2014: Edition 2

Varsity

SINCE

1942

THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN

11 March 2014

VOLUME 73: EDITION 2

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NUMSA protests youth wage subsidy disqualified. They also have the opportunity to re-qualify in the future.

The members of NUMSA are planning to strike partly because the people of South Africa were not properly involved in making this Bill, but primarily because they think that the people of South Africa have not been properly consulted for the past 20 years.

the public was only given 14 working days to provide submissions on the draft Bill

Image: Russell Grinker PROTESTS: irvin Jim speaks on NUMSA’s plans to strike against the Employment Tax Incentive Act

Thomas Mbewu ext Wednesday, March 19th, the largest trade union in South Africa, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), will go on strike to protest the Employment Tax Incentive (ETI) Act that came into effect on January 1st.

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NUMSA is not alone in this worry; indeed the writers of the draft ETI Bill specifically addressed this.

The final version of the Bill watered down the protections afforded to workers The draft Bill states that if a business made a dismissal for the purpose of employing someone else in order to get the subsidy, then it would be required to pay back 150% of the total amount it received via the ETI in the previous year, and would be disqualified from receiving ETI funds in the future.

Despite major debate surrounding the bill, the public was only given 14 working days to provide submissions on the draft Bill. Additional subsidies were also proposed that had not been discussed publicly or at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC).

The bypassing of NEDLAC was enough to make NUMSA and other unions consider taking the government to court.

The final version of the Bill watered down the protections afforded to workers in the draft Bill. The 150% fine was changed to a fixed amount of R30 000 per person wrongly dismissed and businesses that abuse the subsidy system are not automatically

IN THIS ISSUE

When the ETI Bill was initially introduced it was controversial.

The Bill proposed a “youth wage subsidy” in which private businesses would be given R1 000 a month for each employee aged 19 to 29 who was paid between R2 001 and R4 000 per month, while those paid between R4 001 and R6 000 would receive a subsidy

that tapers downwards to zero for those earning R6 000.

The ANC was aware that this Bill would be met with some opposition.

Enoch Godongwana, the ANC Economic Transformation Committee Head said in October last year, before the bill was passed: "We are quite mindful that there are issues that certain stakeholders … are uncomfortable with. We would entertain a discussion over the possible unintended consequences.”

NUMSA has many issues with the ETI Bill. They argue that it incentivised businesses to get rid of employees and replace them with young workers in order to get the subsidy.

Since the beginning of South Africa’s democracy NUMSA, as a member of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), has been in alliance with the ANC. Its members have tried, with many others, to encourage the government to make our society as kind and fair as possible; to get our leaders to live up to the promises of their Freedom Charter. In the face of this effort, the ETI Act will incentivise decreased job security for the old and lower wages for the young.

Given this and other failures, NUMSA is now going to continue to try and foster this society from outside the ANC. At their Special National Congress last Decemebr, they called on COSATU to break from the Alliance.

NUMSA plan on organising several more protests. “This is the first of a series of rolling socioeconomic strikes that the union decided on at its special national congress in December 2013,” said NUMSA spokesman, Castro Ngobese, in a press statement on February 24th.

The strikes and protests on March 19th are also about NUMSA's breakaway from the ANC and the formation of a United Front that NUMSA hopes will bring together citizens who want the just and equal society promised in the Freedom Charter.

Wifi on Jammies

PAGE 2

“Un-African” lifestyle

PAGE 6

Know UCT better

CENTRE

Flappy Bird frenzy

PAGE 11

Varsity Cup update

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

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news

v73 e2 – 11 march 2014

News Bites Uganda’s Anti-Gay Law Repercussion.

UGANDA Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni signed the anti-gay Bill into law on February 24th, 2014, resulting in massive backlash from African human rights groups. On March 2nd, his daughter, Diana Kamuntu, went on national radio and announced that she is in fact lesbian. Museveni’s response has not been heard as of yet.

- News 24.com, Nairaland.com

Author Harper Lee threatens to sue hometown museum ALABAMA,USA - Harper Lee has taken Monroe County Heritage Museum to court after it did not compensate her when it sold souvenirs branded with her name and title of her book To Kill a Mockingbird. A settlement has now been reached between Lee and the museum.

- News 24.com

Turmoil between COSATU and NUMSA

SOUTH AFRICA – COSATU has asked its largest affiliated trade union, the National Union of Metalworkers SA (NUMSA), to provide reasons for why it should not be suspended or expelled from the federation.

This comes after NUMSA and eight other COSATU affiliates requested that a COSATU special national congress take place in order to discuss divisions within the federation as well as the reinstatement of former general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. Late last year NUMSA held a special national congress at which the union decided to not support the ANC’s 2014 election campaign.

- MAIL & GUARDIAN, DAILY MAVERICK

Kitchen Queen admits to drug use UNITED KINGDOM Nigella Lawson recently did a cover shoot for Vogue Magazine in which she admitted to having snorted cocaine and smoking marijuana. This comes after she was in court for credit card fraud.

News 24.com

Pumelela Ntsezi & Kevin Elliott

Wifi pilot project for UCT Jammies Laurie Scarborough n March 1st, Sibanye launched a pilot project that allows UCT students and staff wireless internet access on certain Jammie shuttles.

The project is currently in a trial phase with wifi hotspots having been installed on the Jammies numbered 815 (CA 726 741), 816 (CA 726 760), 819 (CA 733 801), 820 (CA 697 106) and 827 (CA 178 894). These five Jammies will have wireless internet hotspots for six months, after which Sibanye will reassess.

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“So I think it’s great, but how much did that cost us?”

“The trial period is to find out if students and passengers will support it and, if successful, Sibanye will go full rollout in all Jammies,” said Toto Ntsobi, Director of Sibanye.

The Jammies involved in the trial project have posters with instructions for students to use the wifi access. These buses will soon have stickers on the outside of the bus advertising the wifi hotspots so that students can easily recognise which buses are a part of the pilot.

“It’s nice because they’ve put it

Image: Jamie Wilson WIFI: five Jammies are to pilot wireless wifi hotspots for six months. [wifi access] in residences, but it’s a gap that we don’t have it in between,” said Jeffy Palamattam, a BSc Electro-Mechanical Engineering student. “It’s nice for students to access wireless whenever they can.

So that’s a good idea.”

The initiative did, however, bring up some mixed opinions and questions of effective expenditure.

“If you were coming from Hiddingh

and you were stuck in traffic it would be one of the most useful things, but why are we spending money on wifi on Jammies?” UCT student Jessica

“if successful, Sibanye will go full rollout in all Jammies”

Rockey asks. “Maybe that money should rather be spent on the crisis fund or increasing bursaries. So I think it’s great, but how much did that cost us?”

The six month pilot will end at the beginning of September.

Students who wish to use the wifi services on Jammies can log on to the Sibanye network using the password “SIBANYEw!f!”

The climate be a-changin’ Tayla-Paige van Sittert and Clare Garrard

On Thursday, February 27th, the annual Wolfson Memorial Lecture of 2014 was given by Sir Eric Ash who discussed the controversial issues of climate change.

Sir Eric Ash asserted that there is unanimity regarding climate change as a pressing problem, but not enough action being implemented to prevent it from further damaging the Earth. His approach centred on why climate change issues are perceived as controversial, and how we should think of the problem in simpler terms.

Ash stated that the cause of

“What is crucial is that we make a shift in mindset now” climate change, primarily the increase in greenhouse gases, is almost directly attributable to human activity – mainly the burning of coal as an energy source.

Ash continued: “In the US alone, 10% of the electric consumption can be accounted for by the internet.”

Dr Howard Pearce, who teaches a course on the “Ecology of Industrial Society” to final year engineering students, commented in a statement to VARSITY: “The earth is very sensitive to small changes in the concentration of this trace gas and we are currently embarking

Image: Orion Molosi WOLFSON MEMORIAL LECTURE: Sir Eric Ash presents a talk on the controversial issues of climate change on a once-off experiment by putting a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”

A process known as “carbon capturing” was discussed by Ash as a solution to alleviate excess carbon dioxide; where carbon dioxide is separated from other gases and then buried in vast air pockets under the sea. Other suggestions for a solution include the use of solar power, wind power, more efficient vehicles, biomass fuel and nuclear power.

“The debate should not simply be about what energy sources are adequate to replace coal, but how we can manage with the energy resources that we will have when we acknowledge the need to stop burning coal,” states Pearce.

As listed by Ash, climate change is controversial for various reasons, including the fact that the threat is a distant one. Climate sceptics are theorising on an issue that they do not fully understand and sceptical

organisations are not recruiting knowledgeable scientists in the field.

Another contentious aspect is

“10% of electric consumption can be accounted for by the internet” that – at first glance – reducing the effects of climate change is not affordable. “The cost of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions will be roughly one trillion dollars, which seems like a lot, but really only becomes 1% of the GDP every year,” explains Ash. “There exists no solid economic barrier; it is indeed affordable.”

“Leadership needs to come from studying the situation properly,” states Ash. “A possible option would be to use engineers to geo-

engineer the climate.”

However, engineering lecturer Dr Harro von Blottnitz highlighted the problem that “so many engineers […] come out as science sceptics rather than applying their engineering skills to work on the problems identified by science”.

Dr Pearce comments: “What is crucial is that we make a shift in mind-set now, in preparation for the enormous changes that will be required of us. That is what all the small acts of recycling, using less damaging manufacturing processes, replacing lighting with more efficient lights, using the Jammie shuttle and generally trying to be conscious of what we consume, is all about. These acts are necessary precursors to much more significant changes that must occur.”

Read more about climate change at varsitynewspaper.co.za later in the week.

news UCT Humanities Handbook gives career advice Hannah Gauss The Humanities student Council (HSC) plans to launch the Humanities Opportunity Handbook.

The prototype that will go online mid-March is designed to provide first-year students as well as graduates with information on their student career and financial support.

The prototype refers students to existing resources on campus such as the Careers Service 2014 Guide Handbook, appointments in the Career Centre or contacting Careers Services directly. Academic Chair and project coordinator Emma Jones-Phillipson says: “The reality is that there is a broader scope for students. [The handbook] informs them about the scope, so they are not sitting unemployed.”

The handbook is split into two sections: financial support and career opportunities for graduating students.

“Whatever your degree choice, year of study or career amibitions, the UCT Careers Service is equipped to assist you in realising your goals and aspiration,” states the booklet.

Students are criticising the attempt to fit a generalised degree into a single handbook.

“Humanities is meant to be an open degree. A handbook that designates job opportunities and directions for me personally limits you in what a humanities degree can actually do,” says Yazmine Horowitz, Interactive

Media Design Student. “Doing an internship while you study makes a lot more sense, instead of giving career advice. A handbook is a handbook, it’s a suggestion; to force people to go out and interact is a lot more educational,” Horowitz continues.

The project was launched with input by the 2013-launched FYE Project (First Year Experience) and UCT’s SRC. In comparison to other first year information sources, such as orientation material, the handbook focused more on simplifying the information available to students.

“The university focuses on first years and students that graduate.

But there is little focus on second years that still need to get through university and plan their lives.”

The handbook also promotes upcoming events at UCT, fine arts, an academic calendar and faculty contact details. The “troubleshooting” section gives a “quick referral guide for common problems like ‘Do you have an issue with your lecturer? Then speak to your class representative or the academic representative on the HSC’,” continues Jones-Phillipson.

“In past years there may have been concern about duplicating existing material and where our handbook does do this to a certain degree, it is more to summarise and collect information for Humanities students that is spread over a multitude of handbooks and websites.” explains Jones-Phillipson.

V73 E2 - 11 MARCH 2014

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Anticipated Oscar murder trial begins Stefanie Busch

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n Monday, March 3rd, Oscar Pistorius appeared in the North Gauteng High Court for his murder trial. Pistorius faces charges of intentionally killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day of last year.

The 27-year-old paralympic champion has pleaded not guilty for the charges, claiming he shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder.

“The fear in that woman’s voice is difficult to explain to the court” Several witnesses have been called to testify. The first two days of the trial focused on testimonies from neighbours of Pistorius’ Pretoria home where the incident occurred.

Michelle Burger and her husband, Charl Peter Johnson, recounted the events of the night in question. Both stated that they were woken up after 3am by a woman’s “bloodcurdling” screams and a man’s calling for help. According to the witnesses, these screams were followed by four gun shots, accompanied by a female’s screams.

“The fear in that woman’s voice is difficult to explain to the court,”

Image: Themba Hadebe

ON TRIAL: Pistorius faces charges of intentionally killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day of last year stated Burger.

Barry Roux, Pistorius’ defence lawyer, led a tough crossexamination of both Burger and Johnson’s testimonies. The sequence of the shots and screams – regarding which came first – were in dispute.

The defence led the argument that the gun shots the witnesses testified to hearing were rather the sound of Oscar using a cricket bat to break down the bathroom door.

“I know what a gunshot sounds like.” insisted Burger.

“Oscar was crying, saying, ‘Please let her live’” On the third day of the trial, the court heard testimonies regarding Pistorius’ alleged “trigger-happy” character. Kevin Lerena testified that the double amputee was responsible for the firing of a gun in a crowded restaurant in January last year - a month before the Valentine’s Day incident.

Johan Stipp, another neighbour of Pistorius, gave testimony on the fourth day of the trial. Stipp said he arrived at the accused’s home shortly after the shooting.

“Oscar was crying, saying, ‘Please let her live’... He was saying he would dedicate his life to God if she will only live,” recalled Stipp.

The trial is being broadcast live by a 24-hour television channel for the first time in South Africa.

The broadcast of the trial was permitted by the High Court, along with certain conditions. One of the conditions was that no image of a witness should be broadcast, unless the witness gives permission to do so.

Despite that, Burger’s picture was broadcast on eNCA, even though she declined to be broadcast during the trial.

Johnson’s privacy was also compromised after his cellular phone number was read out loud in court. This resulted in numerous phone calls from people accusing him of lying in his testimony.

The trial is expected to end on March 20th.

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editorial

V73 E2 - 11 MARCHW 2014

2014 Collective editor-in-chief Laurie Scarborough

Editorial

editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

deputy Editor Katy Scott

Laurie Scarborough Editor-in-Chief

Road rage for cyclist

This weekend saw thousands of cyclists (and some crazy non-cyclists) mount their bikes and head on the 110 kilometre journey through Cape Town for the Cape Argus Cycle tour.

Training for the event however, did not go without some tantrums. At the end of last week, the leader of a group of cyclists narrowly missed slamming into the back of a white minivan that had stopped on the side of the road. The cyclist had been looking behind him and had to swerve into the traffic to avoid the illegally parked van.

The cyclist approached the

editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

managing Editor Imaad Isaacs editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za

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opinions Parusha Naidoo & Vikash Gajjar opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za

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sportS Mark Nandi sports@varsitynewspaper.co.za

centrespread Krysia Gaweda

images Sofia Gilli & Khanyisa Pinini

rage reported.

I’m sure many people have been on the receiving end of road rage. I myself have been sworn at and had expressive hand signals waved in my direction, while others I know have narrowly escaped their windshield being smashed by a hammer, but what does this achieve?

At best two angry drivers and at worst a harassment and assault investigation.

Speed kills, but so does stupidity. Take a deep breath and count to ten before you let out your fists.

Attacked for being “too black”

news Hannah Gauss & Clare Garrard

centrespread@varsitynewspaper. co.za

van driver, who was still sitting in the front seat, and shouted through the open window before punching him several times and pushing his bike into the driver’s face. The driver was a volunteer cleaner after the big walk.

While I understand the 1.5m rule is for the safety of the cyclist and should be observed, drivers of all vehicle types (bicycles included) should be aware of their surroundings while driving.

Many drivers experience road rage (and many have a special road rage reserved just for cyclists), but there are not many incidents of cyclist-to-car road

Katy Scott

images@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Deputy Editor

“When I found out that I was pregnant with a little girl I prayed that she would be…” At the time of hearing this, my mind instantly cut to an image of Daisy Buchanan hoping her girl to be a fool (“because that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool”).

But as I looked into the dark eyes of the petite Zimbabwean lady telling me this, I mentally slapped myself for being so foolish as to conflate her with a fickle fictional character. “… I prayed that she would be lighter than her dad.” Sorry, lighter?

“Yes! Yhu he is black black black!” she exclaimed.

Through a mouthful of teeth I managed to muster out a “why?” to which she explained the difficulties of being “too dark” in South Africa.

It seems that there is an inherent correlation with darkness and foreignness, and being originally from Zimbabwe, she is deeply conscious of their alien status and her husband’s “telling” skin. With the horror of May 2008’s xenophobic campaign of violence fresh in all of our minds, foreigners (particularly African migrants) are extremely aware of rife xenophobic attitudes, to the extent of wishing a lighter skin upon their unborn child.

Even though the magnitude of 2008’s explosion of displacement, looting and destruction has not been repeated, attacks on foreigners have undoubtedly continued.

Political analysts have attributed xenophobia to everything from high unemployment rates, poverty,

police and government corruption, permeable borders, high crime rates, ineffective service delivery to an incompetent foreign policy in regard to resolving Zimbabwe’s political deadlock.

Whatever the cause may be, the simple fact that this woman can be ridiculed in a taxi for speaking English because her Xhosa accent is not “quite right” and, would reveal her nationality, is most distressing. (Never mind the fact that she has taken it upon herself to pick up isiXhosa to fit in.)

My message? If you’re not reading about xenophobia in the news, or if it is not in your direct line of vision, don’t assume that it’s just not there.

We can’t live as beautiful, deluded little fools forever. I certainly learnt that the hard way.

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opinions

Res swaps a no-go John Mains-Sheard In November last year, I went along with a friend to Student Housing in an attempt to perform a “res swap” – only to be told that the department was no longer granting them. Obviously, I was irritated that my plans had gone awry. But more than that, I was frustrated by the sudden change in policy pushed through without student consultation at a time when student governance was at its weakest, due to the turning over of the SRC. My experiences were by no means unique. Many people were vexed by this turn of events.

Students who had been told by Residence Facilities Officers and wardens that all they would need to do was find someone in another residence to swap with were suddenly left without a proper solution.

They had to accept what was

offered or look elsewhere for alternative accommodation. This may have alienated students and caused them to leave the res system.

Yes, they could petition for a swap in the following March, provided they still had someone to swap with and both wardens gave consent.

But isn’t that too little too late?

The basis for this change in policy, according to Student Housing, was due to students attempting to sell off their places at some of the more desirable residences for profit. Rather than review this on a case by case basis, they saw fit to delay the process by several months, regardless of how much this could disadvantage individual students. One student I spoke to cited this delay as a major source of stress and inconvenience.

Every year there are thousands of applicants seeking a home within a UCT residence. With only six thousand or so places on

Image:Moses Gathua

offer, this puts a lot of pressure on Student Housing. Whilst one could sympathise with their predicament, I find it difficult to understand their management at times.

The department has been widely known to over allocate the number of incoming students, causing disruption and even displacement of established students. This raises the question: how much control does Student Housing have over regulating its own policies? I have noticed a habit of the department shifting blame or responsibility onto the residences themselves, and vice versa, making the entire process much less transparent to questioning students.

Whilst it is important to stress the magnitude of the task Student Housing has, there is a definite need for improvement. Procedures need to be streamlined to cut away the unnecessary bureaucratic red tape, while simultaneously putting students’ needs first. Their unannounced shift in policy last year undermined the trust and confidence students had put in them as a structure.

Ultimately, there will be no pleasing everyone: students who wanted Obs Square but were placed in Liesbeek Gardens may have to make do, but there are certainly better ways for a respected department at a respected university to operate. Perhaps the time for fresh blood in an otherwise archaic institution is now.

There’s a gangster on my stoep Chantal Bacchus Near the end of my first day in Manenberg as a SHAWCO volunteer, a particularly charismatic little girl I had come to know motioned for me to join her under a small tree in the schoolyard. Looking around, she indicated she was about to divulge a secret by holding her finger to her lips and saying, “Shh.” This was followed by her heartbreaking confession that her “real mummy and daddy” had been killed in front of her by gang members in her birth city, Johannesburg.

local government has the knowledge and national government has the power “That’s why we came to Manenberg,” she said as she pulled the leaves off the branch closest to her, one by one letting the breeze whisk them out of her hands, “But it’s not much different here…”

According to Cyril Pelston, one of the acting figures involved in the wellestablished Manenberg SHAWCO program, the area has a long history of gang violence centered on drugs.

Recently, there has been an upsurge in the violence and it has had exponentially negative effects on all the children’s lives. The latest incident involved the stabbing of a 17-year-old boy whose name has

Image: Regroup com

not been released.

The teen was badly beaten and stabbed in front of a number of student witnesses. One can only imagine the psychological damage this would cause, instilling an immeasurable sense of fear and anxiety associated with attending school.

These kinds of occurrences (which are far from rare) are coupled with the route to the school being a battleground for the two most prominent gangs – the Hard Livings and the Americans. This justifiably results in children being kept at home and prevented from pursuing their education – arguably the key to escaping these circumstances.

This also interferes with organisations like SHAWCO who exist to provide positive alternatives and a safe haven for those affected by gang warfare.

The extent of the negative impact of gangsterism and gang violence is immeasurable. It can be seen as rebounding outwards by destroying families and futures, as well as resonating inwards by traumatising the development of youth.

So who should be held responsible?

Local government has the knowledge and national government has the power. Despite this, they have contributed very little to a problem which they have an excess of power over.

The current band-aid remedy, involving four hours of police presence on school property daily, is an insufficient façade of remedial action that is more frustrating than comforting and certainly not conducive to a learning environment.

“The police know who the members of the gang are,” insisted Pelston, “There is little justification for their lack of genuine intervention, especially given the escalation of the matter, as the gangs recruit increasingly younger members, giving them guns and teaching them how to shoot using live targets.”

There is an evident need for short and long term solutions that the government is no doubt capable of. And with so many obvious red flags flapping in the winds of swiftly mounting bloodshed, one can’t help but wonder: why are these wounds not being treated?

v73 e2 – 11 March 2014

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The lady doth protest

Parusha Naidoo

Opinions Editor

Load-shedding – just another day for thousands

difficult to comprehend the blatant disparities in schooling infrastructure. The problems are evident in basic needs of electricity and sanitation, to educational necessities like libraries and computers.

With classrooms unconducive to learning, the effects of apartheid on the schooling system are still deeply entrenched post 1994.

The blame game seems to bounce back and forth between education ministers (past and present), trade unions and our unjust past.

Education is regarded as the ast week Thursday Eskom solution to all problems and decided to grace South Africa recent years has seen government with a period of load-shedding making substantial advances that lasted for a good couple of towards laws and programmes hours. While some students were that aim to improve infrastructure annoyed by the disruption, there in schools. The sentiment expressed were those of us who rejoiced during apartheid by student activists was in the prospect “freedom now, of classes being later”. cancelled – what children should be kept education But now that would a lecture be without in school irrespective of we have our freedom how those fancy the cost much later will PowerPoint children have slides?

My last class for the day to delay their need for adequate had not been cancelled so I learning facilities?

The belief that a place of grudgingly made my way down to Middle Campus, cursing Eskom learning should never be for not keeping the power off long disrupted and children should enough. It took me a moment be kept in school irrespective to realise I was a victim of “first of the cost is indisputable. Not world problems”, something disregarding the importance of many UCT students are faced this belief, it seems superficial to expect learning to be with everyday.

I was dissatisfied by the idea of uninterrupted in an environment attending a 4pm lecture in a room that poses health and safety risks that had lighting, oblivious to the to learners.

The true impact of exposure stark reality in South Africa of 3 insufficient schooling 544 schools not having access to to electricity and the additional 804 infrastructure goes beyond not schools that are faced with an having electricity or having a leaking roof. It is evident in the unreliable electricity source.

Depending on the school you dignity and identity of learners attended and the community you that develops when exposed grew up in, your idea of a school to inhumane conditions on a and the facilities that it comprises daily basis.

I once came across a banner of will vary. Some might think of a mud hut, while others might belonging to Equal Education that recall classrooms equipped read: “We want to be doctors and with tables and chairs, perhaps engineers. Not domestic workers even a few tennis courts and for doctors and engineers.” A simple request that won’t be swimming pools.

20 years after the transition delivered until insufficient access from an unequal and oppressive to electricity is no longer a system to one that is democratic daily obstacle to the learning of and grounded on the principles thousands of children and simply of equality and justice, it’s a case of load-shedding.

L

Disclaimer The VARSITY Opinions section is a vehicle for expression on any topic by members of the university community or other interested parties. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY Collective or its advertisers.

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

opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za

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opinions

v73 e2 – 11 March 2014

The “un-African” lifestyle Michelle Ramiah

I

n Uganda, a country where homosexuality is already illegal, President Yoweri Museveni has signed a Bill that imposes harsher penalties against gay people and states that some homosexual acts could be met with life imprisonment.

legality of homosexuality is not enough to change prejudices Despite countries like the US, Norway and Denmark threatening to withdraw aid and end relations, Museveni proceeded with the signing of the Bill. He was unperturbed by the threat and brushed it off as “an attempt at social imperialism”.

The world might be shocked by this recent development, but homophobic laws are not out of place on the continent. Homosexuality is illegal in a staggering 38 African countries. When it comes to homosexuality laws, South Africa has always been considered a pioneer, especially on the African continent.

In 1994, male same-sex conduct was made legal (female same-sex conduct was never illegal). Two years later, South Africa was the first jurisdiction in the world to provide constitutional protection for homosexuals and in 2006, Parliament voted for a Bill allowing same-sex civil marriage.

Since 2008, all provisions that discriminate homosexuality have been formally repealed, including an equalised age of consent at 16,

regardless of sexual orientation, and all sexual offences being defined in gender-neutral terms.

This progression of liberation is

He was unperturbed by the threat and brushed it off as “an attempt at social imperialism”. a far cry from some of the shocking laws that are coming into play in other African countries. In 2010, a gay couple in Malawi was sentenced to 14 years with hard labour

for sodomy.

The Malawian President, Bingu wa Mutharika, referred to homosexuality as "evil and very bad before the eyes of God”. Foreign pressure forced him to release the men. In the last five years, South Sudan and Burundi introduced laws criminalising same-sex relations, while Liberia and Nigeria are pushing Bills similar to those in Uganda that would toughen existing penalties.

Despite South Africa having the just laws that our fellow African nations currently lack, it cannot be mistaken for a homophobia-free haven just yet. “Corrective rape” is

a term that refers to sexual violence against homosexuals in an attempt by the perpetrators to “cure” them of their supposedly unnatural sexual orientation.

This is a regular occurrence in South Africa, and is just one example of many forms of homophobia.

Despite the liberal nature of the country’s constitution, the legality of homosexuality is not enough to change prejudices and stubborn attitudes.

Strategies need to be implemented to educate people in order to cultivate a culture of acceptance and tolerance.

The unfortunate truth is that,

like racism, homophobia exists in every country in the world, more prevalent in some than in others.

However, this does not mean that any country should throw in the towel and accept the ill treatment of fellow citizens.

South Africa has been built into a democratic nation and has maintained its “rainbow” spirit over the past 20 years. The country has learnt to see past race a lot easier than to see past sexuality. It’s time to realise that no matter what category the difference falls under, it all needs the same acceptance.

Give hipsters a break Beyers de Vos Hipsters. It’s become a dirty word, hasn’t it? A pejorative for anyone who wears square, heavy-framed glasses and UCT is full of them. It’s a word that’s hard to define, vaguely describing a group of people that have done nothing but commit the sin of trying too hard to be different.

The main critique of hipsters is that they don’t stand for anything.

Unlike the hippies, beatniks, bohemians or punks, hipsters fail to unite behind a cause or political ideal. Hipsters are all about fashion, music and the scene – but that’s all.

There’s an eagerness to be original despite everything about them being cannibalised: identity thieves.

Insubstantial and individualistic, they are the ultimate expression of tired post-modern capitalism and the death of originality.

They reject consumerism yet are products of consumerism.

Perhaps it’s the self-awareness and the constant reinvention. There’s a hyper-consciousness of the identity they’re producing making it a game or performance. It’s not just the need

to be different; it’s the need to be seen as being different.

Maybe hipsters are just convenient outlets for the frustrations that older generations feel towards the millennials. Are they a group of people that represent the worst side of a generation characterised by laziness, entitlement and distaste for good old-fashioned hard work?

A pejorative for anyone who wears square, heavy-framed glasses Then again, it could be because they’re always a step ahead. By the time you realise something is cool they’ve abandoned it, mocking you for liking it and making you feel like you’ve arrived late for a party and missed the best part.

The irony is evident in their snarky, superior and ambiguous attitude. They have this cultural power and don’t seem to be enjoying it. Maybe it’s the vintage scarves or frothed hair but I don’t see the point in not liking something because it’s popular. This seems just as senseless as only liking something

because it’s popular.

But does any of that really matter?

At the heart of hipsterdom is the need to express yourself authentically. It is the need to defy labels and carve out an identity in a world that prescribes and enforces identities.

Is striving to be original and thrifty on this great big commercial conveyer-belt really that bad? They aren’t organising themselves or trying to achieve a status or cultural relevance and there is no pretence to be standing for world peace or saving pandas.

It’s reactionary and perhaps it’s a justified reaction, the kind that everyone can invest in. Yes, they take themselves way too seriously, but hating someone because they dress well and know all the trendy places is a little silly.

Anyway, isn’t everyone a little hipster these days? If you use Instagram, eat organic food, have a funky haircut or listen to indie music (even in moderate amounts) then someone, somewhere would probably call you a hipster too.

And if everyone is a little hipster, then can’t we all just enjoy our craft beer without anyone throwing dirty words around?

Image: Senna Haynes

opinions Elections and the youth: does registration really matter?

Quality, not quantity M

uch emphasis is often placed on obtaining a Bachelors Pass in Matric, but the question remains: how well prepared are we for what lies ahead at university? Many feel as if they have been thrown in the deep end and left to fend for themselves, while others feel competent enough to embrace this new challenge.

Dean Horwitz On May 7th, 2014, South Africa will vote for the fifth time since it became a democratic state. Once the polls close and the votes have been tallied, many people will pour over the facts and figures that will determine the direction the country takes over the next five years. We can, however, already begin speculating on these results based on the success of the registration drives which have taken place over the last six months to ensure that every eligible South African is registered to vote.

roughly two million new voters registered to vote

In a statement to the media after the second registration weekend, IEC chairperson, Pansy Tlakula, announced that the electoral body had met its target, ensuring that over 80% of eligible South Africans registered to vote. This, she proclaimed, was a great reason to celebrate.

Breaking down these numbers further, roughly two million new voters registered to vote for the first time over the two registration weekends, with 80% of these people being under the age of 30. This suggests that perhaps voter apathy is abating – perhaps the youth are finally waking up and taking notice of the political situation. I tend to disagree.

While we can sit here and talk about statistics and numbers and percentages, the youth of South

Africa are struggling to connect to a ruling party that has lost touch with the masses and are feeling alienated by opposition parties which they believe do not relate to them. The youth of South Africa came out to register out of obligation and loyalty to those that came before them, rather than a burning desire to change our country.

Even more worrying is that 20% of South Africans – the majority being young, angry and looking for work – are the ones who are refusing to let ballots and votes decide their future. Instead they are using their voices, their feet and often their physicality to tell the government exactly what they think and feel.

While the youth and born-free generation may not make up a substantial amount of the population in these elections, come the next elections they will be the ones front and centre in the fight for votes. This does not bode well for any political party that does not have the youth in mind when it comes to its political strategy over the next five years.

While I congratulate the IEC on achieving its targets in getting many of the born-frees registered, I am concerned about the lack of innovation the body has incorporated into its strategies, many of which fail to attract the youth. I am also sceptical (and this will remain to be seen) whether these registration numbers will translate into votes and a high turn-out on Election Day. Once elections are over and the votes are counted, we will know whether or not registration was a success; but for now we live in hope that these numbers translate into young people coming out on Election Day and marking their ballot papers with a party that truly believes in their success.

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Shelley Turner

Image: Hannah Gauss

V73 E2 - 11 MARCH 2014

Nevertheless, we do have to face the harsh reality that not all of us are adequately equipped with the necessary skills and intricacies to help us survive at university.

One clear distinction can be seen between students from IEB schools and DBE (NSC) schools.

In 2013, 85% of IEB students qualified for entry to university, while only 30.6% of DBE students (which makes up the majority of the student body) qualified to enter a tertiary institution.

Although there are more students in DBE schools in comparison to IEB schools, it still compels one to wonder whether or not the IEB does a better job in preparing students for what lies ahead at university.

Even though schools are apparently spewing out students for university study, many students are

not properly equipped with the life skills necessary to tackle daily obstacles.

Being book smart is one element, but being “street-smart” is a completely different element.

University is not based solely on

how well prepared are we for what lies ahead at university academics. It gives us the opportunity to find ourselves and explore things which we probably will never explore again and, sadly, those who are unable to make proper, mature, decisions often find themselves at the short end of the stick.

I have heard so many stories of people who have not made the right decisions with regard to balancing their social and academic lives and now wish that they had. DPR and exclusion are

Governments should put more resources into the development of students real – they do happen.

A relative of mine was a UCT student eight years ago. During his first year, he had what he refers to as “the time of my

life”. After failing his first year due to his excessive partying and lack of interest in his academics, he realised that he had wasted an academic year of his life even though his social life had thrived.

He often speaks about how differently he would have acted if he had had the knowledge and the necessary mindset to make informed decisions. This problem is faced by many students, not only at UCT but at universities all over the world.

Most students who come out of high school are not properly equipped to make such decisions.

Governments should put more resources into the development of students and not just into educating them. What is the point, then, of ejecting numbers of students into universities if the students do not have the correct coping mechanisms to survive in such environments?

Ultimately, the government and the tax payer will be at a loss because they are paying (for the most part) for the education of ill-prepared students.

We need to be educated not only academically, but also in a manner of thinking that allows us to become independent, critical thinkers and valuable members of society. If not, the youth will fail at producing quality and instead produce quantity.

A quantity which currently cannot be sustained.

Hiddingh Campus

inal us’ orig r Camp t were e p p U f u All o layo . The gs and buildin : JM Solomon r y b llo e d c e n n a e Ch desig rary, Th hich w , y r ra main lib lib heimer f the Oppen ajority o lume m e th s o v n o li house mil ity’s 1.3 ated on u it s o Univers ls on, is a collecti per Campus.

Up

The University’s original building on Hiddingh Campus, known today as the Egyptian Building, was built in the Egyptian Revival Style. The only other campus that has ever been built in this style is the Medical College of Business of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia in the United States.

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Jameson Hall: Upper Campus is centered on Jameson Hall.

UCT was originally founded in 1829 as the South African College, a high school for boys.

UCT has a total of six Faculties: Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Law, Health Sciences, Humanities and Science.

The Fine Arts department was established in 1925 and is better known as the Michaelis School of Fine Art. The Drama Department is also found on the Hiddingh Campus.

There are three theatres on Hiddingh Campus: the Intimate Theatre, the Little Theatre and the Arena Theatre.

So maybe you don’t know that much about the university you attend. Or you only have classes on Upper Campus. Perhaps you’ve only ever seen Medical Campus. It’s okay.

Thats why we are here.

VARSITY takes the time travel to all of UCT’s campuses so that you never have to and lets you know the ins and outs of your university.

Middle and Lower Campus are separated from Upper Campus by the University’s sports fields and the M3 highway.

Location: In the suburbs of Rondebosch, Rosebank and Mowbray.

Faculties include: Law Faculty, The South African College of Music, the School of Economics, most of the residences, most of the University’s administrative offices and various sporting facilities.

Middle & lower Campus

university UCT was formally established as a university in 1918.

Medical campus

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Middle Campus cafeteria

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Today, UCT is considered one the most diverse universities in South Africa.

The Medical School was established in 1902 to 1918, as well as the introduction of Engineering courses and the Department of Education.

Medical Campus cafeteria

UCT’s state-of-the-art artificial grass soccer field has been officially approved by FIFA for training World Cup teams.

The B Theatr axter e situate Centre is d on L ow Camp us and er wa establ ished s i 1977. n

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The UCT Graduate School of Business is located on the Breakwater Lodge Campus at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

Know your

Upper, Middle and Lower Campuses are known as the Groote Schuur Campus.

UCT Legends: Among UCT’s more than 100 000 alumni, UCT is proud to include Professor Christian Barnard, the worldrenowned heart surgeon, as well as three Noble Prize Peace laureates, Sir Aaron Klug, Professor Alan Macleod Cormack and JM Coetzee.

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Created By: Krysia Gaweda Images By: Khanyisa Panini, Sofia Gilli and Krysia Gaweda

Upper Campus

Upper Campus cafeteria

Upper Campus is considered UCT’s main teaching campus.

Location: Rhodes Estate on the slopes of Devils Peak.

Faculties include: Science, Engineering, Commerce and Humanities (except for the Arts departments).

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Medical Campus Quad The Faculty of Health Sciences is located on the Medical School campus next to the Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory.

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A safer style

Things to wear that will render you immune to the on-street attackers Daniël Geldenhuys I used to think it was convenient living four houses away from a 7 Eleven. The inconvenient truth hit when my landlord informed me that five men in cars pulled up to the shop, casing the joint’s cigarettes and leaving the floor a violent shade of scarlet.

Worried about my safety and in the mood for tea, I ran over to a friend whose father works in

Nobody’s going to rob someone who looks like they escaped a mental asylum the police. If anything, my chat with Jane has made me even more paranoid. She informed me that petty criminals use apartments to spy on civilians who park their cars at shopping centres. If they spot you putting something valuable in your boot, your registration number is promptly read out to a willing accomplice who will relieve you of your belongings. Not even Cavendish is safe.

I say it’s time we fight back and scare those thieves back to their dingy dungeons. That means it’s time to throw insecurities to the

wind and start dressing downright outlandish.

And although wearability is the holy grail of runway these days, the fall 2014 collections have plenty of ideas that not only look fierce, but are completely robber proof.

For the men, DSquared2 is a good place to start. Designers Dan and Dean Caten would have told all the fearful Capetonians to fight fire with fire: their menswear collection was inspired by prison, scattered with “Caten’s Penitentiary” hoodies and thugstyle beanies. But how to deter danger on the streets? I think their closing outfit would be the safest bet: an off-white stray jacket, shorts, socks and boots. Nobody’s going to rob someone who looks like they escaped a mental asylum.

A fashion house synonymous with style so bold it verges on costume is Comme des Garçons.

The fear factor in their menswear collection is not so much what the models were wearing but their hairstyles. Style.com’s Tim Blanks (who was at the show) describes it best: “...a long, glossy protuberance which dangled in front of the models’ faces was viewed by some as mosquito’s proboscis, by others as an alien face-hugger.”

Meanwhile, at the Comme womenswear show, a Dementor-

chic dress that looks as though the model was walking around inside an old fabric sack went down the runway. Whether the model’s hair was different to the menswear show we’ll never know, as her face was not visible from under the bag-dress. The point is, nobody’s going to rob someone who looks like they’ve already been attacked by an alien, or might be an alien themselves.

The new creative directors at Marc by Marc Jacobs, Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley, rocked New York with their all-American super-tough skater girls. One model rocked a grass green karate suit with a maxi black belt and heavy-duty boots. Nobody’s going to rob someone who looks like they could karate chop them into the next dimension.

It would appear these runway creations have solved my problem.

Well, not really. We Capetonians don’t have access to these clothes – it’s a sad fact of life, like petty crime. It seems I’ll just have to walk down the road wearing five different sweaters (tied around my waist, neck, arms – you get the picture) and hope for the best.

Nobody’s going to rob someone who looks like they’re wearing all their clothes at the same time, right?

Kirstenbosch unleashes “Boomslang” A new design hits our old Botanical Gardens Nicole Mirkin Kirstenbosch. There’s no place like Kirstenbosch. Our very own spectacular botanical garden, situated on the likes of the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. If you’re looking to admire some indigenous flora and do some wild, rambunctious gallivanting throughout it, this is your number one go-to place.

If you’re a Capetonian, you’re nodding, thinking yes, I remember catching tadpoles, climbing trees and finding abnormally large spiders in the crevices of the many sculptural displays on show. Those were the days. You’re thinking how it wasn’t just great while you were a kid, but how it’s still remarkable. Not only is it the ideal romancing playground for dates, but it’s also host to many summer night concerts. And, like its beautiful landscape, Kirstenbosch just keeps getting better. To celebrate their centenary last year (1913-2013), the gardens decided to mark the occasion by undertaking a unique new project.

They decided to unleash a 130 metre long Boomslang in their Arboretum.

Fear not. No, this isn’t Anaconda and no, we are not on a plane. The Boomslang we’re talking about is a discreet, almost invisible steel and timber walkway which takes off from the ground, winds its way through the Arboretum forest then bursts through the canopy treetops to reveal jaw-dropping views. In some places, it takes you well over 11.5m

above the ground.

The Boomslang’s initial construction began in June last year and is set to be completed by the end of March 2014, followed by an official opening in midApril. The masterminds behind the structure are Mark Thomas Architects and Henry Fagan & Partners, a collaboration that has performed wonders throughout the construction.

The walkway is low maintenance and has caused minimal disruption to its surrounding environment.

“The treetop ‘Boomslang’ walkway through the Kirstenbosch gardens is a wonderful addition to this already world-class attraction,” says Bryan Teare (25), a young engineer passionate about the environment. “A lot can be learnt from the manner in which the project team went about the design and construction, managing to avoid any damage to the ecologically sensitive area. This proves that it’s certainly possible to produce top-class, beautiful structures while still preserving the surrounding environment, and should serve as an example for future projects both big and small.”

The concept of being able to experience a forest, from high above it, is fundamentally exciting – our previous experiences with nature cannot come close to how spectacular this is going to be. We’ve been given the chance to see the world as it’s experienced by birds, monkeys and other treetop creatures.

I, for one, cannot wait to see how our beautiful Cape Town looks from this new perspective.

One man orchestra Ryno Nortjé collaboration between Casimi Guitars and Guy Buttery bodes well for the South African music scene.

The guitar is alive in his hands.

Guy bends, strums and plucks at the strings, creating an orchestra of sound.

For years now he has mesmerised audiences with his finger-style guitar playing. On this occasion the multiaward winning Guy takes the crowd on a musical journey with his newly gifted custom built Casimi guitar.

Beautifully constructed of African Blackwood, Carpathian Spruce and Carbon Fiber, Guy’s newest guitar was built for him by Matthias Roux and Matthew Rice of Casimi Guitars. “There are a handful of people in the world that can work to the standard that Matthius can work to,” says Rice. Having built more than 200 custom guitars over his 12 years of service at Maingard guitars, Matthias felt it was time to move on.

He joined forces with Matthew and they started Casimi guitars at the end of 2011.

It’s the old school techniques and immense understanding of the acoustic properties of wood that make this guitar so unique. “We met up and discussed in depth what he wanted from the guitar, watched him play and gauged his technique and what he would require from an instrument,” recalls Roux.

He, Rice and Guy were all involved in the process.

In 2002, Guy became the youngest SAMA nominee when, at age 19, he

A

Image: Ryno Nortje

was nominated for Best Instrumental Album of the Year and Best Newcomer of the Year.

In 2010, Guy won a SAMA in the Best Instrumental category and has taken home The Standard Bank Golden Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown twice.

“I like for people to bring their own philosophies and ideologies to the music,” says Guy. “There’s not necessarily a clear message because it’s instrumental.”

Don’t be surprised if you see Guy arriving at a venue with an enormous saw in his bag. This is all a part of the show. He takes the saw out and plays it using a bow, creating something of a Martian-folk song. His interest in sound exploration has lead to many moving performances and he is very much aware of his audience.

“When people have an emotional response to a piece of music it has a lot to do with them as human beings and where they are in their life,” he says.

Guy can often be seen experiencing a deep connection with his music while performing, at times seeming lost in the sound he is producing.

Guy’s music has taken him around the world playing at events like Australia’s Big Day Out and The Clapham Grand in London. His new Casimi is bound to make a few international stops as well, which is sure to give the South African brand good exposure.

Roux and Rice were more than happy to build this guitar for Guy commenting, “It’s a real honour to see a Cassimi guitar in the hands of Guy Buttery.” says Roux.

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A tattoo-deflowerment The Tattoo-Virgin diarises her first ink and visit to the Cape Tattoo Expo.

Candice Land he pain is not addictive. I discovered that as the ink gun was pressed to my ribs. With an audience of expo-goers watching my facial expression, I tried to smile and act calm. All of my spectators were covered in tattoos and it was very clear that this was my first. I think my smile was really more of a grimace. The history of tattoos came to the forefront of my mind during this short, intense, experience. Tattooing was an ancient ritual used to claim something – manhood, womanhood, the first kill. The process of pain enhanced the experience with a deeper sense of clarity and the symbolism marked into the skin became more intentional and significant.

The pain does add a sentimentality and the permant inking of the experience is a valuable gesture. Manuela Gray, owner of Wildfire Tattoos, agrees that while

T

Image: Daniel Walsh

Hope for hemp

it becomes easier to do with time, the act of getting tattooed and its addictive connotations is to do with the personality of the individual. The person obsessed with marking their skin is also very likely to be addicted to coffee, exercise, or shopping.

There is however the light addiction, to the sense of clarity and strength.

I can bear witness to that as I think of my own tattoo, designed by a talented friend and artist, Tarryn Inggs Gordon; being transferred from paper to skin.

The one responsible for my tattoo-deflowerment was Rico – a fellow Eastern Cape home-boy who specialises in illustrations, colour and line-work. Rico has been tattooing for seven years and is one of the group of friendly artists that welcome passer-bys into Wildfire Tattoos in Long Street. While Rico set up, I had the opportunity to wander the stalls of a well executed Tattoo Expo.

The Cape Tattoo Expo pulled out all the stops. There were vendors, artists and even a reptile takeover

as tanks of venomous snakes from Asia and West Africa captivated onlookers. One stall-holder, Ella, stood out as a tattoo-virgin herself amongst a crowd of expo-goers; she was easy to spot. When asked why she had not yet done the deed, she replied, “My parents would have my head on a stick!” For her first tattoo she wants a tribute tattoo to her grandad, his star sign and birthdate.

Manuela Gray commented that while Miami Ink did a good job at overkilling the memory tattoo, it is still one of the most common motives for initiating body art.

It ties directly with the marking of a massive life event, by adding a sense of clarity and a pain to remember the strength endured.

My own new tattoo, an ink imprint of my love for my sister, will be a part of me forever and by extending what was in my heart to be visibly seen on my skin – I can now relate to, and understand, the strong connection of memory, art and pain.

The Flappy Bird frenzy

The legalisation of hemp farming in South Africa could present a great opportunity for our nation

Ryno Nortjé As you read this, there are two hectares of hemp growing in the Western Cape. This is part of the Western Cape Farm Hemp Trial, which aims to demonstrate the viability of growing hemp as an industrial crop in South Africa.

Hemp is a wonder-plant that can be used to produce food, clothing and shelter. Hemp seed is considered more “complete” in terms of its amino acid composition than our more common forms of protein such as eggs, meat and milk. The fibre of the hemp plant is used in the production of clothing and, if you know where to look around Cape Town, you can find a house made out of and furnished entirely with hemp.

Hemp forms a part of the cannabis family, meaning it is related

Image: flickr/RockPortraitPhotography

to marijuana, hence it is not legal to farm. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the chemical responsible for getting you high when you smoke dagga and comprises only 1% of the hemp plant’s composition. Part of the on-going trial is to prove to the government that the hemp plant cannot be used as a narcotic.

Tony Budden, co-founder of Hemporium, is passionate about showcasing the possibilities of industrial hemp. As the co-founder of Hemporium, he forms an integral part of the team working on the Western Cape Farm Hemp Trial.

“The aim of the first year of the trial was to identify the right varieties of hemp to grow and get the farmers to understand a little bit more about growing for commercial purposes.” says Budden.

The second year is about getting maximum yield. The larger the harvest, the more potential for the production of hemp products.

These potential products include paper, biofuel, fabrics, shoes, rope, insulation, hempcrete (a strong, light and durable cement), animal bedding, bread, milk, soap and shampoo – just to name a few.

Hemp holds amazing potential, so it should come as no surprise that over 30 countries, including Australia, Canada, China and Great Britain, are producers of industrial hemp. According to Budden, China intends on creating three million jobs in the hemp industry over the next ten years. The trial is set to end in 2015 but not before overcoming the many challenges that lie ahead.

“We need to now create the demand, justify why we need to grow more to the government, look for partners and look for people who can use industrial hemp within the South African context,” he says, “We want to see hemp change the way we create jobs, build houses and feed people in this country.”

Image: flickr/Desiree Catani

Shannon Krausey It was the Facebook post that did it: “Flappy Bird. It's worse than Candy Crush.” I’d seen a few friends uploading pictures of their “high” scores of nine onto Facebook but, other than that, Flappy Bird remained a mystery to me.

As a Candy Crush addict, the post sent me into a wild frenzy of curiosity: how could anything be more addictive than Candy Crush? I had to download it. I logged onto the App Store and— what the flap?—there was no Flappy Bird to be found.

Why did the game’s Vietnamese developer, Don Nguyen, decide to take it down? Flappy Bird was number one in the App Store and was bringing in $50 000 (R538 000) a day from in-app advertising. However, the fame and the money were too much for Nguyen, and he tweeted: “I cannot take this anymore,” and that Flappy Bird had “ruin[ed] his simple life”.

It wasn’t just Nguyen not being able to handle his instant fame, or the accusations of him copying sound and art from Mario Brothers, that caused him to take the game down. Nguyen said that the guilt he felt because

of people’s addictions to the game was affecting his sleep and that he felt much better after taking it down.

So now what do you do?

Flappy Bird has been called “infuriatingly difficult” and addictive, so of course you’ll want to play it. You could try playing one of the hundreds of Flappy Bird knockoffs, such as Splashy Fish. Within 15 hours of Flappy Bird being taken down, Splashy Fish had taken over its number one spot in the App Store.

If you’re keen to try something a little bit different, there are some more interesting knockoffs, like Sesame Street’s “Flappy Bert”, Fall Out Boy’s “Fall Out Bird”, or the Miley Cyrus version “Flying Cyrus” where you have to guide a tongue-wagging Miley Cyrus through a series of wrecking balls and sledgehammers.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Flappy Bird is going to make a comeback. But why should it? With so many alternatives — ranging from the cute to the absolutely bizarre — it seems that the birdy-shaped hole in our lives has been filled before most of us even realised it was there. And if you do feel the need for something to keep you entertained during a long wait in the Jammie queue, try downloading one of the new games — you will regret it.

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You mush be kidding me Mushrooms beneficial to your health, your student budget - and your belly!

Anna Insaam

Ingredients: 500g white mushrooms ¼ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 2 tablespoons virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic reduction 3 sprigs fresh rosemary

Mushrooms are the only fruit or vegetable source of vitamin D. They also have Riboflavin, which helps maintain healthy red blood cells, and potassium, which helps control blood pressure. Mushrooms are also one of the best sources of selenium, which is ideal for vegetarians, as most of us get our fix from animal products.

A large white mushroom has only five calories and at Pick ‘n Pay a 250 gram pack of white mushrooms is R15.00 – proof that healthy eating can be affordable. The recipe below will convince you that it’s also delicious and satisfying! If you’re used to almost burning the house down when let loose in the kitchen we’ve got you covered – this recipe is about as simple and fuss-free as it gets!

Recipe: Rosemary and balsamic baked button mushrooms Serves 5 as a side dish to chicken or fish made with brown rice/mixed vegetables

Method: 1) Preheat the oven to 180°C, shelf on center 2) Rub dirt off mushrooms. Do not rinse them as they are very absorbent and will therefore dilute your flavourings 3) Place mushrooms on a baking sheet with the stems facing up.

4) Strip fresh rosemary from stems, leaving one sprig aside 5) Drizzle olive oil over the mushrooms 6) Season evenly with rosemary, salt and pepper 7) Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms have browned 8) Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar 9) Garnish with rosemary sprig and serve

Top tip: For the newbies in the kitchen, don’t forget to turn that oven of yours off and to be equipped with heat resistant gloves for the hot baking sheet!

Image: Aylin Erman

It’s time to get wasted on campus Abigail Munroe

E

ver walked past the bins on campus and wondered how successful our recycling system really is? On Saturday I sat down with Jigisha Mandalia, Green Campus Initiative’s waste management co-ordinator, to discuss refuse and recycling.

So what’s the deal with the bins?

“What we originally had was a four-bin system, but people found that quite confusing so we decided to simplify it to two bins,” says Mandalia, “These are recyclable and non-recyclable: green and yellow.”

Our waste is then removed and transported by Wasteman, UCT’s contractor, to their site. Only items in white bin bags, found in the green bins, are sorted out whereas items in black bin bags, found in yellow bins, are disposed of. There are posters on the bins which state what can be thrown into each one, yet somehow students are still struggling to get this right.

The biggest problem with the

Images: Suzanna Howard current system is that people do not realise that only dry waste can be thrown into the green recyclable bins, otherwise recyclable items are contaminated and cannot be salvaged.

“Students tend to think that coffee

cups are recyclable and so throw them into the recyclable bins, spilling coffee onto the other recyclable items and ruining them,” says Mandalia. They are also throwing dirty packaging and food into them.

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It is important to note is that it is actually better to throw an item into a recyclable bin if one is unsure whether it is recyclable or not (as long as it is dry). That way more items can be recycled as they are later sorted through. Throwing glass into the recyclable bins causes major problems as items are sorted by hand and broken glass becomes a hazard for sorters and prevents sorting.

Also, cigarette butts are definitely non-recyclable. In other words, the recycling process would be a lot more efficient if everyone complied.

So what is GCI currently doing to improve the system? They are working on a campaign called “Enough with the Cups” where

buying a coffee is, for example, R7 and to get a cup with it you have to pay and extra R1.50, otherwise you have to bring your own. “We are trying to get people to bring reusable cups so they save money, the vendors save money and it’s better for the environment.” They are also planning a recycling week and having “green police” standing at bins telling people what’s right and wrong. They hope to run workshops for students, staff and cleaners to teach them about what’s recyclable as well as the importance of recycling. Let’s hope they continue to get through to more and more students and staff so that we can all work together to further reduce our usniversity’s carbon footprint.

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fashion

v73 e2 – 11 March 2014

VARSITY STREET FASHION Images by Michael Love, Luvuyo Doda, Melissa Brown and Aqeelah Hassen

Daniella: Top 3 clothing items: anything velvet, black boots, denim jacket

Alia: Top 3 clothing items: flat cap, baggy shirt, bicycle shorts

Lesedi: Fashion inspiration: my mom, Grace Jones, Lady Gaga

Daniel: Style in 3 words: “Just do it” Aaron: Top 3 clothing items: sweaters, jeans, boots

Yoza: Essential item: dark red lips

Vuyiswa: Top 3 clothing items: white All-Stars, beanies, anything denim

Josie: Top 3 clothing items: Doc Martens, skort-shorts, white double-layered dress

Christopher: Purpose behind style: to be comfortable

Statement piece: long socks and headbands

Dylan: Style in 3 words: hipster Clark Kent

Megan: Favourite place to shop: thrift stores

Athenkosi: Style in 3 words: lady-like, poised, girly

sport

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Cape Epic women’s category set to be competition of the year Gina Ganswyk

T

he Absa Cape Epic welcomes back two-time winners of the event: Sally Bigham (35) of the United Kingdom and partner Esther Süss (39) of Switzerland.

They will be riding as team Meerendal 3 and will take on the challenging 718 kilometres from March 23rd to March 30th later this month.

The women’s category is bound to be as exciting as the men’s this year. Both Süss and Bigham have many accolades to their names.

Süss is a two-time winner, once in the mixed and once in the women’s category. She started riding in 1998 and was crowned Marathon World Champion in 2010. Süss has won a silver medal (2009) and three bronze medals (2011, 2012, 2013) at the Marathon World Championships.

In 2013, she also won a bronze medal at the Cross-Country World Championships and became Swiss Cyclist of the Year for the second time (first in 2010). At 38, she placed fifth in the London Olympics, racing against women 10 or more years younger. Her European history includes a gold medal at the 2008 and 2010 European Marathon Championships as well as a silver medal at the 2012 Cross-country European Championships.

Bigham holds two Absa Cape Epic wins, both in the women’s category. She has won the British National Marathon Championship

Image: Gina Ganswyk Women in sports: Esther Suss (Left) and Sally Bigham (Right) will ride the Cape Epic as a team this year four times, and the Transalp twice (2012, 2013). She finished in second place in the World Marathon Championships in 2012 and 2013 and placed first overall in the 2011 UCI World Marathon Rankings.

She won the Andalucía Bike Race in both 2011 and 2012. She has won eight Absa Cape Epic stages in her career.

Bigham holds a PhD degree and started mountain biking in 2006.

“I started for fun and then it took over. I really like the Absa Cape Epic. It’s an iconic race and a real adventure. It’s all about suffering and fortunately I like to suffer. I’ve been preparing well and Esther is the perfect partner for me. We’ll

give it one hundred percent and see what we can do.”

Süss adds: “Of course it’s nice to win a stage, but it’s better to win

Bigham is of the opinion that the Absa Cape Epic is “addictive” the overall!”

With regards to their training together, Bigham comments: “We raced the Absa Cape Epic together and won in 2012 and we've raced against each other plenty of times in solo races, so we don't need to

train together so much. We’ll ride together the week before the start of the event.”

Süss adds: “Sally is from Great Britain and I’m from Switzerland, Sally is also professional and I’m only semi-professional. I work as a teacher, so we’ll hardly ever train together.”

Süss believes it is paramount to work as a team. Bigham reckons good preparation and a strong mind are very important in this race. “I really look forward to the atmosphere. I love it, and of course the amazing scenery and places that we'll visit.”

Süss adds: “I’m also really excited to see the racing in the women’s

category this year.”

In 2010, 2011 and 2012 Bigham rode a hard tail 26er. “This year I’ll be riding a full suspension 29er. Bikes have changed a lot since 2010 and my new Canyon Lux is light and fast. Riding this bike leaves me feeling less tired at the end of the stages which means I can give more the next day.” Süss has been riding Wheeler in all her Absa Cape Epic events.

Bigham is of the opinion that the Absa Cape Epic is “addictive” and says she does not balance training and her private life. She hopes for health and happiness in 2014, as well as “medals at big championship races including the Worlds and Europeans”.

Süss says: “I’d really like to win the Absa Cape Epic with Sally, and also to win a medal at the World Championship Marathon in Pietermaritzburg and at the World Cross-country Champs in Norway.”

From March 23rd to March 30th, all eyes will be on the Western Cape as the world's top riders vie for a position in what is billed to be the most competitive event in the race’s history. Covering a distance of 718km with 14 850m of climbing, the race will finish eight days later at Lourensford Wine Estate.

Follow the Absa Cape Epic at www.cape-epic.com, on Twitter (@absacapeepic), Facebook (www. facebook.com/capeepic) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/

Goodbye 2014…and… HURRY WINTER OF 2018 Vanessa Weich We say goodbye to another successful Winter Olympic Games that was held in the Black Sea Resort in a small town by the name of Sochi in Russia. It is an international multi-sport event that people have come to love over the many years that it has been alive.

Another four years have gone in the blink of an eye in an exciting and exuberating short space of time. From February 7th to February 23rd, the world’s viewers were on the edge of their seats screaming and cheering for a memorable 17 days of snow and memories. The closing ceremony of this sports extravaganza was held on February 23rd at the Fisht Olympic Stadium. This was the time and place where Russia, being the host of the Winter Olympic Games 2014, rekindled their triumph and dominance as they walked away in victory winning the entire tournament.

During the Winter Games, 88 countries with 3 000 athletes took courage and competed to share a bonding experience with both one another and their hometowns.

These countries competed for 98 metals in total.

Russia walked away with 33 in

total: 13 gold, 11 silver and nine bronze; congratulations to Russia.

It was a world class event that kept everyone glued to their screens like hot ice. An event we cannot wait to click repeat on in the years to come.

The top three countries that kept everyone “hot” on their seats in the Winter Games were the hosting country Russia, Norway and Canada, which received the top three ranks respectively. These Winter Olympic Games allowed countries like Zimbabwe and Morocco, where snow is virtually non-existent, to showcase their talent. This served as clear proof that commitment and belief are key

Russia...walked away in victory winning the entire tournament ingredients to achieving success on a global stage.

Before long we shall again witness the Winter Olympic Games in the beautiful county of Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018. It will be South Korea’s debut as a host nation of the Winter Games. They were ranked 13th at the Sochi Games after receiving three gold, three silver and two

Image: flickr.com/KOREA bronze medals. At the closing ceremony, Anatoly Pakhomov, Sochi’s mayor, handed the Olympic Flag, which is symbolic of the Winter Games, to the mayor of Pyeongchang, Lee Seok-rae. Cheers

and excitement roared within the stadium as this honour took place.

This symbolic flag will be kept in South Korea’s possession for the next four years until the Winter Games commences again in 2018.

At the end of the closing ceremony, South Korea put on a picturesque performance with the hope that they might be the ones responsible for reuniting the world in harmony in the near future.

Sport VARSITY

FIXTURES Waterpolo

Varsity Cup

March 19th

March 17th

WITS RUGBY STADIUM

UCT SWIMMING POOL

WITS vs. UCT

UCT Jaboolie Waterpolo League Round 4

Ikeys impress yet again Megan Kinnaird Monday, March 3rd, saw a furious return-to-form for the Ikey Tigers when they overcame UJ 37-29 in Johannesburg in the fifth round of the Varsity Cup. The game saw UCT dominate the scrums and line-outs, and whilst UJ fought passionately to get back into the match, UCT were determined, patient and maintained the intensity throughout.

As we have come to expect from the side, UCT flew out the gate, and gained a 21-0 lead just 13 minutes into the game. The first try came after an early mistake from UJ, leading to the first scrum of the game. From that the ball got into the hands of right-wing Richard Stewart who dotted down the ball in the corner. The second lot of points came at the hands of eighth man Vince Jobo who managed to score when the Tigers overturned a five-metre scrum on the UJ line.

Next up, fullback Ross Jones-Davies scooped up the ball after UJ fumbled a clearing kick, gave a massive hand-off and crashed over on the left hand side.

With Grant nailing two of the three conversions, UCT were left 21-0 up.

Just before the first strategy

break, UJ got themselves onto the scoreboard with a try by winger PJ Walters, after UCT’s Huw Jones was yellow carded for what was deemed cynical play. UJ took further

Keeping their cool in a tense situation, the Ikeys continued to dominate the scrums advantage of being one man up with David Antonites crashing over the line after a powerful driving maul.

Fullback Marais Schmidt added both conversions to bring the scoreboard to 21-16.

Keeping their cool in a tense situation, the Ikeys continued to dominate the scrums and consequently sent loose forward Guy Alexander over, securing the side a bonus point. Grant’s conversion brought the score up to a healthy 29-16 lead at half-time.

UJ’s attempted come-back after half-time was stopped in its tracks when both UJ captain Jaques Pretorius and lock Shane Kirkwood were sent to the sin bin for foul play, leaving the hosts reeling with only 13 men on the

Image: SASPA

field. The Tigers took full advantage, pushing UJ back to their try line and speedster Lihleli Xoli burst over the white untouched. Grant secured the conversion, yet again, and UCT went up 37-16.

With Kirkwood and Potgieter returning to the field, UCT’s Martin Sauls was then sent off for taking a man out in the air. UJ made use of this, securing their third try, which Schmidt converted: 37-24. Another try by the hosts at the hands of Walters was the final score of the match, bringing the final score to 37-29 in favour of the Tigers.

Their first game loss against log-

leaders NWU-Pukke left the side staggering. However, they bounced back and defeated familiar rivals Maties on their own turf, and they followed that up with another win on the road against NMMU. And now the boys have done it again, recovering from a 26-16 fourth round loss to Tuks and scoring a massive five tries against UJ, moving themselves up from fifth place on the log into the third spot.

Reminiscing on this, coach Kevin Musikanth said: “The pride with which we defended our try line and the patience that we as a team showed in the last five minutes when UJ were trying to pull the win from behind,

was a sign of how far the squad has come and developed into a team since our first disappointing home game against Pukke.”

In terms of what they did differently this time round, he went on, “We have tried to have a different theme within the camp every week. This week we had an attacking theme which paid dividends with us scoring some good tries.”

Last night, as you know, UCT took on the Shimlas at home in the sixth round of the Varsity Cup. To find out more about the game, and to see a match report, visit www. varsitynewspaper.co.za.

UCT football gear up for a stellar season playing for Ajax Cape Town I scored the fastest goal (12 seconds) in the PSL in a game against Orlando Pirates. It’s a record I share today with former Bafana Bafana player Gerald Stober. Another highlight was definitely playing for Rostov FC against Spartak Moscow in the

IVF CAPE TOWN

Hendricks was attracted to UCT by the club’s fighting spirit and friendly environment.

Image:Julia Cassar

Julia Cassar With the new year comes a new and improved coaching staff for UCT’s Football Club. 2014 sees the introduction of three new coaches: Rowan Hendricks as Head Coach, Vorgen Less as the Men’s 2nd team coach and Tracey van Heerden as the Ladies’ 2nd team coach. Added to this are talented and dedicated coaches Gary Wymers, Winston

Zeederberg and Seidu Kassum.

Former Assistant Coach to USSA Nationals bronze medalists, the University of the Free State, Hendricks was attracted to UCT by the club’s fighting spirit and friendly environment. “There is a desire to achieve success here,” says the former Eintracht Frankfurt player. When asked what his most unforgettable football memory was, he says he can’t decide. “While

Russian Cup final.”

After two weeks of men’s trials, Hendricks believes the coaching staff has selected four strong men’s teams and two solid ladies’ teams. “This year is going to be a great year for UCT Football. We have some very talented players,’’ said Hendricks.

Men’s 2nd team coach, Vorgen Less, another well-known name in the football fraternity, played for Hellenic and represented South Africa. Tracey van Heerden, a name synonymous with UCT’S Football Club, is the Ladies 2nd team coach.

She has a wealth of experience on UCT’S Kopano astroturf as she has played for the UCT Ladies’ 1st team for six years.

Catch the UCT Football Club in action down at the Kopano astroturf.

USSA action kicks off in April and the second edition of the Varsity Football competition begins in July.

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PLEASE CONTACT GREG 021 506 4136 (office hours) or email greg@aevitas.co.za