in its teething phase,� said Devries. The TV screens were installed at UCT as a means of researching and testing the efficiency and success of the system. “The idea of the research is to understand how information should be communicated. From a research point of view, UCT is used as an example and findings are hopefully transferable to the rest of South Africa,� said Vanderschuren. A TV screen will also be installed in St. Peter’s Square shopping centre in Observatory. “Its purpose is to gain feedback from the general public and to showcase what we
can do in the public eye�, explained Vanderschuren. The TV screens indicate departure and arrival times, traffic congestion and delays. They also display the distance to the nearest shuttle stop. This is especially convenient to firstyears and new students who are not familiar with the campus. “The system uses historic data, the timetable and tracking information to calculate the arrival time of the vehicle at the UCT stop,� says Vanderschuren. “It is constantly updated.� If a shuttle breaks down, or experiences a delay, schedule changes will be displayed on the screen. Future plans for the software include the calculation of the expected arrival time at the destination. Currently, only the scheduled arrival time and departure time from campus is displayed. According to Vanderschuren they are working towards developing a complete web-, phone- and screenbased system.
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editorial
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Editorial
Stephanie Venter
En Pointe
Waiting for the help to arrive
Editor-in-Chief
Humans are funny things when it comes to accidents. We stand in awe of the action before us, take photos and wait for help to arrive – otherwise known as the bystander effect in psychology (forgive me, it is one of my majors). Often we don’t realise that we are “the help�. Caterina and I happened to be travelling in various directions last week when an accident occurred on Rondebosch Main Road (three motor vehicles, one injured driver). Perhaps it’s the journalistic instinct within us that made us to stop, find out what happened and help, or the knowledge that this mesmerising effect would stop people from taking
For students, by students, of students V
ARSITY – the official student newspaper of the University of Cape Town. As the English student in me rears its ugly head, I ask you to take a closer look at the newspaper’s full name (yes, it’s that long). In my humble and corny view, the most important word in this title is “student�. This means – to horribly butcher a saying attributed to Abraham Lincoln – that VARSITY is a newspaper for the students, by the students, and of the students. There are about 30 people on the VARSITY Collective, approximately 0.1% of the student population at UCT. I’d like to think of us as quite bright, socially active students, but being 0.1% of the student population, we cannot claim to adequately represent you all. Putting together a newspaper is no easy feat: there are article topics to be thought of, writers to be found, words to be edited, pages to be designed, and generally speaking, long, hard weekends on campus to be had. All in all, the whole process would be a little easier if we heard more from the student body. Thus, I’d like to use this opportunity to invite you to write to us. Let us know about what’s happening on campus, your UCT experience, any difficulties
or issues you as students are experiencing, and what your views are on (almost) anything. Our Letters to the Editor is, in theory, a regular feature. However, with no letters to publish in this edition or last, the voice of the students seems suspiciously quiet at present. Our News team could do with a heads-up here and there, our Opinions section would love a few more soundly-devised, well-researched opinion pieces, Features would like a few more beautifully-written explorations, and Sports would like to know of more events before they happen. And for those who’d like to get become officially involved in VARSITY, any UCT student is eligible to write, copy-edit, take photographs for, or assist with design at the newspaper (we use Adobe InDesign – if you’re proficient in this, we love you already). The saying goes that many hands make light work, so if you’re interested, send an email to hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za. All else failing, we’d simply like to hear what you think of the newspaper. S. P.S. Advice: start your course readings, like, now... t -FUUFST UP UIF &EJUPS TIPVME CF LFQU UP XPSET BOE DBO CF TFOU to editorial@varsitynewspaper. co.za.
Lyndall Thwaits, Deputy Editor
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action. But I started to wonder: how many accidents get progressively worse because people don’t act? Surprisingly, most people are concerned about the vehicles involved, the possessions which have been lost or damaged and not so much about the people caught up in the mess. Life is a valuable commodity, but material objects can always be replaced. So the next time you come across an accident, at least call an ambulance. If you can’t do anything, rather than slowing down and causing another accident, drive on. But, most of all, don’t be one of those people who waits for help to arrive.
Rhynhardt Krynauw, Copy Editor Dive, dive, dive. Addiction. It’s the kind of thing that takes one a while to admit. For me the first struggle, the high hurdle, was to admit it to myself. Telling my friends was easier. It was made easier by the fact that they, too, are addicts. We have been feeding each other’s addictions for years, enabling each other. The addiction creeps up on you like damp air from the ocean. But come clean you must. And come clean I shall. I like crappy bars. There. I said it. Places that make no effort to have any discernible dÊcor. Places that have
economically improbable drinks specials. Cheers and Babushka’s in Durbanville. Gandalf ’s. That Spanish dive Loop Street. Even – and you’ll see how bad this gets – the bar at Parow Rugby Club. They have 15-year-old plastic Smirnoff tablecloths. Plastic. You see, us bottom-feeders need to drink too. Bad. But not as bad as those fashionable types. They need to try much harder to maintain, well, everything about their lives. And their drinks are expensive. Bottoms up.
CARTOON CORNER
Caterina Aldera Managing Editor
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.� — Dr Seuss
Newsgathering Tuesday February 28th 1pm, LS2C
@varsitynewspaper.co.za ERRATA Volume 71, Edition 1: Please accept our apologies for the following accreditation errors. The correct photographers follow. 'SFTIFST #SBBJ XFMDPNF UP 6$5 Q o JNBHFT CZ 6XBJT 3B[BDL 0 XFFL JO SFWJFX Q o JNBHFT CZ 6XBJT 3B[BDL .JDIBFM $VSSJO 7PY 1PQT Q o JNBHFT CZ 4JZBOEB 3BMBOF The article “" 3BOE T 8PSUI� (4"9 "QQFBM 2012, p. 13) was in fact written by Nicholas Katsepas. Apologies for the error. —SAX Appeal Editorial
2012 Collective
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Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union
editor-in-chief Stephanie Venter deputy editor Lyndall Thwaits Copy Editor Rhynhardt Krynauw Managing Editor Caterina Aldera news Olivia Wainwright & Pasqua Heard opinions Berndt Hannweg & Nick Corbett features Liam Kruger & Anade Situma sport Sajjad Karamsi & Nicole Beale images Uwais Razack & Thabang Serumola Design Nic Botha web Chris Linegar, Alex Nagel & Carla de Klerk advertising Kaede Wildschut Finance Andrew Montandon OPERATIONS Jodi Edmunds marketing Andrzej Ogonowski human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Lydia Shilla I.T. Mfundo Mbambo sub-editors Cayley Mitchell, Theresa Scott, Claire Hunter, Megan Pilditch, Alyssa Kleintjes, Hannah MacMillan & Brendan Ford head Photographer Michael Currin Cartoonist Julian Nkuna photographers Zakiti Bhengu, Niki Dignon, Siyanda Ralane, Gareth Smit, & Severin Temin Design assistants Louis Liss & Takura Wekwete
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It’s not racist, it’s a joke Carla Bernardo
S
outh Africans seem to have “forgotten� the division racial discrimination and prejudice sows. A recent article in SAX Appeal served as a perfect example, playing on the ever-popular “Coloured joke�: a community defined by (amongst other undesirables) its uncouth behaviour, foul language and lack of ambition. “Ag, it was just a joke�, one might say. But when, in a country still struggling with racial divisions, did it become okay to laugh at hurtful stereotypes? It would be wise to look at how identity has been constructed over time in South Africa, and how the stereotyping of racial groups has been a means of constructing such identity. This has for too long been based on portraying Coloureds as being rootless, without any proud background or ancestry. Even today, people who should know better perpetuate this kind of
unfounded views with the kind of jokes found in the SAX Appeal article and others like it. The Cape Town Coloured way of speaking is often ridiculed and said to be hard to understand. Yet, people often go to great lengths to understand, for example, French words and phrases. This then becomes more an indication of the listener’s bigoted attitude or feelings of inadequacy when going out of their way to understand a foreign accent considered to be culturally superior. Having said that, what is supposed to be the Coloured way of speaking is often unacceptable to most of these so-called Coloureds who even in the poorest communities do not use the kind of disrespectful language that is often seen in some popular dailies. “Coloured� and “gangsterism� are often seen as synonymous. When you begin to understand what dire poverty, lack of education, unemployment and marginalisation does to one’s soul, you’ll realise that gangsterism often disguises itself as
the most promising reality. Instead of judging, we should be taking our skills and sharing it with those who haven’t had our opportunities, or at least making a joint effort to address crime and violence in South Africa. Another stereotype is that of the Coloured lack of ambition and direction. One need not only look at people who have made contributions in South Africa, like Trevor Manuel, Ferial Haffajee and UCT’s very own Neville Alexander, but also at every Coloured parent who fought alongside all other oppressed South Africans during Apartheid and achieved despite their struggles. Humour often veils deep-seated prejudice or lack of understanding. It also makes it difficult for anyone to object or to say that it is offensive because such a person will simply be dismissed as lacking a sense of humour or being too sensitive. In short, it is racist and erodes the very democracy for which we have struggled.
Putin’s population push Megan Pilditch
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he largest country in the world, Russia, is in a desperate attempt to reverse the dramatic decline of its population. Shockingly, Russia’s population is predicted to fall to 107 million by the year 2050, threatening the USSR’s immediate and continuing survival. According to Russian Prime Minister Vladmir Putin, one of the basic problems behind this condition is that Russian women are not adequately fulfilling their duty as the country’s child-bearers. Russia in itself is not providing a suitable environment that promotes birth and healthy family living. In a recent campaign article Putin aims to implement a “people-saving strategy�, so that Russia’s declining population statistics will drastically turn around. Putin is aiming to boost population figures to 154 million by 2050. Putin aims to get rid of an “empty space� that has been created within Russia. This comes with the probability of an introduction of cash incentives and subsidies provided
to mothers who increase the size of their family. This “space� is a result of many economic and infrastructure problems, drug and alcohol abuse, and poverty. An example of a counterproductive population measure was the closing down of the majority of state kindergartens after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The loss of these pre-schools blatantly undermines the importance and value of children as the future.
Putin aims to get rid of “empty space� Russia also experiences more abortions than births, which only further serves to consolidate this population crisis. This, however, suggests that the issues of birth and living go much further than just surface-level statistics, and rather point to deeper social issues that reflect Russia’s violent and turbulent past. Russia currently stands as one of the few countries worldwide that
is battling with this syndrome. The rest of the planet, however, seems to have taken this as an open invitation to overcompensate for Russia’s slow birth rate. Worldwide population reached an iconic seven billion last year. But can the planet realistically cope with Putin’s arguably heroic intentions? A country cannot exist without people. No future Russians, no Russia. Correct? Statistically, there are plenty of people that are able to be distributed worldwide. What if there was rather a stronger proposal to modify immigration policies to make Russia become more attractive in foreigners’ eyes? This, potentially, would lead to an influx of immigrants and a much-needed boost in population figures. The increase in foreign citizens could provide an injection of life into this neglected country and, optimistically, may even jump-start population levels. Further, this direct exposure to different social values could possibly stimulate a more willing ethos among native Russians to populate. This equation, however, does
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Burnt Toast
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Berndt Hannweg Opinions Editor
It’s my body and I’ll die if I want to an existence for ourselves which is not so idyllic. Could you imagine spending most of your days wracked with pain, or bed-ridden and dependent on a long list of expensive machines, medicines and treatments which in some cases do nothing for your pain, but only keep you alive? At times like these, perhaps it would be better to die than continue in what some people would not refer to as living a full and bountiful life. As Dr Barnard said, death is a good medical he human body is a strange treatment, as it accomplishes what and complex thing. It is a most doctors cannot, and that is to marvellous object that allows us to “stop the suffering of the patient.� go about our lives day to day, yet Many religious institutions we remain almost totally unaware prohibit euthanasia and similar of how it works. What is a spleen, acts owing to the fact that man, and what does it do, exactly? frail and apparently uninformed But occasionally our bodies as he is, does not have the right throw a cog, like all really to interfere in the work of his complicated (and expensive) creator/s and decide when his life pieces of machinery, and we fall should end. For this reason suicide prey to disease and injury. is a mortal sin, resulting in eternal For most of us it’s a head damnation for the victim’s soul as cold, or a broken well as a lengthy leg, or a runny prison sentence nose which isn’t for whomsoever time to address particularly lifeassisted them on the twin spectres threatening but this side of the of euthanasia and we could probably veil. assisted-suicide stretch into a day Only a handful or two off of work. of countries in But occasionally the world have something more serious occurs legalised the acts of euthanasia and we begin to suffer from disea- (the act of ending another person’s ses like Alzheimer’s, prosopalgia life at their request) and assisted (a disease characterised by intense suicide (helping a person to end pain) and muscular dystrophy. their own life). South Africa is For sufferers of these and other not one of them. Considering terrible illnesses, life is not the some of the things that are legal carefree existence that we take for worldwide, the practice is oddly granted, but a constant struggle to vilified and rare. After all, it isn’t cope, and sometimes a literal, day- nearly as common and horrendous to-day struggle to survive. as murder, which, by definition, is And in this day and age of against the victim’s will. human rights and freedom of The recent high-profile case choice, it may be time to address of New Zealand academic Sean the twin spectres of euthanasia Davidson (who gave his mother and assisted suicide. morphine tablets in water), as well We constantly hear about “the as campaigning from a multitude right to life�, particularly when we of organisations like EXIT, have speak about capital punishment once again brought this issue and abortion, but we very seldom to the fore, and it should not be hear about the right to die. If lightly dismissed. everyone has the right to choose We allow ourselves to feel to continue to live, surely then important when we campaign for everyone has the right to choose, things which improve people’s lives, well, not to. like medicine and food grants, but It is difficult for us, young perhaps the time has come for us men and women in the prime of to support initiatives that, through our lives – the majority of whom choice and consideration, improve suffer from nothing more than the their deaths. occasional hangover – to imagine
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not solve the problem of why Russians themselves are loath to procreate, but will provide a simple short-term solution to increase Russia’s population. In this interim period of waiting
for a more complete answer to be found, this allows the women of Russia to be as childless as they please, and the rest of the world to procreate to their hearts’ content.
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The VARSITY Opinions section is a vehicle for expression on any topic by members of the university community or other interested parties. The opinions expressed 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 350 words and can be sent to:
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opinions
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Youth in in revolt Youth revolt Is local still lekker? Chris van der Westhuyzen
a legitimate successor. An orderly outcome does not, however, really fit in with Juju’s power-hungry The ANC Youth League is on a diet. The other way of reaching an mission. They refuse to accept effective resolution is by meeting an ANC ruling calling for the the youth’s defiance with strict(er) suspension of several of its league senior discipline. officials, and Julius Malema seems After all, as the mother body, the particularly unwilling to forfeit ANC is responsible for putting the his presidency. Youth League in its place. The League claims to be But decisive action requires autonomous from the ANC, unanimous agreement, and the effectively asserting that they are reality is that there are major immune to the latter’s disciplinary divisions over what to do with processes. Clearly, the youth wing Juju. ANC insiders who have a sees itself as invincible. In the vested interest in Malema’s call for public eye, though, looms an image leadership change in December of a disgraced organisation led by a are reluctant to endorse tighter bunch of unwelcome tyrants. sanctions against the youth league. Malema and his cohorts fail Therefore, individual agendas to show any signs of remorse are also partly to blame for this for the grave deadlock. divisions they The ANC have sowed. Youth League The ANC Youth Consider their naturally lacks League naturally lacks compliancy; its persistent defcompliancy iance in conmilitant betrast to the haviour stems dethronement back to the 1940s. of one of our more co- Ever since the organisation was operative leaders. founded, youth leaders have In June 2011 there was a huge employed tactics of boycotts, strikes legal battle in the Constitutional and civil disobedience to further Court when President Jacob Zuma their cause. The party has always made a controversial offer to extend been renowned for challenging the term of office of his former the status quo, though I fear the Chief Justice, Sandile Ngcobo, but league’s latest move of defiance Ngcobo chose not to put up a fight. could cause irreparable damage to He described his involvement in its reputation. litigation as “undesirable” and By alienating themselves from willingly denied Zuma’s offer in their mother party, youth leaders order to protect the integrity of the run the risk of isolating the League. rule of law. Talk about leading by This jeopardises the future of example! the entire organisation. Selfish If Julius Malema really cared individuals must step down if they for the plight of the poor black wish to see the ANCYL retain any majority, he would step down with of its political clout. dignity and hand over his power to
Image: Zute Lightfoot
Barbara Fourie
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ocal is lekker, right? Well, not according to SA consumers. We continue to purchase cheap goods from “China shops” while neglecting local manufacturers under the strain of increasing inflation. Let’s be frank, who can resist a little bargain shopping now and then? The problem, however, is that it happens way too often. Many Chinese people come to South Africa in hope that they will find relief from poverty and an increasingly precarious-looking political situation. But is this growing phenomenon really beneficial to our country’s unemployment rate and increasing number of unskilled workers? The answer is quite obvious, yet South Africa’s leaders still maintain ties with China. According to Money Web, the percentage of imports from China rocketed to a booming 77% in 2011.
Subsequently, the pressure is on for local manufacturers to establish themselves and their brands. Unknown Chinese products threaten “Proudly South African” produced goods and China continues to pour cheaper consumer goods across borders, ousting local traders and infant industries. In a country where consumers are constantly being reminded of our poor economic situation, they are bound to flock to these goods. But do we know these products really are quality goods, with unknown ingredients written in Chinese on the back? The problem, however, goes beyond SA borders. Malawian vendors retaliated against Chinese traders in early February by petitioning the District Commissioner to deal with Chinese nationals taking over the business market which local traders can adequately handle. Some local vendors have had to
shut down their businesses because of Chinese shops selling cheaper substitute products. These local traders now have no income to feed their families. These vendors took issues into their own hands, because the government of Malawi commenced diplomatic ties with China in 2007 and it is impossible for them to act immediately, due to what they call a “sensitive issue”. Are we, as consumers, going to bolster this growing trend by buying cheap Chinese goods or fulfil our civic duty as SA citizens and support not only Proudly South African products but also local manufacturers and brands? Consumers buying homegrown products will help create jobs and also stimulate a demand for locally manufactured goods that will contribute to economic growth and national unity. Businesses can play an influential role in creating a new trend by trading with locally produced products instead of imported goods. The Proudly South African campaign assures consumers that the goods are of good quality; only quality products boast the Proudly South African logo. They assure consumers that products comply with high standards, such as proven high quality, fair labour practice and production that is environmentally friendly and acceptable. The campaign promotes social change and prosperity through the support of consumers and local businesses, thus we play a key role in setting the change in motion. Let’s create a home-grown revolution and revive local pride. Look for the Proudly South African logo when you shop.
“For the greater good” – of whom? Carla de Klerk
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resident Jacob Zuma’s plan to review the power of the Constitutional Court has made gripping reading in recent news headlines. According to Zuma, the current system of multiple judges reviewing a case is not adequately just. “How could you say that judgement is absolutely correct when the judges themselves have different views about it?” Zuma asks. I don’t know about you, but if a group of judges sing together in choir declaring, say, a corruption suspect is completely innocent, it becomes a tad suspicious. If, as a country, we are divided by different cultures, beliefs and backgrounds, is diversity not then the very thing needed, particularly in the justice system? Yes, these “different views” might add a bit of awkwardness in the courtroom but at least we’ll know that there was no bias or, heaven forbid, bribery involved. There is also an interesting pattern unfolding with the current government. For example, the recently passed Protection of Information Bill and murmurs surrounding a media tribunal, by
which journalists could be sentenced up to 15 years in prison for publishing classified information, even if in the public interest. I find this particularly interesting as Zuma himself has been portrayed in the media in a somewhat negative light, which is usually followed by a court hearing (charges ranging from corruption to rape).
“Different views” might add a bit of awkwardness in the courtroom Also, soon after Zuma’s ascent to the presidency, anti-crime and -corruption investigation unit, the Scorpions, was shut down (the Scorpions led the investigations into his corruption charges). It seems that all of the institutions that have challenged the president and/or ruling party are being “reviewed”, or more plainly put, removed. I know that the argument will now become tedious to some, but it is impossible to continue with this argument without mentioning Apartheid. In those dark days, justice was vastly influenced by the beliefs of the National Party. Just
Image: James Hoke
how did that turn out? It is precisely because the current ruling party took control that the current Constitution was established. If our colourful past has taught us anything, it is that the ruling power should stay away from religion, media freedom and the justice system. Yes, our neighbour Mugabe has taken control over all of the above-mentioned and more, and it seems to work out very well for him,
but for his people? Not so much. And with the way things are going now, the government will have to revamp Robben Island soon. What with journalists being sentenced for stories involving the wrong politicians and parliament having the power to review court cases until the judges agree with the views prescribed, we would soon need the good old Island to become a prison again.
I can just see it now: corruption whistle-blowers, a few journalists and maybe a judge or two who have had the incorrect “different view” hammering away at rocks, while German tourists take a look at Madiba’s cell and remark “how far we have come.” In this light it seems that the “long walk to freedom” could be indeed longer than any of us could have anticipated.
opinions
Image: Chris Willis
Simon Kennedy
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hen I was younger, The Lion King was my favourite movie. “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” never failed to get me singing along, and I begged my parents for a pet lion. I didn’t get one. But one day they came home with a Labrador puppy. They claimed it was a lion cub, but I was sceptical. I compromised, and We named him “Sam” and he was still a lion in my eyes. I thought he was happy. Plentiful food and constant tummy rubs were a daily occurrence. And for Sam, tennis balls and butterflies were his daily companions. But one day he ran away. He obviously didn’t like chasing his tennis balls as much as I enjoyed throwing them. The recent attack by a lioness on a 65-year-old zookeeper at a zoo in Parys made me think of Sam.
The lioness’ pent-up frustration at being kept in an unfamiliar environment sounds all too familiar. Although Sam was a domestic animal, he was obviously yearning for freedom and comfort of some sort, beyond the Kennedy household. Zoos have been a central institution in society for decades. They provide an escape from the bustle of city life into a world where eating leaves and smelling each others’ bums are acceptable. What’s not to love? At face value, the intentions of zoos are admirable. They offer protection for endangered species. In today’s world, this is pivotal, as factors such as poaching are causing the decline of species. Zoos also offer education to people of all social and financial backgrounds. The reality, however, is different. Cages are crowded, food is foreign and life is steel and grey. We are offered an artificial and misleading
view of wildlife. One of the most important points to note, however, is that animals lose their spark – that which makes them wild. And you can see it in their eyes. It’s the same thing as putting one of us in a foreign environment. For instance, if we were locked in a Stellenbosch lecture hall, we would suffer from psychological distress and display abnormal or self-destructive behaviour. And like the lioness with the zoo keeper, we too might attack our handler – the lecturer. In all seriousness, animals should be observed from a distance, and in the right manner. Zoos are meant for the benefit of the animals, with our concerns secondary. A pudgy, pimply 12-year-old throwing NikNaks at a chimpanzee, shouting at it to “do something funny” makes my hair stand on end. Imagine what it must be like for poor old Chimpo. It is sad that we question the ethics of keeping animals in captivity only once it has an effect on us. I mean, we’re talking about this issue only because a human was affected by a lioness in a zoo. We need to examine the purposes of zoos, and whether these purposes are fulfilled. Can animals exist in zoos without cruelty? Surely the best way to learn about animals and how to protect them would be to observe them in their natural habitats? J.M. Coetzee hit the nail on the head in his book, Disgrace: “no animal will accept the justice of being punished for following its instincts.”
opportunity to point out the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse (both a huge problem in the UK). Instead, the focus in the media was on how great Amy was and what a loss her death was to the universe. Then Back to Black became the best selling album of the 21st century. After they die, celebrities seem James Williams be forgiven of all the bad things they did and were criticised for when they were alive. elebrities are like us In the years preceding Michael “normal people”, only better- Jackson’s death, he had been there looking and generally more to laugh at, turning from a black impressive people living more boy into a white woman who slept glamorous and important lives. in the same room as Macaulay They’re immortalised by terabytes Culkin and possibly molested upon terabytes of video and children. After he died he suddenly audio, so when they die it can became some-one else. He became be surreal. who we imagined or hoped him to “Oh God be. An ideal. no, how could The most [ c e l e b r i t y ] After they die, celebrities recent celebrity die? And if death was that seem to be forgiven such superior of Whitney beings die, then Houston, who I’m going to die made massive as well. This sucks.” contributions to the music and I’m fed up with the worship cocaine industries. It is a pity to of dead celebrities. Normally, lose a talent like Whitney’s, but they don’t even deserve much I’m quite sure her best singing worship, especially when they kill days were over. themselves trying to take drugs The late Christopher Hitchens only Charlie Sheen can handle. wouldn’t change his mind about Nearly five and a half million someone once they had died, an people have died in the Second attribute I admire. He despised Congo War and its aftermath, and televangelist Jerry Falwell while that gets far less press coverage he was alive and after his death, than when Amy Winehouse died of saying “If you gave Falwell alcohol poisoning. an enema he could be buried This could have been an in a matchbox.”
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YOUR CAREER
AS A SENIOR PROCESS ENGINEER
CAREERS CALENDAR MARCH
VARSITY speaks to CAYLE SHARROCK, Senior Process Engineer, Research and Development Department (R&D) at Sasol Describe your role. Chemical Engineers play a variety of roles at Sasol, from operations management to project implementation. I work for Sasol’s Research and Development department. R&D’s goal is to develop innovative and efficient new technologies. The engineer’s role in this runs the entire gamut from idea generation, to lab-scale testing to proofof-concept piloting to commissioning and start-up of a brand new plant. This is extremely challenging and exciting since as engineers, we are tasked with inventing technology that not only does the chemistry justice but that also balances the needs of our business, the environment and the market. What are your academic qualifications? I have a BSc and MSc in Chemical Engineering, both from UCT, and a BA (Philosophy, Literary Theory and Creative writing) from UNISA. Which extracurricular activities did you participate in while at UCT? I was a talk show host on UCT Radio for several years, Business and Humour Editor for VARSITY, and played rugby for Smuts Hall. I can also attribute my in-depth knowledge and appreciation of red wines to my time at UCT and WineSoc.
Which skills and personal qualities contribute to your success in this position? In research, you have to be able to tackle a very difficult problem day in, day out, often for several years, until you crack it. This requires determination, resilience and the ability to approach challenges from different angles. What is your greatest achievement thus far? Sasol owns a 160 000 barrel per day refinery in Secunda. That’s a lot of petrol and diesel. Small improvements to the process can result in big changes in profits. Based on some optimisation and modelling work I had done, the refinery could tweak the way they operated certain units, realising additional profits in the order of R100 million per year. Unfortunately, I didn’t see a cut of that. What challenges have you encountered? I am always trying to bring fresh ideas to what is a fairly mature industry. My biggest challenges are trying to convince people to try new things. People hate change. They are sceptical. They are set in their ways. And not all of my ideas work, all the time. Even if 4/5 ideas are successful, detractors always point to the one idea that didn’t work.
What advice would you give to current students? Your Chemical Engineering degree doesn’t teach you how to be a Chemical Engineer as such. This simply isn’t possible given the broad scope of jobs Chemical Engineers end up doing. Rather, your degree equips you with a powerful set of tools to learn how to become a Process Engineer, Management Consultant, or Investment Banker etc when you start working. Don’t panic if you’re in third or fourth year and find that you hate some of your courses. There are plenty of career opportunities that will let you concentrate on the aspects of the degree that you love. That said, if you’re thinking of a career in R&D, then a post-graduate degree is a must. But there are worse things than spending another two to five years in Cape Town before heading up to work in Sasolburg, Secunda or Rusenburg.
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Worshipping dead celebrities Image: CrimeFileNews.com
Born to be wild
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Career Talks All talks will take place from 13h00 – 13h45 in LT1, Hoerikwaggo 28 Feb Researching Your Career 29 Feb Preparing for Interviews (Will be presented by Tania Steenveld from PricewaterhouseCoopers) 6 March CVs & Cover Letters 7 March Preparing for Interviews (Will be presented by Cindy Long from KPMG)
Opportunities
ild in g ri kw ag go Bu Le ve l 1, H oe pu s U pp er C am N o rt h La n e, 4 9 7 1 6 5 0 2 ( + 2 7 ) 2 c.za a . t c rvice@u careers.se
8 March Monitor Group Internship presentation 17h00 – 17h45 in LS3A, Leslie Social Science Consult our Career Portal for a list of bursary/scholarship, vacation or graduate opportunities. Visit
www.careers.uct.ac.za/careerportal Register on our mailing list to receive updates about events and opportunities.
Visit www.careers.uct.ac.za/reg
res and a Siyanda shops at thrift sto says d an es qu uti few high-end bo . -no no ite fin de a tracksuits are
Siyanda Ralane
Nikita’s dress style is old v “out there”. She wears old shops at YDE and Foschin
A cam
Raees says he has no influence. He goes for the “casualsophisticated” look.
Raees Abdoola Images: Zakiti Bhengu & Michael Currin (michael. currin.co.za) Interviews: Uwais Razack & Siyanda Ralane Words: Rhynhardt Krynauw
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ARSITY decided to have a bit of a stroll around summer styles that would appeal to our readers too I-very-seldom-wash-myself. Just right. We asked a bit about their personal sense of style, their fashion of choice. Here’s a little bit of what some of them had
Georgina loves hats and selects her accessories first and that inspires her outfit. Her favourite designers are Babatunde & John Galliano.
Georgina Warner Lyndall likes second-hand clothing stores and goes for the British look. She likes how Blair Waldorf dresses.
Lyndall Cain
Naasir shops at Hilton Weiner and his dressing influence is Harvey Spector.
Naasir Bassier
Kgabo says all you have to look good is “just use your He tries to dress like MacG
vintage and Chanel and ni.
Nikita Sokopo
From Los Angeles. She likes the cute look and the way Kate Bosworth dresses and shops at thrift stores. She likes the way South Africans dress as she describes it as more free than than back in LA.
Jethro goes for the 60s James Dean look. His grandmother made his jersey and he’s pretty proud of it. He shops at Courage Candy in Stellenbosch and says it’s the best shop in the world.
Jethro Westraad
Princess Masilungan
mpus in style
Thato dresses according to how she is feeling. Her greatest influence is her mother, and she’ll shop at any store.
Thato Mothae
campus and locate some s. Not too hipstery. Not our summer trendsetters inspirations, their shops to say.
From New York. Emma wears clothing from New York designer Betsey Johnson.
Emma DeMango
o do to r brain”. Gyver.
Kgabo Senyatsi
p on “I’m fashion-conscious, but I don’t jum es com r teve wha on s put every trend.” Sam d stan and rd boa cup en (“op first to mind till something jumps out”).
Sam Mgobozi
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features
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Hipsters – in vogue or outdated? Shannon Holcroft
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he hipster epidemic is alive and thriving at UCT, with the number of students sporting brutally short haircuts and carrying battered briefcases increasing exponentially as if through contagion by particularly virulent bacteria. For those of you who have been too immersed in your textbooks to notice this outbreak (as you should be at a university) hipsters can define themselves as individuals who value independent thinking and reject mainstream culture and ideals. Hipsters cultivate an aura of oddness by wearing clothes from grandma’s closet and rejecting foods that are not glutenfree and vegan. They can be spotted skulking around Jammie plaza, and will sneer at you should you admit to liking any band with a name that is vaguely comprehensible. Hipsters are considered by some to be the epitome of chic, while others view the hipster trend as a social disease and a sign of all that is wrong with humanity. Time Magazine has even gone as far as to refer to the hipster as “the dead end of Western civilization.” Do hipsters deserve to be shunned and despised, or are their critics just envious that they are not cool enough to be included in such select circles?
Perhaps it is the exclusivity of the hipster culture that draws the crowds. In the words of a UCT Honours student, “I like them and I want to be one of them, but they don’t accept me.” Also, the idea of a modern-day bohemian lifestyle appeals to those who consider their existence to be colourless and bland. Instead of enriching their lives by joining SHAWCO or getting drunk with WineSoc, they find meaning in the experimental hipster culture.
Hipsters are considered by some to be epitome of chic, by others as a social disease
Alternatively, the hipster trend can be viewed as the youth’s desperate quest to be anything but ordinary, and is a culture of contradiction. True hipsters never acknowledge that the subculture exists, or admit to how many hours they spend in front of the mirror practising their Zooey Deschanel impressions. Hipster culture has been absorbed by the mainstream, and items of clothing once worn only by a select few are now mass-produced by chain stores such as Mr Price and Woolworths.
Every girl on campus owns a pair of leather brogues, and Wayfarers can be bought from traffic light vendors like coat-hangers or plastic bags. How can the hipster continue to survive when all that made them exclusive has become commonplace, and when those subscribing to the culture deny its very existence? In the days before every original opinion had been voiced and when causes worth passion and commitment still existed, the hipster was born. These were people who chose to distance themselves from society and live without roots. Unsatisfied with
the conservative political climate and the stereotypical expectations enforced on them, they embraced an alternative culture. The original hipsters were jazz musicians and beat poets, but the modern answers to these icons live in the suburbs, their thrifted outfits and supplies of tobacco funded by banker fathers and manager moms. It has become fashionable to be liberal, and the modern hipster is viewed by many as an empty and soulless trend. Most of us are critical of hipsters while still secretly wishing to be counted amongst them. Let’s face
it: we all want to look that fantastic every day. As insufferable as hipsters are, they’re far less of an eye-sore than the Monster-cap-and-wifebeater brigade that fill up Claremont clubs every weekend. However, instead of simply emulating the dress sense of others who actually stood for something, hipster culture should return to its roots of antimaterialism, cultural awareness and appreciation of creativity. These are values that are in short supply, and the world desperately needs a new generation of free thinkers to save us from boredom and monotony.
Caffeination: expo at Union Coffee House Temp, described the barista competition as a “proactive event that provides baristas with a wonderful opportunity.” The baristas available for comment at the competition echoed this statement. Stephan, who has been a barista trainer for 5 years, said: “My passion is for anything that is good and coffee has opened up my world.” His signature drink challenges any orthodox ideas about coffee. He mixes a Brazilian bean with Dutch liquorice, cream, blueberries and dark chocolate espresso to make a layered caffeinated beverage that
Image: SundayMercury.net
Candice Land
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he role of coffee is often valued by students as a crucial tool to boost all-nighter study sessions or as an easy and social beverage during those awkward, yet greatly appreciated, free periods on Upper Campus. The role of coffee to the greater sphere of Cape Town, however, is treasured as a craft. To many, coffee is a passion, an artistic blend that causes time to stop while it is enjoyed. The coffee-ball has begun to roll in Cape Town as more and more quality coffee-shops are opening and creating a social sphere that exists and dominates in the vibrant city of which we are so blessed
to experience. SCASA (Speciality Coffee Association of South Africa) is a nonprofit organisation that believes so much in the importance of coffee that it averages an expenditure of R50 000 on each organised event, such as the regional barista championships, that will send one South African to Austria later this year to compete against the world's best baristas and coffee connoisseurs. From February 16th to 19th, around six baristas per day competed at the final regional championships of 2012 at the Union Hand-roasted Coffee House in Buiten Street. The warm little roastery that has dreams of soon becoming a coffeeshop welcomed the passing feet and eyes of spectators throughout the
weekend. Keegan Hattingh managed the floor and broke down the structure of the competition while offering a choice of complimentary luxury coffees. Each contestant was given 15 minutes of area-preparation time and 15 minutes to make four cappuccinos, four espressos and four of their own signature beverages to a panel of two technical judges and four sensory judges. The tension and intensity thickened the air as the MC reminded the contestants of the countdown. Throughout the baristas’ time, they were wearing microphones through which they communicated their process to the judges and audience. One of the 25 sponsors, Jonathan Malkin from Cumfy
Varsity
defies the norm. Bilbo from Origin described her signature drink as a de-constructed carrot cake espresso that would take a full five minutes to carefully assemble. The Nationals for this competition will be held later in March at the Union Hand-roasted Coffee House and it promises to be an exciting event that will further promote any love for coffee and expand the student's appreciation beyond that of an energy-fuelling agent. Cape Town is creating a coffee culture and the delicate aroma and taste is waiting to be embraced.
features
V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
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Image: Pip Mortlock
Value of rhino horn could save the species
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ith the stigma attached to the poaching of rhinos and the moral outrage provoked by media reports on ever-increasing incidents, South Africa may be missing a major economic and environmental opportunity. In recent years, rhinoceros numbers in South Africa and throughout Southern Africa have faced a crisis with the prominent exception of Namibia. The reason
for this crises is widely known; the illegality of trading rhino horn is undermined by a black market that supplies East Asian countries where it is traditionally used for medicinal purposes. The scarcity of the resource and the risks involved with poaching, combined with the status of rhino horn in East Asia as a medicine for the elite, have prompted astronomical inflation in prices. Horns can now fetch up to US$50 000 per kilogram. Current anti-poaching efforts have proven
How to die a star Dashalia Sinagaram For the past two weeks Whitney Houston’s death has been widely broadcast by the news, covering everything from how she died to her tumultuous relationships and drugs problems. Although interestingly, on February 10th 2012 – the day before her death – barely a soul gave her a second thought. Most of us had forgotten she existed. It is understood of course that she was a huge star. “Was,” being the operative word. She became “was” several years ago. How is it then, that after her death her iconic status was immediately restored? Well, I have a few ideas. So if you’re wondering how to escape your dull lecture and immortalise your somewhat bland existence, here are a few tips:
Step 1: Be (mildly) famous Very famous would be better, of course, but it is not essential. A well-timed one-hit-wonder, a shotgun marriage to an old billionaire (maybe even a millionaire in this economic climate), or if you can swing it, pull a Kim Kardashian and be famous for… um.
Step 2: Dramatic fall out of the limelight This part is simpler. It easily
constitutes a regular Friday night for most students. There are the all-time favourites: binge drinking, healthy coke habit, various alliances with not-so-savoury characters, fights, exposing your bits in public and being arrested. Any one of these, or a combination of them, should do the trick. Mix it up.
Step 3: Lie in wait It is extremely important that the public forgets you for a while. That way you get to continue playing Charlie-Sheen-meets-MelGibson-meets-Lindsay-Lohan’sdealer for a few years, spending the billionaire’s money on whatever tickles your exposed fancy.
Step 4: The Coup de Grâce Finally, you have to bid your dramatic, mysterious world farewell and go into the light. Your lifestyle up to this point will have been pretty lethal anyway, but try to go out with a bang that gets people’s attention. Something with fireworks, maybe. This will result in you being a day-long trend on Twitter, multiple Facebook status dedications and the famous #we’llmissyou and #RIP hashtags. Or you could pull a Jagger and just refuse to die.
woefully inadequate in the face of such profits and the only success enjoyed by authorities has been in preventing export of the horn long after the animal has been killed. However, what those authorities have failed to take into account and what few people are aware of, is that rhino horn is in fact a renewable resource. Unlike normal horn or ivory, it grows back if broken during a fight or if harvested. A Namibian NGO comprised of environmental scientists in Namibia has
Horns can now fetch up to US$50 000 per kilogram The near monopoly over the remaining rhinos in Africa held by Namibia and South Africa combined would mean that the resource could be held in national banks like gold and diamonds and packaged in varying quantities and at set prices. Representatives of interested countries would be welcomed to attend regular sales
where prices and amounts would not be negotiable. Only countries whose representatives make purchases would be invited back. The Rhino Survival Trust proposal estimates that horn could be harvested from each rhino once every three years and that if harvesting was staggered correctly, profit could be made year round. As well as man induced harvesting, horns from dead rhinos and horns lost during fights could add to the supply, whereas they are currently stockpiled for no economic purpose. The potential for profits made on rhino horns also brings opportunities for the liberation of land use. If rhinos are seen as a viable livestock option, the redistribution of the species to other protected areas, conservancies and private landowners would provide stakeholders with a reliable source of income that is robust in the face of ongoing environmental degradation and climate change. Despite the apparent economic and environmental sustainability of the proposal, it is yet to be adopted by any government. Given the negative association attached to dehorning this is hardly surprising, and a substantial public effort would be required to modify that. The unique comparative advantage offered by what would be one of the most valuable renewable natural resources on the planet remains to be capitalised on, and in the mean time the future of the species hangs in the balance.
An Apple a day keeps the kiddies at bay Katy Scott
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one are the days of chalk screeching across blackboards, hand-written assignments, and books actually being taken out of libraries. Technology has significantly altered the way we are educated, and is continuing to do so. This has been seen earlier this month when grade one learners from Parklands College tossed aside their crayons and scissors to make way for the latest and greatest “magic learning tool”, the iPad.
Are we cultivating a generation of spoilt computer geeks...? For many, a bunch of sevenyear-olds sliding their podgy fingers across these “magic” devices seems utterly absurd. After all, there was nothing wrong with the conventional teaching methods of yesteryear. I recall playing hopscotch to learn my bonds and tracing my ABCs in the sand, yet the closest these kids will get to such interactive learning will be computer-generated simulations. Are we cultivating a generation of spoilt computer geeks completely reliant on technology? Is this really
Image: Flickr.com/flickingerbrad
Alex Tarr
developed a controversial strategy for undermining the flourishing black market and boosting rhino numbers dramatically. The Rhino Survival Trust has observed that the renewability of rhino horns means that a single rhino can provide multiple horns in a lifetime. They can then continue to breed rather than dying after producing only one horn. Should SADC governments facilitate such harvesting of horns under controlled, safe and humane conditions, the demands of the East Asian market would easily be met. There would be no loss of life and all profits could be distributed fairly between Government and landowners as well as being reinvested into conservation efforts. The reliability of the legitimate supply would make it more attractive to consumers and the demand for riskier, black market horn would soon vanish.
the way forward when, just down the road, 70 children are crammed, two to a desk, with a handful of textbooks to share? Strangely enough, this could be the way forward. Introducing the iPad into disadvantaged communities, although at present a seemingly preposterous idea, could assist in leveling out the playing fields of equal education and opportunity. With an iPad in hand, there would be no need for textbooks, computers, books and the like, as everything would be at their fingertips. The iPad could potentially enable teaching as well as keep the kids interested, involved and eager to learn. Discounting the iPad as elitist could be very
shortsighted, as it is not too much of a leap to imagine how low-margin, mass-produced iPads could change the face of education in Africa and thereby the economic prospects of an entire continent. Ten years ago the cellphone was solely for the elite few, and now statistics reveal that South Africa is home to more active SIM cards than citizens. In fact, the cellphone beats Telkom handsdown in the race to put a telephone in every household, and without government funding. Just as our grandparents mastered their knitting needles and catties, so this next generation will make the most of the tools available to them.
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V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
Two Door Cinema Club: not for sale Daniella Toscano
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ipsters and lovers of everything indie are rejoicing over the fact that electro-rock band Two Door Cinema Club are going to be playing in South Africa, but here’s the catch: tickets are not for sale. Two Door is a critically acclaimed band that emerged from Northern Ireland, becoming popular for their new age dance tunes and catchy lyrics. Sure, they’re old news on the indie scene – they’ve gone mainstream enough that even the jocks have heard of them – but that doesn’t diminish the fact that they are one of the best live bands to have emerged in recent years. 5 Gum, the chewing gum brand launched recently in South Africa by Wrigley’s sweets company, is the reason for Two Door’s coming to perform here. They have gotten ingenious with their marketing strategy. There is a limited amount of tickets available for Johannesburg and Cape Town, and fans needed to apply for tickets in order to win them, by “liking” 5 Gum’s Facebook page and following them on Twitter. Of course this meant releasing details such as their name, email address and date of birth. They could only enter once, and the lucky winners of the tickets were announced on Thursday, February 23rd. Applicants were notified by SMS and email. In only three days, 5 Gum’s Facebook page went from having 254 likes, to having just over 2000. This seemingly new-age campaign, where everyone “pays” the same price but only a few people get the prize, may have resulted in many die-hard Two
Image: flickr.com/Braden_F
Door fans not being able to see the band. Sean Ross (20), a self-proclaimed indie kid and apparently number one Two Door fan, had this to say about the event: “I would sell one of my guitars for the opportunity of seeing [them] play. This endeavour will be a great experience and do wonders for the
Movie review: A Dangerous Method
South African music industry by getting this country recognised as a leading platform for international indie bands” It was a creative marketing campaign using only social media and word-of-mouth which I like to call “hipster marketing”. The strategy was built on 5 Gum’s previous digital campaign in which fans had to
I
Liam Kruger Cast: Michael Fassbender, Keira
Knightley, Viggo Mortensen
Director: David Cronenberg Probably the chief achieve-
ment of Cronenberg’s latest directorial venture is his making Freud and Jung sexy again. Not sexual, which is sort of all Freud had going for him, but sexy.
A Dangerous Method covers the key years in the early lives of psychologists Carl Jung (Fassbender), Sigmund Freud (Mortensen), & Sabina Spielrein (Knightley), in which they shape one another’s ideas about how
ideas work, while looking young and sexy. Granted, most of the chemistry is between Fassbender and Knightley – the latter playing a patient of Jung’s, and later his lover – but Mortensen gets his due, occasionally threatening to steal scenes with his cigarswallowing Freud. Occasionally the film comes off
as more of a case study of Freud and Jung’s early careers than any sort of a complete narrative, and Knightley’s unrestrained performance jars against her costars’ reserved roles – but the writing is clever, the shots are great, and the acting is solid. Also, there’s a spanking scene.
received an online ticket which was valid for two people and were told that the gig is at a “secret venue” to which they will be taken by 5 Gum shuttles. So nobody knows where it is or how many people are going to be there, but you can be sure that the venue will be exploding with the sound of screaming fans and the music of a great new band.
Together Fashion and Art Exhibition Thapelo Teele, Ntokozo Coka & Phethagatso Motumi
Image: blackfilm.com
submit customised, virtual building projections in order to win exclusive tickets to a gig featuring popular French DJ and electro artist Etienne De Crecy. The campaign received complimentary reviews from many a blogger and this latest one will undoubtedly do so as well due to the hype it has already created all over the social media. All the winners
f ever there were a place to replace the mundane, eight-tofive, Jammie-ridden, club-hopping university vibe with a dash of class and alternative culture, the monthly Together Fashion and Art Exhibition would be it. The event is held at Tjing Tjing, a rooftop bar on Longmarket Street. The moment you cross the threshold you realise this inconspicuous building houses three stories of magic. As you walk onto the first floor your senses are greeted by the fresh smell of coffee and the sweet sight of pastries in the restaurant Dear Me. After enjoying the divine, affordably priced treats, we walked up to the second level; this is where the main event was taking place. Immediately, something was different; it was almost like you can feel the creativity. We were instantly drawn to Kat van Duinen’s line of immaculately made clothing. Blouses, dresses and skirts in bright silks, linens and cottons as well as blends of each. Handbags galore; from Birkin bags, oversized clutches and totes in ostrich-, sheep- or snakeskin with African print or suede lining.
Van Duinen’s clothing is ordered and tailored specially to fit you and there is something for every income bracket, including the student budget. Other noteworthy artists, who could be found sharing a beer near their adjacent stalls, are Dan Fuller (urban jeweller) and MatBlac (accessories designer); both were showcasing some interesting offerings. MatBlac uses leather and felt in unconventional yet stylish ways, while Fuller opts for edgier hardware store-inspired steel jewellery. These men are all for exclusivity, creating only one of each item.
this inconspicuous building houses three stories of magic Our favourite however was UCT law student Jessie Scheepers. Her T-shirt printing line, Hide&Sheep features her own hand-drawn designs. This attention-grabbing line has joined forces with Ikeys vibe so look out for their designer shirts soon to be sold on Jammie plaza. Another fan of exclusivity, Scheepers promises that as an
owner of a Hide&Sheep creation you are one of only 20 who have that specific garment. Those more interested in illustrated print and art, typography stylists Ben Johnston and Jason de Villiers are here to cater to you. Their line, One Horse Town, creates trendy special-order shirts, posters and plaques. Often these two spice things up facilitating winning collaborations by local artists. In the oak-wood bar on the third floor we spoke to Tjing Tjing’s owner Ilze Koekemoer. Her intention in initiating the event was to promote their creative outlets, ranging all the way from creative methods to high fashion. One of the interesting characteristics of the exhibition – other than the artists and their products –was the energy of the place; throughout the building’s 3 floors conversation flowed – along with wine and champagne, of course – as people engaged with the creativity that surrounded them. To say the event was a “mustattend” is an understatement. If you missed it, make sure you’re there next month. Just don’t forget to dress up.
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V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
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Music
Mourners Kishan Chokkappan
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t does not take a genius to pick up on the recent trend among some of the world’s greatest artists: death. The music world witnessed and paid tribute to three deaths in the past four years. It began with Michael Jackson, followed by Amy Winehouse and, most recently, Whitney Houston. Explaining the cause of death is never an uplifting story. However, in this case, it is necessary, because we find ourselves with a common denominator of the cause of death among these three artists: substance abuse. Firstly, Michael Jackson took a drug called propofol, which is intended for use as a general anaesthetic. Michael used this to help him fall asleep, although it is actually intended for surgery. Amy, on the other hand said “No, no, no” to rehab. Then, even when she
did go to rehab, drug and alcohol usage never seemed to have left her, even until death. Whitney’s story is somewhat different; she was taking prescribed medication but washed that down with alcohol. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that Whitney had failed a medical test two weeks prior to her death. What is important to understand is that Whitney Houston reached the peak of her career a very long time ago. This fact could be backed up by the fact that her fifth album, “Just Whitney”, released in 2002, sold one million copies compared to her fourth album, 1998’s “My love is your love”, which sold eleven million copies. Her battle with drugs, which may have contributed to the decrease in sales of her fifth album, began in the early 2000s. She was constantly in and out of rehab during this period, and in 2007, incurred huge debt. You would think that someone
Image: lancescurv.com
who is struggling through debt and rehab would receive assistance from family and friends. So then why couldn’t the mourners closest to her help her through a terribly difficult period in her life? Perhaps some help would have had a positive impact on Whitney’s life. Whitney Houston’s passing spawned nothing more than a general respect for what she was good at – singing. She was great
when she was creating great music, and had a voice to match it. The people who purchase CDs after the artists that recorded them have died quite possibly were never true fans. In the end, though, incomparable musical talent combined with fame and fortune somehow led these artists to spiral out of control. The death of talented musicians in this manner is more than just sad: it is disappointing. But I
guess you only become a legend when you die. Everyone should remember them for the music they created and not the situation surrounding their death. Whitney Houston’s death was a passing of a fallen artist. It can be described by the title of one of the four hit singles from her second album: So Emotional.
Exhibition: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 Caitlin Le Roith
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fter passing through a dark, empty room with an imposing globe of the earth protruding from the wall; I entered an adjoining room that was full of life and interaction, atypical of what is associated with the word “exhibition”. As I stepped into the brightly lit and refreshingly open space, I noticed the wide array of “characters” that shared it with me. Some were busy with their food or feeding their young, and others were staring directly at me, inviting me into their perfectly composed environment. The National Geographic Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 exhibition is filled with stories of different characters that the photographers had chosen to visually explore, and exquisitely portray. One such character is a brown-eyed vixen, crouched on a rock. The photographer, Klaus Echle (Germany), who visited her periodically over a twelvemonth period, developed a close relationship with her. The piece, called Trust, is the runner-up of the Animal Portraits section of the competition. The intimacy created by the closeness of the vixen’s face to the lens and the soft background created by the wide aperture setting of the camera adds to the emotive quality of the piece. While walking through this diverse exhibition, I noticed a familiar face – a human. In this photograph, a boy named Victor stares in awe through a window at a bat, which stares directly
back at him. The photographer, Alexander Badyaev (USA), captured an inimitable moment in this piece titled Boy meets Nature, which was the winner of the section Urban Wildlife. Apart from the many faces there were also many plants. Two beautifully ethereal photographs of flowers were taken by Sandra Bartocha (Germany). She used a soft focus in areas and played with light, layering and multiple exposures to create two very mysterious and warmly lit “portraits”. These pieces titled Tongue Orchid and Hare’s-tail, and Harbinger of Spring received runner-up and winner, respectively, for the In Praise of Plants section of the competition. The overall winner of the exhibition and winner of the Photojournalist of the Year award was Spanish lensman Daniel Beltra. His piece Still Life in Oil depicts a group of pelicans huddled in the corner of a wooden barn with their feathers covered in crude oil. It was taken at a temporary bird rescue facility in Fort Jackson. The piece, with its warm colours and stark clarity, “evokes raw emotions,” said Micha Serraf, while viewing it. Overall, the 2011 Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is filled with a varied set of images by photographers of different ages from around the world. Each photograph tells a story about its subject matter; be it the expanse of a landscape, an animal in its daily routine or a brilliantly coloured plant. The exhibition is running till March 13th at the IZIKO South African Museum.
Image: Daniel Beltra
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V71 E2 – 28 FEBRUARY 2012
How to get ready for the Argus Caterina Aldera
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he Argus. If you think it’s just a newspaper, think again. In less than two weeks’ time, thousands of cyclists of all levels, nationalities and ages will gather in the city centre to ride 110km of the biggest timed cycle race in the world. It’s the highlight of many a cyclist’s year. The route makes its way out of the city centre, up Edinburgh Drive, along the Blue Route, over Boyes Drive, Smitswinkel, Chappies and Suikerbossie, before reaching the most scenic part along Clifton and Camps Bay. According to Nikita Turck, voted UCT Cycling’s “Club Most Improved” in 2011, “The Argus is great: it’s an excuse to get outside and train in this wonderful city we live in.” Even if you’re not cycling, go shout from the sidelines. For those who are brave enough to attempt the race, here’s a bit of
advice to make it a bit easier. You don’t want to be cramming intense training into the last week. Rest and do a bit of light spinning, just to get the blood flowing in your legs. Unfortunately, cycling is such that if you haven’t used the last few weeks to train, it’s a bit late now. That shouldn’t stop you from having fun, though. However, if you feel during the race that you could be risking an injury, just pull out. Leave pride at the bottom of Boyes Drive and take care of your body. There are sweep vehicles to pick you up. Carbo-load (eat a truckload of pasta) on both Friday and Saturday nights. You’ll need the sustained energy release of complex carbohydrates. Also drink lots of water during the week, as unless you’re Lance, or similar, you’ll probably be riding for quite a few hours in the heat. Avoid junk food and make sure you get lots of hours of sleep: your body needs to be rested. That said, a
short ride on Friday or Saturday will prevent stiff legs. You should also consume a lot of electrolytes, found in fruit juice, for example, which help to prevent cramping while on the bike. For the serious riders, it’s all about bunch placing and conserving some energy for the end. Don’t be scared to push the pace up when it is too slow and try and force a split in your group, especially on Smitswinkel and Chappies. When it comes to the sprint for the finish, choose your wheel carefully and give it all you have in the last 100m. For the person going for a personal best, watch out in the first 25km as the race can be deceptively hard up some of the initial climbs, up to the top of Edinburgh Drive. The race isn’t won there, but it can be lost, so stick toward the front of your bunch. For the person trying to get a good time from the back, watch out for the other cyclists. Ride on the
Image: garethsmit.com
HOT WHEELS – Cyclists from all around the country are preparing for the ultimate test of endurance. right-hand side of the road and be polite as you go past, say thank you and respect their space. For the person riding for fun, enjoy it! Stop at every water point and make a friend. Yell support to the other riders, and stop for a high five and a coke/beer/boerewors roll at the UCT Gazebo at the top of Suikerbossie. Nikita adds, “Pace yourself, and remember to eat and drink along the way.” Whether you’re the guy with fairy wings, or Lance Armstrong
himself, it’s important to eat before you’re hungry, and drink before you’re thirsty. Otherwise, you’ll “bonk”, or become hypoglycaemic and dehydrated – it will ruin your race. Above all though, it must be emphasised that this is the largest timed cycling event on the planet, and it is made to be fun. Turck ends with the reminder that “The people you meet and the experience will make all the hours worthwhile!”
Grand Prix fever Soccer Wednesdays at UCT
Image: flickr.com/tiktok-africa
REVVING UP – Yet another thrilling F1 season is to commence soon.
Keshveer Dhyanand
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ormula1 fans are getting giddy with excitement; with 60 practice runs and 20 races kicking off in the next few weeks, especially following an intensely exciting finish to last season. As the 2012 Championship begins, fans cannot wait to watch the 2.4-litre V8 cars roar around the track as the drivers push forward to achieve a podium finish. The four-day test revved up at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya last Tuesday with two-time and defending F1 Champion, Sebastian Vettel, topping the timesheet with his best of 1m 23.265s, just over a tenth of a second faster than fellow German driver Nico Hülkenberg. Vettel, who is the youngest double champion in F1 history, is happy with his Red Bull car and is looking forward to take on his opponents at the Australian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, news of Kimi Raikkonen’s return to F1 this season after his departure in 2009 is arousing the attention of quite a few fans. “My hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming,” said Raikkonen, while also claiming that “returning with Lotus Renault GP was an easy choice.” Lotus haven’t had much luck at Barcelona with several chassis issues. They had to close up shop early to allow more tests to be done on the chassis. However, despite these problems, with Raikkonen on the team, Lotus Renault have a
better chance to gain a point or two this season. This season also heralds a couple of interesting driver changes. Jarno Trulli seems likely to retire after being replaced by Russian driver Vitaly Petrov. Over at McLaren, the announcement of the addition of Tom Blomqvist to their driver development programme is characteristic of their development of young talent. Tom is the son of 1984 World Rally Champion Stig Blomqvist and has shown significant promise. Another potential great, Bruno Senna, nephew of threetime world champion and F1 legend Ayrton Senna sticks to team Renault. Nico Hülkenberg, over at Team India, has also thrown in his hat in the battle of the young ‘uns and looks to turn a few heads this season. The Australian Grand Prix will host the opening race for the 2012 F1 season in Melbourne from March 16th to 18th. More action follows a week later at Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). Race 17 will be in New Delhi where the Airtel Indian Grand Prix will take place for the second time, while the highly anticipated Monaco Grand Prix will take place in Monte Carlo from May 24th to 27th. This season is set to be quite fascinating as drivers – old and new – such as Schumacher, Raikkonen, Alonso, Hamilton, Hülkenberg, Senna, Petrov and Vettel drive their best, take their chances and cut those corners, aiming to make their way to the top.
Image: michael.currin.co.za KICK-STARTING THE YEAR – UCT Soccer is set for a year of new and exciting talent.
Jonah Ssenyange
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he UCT Soccer Club has been spending the last two weeks running trials to attract new players. A view from the coaching staff claims the portrayal of enthusiasm and passion from the new bunch of players is creating a huge buzz within the soccer fraternity at UCT. The women’s trials sprung a few surprises, with an unprecedented two full squads being registered. This, Soccer Club Chairperson Dustin Holohan says, is due to the increased involvement of South African-based students, who now make up almost 90% of the squad. Previously the women’s teams were dominated by the international exchange students from the United States and Europe who usually left before the Nationals in December, leaving the UCT team in limbo. This season heralds a new sense of hope with the first team competing in both the University Sports South Africa (USSA) Football tournament and the Tygerberg league. The second team is also
registered for the Tygerberg league. Having qualified for the Nationals last year, the team and coaching staff strongly believe they could go one better and win the league with the new recruits.
This, hopefully, will bring together all the soccer lovers at UCT
The men’s soccer league managed to outdo the women and attract four teams, with the coaching staff adamant they selected the best players in attendance. Though they could have overlooked certain players with awkward styles, support structures have been set up to help them challenge for the first team. The Soccer Club believes that 2012 is an opportune time to achieve the goals they have set with all stakeholders quite supportive of the programmes and shakeups the club is implementing.
The men’s team need to put in better performances after last year’s dismal results. Their main goal this year should be to challenge at the Nationals at the end of the year. The first team will compete in the USSA Football league, while the second and third teams (whose games were forfeited last year) will compete in the Cape Districts Football League. Most of their matches will probably be moved to Wednesdays. The fourth team will compete in the internal league at UCT. Holohan points out the Committee’s intent on introducing the “Wednesday Night Lights”. UCT games are expected to be played on Wednesdays, with the women’s team playing first at 6.30pm and the men’s team starting at 8pm. Holohan insists that these games are events worth attending. The bar will be open and plans are in place to have Steers’ Wacky Wednesday sales as well as music playing to get the vibe going. This, hopefully, will bring together all the soccer lovers at UCT to come out and support the team.
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SPORTS SHORTS Georgie Mackenzie, Nicholas Zaloumis, Nicholaas Louw, Niki Dignon & Christine von Hirschfeld Rowing
The Rowing Club took part in the 125th Annual Buffalo Regatta, on February 17th and 18th in East London. Outstanding results from the regatta included Anthea Dickson and Kimberly Joscelyne finishing 2nd in the Women’s A Double and Josef Muller coming 5th in the Silver Sculls (one of the most prestigious races in the country). Matthew Shaw, Cameron Hoey, Marcus Crowther and Chase Hude came third in the Men’s A Four Grand Challenge and the UCT men’s Eight team, with Matthew Shaw stroking, finished 2nd in their event. The UCT crews only lost to international rowers, which puts the club in good stead for the upcoming universities sprint regatta (USSA-R Sprints) which takes place at Vanderkloof Dam from the on 23rd and 24th March where the club is looking to improve on last year’s outstanding twelve first place rankings in various race categories.
Ultimate (Frisbee)
UCT Ultimate has two teams competing in the Cape Town Ultimate Summer League, as they look to prepare for the Nationals in May held in Cape Town. While both UCT Airborn and UCT A have
been on the losing side quite often, they have been frustrating far more experienced teams, include previous national champions. A relatively young club at UCT, Ultimate has been growing in leaps and bounds with three players – John McCoy, Matthew Lewis and Nicholas Zaloumis – selected to represent South Africa at the WFDF Championships in Sakai, Japan from 7th to 14th July.
Judo
Members of the Judo Club recently competed in the Boland Open, where David Lutrin came 4th in the u/66kg weight division, Litha Tsikila came 3rd in the u/81kg weight division and Nicholas Schady came 2nd in the u/100kg weight division. Other successes came from Mikhaila Job, Danny de Klerk, Luke Viljoen and Nico Louw, who all received full colours for representing Western Province at the 2011 South African Judo Championships last year. Nico Louw also won the Victor Ladorum award for winning both the USSA championships and the SA Championships, as well as for representing South Africa at the 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships held in Cardiff in January.
Image: Niki Dignon SWIMMING FOR THE WIN – Members of UCT Aquatics Club take the plunge during the Brian Curtis Swim. The Judo Club looks forward to competing in the first Western Province Open Championships, which will be held at the Wynberg Military base this Saturday.
the longer race posting impressive times. Dominique Dryding managed double Honours with an excellent finish in the 1.6km.
Aquatics
Monday, February 20th, saw UCT Volleyball compete in the Annual Top 4 tournament taking place at the Athlone Civic Centre. The Women’s team faced off against the Western Cape Sport School, a very strong club, and lost in all 3 sets in
On February 12th the UCT Aquatics club took part in the Brian Curtis Swim at the Elgin Country Club in Grabouw. Despite the chilly weather, temperatures were quite suited to open-water swimming. UCT swimmers participated in both the 3km and 1.6km event with all three UCT representatives in
UCT Cricket bowls another team over Sean Cullinan
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he UCT first team carried on their fine form with a clinical 139-run victory over Green Point Cricket Club. Winning the toss, UCT elected to bat first. The top order continued to show their excellent form with Adeeb Joseph and Ryan Maron sharing in a 96-run opening stand. The boys finished with 210/9 on a difficult pitch which had a lot of slow turn. The bowlers then stole the show as they bowled the visitors out for 113 with Dewald Keulder taking 5/29 and UCT’s spin king Tendai Chitongo taking 4/56. With a lead of 97 runs, UCT batted again and piled on the pressure. Adeeb Joseph finished on 69, notching up his second 50 of the match. He was well supported by Jack Newby, who ended the game with 51 not out. UCT declared on 206/7, setting the visitors 304 in 87 overs. UCT’s opening bowler, Wesley Bell, left the opposition stunned as he took 4 wickets for a mere 32 runs. A brilliant spell of bowling saw him trapping their opening bowler lbw and then showing his variation by completely deceiving their number 3 batsman with an excellent slower ball. He was supported by UCT’s silent assassin, Dewald Keulder, who took 3/32. Chairman and player Graeme
Image: UCT Cricket
Beghin expressed his approval of UCT Cricket’s results over the summer. Beghin manages to balance studying postgraduate sports management, being chairman of the club and playing for the first team by using effective time management, along with the motto “Work hard, play hard.” He also admitted that a cut-back on weekday jols was needed. “I haven’t seen Tigers’ lights on in a while,” says Beghin. When asked about the turnaround at UCT cricket he put it down to four factors: Ryan Maron’s coaching and planning, all players working hard both on and off the field, support staff (such as Sharon the caterer, Mark van Deventer, the team physiologist, and team sponsors such as General Motors, South African Breweries
and Powerade) and also the various incentives, such as the pink cap initiative. He said that the goals for the season would be continuing to play an exciting game of cricket and gain promotion for all sides. The second-team cricket machine continued their unbeaten streak with their fifth consecutive win. Captain Steve Wormald was pleased with his team’s performances, and said certain individuals have stood out. Top achievements so far have been Ant Puggia’s 109 not out, Hugh Van Niekerk’s 71, Matthew Norris’ 73, Steve Wormald’s 7 wickets for 6 runs and Matt Riches taking a 5 wicket haul. Both sides are in promotion positions, so the Cricket Club is looking forward to even more support from UCT students.
Volleyball
extremely close encounters finishing 23:25, 24:26 and 23:25. Cassie Toogood was outstanding as the team’s setter. The men played against the Saints and displayed great tenacity in spirit in their 18:25, 18:25, 19:25 loss with Kershin Gounden performing extremely well for the UCT men. February 28th see the men’s team face off against Western Cape Sports School and the ladies meet Saints in the last games of the semi-finals.
Driven past Point
Sajjad Karamsi Sports Editor
More than just organised physical activity
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port has the potential to transcend just being organised physical activity to be something that’s a lot more rejuvenating for society. Sport can heal and transform; sport can stitch together sections of society ripped apart. Remember the Bafana Bafana win in 1996? Arguably, this win was even more cathartic for post-apartheid South Africa than the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup triumphs a few months earlier. Sportsmen and women too can play a role in trying to cure society’s maladies. The 1968 Olympics Black Power salute epitomised defiance against racial segregation. Zimbabwe’s Henry Olonga and Andy Flower gave up promising cricketing careers to rail against their government’s policies. UCT sport clubs and their members can also play a role in helping make UCT a better place for all. They can help diffuse racial tensions, and take us away from dining halls that inadvertently end up being colour-coded. They can help infuse a sense of comradeship that rivals that of any political party on campus. They can provide support structures, a friendly ear and a helping hand to UCT students struggling (and perhaps thus help reduce the high incidence of suicides and suicide attempts at this institution.) Sport clubs need to reach out to the entire UCT community and instead of existing
purely to win medals; they should seek to uplift our spirits as well. *** Have you ever walked out of a building in UCT into a cloud of thick Stuyvesant smoke? I have, and I think it’s awful. This university is already quite cramped and with smokers walking around choking others, it does get quite unpleasant. The problem is ubiquitous. From first-year hipsters outside Arts to white-bearded lecturers outside R.W. James, groups congregate outside building exits or windows puffing away. It gets even worse in winter when the hubbly pipes start appearing, and the food court area becomes hazy with tobacco smoke. Besides the fact that its illegal in this country to smoke on patios, verandas, doorways etc., it’s also quite selfish of these smokers to invade others’ comfort zones without consent. If someone does choose to remain in your company while you smoke, then they shouldn’t have cause for complaint. However, if you blow a cloud of smoke in my face as I’m walking along Jammie Plaza, then frankly sir, you’re being quite rude.
Sport VARSITY
FIXTURES Judo Ju
Varsity Cup Rugby
WYNBERG MILITARY M BASE
GREEN MILE
Saturday, March 3rd
Monday, March, 5th 5pm
Western Province Pro Open Championships Champ
UCT vs Pukke
Diving for an awesome cause
Images: Wesley Elliot, Chris Fourie & Severin Tenin
SAVING THE SEAS – UCT divers amused themselves during their underwater fund-raising campaign.
Nicole Beale
A
group of dedicated student divers channelled their inner Jack Bauers as they took to the UCT pools to participate in a 24hour diving relay, all in the name of an amazing cause. For the third consecutive year, the UCT Underwater Club hosted its annual DIVER24 event, in which 24 pairs of divers took hour-long shifts in the pool to show support for the Save our Seas Foundation. The event kicked off at midday on Friday, the 24th of February, and was an absolute hit. Within two hours of
its opening, DIVER24 welcomed a full house of spectators, consisting of both supportive Club members and interested passers-by. While some feared that the notorious 6x7s could mar the afternoon, everyone at the Underwater Club was delighted as the event went off without a single hiccup. Not only did everything run smoothly, but it seemed that everyone involved had a great time as well. All the divers were entertained during their hour in the pool by taking part in an underwater photography competition. With various tasks to complete, this competition resulted
in a series of fantastic images which were acknowledged during the prize giving at the end of the event.
“Our marine environment ... must be protected before it is gone.” Despite their endurance being put to the test during the 24-hour affair, the participants were all in high spirits throughout the event. Although the participants were exhausted at 12h00 on Saturday,
DIVER24 concluded with a festive braai, which displayed the true enthusiasm and passion of the young divers. Not only did the Underwater Club manage to raise R2 500 for the Save our Seas Shark Centre, but they were also able to give this cause an impressive amount of exposure. The Underwater Club’s Development Officer Chris Fourie says, “Our main goal is actually to draw awareness to diving as well as to conservation and the marine environment.” “South Africans have the privilege of having front-door access to some of the best diving in the world, and we wish people to be completely
aware of what is sitting right on their doorstep”, continues Fourie. “Our marine environment is something that should be treasured, and it must be protected before it is gone.” “The work that Save our Seas does is remarkable, particularly in the education of underprivileged communities, and the UCT Underwater Club is proud to help them in whatever way possible,” says Fourie. Save our Seas is a nonprofit organisation that has various offices around the world, including one in Kalk Bay. For more information about this foundation, visit saveourseas.com.
The I(Key) to success T
he Ikey Tigers returned to their winning ways on Monday, February 20th, as they convincingly thrashed the TUT Vikings in a bottom of the table encounter in Pretoria. UCT ran in nine tries, playing the scintillating rugby that won them the Varsity Cup last year. The Ikeys took a flattering 21–2 lead into the break after some resistant defending by the Vikings, but the second half saw the Ikeys dominate as the home team began to employ damage-controlling exercises. These didn’t help as they were overrun with six more tries with the Ikeys winning 66–2. (Rule changes mean that conversions are now worth three points, and dropgoals and penalties two.) The performance was a clinical one from the entire side but special mention should be made of eighthman Rayn Smid, making his first start in the Varsity Cup after coming off the bench in the game against UJ
the previous week. He managed to smash in four tries against TUT. Ikeys Head Coach Kevin Foote had to make some changes for the game against TUT after a shocking loss against UJ. He made a total of six changes to the starting line-up. The changes were necessary as the forwards were nowhere to be seen a fortnight ago, when they were scrummed, rucked and mauled off the ball in the first half against UJ. UJ even managed to go into the break with the bonus point secured and the score at 29–2. Ikeys showed some character in the second half, making the score a little more respectable at full time: 29–15 to UJ. VARSITY managed to catch up with Ikeys Captain, Ntsolo Setlaba, last week for him to give us a feel for the season thus far as well as what we can expect in the weeks to come. What is your take on the season thus far? Admittedly, it has been a slow start for us this season, but we are happy to be back to winning ways
and playing our brand of running rugby. With some important games coming up in the next few weeks, we are looking forward to improved performances. Having done a lot of travelling we are looking forward to “the crunch games” which will be held on the Green Mile. What is the mood of the players in the camp? After a disappointing start to Varsity Campaign both players and management are very happy to have registered the first win of the competition (especially in such convincing fashion). We are still hurting from our start but consequently very excited at the opportunity to set things straight. With regards to the current mood of the players; this Monday is particularly special for the entire UCT Rugby Club as we remember Monte Taljaard in the annual Monte Taljaard Trophy match against NMMU. Monte was a very special guy to a lot of the boys and we are looking forward to producing a
Image: Dominic Barnardt / Gallo
Vafa Naraghi
SURGING AHEAD – UCT takes charge during the match against TUT. performance he would be proud of. What are the hopes for the season? Last year was a phenomenal year for the club in all competitions and we are looking to emulate that success in 2012. In terms of the Varsity Cup, the aim has always been to win the tournament, thus ensuring the trophy remains in Cape Town. This objective has not changed!
How far can this team go? As far as we wish to go. The 2012 Ikey Tigers are a special group of very talented players, managed by a highly competent coaching staff. We have no doubt that we have the fire-power needed to reach the levels of success we have set ourselves. What will determine how far we go is whether we can produce performances that reach our true potential. It’s an exciting time to be an Ikey.