6 May 2020 | Volume 79 | Edition 4
Hunger Crisis as Government Struggles with Relief Pay-outs
Lerato Botha
Source: The South African
How the government’s slowed attempt to pay-out funds as part of the relief under lockdown has left struggling communities without the means to sustain themselves.
S
outh Africa has been placed under tremendous strain as a result of the socio-economic damage that the Coronavirus has had on our nation. In addition to many citizens currently being without jobs or the freedom of mobility, the resources that have been put in place to provide citizens with financial relief during this time have also made limited progress.
Similarly, the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) payments also seem to have become stagnant. Although Minister of Employment and Labour, Mr. Thulas Nxesi, stated that by the end of Wednesday, April 22nd, “the UIF paid out R1.6 billion [of ] the monies set aside for Covid-19”, they are still struggling with the thousands of claims they receive from all over the country. In addition, many business owners have expressed problems with making their claims through the online portal, to which the As much as government has made Minister responds that “The system was never a great effort in keeping the South African [designed] to face such a huge demand… In economy afloat during this trying time, the terms of the system, we are not going to be fact that this virus is new to all of us means able to deliver as we are supposed to”. that despite our best efforts, there is still room for growth when coming up with potential solutions. As citizens, we play a crucial role in “The system was never [designed] to face such combating this virus and our unpredictable a huge demand… In terms of the system, we nature can either benefit or be the downfall of are not going to be able to deliver as we are these strategies. supposed to.” As we have already seen, the allocation of social grants in the form of pension pay-outs and child grants earlier in the lockdown period resulted in complete chaos; long and crowded queues inhibited the ability to practice social distancing. Additionally, misunderstandings with regards to the collection times of each group resulted in funds running out. “ ... by the end of Wednesday, April 22nd, “the UIF paid out R1.6 billion for the monies set aside for Covid-19,”
With the government struggling to release these funds on time, people living on a day-to-day basis have grown restless as they become desperate for money to feed themselves and their families. People have even begun demanding to return to the workplace before the end of the lockdown, which could hinder the goal of limiting the spread of the virus.
“people living on a day-to-day basis have grown restless as they become desperate for money to feed themselves and their families.” Some civilians in the Western Cape have resorted to violence and criminal behaviour in their desperation, with 35 looters ending up in police custody by April 24th. Desperate families have also reached out to multiple Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for help via email. Organisations such as Operation Hunger, who had previously received around 20 to 30 requests for help are currently receiving five times that amount which has presented a great challenge for these groups who also strive to play their part. The government has recognised this issue which has influenced President Ramaphosa’s pledge of a R50 billion support package to be channelled into healthcare, vital municipal services and social relief – as announced on Tuesday, April 24th. Many hope to see the government learning from their prior mistakes and managing to issue these funds as efficiently as possible in order to save the lives of many vulnerable South Africans.
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 2
NEWS
Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories Theories that the virus is a Chinese bioweapon are not backed by science, and neither is China’s official explanation for the origins of the pandemic.
Source: VOICEOFAMERICA
Jack Phillips
A
long with the emergence of COVID-19, so have a myriad of theories as to its origin arisen. On February 13th, Fox News lent subtle credence to the theory that the virus was manufactured as a bioweapon in a Chinese laboratory. They entertained the bioweapon theory by drawing parallels with a 1981 novel by Dean Koontz, which describes biological warfare by means of a Chinese-manufactured virus. “They entertained the bioweapon theory by drawing parallels with a 1981 novel by Dean Koontz...”
The Washington Post also released an article, written by Josh Rogin who obtained one of two cables, which in 2018 were sent to the USA by the US embassy in Beijing that, “Warned about safety and management weakness at the WIV lab and proposed more attention and help”. WIV is the Wuhan Institute of Virology in which 1500 virus strains are kept, including coronaviruses. “...COVID-19 was not man-made, but came from nature.”
This, paired with the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) secrecy Three days later, Fox News gave seriousness to this theory again and misinformation, has created a veritable atmosphere of mistrust with in an interview with Republican senator, Tom Cotton, who didn’t dis- Bloomberg headlines reading: “Cooperate With China on Coronavirus count biological warfare as a viable explanation for the origin of the But Don’t Trust It”. The official explanation given by the Chinese governvirus saying: “We need to at least ask the question to see what the evi- ment was that it started in a seafood market in Wuhan where the virus dence says, and China right now is not giving evidence on that question transmitted from bats being sold there. This has since been debunked by a study published in the widely respected medical journal, “The Lanat all.” cet”, that demonstrated that many of the initial COVID-19 cases had no link with the market whatsoever. “We need to at least ask the question to see what the evidence says, and The Global Times, a news outlet under the auspices of the CCP, China right now is not giving evidence on that question at all.” published an article on April 16th doubting that the virus could have originated in China at all, explaining that the first known case of the vi That question has since been answered and there is now a sol- rus was found in China, but that isn’t definitive proof that it originated id scientific basis for the theory that COVID-19 was not man-made, but there. came from nature. The current theory to have taken its place is that the Ultimately, the origin of the virus is yet to be determined and virus emerged, to quote Fox News, “In the Wuhan Lab, not as a bioweap- on, but as China’s effort to find and deal with viruses to show the world current speculations as to whether it leaked from a lab are based on susthat China was as good as, or better than the US on that front”. This the- picion, but as an article in Vox points out, “The probability of the virus jumping from animals to humans outside the lab is much higher than ory is based on testimonies from unidentified sources. the virus infecting humans inside the lab”. Furthermore, the coronavirus When asked about this by a Fox News journalist, Trump respond- es kept in the WIV, according to disease ecologist Peter Daszak, are “not ed, “More and more we’re hearing this story… we are doing a very thor- [the new coronavirus], SARS-CoV-2”. ough examination”.
NEWS
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4| Page 3
Court Decrees: Abortion Still Allowed
Update to the academic calendar Understanding the academic calendar for the upcoming second term and online learning
in Tennessee during Pandemic After Tennessee governor Bill Lee placed a 3-week ban on all abortions in the US state, a federal judge ruled in favour of pro-choice organisations.
Source: NBC News
Jeremy Simpson
A
federal judge on Friday, April 24th, prevented the Tennessee state government from blocking abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pro-choice organisations assert that officials are using the pandemic as a justification to prohibit the procedure, arguing that the ban is arbitrary since childbirth requires more resources and hosTennessee’s Republican gover- pital space than abortion does. nor, Bill Lee, issued a state order limiting access to non-essential healthcare procedures in order “They contend that this ban could to preserve the state’s medical re- expose some women to increased sources for the COVID-19 response medical risks as a result of prolonged on April 8th. This order, while ini- pregnancies. “ tially unclear, included banning abortions. Republican governors in oth“This order, while initially unclear, er states, such as Louisiana, Ohio included banning abortions.” and Texas, have also issued similar orders. In Louisiana, The Centre Spokesman for Gov. Lee, Gillum for Reproductive Rights has filed Ferguson, issued a statement say- against a similar ban put in place ing that the order is there to “limit by the state. close contact procedures that are unsafe during the COVID-19 panJudge Bernard Friedman of the demic,” in order to save Personal U.S. District Court of Tennessee Protective Equipment (PPE). On temporarily blocked the order, writSunday, April 26th, Tennessee had ing in his opinion that “Abortion is a over nine-thousand confirmed cas- time-sensitive procedure. Delaying es of the novel Coronavirus and a woman’s access to abortion even 178 deaths. by a matter of days . . . can result in her losing the right to obtain an In response to this, pro-choice abortion altogether.” organisations, such as Planned Parenthood and the Centre for ReFollowing the U.S District Court productive Rights, took the gover- ruling, the state appealed the decinor to court, arguing that such an sion, taking the matter to the U.S. order imposes an undue burden Court of Appeals for the Sixth Ciron women during the pandemic cuit, where the judge upheld the – potentially forcing them to travel lower court’s verdict. In its decision, to other states to get an abortion. the court noted the lack of expert They contend that this ban could and medical evidence to support expose some women to increased its policy. medical risks as a result of prolonged pregnancies.
Roelle Wentzel
T
he DVC’s office sent an e-mail out to the UCT community on April 17th informing them that remote teaching and learning will commence on Tuesday, April 28th. Various online learning technologies will be used to ensure that students are able to complete the academic year successfully, despite the challenges faced by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the week of April 20th, students were provided with information and orientation packages to be better equipped for the change to remote learning.
university is in the process of delivering loan laptops to students who require devices to be able to access remote learning facilities online. Educational websites (including Vula and UCT Libraries) are zero-rated for all Cell C, Telkom and Vodacom users. Students will also be provided with 30-40GB of mobile data in an attempt to curb the high data costs associated with remote learning. Certain students who live in remote areas do not have access to the internet to be able to engage with remote learning facilities. The university has set up the distribution of printed It is expected that the academ- learning materials as well as USB ic year will extend well into De- drives loaded with course matericember 2020 with the potential als. However, due to the lockdown to expand into January 2021, de- restrictions, this is progressing pending on the trajectory of the slowly. The use of telephonic comCOVID-19 pandemic. In response munication with students, such to the unpredictable and volatile as SMSs, which details course upnature of our current situation, dates are being explored. the university has announced that there will be no academic excluThe views from the UCT comsions in 2020. munity surrounding online learning differ. Some feel quite “It is expected that the academic supported by the information proyear will extend well into December vided during orientation week, 2020 with the potential to expand whereas others have expressed anxiety about keeping up with into January 2021...” course work in addition to duties at home. Students are concerned With the exception of some by the unpredictability of the way courses in the Faculty of Engi- forward, causing a great deal of neering and the Built Environ- stress. ment, there will be no formal sitdown examinations at the end of Students are concerned by the the first semester. First-semester unpredictability of the way forward, courses will use continual assess- causing a great deal of stress. ment. With the exception of final The new academic calendar year and law courses, all F-courses will be assessed using the PASS/ presents many challenges and FAIL model and will be excluded students are encouraged to reach from the GPA calculations. To al- out to the university to make sure leviate the academic workload of that they are aware of their needs students during this stressful pe- and concerns. riod, the university has extended the deadline for dropping F-courses to Friday, May 29th, for students who feel it is necessary. UCT has noted the difficulties that online learning presents to many students, including access to devices, the high costs of data, and internet connectivity. The
Source: FORBES
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 4
EDITORIAL
The Collective EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tiyani Rikhotso editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Together We Move
DEPUTY EDITOR Gabriel Vieira editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Tatenda Chibisa managingeditor@varsitynewspaper.co.za SENIOR COPY EDITOR Brad Brinkley copyed@varsitynewspaper.co.za JUNIOR COPY EDITOR Savannah Costello juniorcopyed@varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE EDITOR Kelsey Maggott online@varsitynewspaper.co.za CREATIVE DIRECTOR Micayla Manthe creativedirector@varsitynewspaper.co.za NEWS EDITOR Jeremy Simpson DEPUTY NEWS EDITOR Caitlin Macdonald news@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Brad Brinkley
B
y now I’m sure you’re tired of the phrase “In this uncertain time,” however, it’s still relevant. To many of us, it has always been relevant. As South Africans, we live in political uncertainty. As UCT students, we live in educational uncertainty. It seems that there are attempts to shut down campus every other year. Many of us believe that the end of this pandemic will bring with it the stability that we crave. Even if this were true, we cannot bury our heads in the sand and wait for it to pass. Engage in positive behaviours to take care of your mental health. Being productive, learning, and working can fulfil you. “ ... we cannot bury our heads in the sand and wait for it to pass.” Some of you might rightly ask, “But what of those who are being left behind?” According to the UCT access survey (April 30), 1.5% of students did not have access to a device and 8.3% did not have access to internet. We know UCT is in the process of helping these people. Unfortunately, there have been some cases that have not been reached by UCT’s efforts yet, although laptop deliveries should be finished this week. This pandemic has given us another opportunity to assess the inequalities between students.
FEATURES EDITOR Natasha Nkutu features@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Some have even expressed sentiments of scrapping the academic year to prevent these students from being left behind. In this way, we would not be able to unfairly continue working ahead of the minority of students who do not have the resources to learn at home. This would be an uphill battle for management, as thousands of students (the majority) who are able to learn at home might not agree with this decision. Maybe we should be focusing our efforts on empowering the minority instead. While UCT is providing these students with essential resources, it might be valuable for us to help our less fortunate peers in our own way. Donate your data if you don’t need it. Start a charity, crowdfund or raise awareness. Engage with the SRC about constructive solutions.
OPINIONS EDITOR Julia Rowley opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za SPORTS EDITOR James Braham sports@varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE NEWS EDITOR Seth Meyer onlinenews@varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE FEATURES EDITOR Hannah Van Teylingen DEPUTY ONLINE FEATURES EDITOR Laylaa Edross onlinefeatures@varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE OPINIONS EDITOR Temwani Nyama onlineopinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE LIFESTYLE AND SPORT EDITOR Rukaya Mosavel onlinesport@varsitynewspaper.co.za
“Donate your data if you don’t need it. Start a charity, crowdfund or raise awareness.”
STAFF WRITERS Sarah Lagardien Abdullah William Barron Lerato Botha Nelisa Khwela Stefan Kirsten Bathandwa Magqaza Ntsako Mlambo Asenathi Ntamo Jack Phillips COLUMNIST Mikhail Manuel columnist@varsitynewspaper.co.z SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Salma Noor Mahomed socialmedia@varsitynewspaper.co.za SOCIAL MEDIA CORRESPONDENTS Kendal Davids Zintle Mfaku
While you’re doing this, you have our word that we will continue the work from our side as best we can. We will continue to be the voice of the student populous. We have not missed a single edition this year, despite uprooting our entire organisation. You have my word that it will take more than a global pandemic to keep us quiet .
IMAGES EDITOR Ya’eesh Collins imageseditor@varsitynewspaper.co.za DEPUTY IMAGES EDITOR Phelisa Kosi imageseditor@varsitynewspaper.co.za FINANCE MANAGER Niitembu Augustinus finance@varsitynespaper.co.za ADS MANAGER Ntsako Moavodi ads@varsitynewspaper.co.za HR MANAGER Siphesande Mfaku DEPUTY HR MANAGER Vernita Caeser hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Applications are open for 2020!
MARKETING AND BRANDING MANAGER Nita Naidoo marketing@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Please email hr@varsitynewspaper.co.za if you are interested!
WEB EDITOR Sane Mhloma web@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Brad Brinkley Nelisa Khwela Motsi Macheka Tiyani Rikhotso
DESIGN Micha Mae Cerf Reabetswe Khutsoane Ntsako Moavodi
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 |Page 5
FEATURES
Gender-Based Violence during lockdown: the crisis within the crisis The exponential increase in GBV during the lockdown efforts is very telling about the state of our country.
Source: The South African
Alinaswe Lusengo
O
ver 87 000 reports of gender-based violence were reported to the South African Police Services in the first week of the COVID-19 lockdown sanctioned by the government, according to police minister, Bheki Cele. However the fact checking service “Africheck” has claimed that the real nuber is 2300. Though this figure is staggering and frightening, it is hardly surprising in a country where a woman or femme body is murdered every three hours. While more than half of the world continues to enforce lockdowns, most of these countries have also seen a 50% increase in the number of GBV cases reported.
This is because lockdowns inherently require containment and for some, this means staying in confined spaces with their abusers. Since the beginning of the quarantining, there have already been many haunting reports of people being abused and some even dying at the hands of the abusers they are forced to isolate with. Some may be facing a reality where a man is more likely to kill them than the virus. To compound on this trauma, another consequence of the lockdowns is the disruption of usual support systems and coping mechanisms for victims.
“It is clear to see that the pandemic has agitated the already-dire problem of gender-based violence.”
“Though these efforts are helpful, they are overwhelmed by the influx of demand attributed to the lockdown”
Historically, even before a global pandemic, this issue has been put on the backburner of the government and poorly addressed with flimsy policies and promises. It is clear to see that the pandemic has agitated the already-dire problem of gender-based violence. Surprisingly, the governments who have made a habit out of neglecting the cries of victims are the same ones scrambling to protect people trapped in the same spaces as their abusers.
The South African government, who committed themselves to the fight against gender-based violence after the student-led protests of September, have put structures in place to support victims at this time. This includes data and airtime-free call-lines, SMS services and shelters to house people in need. Though these efforts are helpful, they are overwhelmed by the influx of demand attributed to the lockdown. It is clear that the government needs to increase provisions beyond this and live up to their previous commitments. Quarantining does not create more gender-based violence but reveals what we have always known – gender-based violence is a state of emergency in this country.
“this means staying in confined spaces with their abusers” It is an unfortunate irony that our efforts to save lives through lockdown can be the source of endangerment for so many.
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 |Page 6
FEATURES
Global Citizen Concert: Was WHO the right cause? There are a lot of mixed reviews on WHO’s performance Chloe Kingdom
G
lobal Citizen’s ‘One World: Together at Home’ concert was a two-hour event on Saturday, April 18, consisting of 68 at-home performances delivered by popular entertainers and uploaded to YouTube. Lady Gaga partnered with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to host the concert, which formed part of an eight-hour campaign to thank frontline healthcare workers for their service during the Coronavirus pandemic, and to raise funds for the United Nations (UN) Foundation’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The campaign raised a total of 127 million dollars, of which $55.1m will be donated towards the Response Fund, with the remaining $72.8m donated to charities that support vulnerable communities affected by the pandemic.
Source: Global Citizen
In early April, Trump threatened to withhold WHO funding for the perceived mismanagement of their early response to the pandemic. Global government officials, academics, and NGO’s argue that the WHO’s conciliatory approach to achieve China’s co-operation wasted critical time required to prevent the virus’ spread abroad. Furthermore, member state officials criticise the WHO’s support of strict measures to control the viral outbreak. “Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned countries against politicising the virus.”
“the campaign has been criticised for making a sizable donation to the UN’s Response Fund”
Supporters of the WHO’s response to the pandemic note that the organisation receives criticism for any approach they implement: Slow responses to pandemics are reported as a failure to utilise the full extent of their powers to enforce state co-operation.On the other hand, fast The concert line-up included big-ticket names like John Legend, Lady responses, accompanied by precautionary measures, are deemed to be Gaga, and Taylor Swift. Appearances were also made by entertainers like reactionary, unsubstantiated by data, and potentially harmful to impleBeyoncé, and America’s former First Lady, Michelle Obama. The cam- ment in state governance. paign succeeded in fundraising and entertaining people in their homes. Current Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned countries against politicising the virus in a recent Geneva conference. However, the campaign has been criticised for making a sizable dona- Ghebreyesus’s leadership during the pandemic has been characterised tion to the UN’s Response Fund. These donations fund the WHO’s activi- by alliance-building to assist the WHO’s campaign to coordinate a globties to fulfil their mandate as an advisory body to its 197 member states, al healthcare response. and to provide them with universal healthcare. Member states China, Italy, the UK, and the US, have all been severely affected by the pandemic.
Keeping the Love Alive This Lockdown Tips and tricks on how to connect with your partner during this time of social distancing. Emma Sacco
D
Source: Talkspace
ue to Covid-19, we are all practicing social distancing and “Make an effort every day to make sure your partner knows that you abiding by the lockdown rules. For some this means having to love them and want to make this relationship work, despite the difficult separate from our partners, myself included. This can put a lot of conditions.” strain on a relationship as you may struggle to find fun ways to interact with each other during your time apart. Since lockdown started my boyfriend and I have developed new, interesting ways to communicate 3) Watch TV series together. Download the extension Netflix Party and with each other. Try these simple lockdown relationship hacks to get watch your favourite shows while chatting over Netflix at the same you and your partner back on track! time. If you don’t have Netflix, try watching your favourite programmes and simultaneously texting each other your thoughts. This way you can 1) Play online games together. There are many games on the internet experience your television time together and have something new to where you and your partner can sign up for free and enjoy going on talk about. adventures together online! An example of this kind of game is RuneScape, a classic online game where you can design your characters and 4) Use this distance as a chance to get to know your partner in a new complete tasks together. way. Find interesting, thought-provoking questions to ask each other. You may find some new insights that your partner has that you never 2) Get creative with Skype activities. My boyfriend and I have started knew about. using Skype to connect in many different ways – sometimes he plays the guitar for me, sometimes we make art together, and sometimes 5) Keep the love alive. Make an effort every day to make sure your partwe even bake together! By doing fun activities separately, over Skype, ner knows that you love them and want to make this relationship work, you can connect with your partner by doing creative activities that you despite the difficult conditions. It’s important to let your partner know both enjoy. that even though you may be physically separated, you are always thinking about them and loving them from a distance.
Umemulo kaMbali Mbali Mthembu has recently celebrated her 21st birthday and Umemulo - under lockdown conditions. The photographs that she has shared with Varsity capture a very rare moment of unabridged happiness in a time of such confusion. Mbali reiterated this in saying that: “It was refreshing to celebrate in a time marked with a lot of fear and pain. It reminded me of the joy that my culture brings to its people”. Umemulo is a female coming of age celebration within Zulu culture that typically takes place on her 21st birthday. The celebration has lived with the times, hence the alignment with a girl’s 21st, but some people get it done much earlier or later. The ceremony showcases that the girl who is being celebrated has transformed from a child into a woman who is now ready for the next step in her life. In the week prior to the celebration, the girl child and her friends stay in a house with iqhikiza (a matronly figure) where they are given advice on how to take care of themselves in the next chapter of their lives. Through this ceremony, parents are able to thank their daughter for carrying herself well and can ‘show her off’ to the larger community - inviting them to celebrate her as well. The traditional ceremony utilizes dance and the slaughtering of a cow to symbolize the fruition of womanhood. The tradition has evolved and transformed with modernity, where celebrants have chosen to represent womanhood in various ways. Umemulo is usually planned from adolescence. The celebration enshrines the years of pupillage and study that led to the moment of womanhood. Every detail from attire, food preparation and the ceremony structure is vital to the traditional practice of the celebration. Like many traditions, some of these attributes have been altered in contemporary society – whilst their significance and symbolic meaning remain the same. Dancing is a very important aspect in the Umemulo celebration. The girl experiencing the ceremony must perform a traditional dance: Ukusina. Another symbolic element to the ceremony is the Omkhonto. The Omkhonto is a spear that is thrown in front of guests to signify the ordering of gifts as well as praise. Gifts vary; however, the girl’s parents and guests attach money to her hair within the ceremony. Umemulo is a deeply rich and symbolic event that encapsulates Zulu tradition and connects it to contemporary south African culture. Mbali’s celebration during lockdown illustrates how beautiful and connecting such a ceremony can be.
Images: Anita Maggott Words by: Micayla Manthe
@VarsityNews |6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 8
COLUMN
A response to Dr Lwazi Lushaba’s letter on the politics of online learning A racist rant or a critical analysis of how Covid-19 induced online learning perpetuates inequality Mikhail Manuel
Truth heals divisions. Honesty builds trust. Open dialogue and a humility to be proven wrong build goodwill. This is what our nation needs – truth, honesty, dialogue, and humility; vital ingredients for any critical analysis of the underlying politics. Dr. Lushaba’s letter fails to provide the truth and honesty for which our nation yearns, but I hope that dialogue and humility will be forthcoming. Nobody can deny that Covid-19 has deepened inequality in our country; and the effects of junk status, a far more worrying fact, will also have its day of reckoning. Particularly important to the university context is the impact of online learning. Dr Lushaba does a sterling job at describing the difficulty that online learning presents for the spectrum of socio-economic conditions faced by students across South Africa. But in his efforts to propose an alternative solution to the challenge that universities face, he deepens our divides through sharing racist halftruths. “Dr. Lushaba’s letter fails to provide the truth and honesty for which our nation yearns, but I hope that dialogue and humility will be forthcoming.” Dr. Lushaba casts white South Africans as being wealthy, self-serving, villainous, and racist. He further marks black South Africans as being poor, perpetual victims, the bastion of the human spirit and the teacher of sacrifice. To resolve complex issues, we have to be courageous enough to be frank in our assessments. The letter certainly does not lack any gumption in this regard. It is equally vital that any diagnosis is nuanced enough so that it is as close to the truth as possible. This is where the letter falls short. Racist half-truth #1: White universities vs black universities Dr Lushaba perpetuates Apartheid. Under the guise of frank honesty, the resource disparities between our universities are delineated by race in the letter. However, it fails to diagnose the root of the problem. UCT is not a ‘white university’ and Fort Hare University is not a ‘black university’. Yes, the resource disparity between these two universities began under Apartheid policy, but both university’s ability to overcome the racist Apartheid policies has been significantly undermined by the current government’s decline in funding. A white university and a black university do not exist. Rich universities and poor universities, however, do exist. The resource disparity cannot be laid at the feet of a racist agenda, without addressing the failure of our national government to adequately manage its finances.
Racist half-truth #2: “Corporate South Africa (read white South Africa)” Dr Lushaba does not care about transformation. The notion that corporate South Africa is synonymous with white South Africans can only be held if one is blind to the realities that corporate South Africa faces today. White South Africans certainly own the majority of corporate South Africa, but Dr Lushaba’s absolutist statement ignores the truth. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange and our National Treasury puts black corporate ownership at 23 percent. Therefore, corporate South Africa cannot be read ‘white South Africa’; it must be read ‘diverse, but majority owned by white people’. Racist half-truth #3: “Poor/black” and philanthropy is racist Dr Lushaba is oppressive. To write “poor/black” denigrates black South Africans as always poor. I understand what is trying to be conveyed – that the majority of black people in South Africa are poor. But it is a fallacy that to be poor is to be black and to be black is to be poor. The observation that poor South Africans will have to navigate online learning in more difficult environments than rich South Africans is a sober reminder of our inequality. What is concerning though is the argument that Dr Lashaba uses to challenge the university’s attempts to overcome this problem. The provision of laptops and internet data is derided as philanthropy, which, according to Dr Lushaba can only act with malicious intent. Philanthropy is complicated, it often creates power relations that distort societies. However, to say that philanthropy has a whole seeks to “manufacture people as black/poor” is misguided. There are philanthropists who act with genuine good will to navigate the complexities of power. “Philanthropy is complicated, it often creates power relations that distort societies.” As a whole the letter does more harm than good. It relies on absolutist half-truths to deepen our racial divides by avoiding the facts. Dr Lushaba prefers the narrative that black people will forever be poor and victimised, and white people will forever be wealthy, villainous, and racist. What nonsense to have our identities determined by arbitrary characteristics like skin colour. This letter should trigger a moment of mourning, because the very person entrusted with the responsibility to pursue truth and justice, and to teach this to our future leaders, has instead turned to perpetuate Apartheid, ignore transformation, and oppress students, academics, and our nation alike.
“A white university and a black university do not exist. Rich universities and poor universities, however, do exist.”
DISCLAIMER This section of the VARSITY is a vehicle for expression on any topic by the columnist. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor can be sent to: editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za
@VarsityNews |6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 9
OPINIONS
Moffie: A Meditation on Contested Masculinities Patriarchal violence and suppressed homoerotic desire abound in this ruminative war drama Chloe Kingdom
M
offie is a 2019 film by award-winning South African director Oliver Hermanus. The story follows Nicholas van der Walt, a white cisgender teenager, as he explores his sexuality during his two-year conscription service to the South African Defence Force in 1981. He completes a gruelling round of training, followed by a border war tour staged against the Angolan and MPLA guerrilla soldiers. The film explores culturally contested notions of masculinity through the character of Nick (Kai Luke Brummer) and his relationships with other men in the film. The family’s celebration of Nick’s farewell on the eve of his departure to training camp is monstrous and incongruous with the horrifying reality that he is being sent to the frontlines of a war. Nick’s stepfather hails his conscription service as an opportunity for him to “become a man.” “Hermanus, therefore, subverts the expectations of the redemptive figure presented in Nick and simultaneously vindicates the morality of queer people.”
This is a damning portrayal of the expectations that patriarchy has for its sons of society: The lives and psychological wellbeing of these soldiers are dispensable to safeguard the vision of a kingdom founded on Afrikaans and Christian nationalism. The dead bodies that litter the screen— the soldier who commits suicide in a flurry of desperation, the South African soldiers and guerrillas who are killed in combat—are all products of this orthodoxical violence. Nick’s brief interludes of homosexual desire with fellow soldier, Stassen (Ryan de Villiers), are set against the propagandised war zone. Nick’s low-thrumming paranoia at being identified as a moffie—an Afrikaans, homophobic slur for a gay man— which incurs beatings and confinement to the ‘mental’ ward, underscores the harshness of Christian condemnation for queer sexuality. “an under-documented history of queerness in traditionally heterosexual, hypermasculine spaces.”
Close-up shots that move between Nick’s face and the dying guerrilla soldier meditates on the forces that drove him to kill under the duress of warfare. Nick’s shellshock from this encounter is proof of his still-intact humanity. Neither he nor his sexuality can, therefore, be considered as ‘unnatural’—an assertion that Sergeant Brand makes. It is the culture, which sanctifies war as a rite-of-passage to achieve manhood, that embodies the true transgressions against a benevolent god. Hermanus, therefore, subverts the expectations of the redemptive figure presented in Nick and simultaneously vindicates the morality of queer people. In his contribution to South African LGBTQ cinema, Hermanus illuminates an under-documented history of queerness in traditionally heterosexual, hypermasculine spaces. Nick’s resilience is an indictment against the regime’s oppressive ideology. The cost of war on the ‘idealised man’ is made explicit here: It only creates broken men and a broken society.
Source: The Guardian
Moffie ultimately shows us an exit out of a culture of toxic masculinity. It normalises the representation of queer people’s experiences in traditionalist, patriarchal cultures and invites us to reevaluate our beliefs. The portrayal of a white male cisgender teen’s experiences is valid, despite the privileged treatment they receive within the canon of Western LGBTQ films. However, greater cinematic representation of black, indigenous, and people-of-colour (BIPOC) ; and female, lesbian, intersex, non-binary, and transgender (FLINT) experiences are sorely needed. This excellent film is worth supporting for its artistry and its casting of local talent, which includes UCT’s Mitchell Christy who appears as a soldier in the training camp. A ticket to watch Moffie at home can be purchased at https://www.moffie.com/ stream.
Why you cannot be educated, moral and eat meat at the same time Why going vegan is probably the most compassionate and moral thing you can do today, and probably for the rest of your life. Jack Phillips
I
write this article only for those that eat meat, hopefully to change your mind about what you purchase, eat and support. The most powerful case for veganism is, in my view, a moral one. Firstly, non-human animals are sentient beings, which is to say that they, by all available evidence, have a subjective reality and can experience pain and pleasure much like we can. It is for this reason that, you, reader, would not like to beat a dog. And, given that animals feel pain as we probably feel pain, it logically follows that we should treat them with equality in that regard. Factory farms account for 99% of farmed animals in the USA and are the overwhelming majority of farms worldwide. In pig factory farms, piglet’s teeth and tails are commonly cut out at birth with no anesthetic. This is to prevent the effects of cannibalism that arise in the crowded and stressful life they endure from birth until death. Dairy cows, in order to produce milk, are kept perpetually pregnant by means of artificial insemination, and give birth to a calf annually.
“piglet’s teeth and tails are commonly cut out at birth with no anesthetic”
Mothers are soon separated from their calf, an
experience that has been proven to be extremely traumatizing, resulting in weeks of mourning on the mother's behalf. As for the calf, he is to be used for veal. To keep the calf’s flesh tender he is locked into a crate so small he can’t even turn around and spends 15 to 20 weeks in this torturous existence until he is slaughtered. This is plainly wrong and cruel, yet you don’t even have to torture animals for it to be wrong. You just have to kill them. Animals have a desire and will to live their lives just as we do, to kill them, even painlessly, is morally indefensible. “To eat it” is not a good reason, it is a fact that you can, with due research and intelligence (which you should already be applying to your diet), live a strong, healthy and energetic life on a strictly vegan diet. Meaning the only real reason for you, reader, to eat meat is: preference, taste, convenience, ease, habit or tradition. Do you think any of these reasons justify slaughtering a living, breathing, experiential and sentient animal? I would say “It’s your choice, it’s your life” but it’s not... It’s theirs, it’s their life.
Source: Verdict
Simply: you do not have to eat meat to survive. When you eat meat, you are senselessly killing animals for superficial reasons. That is immoral. I would never call an ignorant meat-eater immoral, because he or she probably doesn’t know what they are doing, they were fed meat by their own parents, and the neatly packaged little trays of flesh at the supermarket don’t look like they were once living, breathing, feeling animals.
‘I would say “It’s your choice, it’s your life” but it’s not... It’s theirs, it’s their life. ‘ But to those who know what harm their money and choices make: You are knowingly complicit, invested and responsible for one of the most gruesome and destructive industries of our time, you cannot claim a love for animals, or a sense of morality, while you needlessly dine on their flesh. You can change that. We all can.
OPINIONS
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 10
Why Biden is a terrible nominee
Who is Collateral Damage? The casual imperialist rhetoric of a French doctor recalls a history of biomedicine which is littered with discarded Black bodies.
Biden might only win because he’s not as bad as the other guy Jack Phillips
J
oe Biden, after overtaking Bernie Sanders, is now the Democratic nominee for president of the United States and the only option other than Donald Trump. That sentence is to be read with a long, droning sigh.
Source: Instagram/Arnold Makumba
Caitlin MacDonald
I
n early April, a public conversation between Dr Camille Locht, the research director of Inserm, and Dr Jean-Paul Mira, the head of intensive care at Cochin hospital in Paris, contended with the urgent development of a COVID-19 vaccine. While the development of the vaccine is imperative, it comes yoked with danger. Research by Weingartl et al. published in the Journal of Virology suggests that disease enhancement— where an inoculation intensifies the experience of a virus rather than preventing it— is a confounding tendency of coronavirus vaccines. This risk is sharpened in times of crisis by expedited research which foregoes many of the usual preliminary tests in favour of immediate human trials. It seems the weight of the human bodies at risk in these trials is forgotten over the course of the doctors’ conversation. Dr Mira questioned the efficacy of current vaccination trials in Europe and Australia, citing the common use of personal protective equipment as an external factor, continuing blithely, “If I can be provocative, shouldn’t we be doing this study in Africa, where there are no masks, no treatments, no resuscitation? A bit like it is done for some studies on Aids. In prostitutes, we try things because we know that they are highly exposed and that they do not protect themselves.”
It seems the weight of the human bodies at risk in these trials is forgotten over the course of the doctors’ conversation. Dr Mira’s Africa is strangely familiar— that desolate, pitiable land, that nation of abjection without origin or end, pliant and open for use. While it is certain that no such place truly exists, this mythical rendering of Africa and her people is used to justify its subjugation. Because while Mira’s comments have been denounced by World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as a
“hangover from a colonial mentality”, they reveal the all too familiar neocolonial impulse of Big Pharma and biomedicine’s troubling past. The history of biomedicine is littered with discarded Black bodies. In the antebellum South, the so-called “the father of modern gynecology”, J. Marion Sims, performed experimental genital surgery on his slaves without anaesthetic, claiming that Black women did not feel pain. The 1932-72 Tuskegee Syphilis Study conducted by the United States Public Health Service saw hundreds of Black men nonconsensually administered syphilis and denied treatment. This legacy of using Black bodies as fungible resources lingers in Big Pharma’s opportunism. For example, during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, more than 250,000 blood samples from primarily Black patients undergoing testing and treatment for Ebola were collected by laboratories in France, the UK, and the US among others. Ebola survivors and scientists have since accused these laboratories of biological asset stripping, limiting West African research and ensuring its dependence on the Global North.
Dr Mira’s Africa is strangely familiar— that desolate, pitiable land, that nation of abjection without origin or end, pliant and open for use. In confronting this history and its vestiges, we might do well to remember a particularly valuable turn of phrase from Dr Miro’s mother tongue: esprit de corps, or “spirit of the body”, meaning the common loyalty shared by members of a group. Disease makes comrades of us, reveals our shared humanness, the fragility and resilience of our bodies, of our spirits. True solidarity demands that we recognize this. We must oppose exploitation and act as a whole body, animated with one spirit.
Joe Biden, especially when compared to Sanders, is one of the least inspiring, least exciting and most “business as usual” candidates that could have won the nomination. There are two big issues within the American political scene that Joe Biden fails to address. One is the lack of voter participation. When Trump ran against Hillary Clinton, around 48% of eligible voters in the USA didn’t bother voting. This doesn’t differ much from the 47% that didn’t vote when Obama was elected (for whom Biden was the vice president). Good reasons for this is that the American public is, understandably, disillusioned. They feel their vote is futile, or, they don’t care at all because both parties represent essentially the same thing. A solution to this is a candidate that proves otherwise. A candidate that can energize this large, disillusioned populous and prove to them that their vote does count for something truly distinct from the system that has them so downtrodden. Biden, unfortunately, is not that candidate. He represents the system that has everyone so disillusioned. He does not have that edge. From his bland and uninspiring campaign slogan: “No malarkey” (if that even is his official slogan, it’s so long and uncertain he may as well not have one at all) to his frequent inability to finish a coherent sentence, he is clearly not the man to beat Trump. It would also be good to remember that he has lied about being an activist and lied again about wanting to cut social security. Speaking of liars…
If someone is to beat Trump, and I can’t stand to say it, it is not Joe Biden The second problem in American politics: Donald Trump. If someone is to beat Trump, and I can’t stand to say it, it is not Joe Biden. What did Trump win on in 2016? It was that he was a businessman, not a run of the mill politician. He said outrageous things, and trampled on the political correctness so many people were tired of. His contender was the absolute opposite: Hilary Clinton, who lost because she is as a standard, establishment politician, the kind of platitudinous person the American people have grown weary of. Joe Biden is weak in the exact same way Hilary Clinton was, and Clinton lost to Trump. This being said, there may be hope. The coronavirus has revealed Trump’s inadequacy and shortcomings, his deceit and ego, and many Americans are paying the price.
DISCLAIMER
This section of the VARSITY is a vehicle for expression, on any topic by members of the UCT community. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to be kept at a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to: editorial@varsitynewspaper.
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 11
OPINIONS
The City that tore down shacks
How can people follow social distancing when their homes are being destroyed?
Source: Daily Maverick
Jeremy Simpson
A
lthough people living in the Empolweni informal settlement were Generally, a court determines the fairness of eviction by testing not living in shacks out of deliberate choice, the City of Cape Town whether it is just and equitable. This considers the circumstances and destroyed these structures despite the calls for people to stay the consequences of the eviction. Why should the people of Empolweni home and socially distance. not be granted the same privilege? Outside the extraordinary circumstances imposed by the national lockdown, Nolitha Melaphi usually works at a market in Observatory. However, her job security was not the only challenge she would face. As Ground Up reported, the shacks of Ms Melaphi and at least 30 others living in the Empolweni informal settlement near Khayelitsha were demolished by the City of Cape Town on Thursday, April 9th. This tone-deaf decision has rightly put into spotlight the humanity of ripping down illegal settlements. “According to Mr Boor, land invasions had increased during the lockdown. He claims that these settlements at Empolweni had recently been built.”
Granted, the City may have technically had the rights but so were the companies spewing waste into the atmosphere in the 1980s. As the attitude to pollution has changed, so too has the attitude to city officials demolishing houses built illegally during the pandemic. Considering the somewhat draconian measures, it is not unreasonable for South Africans to ask for our national and local governments to be understanding, especially regarding informal settlements. Despite calls from Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Human Settlements, to stop evictions during lockdown echoing these sentiments, the City has refused to protect some of its most vulnerable citizens at this time. “When the City of Cape Town destroyed these shacks, they showed themselves to be not only oblivious to the lives of their constituents but also indifferent to the nuanced circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.”
The City of Cape Town, through Mayoral Committee Member Malusi Boor, has reiterated “there was not an eviction” in press releases dated April 15th, 17th and 19th. Instead, the City claims its actions were justified through an interdict that allows officials to remove unoccupied illegal structures in an effort to halt land invasions. According to Mr Boor, While the Western Cape High Court did not explicitly chastise the City land invasions had increased during the lockdown. He claims that these in its interim ruling on the matter, they sent a clear message. Our legal settlements at Empolweni had recently been built. system’s humanitarian foundation should guide decisions made by individuals, companies and local governments during these unprecedented However, the decision seems to completely ignore the reality many times. The court ordered the City to return the building materials of 49 of Cape Town’s poorest face. Lockdown has changed our country com- households whose shacks were demolished on Friday, April 17th. They pletely: inter-provincial travel, alcohol sales and daily life screeched to will hear the case on merits later in the year. an abrupt stop. In a historic move to halt the spread of the virus, the South African National Defence Force was deployed. When the City of Cape Town destroyed these shacks, they showed themselves to be not only oblivious to the lives of their constituents The poorest in our country are now in the cross-fire of an economy but also indifferent to the nuanced circumstances of the coronavirus maimed by sluggish economic growth and a costly pandemic. There are pandemic. Their attitudes to the poor are frankly quite condescending. people’s lives and dignity on the line here, and an interdict like this sure- South Africans like Ms Melaphi make the decision to live in hazardous ly assumes that, at the very least, a national disaster has not occurred. Is shelters not out of preference for corrugated iron roofs, frigid winter splitting hairs about the technicalities of what was essentially an evic- nights and jam-packed rooms. They make this decision out of a necessition worth it? ty to survive.
DISCLAIMER This section of the VARSITY is a vehicle for expression, on any topic by members of the UCT community. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to be kept at a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to: editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 12
OPINIONS
Never waste a good crisis: how South African universities can use COVID-19
Source: The Ladder Duwayne Esau
Innovating in the institutions who teach innovation
S
outh African universities have been presented with a unique opportunity for innovation in their method of examination. The COVID-19 crisis has forced universities around the world to innovate the way they teach. Our universities, along with many others around the world, have been forced to change the way they teach and examine their students. This presents them with the opportunity to see to what extent ongoing assessments, as opposed to one weighty examination, is a more holistic method of examination.
“This has been seen multiple times where a student performs poorly in examinations but goes on to become one of the most successful alumni.” Since the inception of the academy, examinations have been conducted in one way across all disciplines. This method is a mixture of continuous assessments and topped off by one weighty examination twice a year. These examinations are usually structured in time slots of two hours or more in which students are tested on their knowledge they acquired during the semester. Many questions have been raised as to whether this is the best way to examine the knowledge and skills of students. A popular view is that the current form of examinations merely tests time management skills and the ability to remember course content. Ideally, what one would want from an examination is to test the student in a holistic manner and not simply ask them to provide the correct answer which will give them a good grade.
This has been seen multiple times where a student performs poorly in examinations but goes on to become one of the most successful alumni. Famous examples of this include Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, who both dropped out of Harvard after choosing to enter the working world rather than finish their studies. This is an opportunity to conduct some in field research. I would advise the universities to use this crisis and the subsequent marks of students and compare them to last year’s results. This will provide them with some insight into whether students have performed better this year than they did last year. Naturally, there will be some differing variables. This year students will have limited access to resources as they will be conducting their studies from home and many students will not have a quiet place to study whilst at home.
“If we do not use this crisis to see if we can extract anything valuable from the dark cloud that is COVID-19, we will have no silver lining. “
It is in such unprecedented times that we are often forced to innovate, and it is no different in academia. In the West, when it comes to our institutions and our “way of doing things” we are sceptical of any changes being made. I would like to wager that if we wish to continue moving forward, we have to interrogate our institutions and processes. Academia, because of its long history and bureaucratic nature, can be one of the places most resistant to change. Ironically, academics are also the people who advocate for change in broader society across their various disciplines. Academia is oftenNevertheless, if one takes this into account times criticized for their lack of active particthere is still an opportunity for research here. ipation in bringing change to society instead The results of this little research project should publishing endless papers on a topic. This is inform how we are to reform our methods their opportunity to do so. If we do not use this of examination, which is long overdue for a crisis to see if we can extract anything valuable facelift. from the dark cloud that is COVID-19, we will have no silver lining. Of course, there will be some disciplines where exams are unavoidable, but for the overwhelming majority, this is not the case. A DISCLAIMER method of continuous assessment would allow universities to test all the skills they believe This section of the VARSITY is a vehicle for expression, on students would require in the workplace. It any topic by members of the UCT community. The opinions within this section are not necessarily those of the VARSITY goes without saying that students will end up collective or its advertisers. Letters to the Editor need to in different work environments after university. be kept at a maximum of 300 words and can be sent to: editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za Continuous assessments which aim to model what employment would entail will be a great benefit to every student.
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 |Page 13
LIFESTYLE & SPORT
Inspiring Books for Self-Care and Self-Improvement
Fuel Your Focus
Chloe Kingdom
Natasha Gartner
How to adopt a positive mindset to achieve your goals
Healthy, hearty snacks to enjoy while studying
L
ife as we know it has changed because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Many of us are struggling to adapt our routines to our home environment. As a result, there is a need to focus on creating a positive mindset and eating well to help us achieve our daily tasks and goals. These three books can help you practise self-care and self-improvement in a few different ways:
The Anxiety Cure: Live a Life Free from Panic by Klaus Bernhardt
Anxiety disorders are attributed to a perceived lack of control over parts of our lives. One way to eliminate undue stress in this time of transition is to practise thinking techniques that increase our positive mental state. Klaus Bernhardt is a psychotherapist who uses neuroscientific research to develop new ways to combat anxiety in The Anxiety Cure. A variety of therapy approaches are explained, including cognitive-behavioural therapy, hypnotherapy, and positive psychology. This book is a helpful source for psychological, evidence-based techniques that work to reduce a person’s anxiety levels and improve the quality of their life. Four stars.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
Innumerable books, online teachings, and practices are dedicated towards the topic of slowing down and appreciating our lives. Eckhart Tolle is a revered, spiritual teacher who commits to providing the world with his guide towards spiritual enlightenment in The Power of Now. Tolle shares readers with his philosophy of being in the “Now,”
by identifying the human unconsciousness and the pain that is derived from it, and by aiming to strive towards the human consciousness where we can discover the grounding truth of our own reality. With over two million copies sold, many people have found these principles to be invaluable in their journey towards a personal truth or spirituality. This book is a timeless teaching on self-reflection, awareness, and personal growth. Four stars.
How Not to Die by Dr Michael Greger
World-renowned clinical nutritionist and general practitioner, Dr Michael Greger has a global following for his evidence-based review of the plant-based diet. His most popular book—The New York Times best-seller—How Not to Die, enlightens the reader on ways to eat a rich and nutritionally balanced diet to enhance daily functioning. Significantly, Dr Greger claims that a focus on these foods in your diet will reduce the risk of developing 15 health-related conditions that lead to premature death, including heart, lung, and brain diseases. Self-improvement takes shape in many forms and what we put into our body forms a large part of how we feel about ourselves. The science of nutrition provides us with the means to make informed decisions about how best to take care of our physical and mental health in a holistic manner. How Not to Die helps us to do this using new ideas and updated science. Five stars. All books can be found online or in stores at major bookstore retailers, such as Exclusive Books and Reader’s Warehouse.
W
When selecting study snacks, it is incredibly easy to opt for the unhealthier options. They’re often cheaper and tastier, as well as quicker and easier to prepare. We as students don’t have time to cook a gourmet meal between study sessions! However, the unhealthy options that we so effortlessly consume are not contributing to our brain’s performance. This article will outline three basic snacks that are affordable, easy to prepare, highly tasty; and most importantly; very healthy! 1) Nuts Not only are nuts tasty, but they act as a brilliant stimulant for brain food! Nuts contain protein, fibre and vitamins that are essential for our general health. Furthermore, they provide quick energy boosts that can help you remain focussed on your studies. Nuts are available at all food stores even during the lockdown. 2) Air-Popped Popcorn This may seem like a bizarre option, but popcorn (when prepared correctly) is a great study snack! Popcorn contains fibre, antioxidants, vitamin B, and minerals such as magnesium. These enhance brain development, memory and learning. Air-popped popcorn is far healthier than microwave popcorn. Popcorn kernels are available for purchase from any grocery store at very affordable prices. The crunch is highly satisfying, and actually contributes to focus! 3) Roasted Chickpeas This snack takes slightly longer to prepare than the others, but it is definitely worth it! Simply roast chickpeas in the oven with salt for 45-60 minutes. Chickpeas are high in fibre, vitamins and protein. The protein keeps you alert while the carbohydrates fuel your brain. The slow digestion of the carbohydrates means that energy is sustained and focus is prolonged. Roasted chickpeas are incredibly healthy and wholesome, and the delicious crunch makes them the best alternative to potato chips. With such easy options available, drop those unhealthy snacks and fuel your brain instead!
Anxiety? There is an app for that
Source: vectorified.com
Exploring four apps that can help you calm your mind Natasha Gartner
I
t is true what they say – there is an app for everything. While it should not be a substitute for seeking professional help with your mental health, we have looked at four apps that could help you manage your anxiety and feel less overwhelmed by everything going on around us. Headspace: (6/10) – Using guided meditation techniques, this app can help improve your sleep, productivity and calm your mind to be less reactive to anxiety triggers. It was created by a former Buddhist monk and his gentle voice guides you through your choice of mindfulness exercises. You can fall asleep to raindrops, do breathing exercises and even listen to instructions to relax your body consciously. You can share your journey and track your progress. Headspace is free for beginners, available from the Apple or Play Store.
Calm: (7/10) – This app has an incredible range of features. You can listen to mood-based music, meditate, learn to get better sleep, and you can even listen to stories from famous authors (my favourite being Matthew McConaughey). From the moment that you open it, the app tunes into your feelings and links your emotions to your surroundings to give you personalised advice. Calm loses points because they only had one sleep story by Stephan Fry and we wanted more. Calm is free (for a trial period) and available from the Apple or Play Store. Sanvello: (10/10) – As a very minimalist app, Sanvello is a wonderful escape. It tailors your experience to your own choice of goals and emphasises the importance of building a long-term relaxation habit. The app checks in with you randomly during the day and the experience is the closest to real therapy that we have seen. It keeps up to date with real-world events and features very useful advice and a large range of breathing and meditation exercises.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the creators made Sanvello entirely free, available from the Apple or Play Store. MoodSpace: (5/10) – This app has a cloud-like interface and can be a great environment to disappear into. Its limited features include a ‘Thought Diary’ where you analyse your feelings through guided questions, meditation exercises and a function that makes you reflect on the positive aspects of your day. It allows you to plan your days by using a feature that balances your time. MoodSpace is free, available on desktop or from the Play Store. Explore some of these apps during this challenging time and make sure to look after your mental health – we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, it is perfectly fine to feel anxious.
@VarsityNews | 6 May 2020 | V79 E4 | Page 14
LIFESTYLE & SPORT
Asad Ali Memon and the Seven Summits
COVID-19 places mountaineering goals on hold
Image: Redbull
Nelisa Khwela
W
hile most of us struggle with adjusting between the hot Cape Town summers to the cold, wet winters, Asad Ali Memon has had to adjust from the scorching 40°C weather of his home country to a freezing -40°C mountain peak. Being from the rural town of Larkana in Pakistan, his decision to become a mountaineer and attempt the Seven Summits expedition was seen as rather unusual, given that there isn’t much awareness about extreme sports in his community, which is something he hopes to change in the future.
“This first success and demonstration of bravery and determination is what encouraged him to take on the Seven Summits” Asad first began his mountaineering career at the age of 19 when he successfully summited the Mingligh Sar peak that stands at 6050m above sea level. This first success and demonstration of bravery and determination is what encouraged him to take on the Seven Summits. The Seven Summits is a mountaineering expedition that involves climbing the highest mountain on each continent. This involves summiting the peaks of Denali (North America), Aconcagua (South America), Mount Elbrus or Mount Blanc (Europe), Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa), Mount Vinson (Antartica), Carstensz or Mount Kosciuszko (Oceania) and Mount Everest (Asia). He has since climbed to Mount Everest Basecamp, summited Mount Elbrus in Russia and more recently, has conquered Mount Aconcagua in his mission to complete the Seven Summits.
Despite having encountered financial difficulties along the way, he credits his friends’ and family’s support in being able to continue on the journey towards his ultimate goal.
“seeing the determination that he has shown so far, it is highly unlikely that this setback will deter him from continuing his expedition in the future” His next peak was going to be either in Africa or North America, however his plans have been put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak that has seen travel bans being enforced in most countries across the world. However, seeing the determination that he has shown so far, it is highly unlikely that this setback will deter him from continuing his expedition in the future.
“Mountains have taught me how to be patient and how to connect with nature on a deeper level” As soon as things return to normal, his goal is to raise awareness and encourage and support young people who are interested in extreme sports in his country. He has been quoted saying, “Mountains have taught me how to be patient and how to connect with nature on a deeper level,” and it is this patience that will allow him to hold on to his dream until it is safe to travel again. It is without a doubt that he will one day be able to continue making his country proud and continue to inspire even the most discouraged amongst us to not give up in our efforts to conquer our own personal Mount Everests’.
Sails up with John John Florence!
The 2X World Surf League champion explores the Pacific in his new 4-part docuseries, “Vela”
Anaïs Hage
B
orn and raised in Hawaii, John John’s affinity toward the ocean was inevitable. In his new docuseries “Vela”, the two-time world surf champion set sail towards the Northern Line Islands. A blow to his knee left him unable to participate for most of the 2019 surf season. Bleak but not discouraged, John John’s silver lining soon shone. Sails raised, he, his brother Nathan Florence and friends; Kona Johnson, Eric Knutson and Jacques Vincent went off “connecting with the ocean through a different scope”.
“sailing has and continues to captivate him through the “mixture of exploration and the challenge of getting somewhere” The ocean’s appeal extends beyond surfing and competing for John John. The Hawaiian navigator, Nainoa Thompson, sailed the waters with his knowledge of the ocean and stars. This inspired John John’s adventure, showing him “how knowledge can be freedom”. He states that sailing has and continues to captivate him through the “mixture of exploration and the challenge of getting somewhere”. Due to the synchronicity of events, John John came into contact with professional snowboarder and sail enthusiast, Travis Rice, who sold him his gunboat (Vela) used for the trip. Watching videos of Travis snowboarding to get fired up before surfing and meeting with Travis to discuss the boat, further motivated John John to set sail on his voyage.
“It dawned on him that ‘we are not separate from nature’ and ‘when given the opportunity, wild places … remind us that nature is strong and resilient’ ”
Image: Stabmag
John John and his team set aboard for a month-long adventurous expedition towards the Northern Line Islands consisting of Palmyra, Washington and Fanning Island. In Palmyra, John John’s objective was to learn more about conservation on the Island, which was decimated during the Second World War. John John was in awe when witnessing nature’s ability to recover and rehabilitate. It dawned on him that “we are not separate from nature” and “when given the opportunity, wild places … remind us that nature is strong and resilient”. With a new outlook, they then headed to Washington Island.
“the feeling one gets, in the middle of the ocean, far from home, is a feeling I will search for, for the rest of my life” In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, they arrived at the remote island which instilled “a sense of exploration that people must have had a hundred years ago.” They stopped for the day to get some waves. To end the trip off they headed to Fanning Island, where John John went for a surf with Nathan and Kona, a mere 3 months after his knee surgery. The experience deeply influenced John John, who stated that “the feeling one gets, in the middle of the ocean, far from home, is a feeling I will search for, for the rest of my life”. Fish caught, waves ridden and knowledge gained, the crew accomplished their successful sailing trip, 1738km from Hawaii. Along with his passion, surfing, Florence would “still like to find new places and to explore the world” by using the knowledge that he gained from this voyage to set him free.