2012: Edition 6 by VARSITY

Varsity

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The official student newspaper of the university of cape town

8 May 2012

Volume 71: Edition 6

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UCT lets down assault victims? JAMMIE STRUCK

Olivia Wainwright

wo students recently approached VARSITY with complaints about UCT’s Discrimination and Harassment Office (DISCHO). The main concerns raised included the amount of time taken to deal with sensitive cases and the apathy with which cases were approached. The office, which was established in 2001, advertises itself on the UCT website as the “office of first report of harassment/ discrimination.” When asked about their ability to assist in cases of discrimination or harassment, DISCHO’s Rasheida Khan explained, “When a case is brought to our attention, be that from the victim or another, we try our utmost to assist as soon as we can, and to have their matters addressed within 14 UCT days.”

Serious cases of discrimination or harassment at UCT could be left for over two weeks

STRIKE – On Wednesday April 25th UCT’s Jammie drivers took unexpected strike action. The strike was not against UCT, but against Sibanya, the agency UCT outsources its Jammie drivers from. After a day and a half of headaches and walking for students, Jammie services returned to normal on the afternoon of Thursday 26th April when drivers ended their “wildcat” strike. assistance, and feel more protected and incentivised by the system to report such cases.” When DISCHO was asked about their handling of this particular case, they said, “We treat all matters confidentially at DISCHO, and can unfortunately not comment on any cases except general trends and patterns.” However, Khan explained that “at DISCHO we try our utmost to resolve a matter as quickly as possible. Sometimes a matter is resolved the same day, whilst in other cases, it is longer.” A second student who took a complaint of sexual harassment to

DISCHO last year explained that her main concern with DISCHO was “the seriousness of the case, and the fact that I was more concerned about my safety than I felt they were.” She eventually took the case into her own hands, saying, “I decided to take an alternative route to dealing with the case. We resolved the issue internally through our own organisation’s structures. The individual was eventually forced to resign.” The first student argued that the blame does not rest solely with DISCHO, but also with UCT itself. “It is a failure by the University to

provide real protection to those who are termed ‘victims’ and a disregard for the nature and seriousness of sexual harassment.”

“It is a failure by the university to provide real protection to those who are termed ‘victims’” DISCHO responded to all complaints saying, “At DISCHO we do our utmost to resolve matters expeditiously, and to the satisfaction of the complainant.”

The office’s website also describes the role of DISCHO: “the office receives, assists with, advises on and investigates claims regarding all forms of discrimination and harassment, including rape, and provides assistance to both complainants and alleged perpetrators.” In addition to this, UCT’s Sexual Offences Policy states that, “To this end the University is committed to applying systems and structures through which rape or any other form of sexual assault may be reported and dealt with sensitively.”

in this issue

It appears that this potentially means that serious cases of discrimination or harassment at UCT could be left for over two weeks without being addressed. A UCT student who wished to remain anonymous said: “Two weeks after having reported the case, the perpetrator was still contacting me.” In response to DISCHO’s comment, the same student argued “With a matter as serious as that of sexual harassment, it is shocking that DISCHO has committed themselves to dealing with the case within 14 days.” She explained that “the important issue ... is that women who have similar and more severe cases than mine have better

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Education debate

page 3

Facebook Rapist

page 3

Foodie?

page 7

X-Factor

page 11

Memorial Race

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

page 16

news

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

News Bites Hollande new French president PARIS – Socialist leader Francois Hollande has won the French presidential election, defeating incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy, according to results released on Sunday, May 6th. Sarkozy was intensely unpopular in the French republic, often seen as a “president of the rich” with a brash personal style, though he said in future he would be a “French person amongst French people”. Sarkozy is the first French president since 1981 to lose a bid for a second presidential terms. —Times Live

Former ANC govt. minister dies MTHATHA – Controversial former ANC minister Sicelo Shiceka died last week, aged 45. Shiceka served as the minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs from mid2009 before being put on sick leave in 2011. He was eventually sacked by Jacob Zuma in a cabinet reshuffle after he was found to have abused public funds. His family stated that he had suffered a long illness. —Cape Argus

Road names: 17 000 residents have their say CAPE TOWN – More than 17 000 residents had their say in renaming 24 streets, 2 civic centres and a foot bridge during Cape Town’s month-long R1.2 million public participation programme. Some of the major roads include Lansdowne Road, Hendrik Verwoerd Drive, Jip de Jager Street, and Vanguard Drive. After selection, these names will be presented to Mayor Patricia de Lille. —Cape Argus

Dozens killed in Indian ferry disaster ASSAM – An overcrowded river ferry split in two and sank during a severe storm in northeast India last week, leaving at least 40 people dead and 160 missing. About 150 people were either rescued or swam to safety after the double-decker ferry sank in the fast-flowing Brahmaputra River in Assam state. The boat was on its way from Dhubri, to the adjoining district of Fakirganj. —Mail & Guardian

Gunman opens fire in hospital DURBAN – A 30-year-old gunman opened fire inside Westville Hospital, taking two woman hostage on Freedom Day, April 27th. The attacker, thought to have suffered from a bipolar disorder, hijacked a taxi and forced the driver to take him to the hospital. When negotiations with the man failed, police moved in and shot the gunman dead. —Daily News

Saadiq Samodien

Students appeal for workers’ rights Nic Botha

n April 13th, the Students of the Workers Forum (SWF) presented a letter to UCT management, demanding an improvement to the working conditions of outsourced staff on campus. Their list of demands called for private service providers to cease all threats and intimidations against workers who strike, to take strong action against companies found to be doing so, and for non-striking workers not be forced to perform the duties of striking workers. The SWF cited the recently released Code of Conduct by UCT that stipulated certain conditions of labour for contracted workers. This was held to acknowledge UCT as the de facto employer of outsourced labour, and thus responsible for their well-being. UCT’s Code of Conduct for private service providers aimed to ensure minimum requirements were met that would fall in line with labour legislation, the university’s Mission Statement, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. Specified in the Code were minimum wages, safe working environments and the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, free from discrimination. The Code also calls for an annual report to be prepared

Image: michael.currin.co.za EXPLOITATION – A worker at UCT makes his feelings clear regarding UCT’s policy’s policies. by the service provider. The letter was circulated by the SWF to the SRC and various student bodies, calling for student support against the violation of workers’ rights on campus. They called attention to the strike by Turfwork employees, supported by Supercare workers. It was felt that unless additional pressure was brought to bear on the university, striking workers faced victimisation from their companies. Protests such as these echo many years of dissatisfaction with UCT’s policy of outsourcing labour, a process begun under former ViceChancellor Mamphela Ramphele. Concurrent with such protests has been a student presence, from the

Spotlight on student health Olivia Wainwright

n Wednesday, April 25th the Humanities Student Council (HSC) hosted its first Student Wellness Fair in Leslie Social. The event was held during meridian with stalls set up by different health organisations including the Sports Science Institute, CANSA and the Division of Human Nutrition. The purpose of the fair was to draw attention to the importance of health, both physical and mental. Dashalia Maluza, the Health and Safety Co-ordinator of the HSC, said: “The event was designed around the concept of helping to create and maintain a health-conscious student body.” The Sport Science Institute offered students deals on their membership, as well as testing students’ hand-grip strength and explaining how they could improve this. Jolene Kleinschmidt from the Sports Science Institute explained that the event was important as “students are still young enough to make a change.” The Division of Human Nutrition aimed to help students assess their current diets and give them tips on where these diets could be adjusted. They also offered to calculate students’ Body Mass Index and, from that, suggest a healthy living plan. Carla Poole from the Division of Human Nutrition commented, “Students have a notoriously bad diet. If you’re overweight now and don’t change, you’ll probably remain overweight; therefore, we’re suggesting lifestyle changes.”

The event also housed Zone Fitness and the South African Anxiety and Depression Group (SAADG). The SAADG offered individuals advice as well as a host of informative pamphlets for those who were keen to find out more. CANSA had a wide array of leaflets giving advice to students on how to avoid cancer, but also how to deal with being diagnosed or suspecting they have cancer. UCT student Ruvarashe Beta said, “I think this event is important, I was happy to see not only students coming along, but workers too.” Chiedza Museredza, Chairperson of the HSC, explained that “the aim of the event is to cater to the emotional and physical needs of students as we draw near to exams.” Maluzo said that the event was a success and that it is something the HSC hope to do again in the future, hopefully making it an annual event. “How we take care or do not take care of ourselves today will affect us tomorrow. It should not be for later, but now, while we are still young and active enough to take control of what we eat and how we manage stress and anxiety,” she said.

past Students Workers Alliance, to the current SWF. Recent strikes by Cosatu at UCT and across the country have also focused on the process of outsourcing labour, in which unions

have called for an end to labour brokering. The committee of the SWF was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

Obama vs Romney: race for power Dashalia Singaram The race for the American presidency has officially begun. The candidates have been narrowed down to two, and after a controversial first term, Barack Obama is running for re-election against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Romney is the sole Republican candidate after competitors Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich dropped out of the race in April. The elections will be held on November 6th, but the campaigning is already in full swing. Recent polling sees Obama winning 23 of the 50 states, Romney taking 21 and 7 regarded as a toss-up between the two. Taking into account populations, pollsters predict that Obama will win 282 electoral votes with Romney winning only 170. 270 electoral votes are required to win. Businessman and politician Romney has been described as a “severe conservative” and “not very charismatic”. However, the focus of his campaign seems to be delivering all that Obama has failed to. He said, “In the campaign to come, the American ideals of economic freedom and opportunity need a clear and unapologetic defence, and I intend to make it – because I have lived it.” Romney has also been criticised during his time in politics for his shifting positions on issues such as abortion and gay rights. He has attempted to keep concerns about his Mormon faith out of his political campaign, instead focusing on capturing the young

Independent vote. Obama dominated the youth vote in 2008, but his limited success in reviving the economy of the USA after the recession has lead to many college graduates withdrawing support. 50% of college graduates in the U.S. are unemployed/ underemployed. Also, interest rates on student loans will double from July 1st. Both candidates have supported the campaign to postpone the increase. Since the tremendous increase in young voters in the 2008 elections, both candidates are focusing on visiting colleges around the country, rounding up support. This, however, is not the only issue facing Obama. He was strongly criticised for politicising the Osama bin Laden killing which he authorised last year in a recent ad campaign. His approval of free health care for the poor is said to increase the country’s deficit by $1.76 trillion over the next 10 years. And as with all countries, rising gas prices has caused widespread anger amongst voters. In the coming week, the candidates will be visiting the states of Indiana, North Carolina and West Virginia. Polling ahead of these primaries suggests that Obama will carry North Carolina with 47% of the votes to Romney’s 43%. In West Virginia, Romney is set to trump Obama with a 17 point lead in the polls. Many are expecting Obama to win. The matter at hand seems to be finding out what he will do differently in his second term, as well as getting answers for the issues raised in his first term.

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“Facebook rapist” targeted UCT? Stephanie Venter

nown as the “Facebook rapist” in most newspapers, convicted rapist and robber Thabo Bester will stand trial in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court, with a provisional trial date of June 30th set, it was decided in court last week. Bester – who is alleged to be the notorious con man who taunted police for months on social networking site Facebook as they attempted to arrest him – is thought to have ties to UCT regarding two incidents of fraud in recent years. Anton Taylor, SRC Entertainment and Fundraising Co-ordinator in 2009, was approached during the course of his SRC year by “Thomas Kelly”, who was later revealed to also be known as Thabo Bester. Bester showed Taylor papers bearing the SABC logo and said he was scouting talent for a student TV show. According to Taylor, “He [Bester] said that he needed attractive, wellspoken black girls as presenters and that they were going to be paid a great deal.” Taylor showed Bester around UCT, and lent him money when Bester said he had lost his debit card. A Google search later revealed that Tom Kelly / Thabo Bester was wanted in Johannesburg in connection with to false modelling contracts and TV shows. Taylor contacted UCT’s Campus Protection Services (CPS), and an undercover operation to apprehend

WANTED – Rape and robbery convicted Thabo Bester (above, right) bears a striking resemblance to Thomas Bester (Kelly) / Con Man Kally, who engaged in suspicious activity at UCT. him was staged in front of Leo Marquard Hall on Lower Campus. Bester “went quietly” but “there were no charges we could really press, other than being on campus without permission,” said Taylor. Reports of “tricks” existed in the north of South Africa, but these were not official charges at the time. “I gave the police the fake SABC papers he had given me but they seemed a bit disinterested,” said Taylor in a statement to VARSITY. In a separate incident two years later, two UCT students were robbed of their cell phones and laptops and left with exorbitant bills by a man known as Kally, who claimed to be searching for presenters for an MTV Base TV show. The girls were contacted via an intercom announcement in UCT’s Baxter Residence that anyone interested in becoming an MTV

Base presenter should meet Kally. Both incidences were reported in VARSITY, but because each occurred two years apart, no connections were made until recently. The artist’s rendering provided at the time for the con-man Kally case is remarkably similar to the drawing released for the Facebook Rapist, creating the first noticeable link between the events. Bester is charged with the murder of a 26-year-old model in Cape Town, and has already been convicted of two counts of rape and robbery previously. Police expedited his original case by only pursuing the most serious of the charges against Bester; he was originally wanted on counts of fraud as well. Crime or fraud at UCT should be reported to CPS immediately: 021-650 2222/3.

Image: Sashkran Yuri Naidoo

On Tuesday 24th April UCT’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), an international organisation aimed at empowering entrepreneur students, hosted their much-anticipated Think Tank, with guest speaker Trevor Manuel, Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission. The aim of the talk was to engage students in debate about the future of South Africa, and how this future will be achieved. Zola Zingithwa, events co-ordinator for SIFE said, “We’re about finding solutions to things ... this is how you guys [students] can help.” A central topic of the Think Tank was the National Planning Commission. According to their website, the Commission “is responsible for developing a long-

term vision and strategic plan for South Africa”. Tempers ran high during discussions of the educational system, which dominated the talk. One student demanded an apology from Manuel for the state of Outcomes-Based Education (OBE), the recently-scrapped educational system in South Africa. One student, referring to the older generation’s impact on future planning and the temporal constraints facing the NPC, said, “That generation just has to go and die ... 2030 is ambitious ... it is much too soon.” Other suggestions made by students included incentivising birth control, as well as the need for an internationally recognised schooling standard. The second section of the event consisted of a speech delivered by Manuel, who outlined the goals and

aims of the NPC, as well as the active role the youth has to play in shaping the future, saying that “all South Africans must own this”. Many students enquired about the way in which the NPC will implement its goals during During the Q&A session. Manuel cited the need for active public involvement in the NPC, saying that “we have to learn to experiment”. Questions on the education system were raised, to which Manuel responded by calling on parent-child participation to be strengthened, saying that “the education issue, in my view, is not a money problem”. He also stated that “we need to incentivise poorly performing schools to do better”. On the question of OBE, Manuel drew on its success in other countries, saying that OBE was an implementation failure in South Africa. During the Q&A session, Manuel stressed the need for the youth to become actively involved in the community and in shaping the future. Speaking after the talk, one student, Mfondo Shabalala, voiced his dissatisfaction with the direction of the talk, “I would have expected the Minister to expand on huge issues…it was basically a reiteration of what every minister says about the NPC…every one of them wants to protect their interests.” Sadia Dhorat, Corporate Relations Director of SIFE, stated that “this provided a platform for students to engage in important issues…and to realise that it’s actually up to us”.

Rural health needs: spreading the message Pasqua Heard

Manuel brings education debate to UCT

Michelle October

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

at the state of healthcare in rural areas, particularly focusing on the Transkei. A second film should be Rural Support Network (RSN), released at the end of this year. a student-run society at UCT, On the final evening, Nigerian held its annual Rural Health Dr Adigun addressed the Awareness Week (RHAW) from audience on his experience of April 23rd to 24th. The week, healthcare in rural areas. Adigun which was launched in 1996, was started a well-known community funded by the faculty of Health programme that raises Sciences and was held on the awareness and tests for HIV and medical campus, under the theme tuberculosis, and works at Bethal of “Heroes in Rural Health”. Hospital in Mpumalanga. RHAW aimed to explore “the “The week went well. Howamazing success stories from ever, there could have been health workers in rural areas, better attendance each night. how universities have been able Roughly 20 or 30 people to implement change in their attended the talks regularly. curricula with regards to a rural Although, at least we knew that focus, how former students have these few were dedicated to been making a difference and better understanding and changfinally, how the challenges, with ing rural health,” said Giles King, regards to rural development, vice chairperson of the RSN. have been tackled,” said Nadia Nichola Gilbert, a thirdHussey, assistant year medical recruitment offstudent who icer of the RSN. attended RHAW, her experience of RHAW feacommented on working in rural tured a series of her experience talks by various KwaZulu-Natal while of the week, “It health experts. On raising her children was encouraging the first evening, to hear from a at the same time Professor Reno woman who had Morar, the Deputy worked in a rural Dean of the health setting and Faculty of Health Science, spoke had found it to be very rewarding. about the dynamics of the Health It was also encouraging to be Sciences faculty, which will be made aware of the advantages of having its centenary this year. working in that setting.” Malebona Matsoso, the Director Although RSN and RHAW are General of Health in South Africa, mainly aimed at health students, also spoke on the first evening, King explained that there is emphasising the importance discussion around extending of the formation of the District these to students in other sectors. Health Team in implementing “RSN wants to try and include the National Health Insurance UCT’s engineering and education (NHI). faculties to work at developing Dr Janet Giddy, wife of UCT’s communities alongside the health Head of Primary Health Care students.” Directorate, spoke about her Vanessa Khonje, the chair of experience of working in rural RSN Week, believes the event KwaZulu-Natal while raising was a success: “With topical talks her children at the same time. each night, from government, to A small audience listened to her how HR is handled, to how young talk and the floor was opened to doctors make a difference in the questions afterwards. communities and the influencial “Getting Rural Right”, a role of women in the health 40-minute documentary by Bart sector; these coincided well with Willems, was screened on the our relevant theme: heroes in third night. The 2005 film looked rural health.”

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editorial

v71 e6 – 8 May 2012

Editorial

Stephanie Venter

En Pointe

Lyndall Thwaits, Deputy Editor

Editor-in-Chief

The End. Or just the Beginning?

It’s my twitterfeed and I’ll say what I want to?

here once was a pretty girl from Johannesburg who had dreams of making it big in the modelling world. She did just that, and broke her back as she tripped all over her words. The girl in question: Jessica Leandra, the one-time promising South African model who won FHM’s model of the year award in 2011. Thanks to a telling and exceedingly careless tweet last week, Leandra is now less 1 × lucrative modelling contract, less 1 × fantastic weight-loss supplement deal, and, overall, less 1 × promising career. So how does a young woman lose her career in the space of an afternoon? Well, one sure-fire way is not to think before opening her mouth – or, in this case, her Twitter app – resulting in 1 × horribly racist tweet that cast too bright a spotlight on her Twitter activity. The offending tweet used the infamous k-word to refer to a man who, according to Leandra, sexually harassed her. While Leandra scrambled to explain herself and apologise, further scrutiny of her Twitter feed revealed previous use of the words “African monkey” to refer to a petrol attendant she had encountered just a few days before. Apparently, Leandra missed the memo that Twitter is first and foremost, a public forum. This is potentially the essence of the micro-blogging site’s rapid success: the free flow of information. The option to “protect your tweets” is always available, but the vast majority do not make use of this.

Instead of using the platform for its intended purpose – to share information as quickly and as succinctly as possible – Leandra used it as her personal soapbox, not limiting herself to what her followers may find interesting, but simply using it as a platform to have a fat rant. Would you throw a tantrum in the middle of a physical public space, and if not, then why would you throw one on the internet? While the majority of South Africans are not on Twitter, the SA twitterverse is by no means negligible, making me wonder what on earth made Leandra think actually click send on her tweets. So, be warned: be careful what you post on the internet, be it status upates, tweets, or pictures. A lecturer recently told us that, following the disastrous hiring of a man controversially disbarred in the United States, UCT has now made it policy that a Google search must to be conducted before someone is hired. This is by no means a unique practice, either. More often companies are searching for their employees and job applicants online in an effort to ensure that their reputation is protected from the harm an embarrassing employee could cause. Want to bitch about your boss on Facebook? Think about how many work colleagues you have on your profile. Want to be disparaging/insulting about someone? Remember that, no matter how much you try, your tweets never, ever disappear. The mornings these days are a little chillier and the evenings a little longer – two certain signs that it’s a particular time of year: exams (no, I don’t mean winter). Good luck to everyone writing, and a note to the freshers: the Sports Centre is freezing this time of year, so dress warm when writing that three-hour paper. Have a great vac and see y’all next semester. S

I had a lecture on death the other day. I think I walked away from it more irritated than enlightened but the reasons for this are complex.

[Ctrl + C]

Jeremy the Homophobic Unicorn, part four.

nd so, it came to pass that Jeremy the homophobic unicorn and his faithful companions, Baker the smith and Chandler the apothecary, came to the Bridge of a Thousand Wailing Weevils. “‘Twas here,” exclaimed Jeremy, most homophobically, “that the Fourth Great Fairy/Unicorn Battle commenced.” Baker the smith and Chandler the apothecary looked at Jeremy in awe; they were unaccustomed to hear

— Robert Frost

errata Volume 71, Edition 6: The following articles were incorrectly credited. The correct writers’ names follow: “Movie review: The Hunger Games” (p. 10): written by Phethagatso Motumi “Gig guide: culture on the horizon” (p. 12): written by Aléz Odendaal & Cayley Mitchell

their liege speak so forthrightly. “Those bloody Fairies,” he continued, “nearly ruined the Unicorn way of life. They, with their perfect dress-sense and minimalist interior decorating. They, with their superior spending power due to not having to sire offspring. They, with their miniature hounds and little kittens.” At this, Baker the smith and Chandler to apothecary began to suspect that something was amiss. Was their master... weeping? Read on next week...

Tweets from the @varsitynews account @Jesse_tb: @remythequill @sarah_koopman forget the Champions League Final I'll be #OutHereTweeting #BetterThanWatchingSoccer

@NdaJunior: RT @siya_thatguy: I see you #OutHereTweeting arrogantly like you didn't play for the Ikeys team that nearly got relegated -- #Dead

@ThendoR: And UCT was my 1st RT @varsitynews: #OutHereTweeting like UCT wasn't your first choice. *This joke never gets tired* :)

@Thiptown: Tell dem!!! Lol RT @RrrEeGina: #OutHereTweeting like test2s are not coming @varsitynews

@mush_thoithi: “@varsitynews: #OutHereTweeting like you haven't asked whether "this Jammie goes to Upper"...” LOL! Cc: @MankaBrown

@MankaBrown: @mush_thoithi @varsitynews or #OutHereTweeting "Anyone know where the TBA building is??" O.o Sigh! First years get away with so much!

@_shakirahj: RT @varsitynews: #OutHereTweeting like our essays will reference themselves. @HsA_CeliweB: LOL! In that order! RT @varsitynews: UCT students. #OutHereTweeting like they didn't know autumn and winter follow spring and summer. @HsA_CeliweB: That time they're still ching-chilling on dat yang desk hey? Late!* RT @varsitynews: #OutHereTweeting like tuts have been done. :)

Editorial statement

VARSITY would like to apologise for any confusion caused by the article “SHAWCO keeps volunteers (volume 71, edition 5). The article was written with the best of intentions, though questions have been raised about the manner in which facts were obtained. VARSITY subscribes to the highest standards of journalism and newsreporting, and, as a developmental agency at UCT, we will never stop striving for this ideal. —Senior Editorial

published next semester; newsgatherings will resume in term three. Please watch your email inboxes for details of the next edition, publishing on Tuesday, July 24th.

2012 Collective

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.”

which was last week’s lecture. I guess no one likes to discuss death because thinking about what happens, where you go, and thoughts like “did I really live my life?” are scary to have to think about. Then there’s the spitirual or religious aspect to it. We don’t all agree on what happens after death so discussing it is like opening a conversation which every individual will leave feeling like no one else understood his/her point of view. Frustrating to say the least. I’m not proud of my denial, but instead of counting down the days to my ETA at Death’s Door, I’d rather live now and hope it’s still a long, long time until I approach The End (or perhaps The Beginning?).

Rhynhardt Krynauw, Copy Editor

Caterina Aldera Newsgathering The next edition of VARSITY will be Managing Editor

“He’s right,” I thought to myself, “no one talks about death, until it happens, until it’s over and there’s nothing more you can say.” But do I really want to be talking about death all the time? Then there are the issues of what death is and when exactly someone should be considered dead. Does an afterlife mean I’m truly dead, or have I just started living in the Land of Milk and Honey that they all go on about? I know we’re all dying from the day we are born, but I’m not one for thinking that far ahead into the future (call me ignorant, if you like). This is awkward, I thought – even more so than the taboo topics like “sex and what you like about it”,

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editor-in-chief Stephanie Venter deputy editor Lyndall Thwaits Copy Editor Rhynhardt Krynauw Managing Editor Caterina Aldera news Olivia Wainwright & Muattham Carlie opinions Berndt Hannweg & Nick Corbett features Anade Situma & Aléz Odendaal sportS Sajjad Karamsi & Nicole Beale images Uwais Razack & Thabang Serumola Design Nic Botha web Chris Linegar, Alex Nagel & Carla de Klerk advertising Kaede Wildschut Finance Andrew Montandon OPERATIONS Jodi Edmunds marketing Andrzej Ogonowski human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Lydia Shilla I.T. Mfundo Mbambo sub-editors Claire Hunter, Hannah MacMillan, Cayley Mitchell & Theresa Scott HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Currin Cartoonist Julian Nkuna photographers Zakiti Bhengu, Sashkran Yuri Naidoo, Elelwani Netshifhire, Uthman Quick, & Siyanda Ralane Design Emma Fernandez, Louis Liss, Julien Speyer & Takura Wekwete Images Assistant Zarmeen Ghoor

opinions Uthman Quick

n South Africa, approximately 50% of students speak English at home. At UCT, unlike other universities in the Western Cape, English is the only medium of instruction. This seems like a contradiction. But does it mean there are problems with language in the classroom at UCT? The short answer is yes. Research has shown that in some undergraduate degrees at UCT, there is a 20% discrepancy in the pass rate between English first language and second language students. Clearly something is wrong. I always thought South Africans were highly multilingual. South Africa is, according to the number of official languages at least, the most multilingual society in the world. The trouble is that multilingualism in conversation and academia are two different things. Imagine this scenario: You come from a community in South Africa where English is not the first language. You matriculate from a “previously disadvantaged” school where English is taught as a second language or teachers use your home language to make up for your (or their) difficulties with English. Your

home language is simply used as a conversational tool for explanation, not in an academic sense. Through hard work and discipline (just like any other student) you do well in matric and are accepted at UCT.

It’s not as if you can ... ask your lecturer to explain Machiavelli’s theory of power in your home language The problem is that you are going to pitch up for the first week of lectures with a limited proficiency in academic English. It’s not as if you can raise your hand and ask your lecturer to explain Machiavelli’s theory of power in your home language. The question is: “Why not?” Why is it that students at South Africa’s premier university have so little access to education in their home languages? At a recent seminar organised by the Transformation Committee in the Humanities Faculty, Associate Professor Mbulungeni Madiba of the Multilingualism Education Project spoke of the need to integrate African languages into the educational culture of the university. This would

be achieved through policy changes and programmes such as tutorials and study guides in specific official languages other than English. Dr Jacques de Wet, senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology and fluent speaker of Afrikaans and Xhosa, discussed his use of languages other than English in lectures and tutorials as not only an effective teaching tool but as something that promotes academic excellence. Suggestions of bilingual lectures might make a few cringe. Some lecturers already have complaints lodged against them simply because of their accents. Others say that such ideas would create further linguistic division between speakers of different local languages. They also point to the fact that UCT has a large international student and staff community – should we then also have separate tutorials in French or Shona? The fact remains that UCT is, first and foremost, a South African institution and its first priority has to be to the students of the country. As South African society transforms, UCT should be at the forefront of that transformation and begin to reflect the demographic realties of this country. For that to happen successfully the hegemony of English at UCT needs to be challenged.

I’ll have some cheese with my whine Tayla Africa

Poll

he term “Foodie” is used to define a person who has an enthusiastic and refined interest in good food. Nowadays, with the broad spectrum of social media platforms available, everybody gets to comment on their eating experiences, but that doesn’t make them a bona fide Foodie. When one thinks about Foodies, one generally pictures the older, white, affluent crowd who enjoy golf and opera and sitting in high-end restaurants critically tasting exotic cuisine. I suppose this is why the word has also become synonymous with “food snob”. The youth of today are becoming increasingly involved in this type of haute dining, but their taste buds are less discerning than those of the true food critics. Young people are using food as a way of dishing themselves onto the sophisticated and urbane chic social plate. The reason is that food can be considered as a means of equalising people from different cultural and economic backgrounds. It is a source of social status that the youth use to wedge themselves into the same category as the old-school gourmet eaters. Paradoxically, even though they have joined the social

Image: public-doman-image.com/Jon Sullivan

elite’s cheese-and-wine culture, they still aren’t equipped with the same culinary parlance that real foodies possess. The youth have this obsession with documenting every moment of their lives, especially if they feel a specific broadcast might score their social life some brownie points. Tweeting about a new sushi bar they discovered or posting a snapshot of themselves indulging in macaroons at a French café definitely exudes a more “classy” panache than your average McDonald’s-cheeseburger adventure. More young people now have the space to comment and speculate about their dish preferences. Does this mean that they are “foodies” and are trying to cheapen the reviews of real food critics?

This new breed of restaurant-goer has transformed the conservative dining hobby to a youthculture phenomenon. An abiding Foodie gains satisfaction from being able to tell the difference between a spicy plum and fruity sweet-edged wine, whereas young people tend to brag about being cultured enough to have attended the actual wine festival. Spending hundreds on a rare steak sliver would be very hard on their pockets and they‘re more interested in being trendy eaters than being a professional fussy food consumer. Food is just being used as a leisurely cultural pursuit of the urbane and a yardstick for sophistication among the new kids on the restaurant block.

This close to exams, my DP is: • under threat, • perfectly safe • up in the air and I don’t care.

Editorial note: Edition 5’s poll “The UN’s approach to Syria” was undersubscribed, and thus no results will be published for this poll.

Visit varsitynewspaper.co.za and vote

Burnt Toast

Berndt Hannweg

Opinions Editor

It’s just porn, Mom, and it won’t go away at locksmiths, so too do teenagers scoff at restrictions, particularly when you attempt to enforce them electronically. After all, once games companies invented DRM, no more games were pirated. Oh, no, wait – the other thing. People just learned to work around the restrictions, just as men, women and teenagers will do with new ones. Putting aside the wealth of adult material which will remain in the form of DVDs, magazines or something so essential to and erotic comic books (we’re human survival, our society watching you, Japan), where’s the has a mystifying relationship harm, exactly? with sex. Parents are encouraged to tell We idolise it in our media, with their children about the birds and every steel-jawed, flinty-eyed hero bees, but that’s an idealistic view getting his nubile-and-totally- of “sex for procreation” which independent-yet-still-gooey-for- doesn’t exist, and perhaps never the-male-lead waif by the end of did. The majority of people have the movie. sex for recreational purposes. In We slather it over our fact, I dare say almost 100% of advertising, for everything from homosexual people don’t have sex deodorant to cars. If television for the purpose of having children. commercials are to be believed, Proponents of this and similar nothing sells unless it comes with a laws apparently view pornography buxom young lady draped over it. as a deadly catalyst, as if we’re all This is bizarre, because the one hot-and-heavy sex scene away moment we from sexually use suggestive assaulting our nothing sells unless neighbours. But imagery to talk about sex, people that’s the same it comes with a recoil in horror. applied buxom young lady argument Remember the to violence on draped over it. various outcries television and in we hear every time computer games, Teazers puts up a and like those billboard in a visible location? “My arguments, have been rubbished God! A pair of breasts! Advertising by a vast amount of scientific a stripclub! Right where my studies. Amazingly, watching porn children can see it! The outrage!” doesn’t turn us into sex fiends. This from a mother who We watch people kill each other undoubtedly buys Kelly her in horror movies and action flicks first training bra at age 9, and without comment, because, after lets Tommy rove the internet all, they’re just actors. unchecked from age 12. Surprise! So are the people in However, nobody obsesses porn. They act (usually not very over pornography more than a convincingly), they have scripts, government, and now it seems and directors, and shooting the United Kingdom is getting schedules, and at the end of the in on the act. Conservative day they collect their pay cheques members suggest that Internet and go home. They’re like models Service Providers block access to in photo shoots, except their assets pornography automatically, with aren’t perfect noses or sultry eyes. users specifically requesting to be Pornography isn’t going allowed to access adult sites. anywhere. You may ban it for The reason given, of course, prudish reasons more linked to is to protect the children. Now it moral objections than common doesn’t an anthropologist like A.J. sense, but even then it won’t Bailey to realise that perhaps, as magically disappear. And a party with a focus on Christian everyone, young and old, will still ideals, the Conservatives are more have (and seek) access to it. concerned with what mommy And there won’t be any decrease and daddy are doing online than (or rise) of sexual deviance, what little Tommy might be seeing because it’s not porn which causes between YouTube videos. those things. As a former adolescent myself, I Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have can tell you that, just as love laughs to clear my browser history.

disclaimer

Is language a problem?

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

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 must be kept to a maximum of 250 words and can be sent to:

opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za.

The VARSITY Editorial reserves the right to trim articles for space reasons.

opinions

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

Back in blonde

Remembering the fallen

Aimee Carelse

here’s nothing like a good ol’ fashioned celebrity meltdown to ignite the world’s insatiable appetite for gossip. And, as a breeding ground for troubled starlets that are on a downward spiral to rock bottom, Hollywood never disappoints. Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan were the stars of two of the most infamous and highly-publicised celebrity meltdowns in recent entertainment history. Nevertheless, both have embarked on a journey towards a fierce comeback. But with personal turmoil as the most memorable part of their careers, will they ever be able to outlive the scandal and shame of their downfalls? Britney Spears was doing rather well in her “Hit Me Baby One More Time” fame. But the reign of the pop princess reached its unfortunate end when accusations of her being an unfit parent began. Tabloid images of her with a drink in one hand and falling baby in the other didn’t do much to quell the gossip. Add to that a dysfunctional marriage to dancer/rapper K-Fed, charges of a hit and run, a couple of stints in rehab and excessive partying with fellow tragic starlets, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, and you’ve got a meltdown to provide the tabloids with enough news for three years. It was a ba(l)d time for Britney. Miss Lohan was no better off. Two charges of DUI, lengthy jail sentences, a cocaine habit, a stage mom that could put Kris Kardashian

Image: Uwais Razack

Nic Botha Image: lixopop.wordpress.com

to shame and a joked-about lesbian relationship to DJ Samantha Ronson pushed this girl right off her throne as queen of the silver screen. Not to mention an apparent penchant for shoplifting reminiscent of a certain Ms Winona Ryder. Despite it all, both starlets have made admirable comebacks in their respective industries. After some shaky attempts (including a badly lip-synched MTV VMA performance), Britney has regained her position at the top of the charts. Lohan has just recently been cast as Elizabeth Taylor in the biopic Liz and Dick. This begs the question: how do these seemingly disturbed young starlets manage to move past their personal breakdowns to make a fresh start in their professional careers? Life under the spotlight can’t be easy. Spears blamed the media for her being an “emotional wreck”. Lohan commented that her so-called meltdown was simply her living out her college years for the world to see. For celebrities, the voyeur-like

lens of the paparazzi has a knack for magnifying and distorting the common problems we plebs regularly face. More importantly, is it really these supposedly unstable starlets who can’t shake the scandal of a meltdown, or is it the gossip-loving public that won’t let them forget it? People salivate at the latest helpings of salacious scandal, relishing in the wonderful notion that celebrities are not as flawless as they may appear. It’s no wonder the public chooses to hold on to the shameful past of these women, even when the celebrities themselves have clearly moved on. It’s high time we cut these celebs some slack. Dance to their music and watch their movies rather than indulging in their personal problems. We should admire them for their progress rather than impatiently anticipate a sensational and tragic demise, as was the fate of late vocal legend Whitney Houston. They’re doing what they can to make a living and move on. So should you.

Lesson-free literature Katy Scott

s our mundane existence impacted by the trials and triumphs of hungry children, sexy bloodsuckers and scar-faced wizards? Do our dearest protagonists have important messages to bestow upon their impressionable readers? With an extensive amount of fantastical bestsellers-turned-blockbusters saturating our world, it is important to consider what (if anything) these fantasy books are really teaching us.

We indulge in the fantastical purely to engross ourselves in epic conflicts Stephen King famously said: “Harry Potter is all about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.” King makes a valid point here, (especially with regard to Twi(t)light) yet it is not often that one puts down a book blissfully sighing, “Wow, I

Image: baftakidsvote.org

really learnt a great deal about the human condition, injustice and tackling one’s demons from that!” Unlike Shakespeare’s heavily laden works, it is highly unlikely that modern-day authors are consciously pumping their books full of “meaning”. Quite honestly, I’d toss aside any book with moral messages, no matter how craftily disguised they are. Fantasy is not supposed to stimulate rational thinking; we get enough of that in our academic discourse. Rather, literature rouses imagin-

ations and quenches internal longings through empathic, involved reading. It is impossible to articulate the awestruck sensation we feel when putting down a good book or numbly watching credits roll, and it most certainly isn’t owing to any trivial life lessons we may have attained. Some may argue that it is the reader’s duty to extricate the wisdom an author has unthinkingly sprinkled on their work. However, I do believe we have moved beyond high-school English, where our teachers milked

much to be desired. Obscured by cars and often sporting posters and graffiti, the Memorial has 2014 will mark the centenary become a casual gathering place of the outbreak of World War 1, for students, many of whom one of the most significant events think nothing of sitting on the of the 20th century. Post-war stone (and even enjoying a drink Europe would be forever changed or two). by what was then called “The While the World Wars and Great War”, with sweeping social, their commemoration belong cultural and political changes. to a time in South Africa’s past Peace would, sadly, be short- that many would like to ignore lived, and the rise of Fascist or forget, we cannot allow this to regimes in Germany, Italy and happen. South Africans across all Japan would see another great war races fought in the wars, among consume most of the world. South them students of our university. Africa, through its position in the To ignore those who died, or British Empire, was inexorably those combatants still living, drawn into the conflicts, with sig- would be a grave injustice. nificant losses sustained. As the cent-enary draws The tradition closer, living of remembering memories of the and paying South Africans across wars grow more respect to the distant. I think I all races fought in dead soldiers might be one of the wars, among from these wars the few students them students of would be an at UCT whose annual feature. grandfather told our university Today, no-one them war stories, in Britain can or who joined miss the significance of wearing him along with his old regiment red poppies around Armistice every year on November 11. I Day. While these ceremonies can understand, for many who do happen in South Africa, they have never had this experience, are largely confined to the larger why it is possible to ignore the memorials, such as the cenotaph significance of the Memorial. on Adderley Street. I feel that it is important for UCT is no exception to the UCT to rehabilitate the area ritual of commemoration, with around the Memorial, so as ceremonies held at the War to afford it the respect that it Memorial on Upper Campus. deserves, and to institute formal Known to most students as “mem ceremonies for Armistice Day. stone”, the Memorial occupies a As we celebrate our freedom on central position on the main axis, April 27, and pay respect to those along a well traversed route. who helped make it a reality, so However, the current state too should we remember those of the Memorial, as a solemn who contributed to freedom on a remembrance to the sacrifice of more global scale. so many South Africans, leaves obscure “intended meanings” out of literary texts. Let’s get real. A fantasy writers main motive is to tell a darn good story. Any life lessons gleaned from their works are either purely accidental or conjured up by a pious little teacher’s pet. As an author, I’d probably be offended if my mystic works were reduced to such “human understanding.” We indulge in the fantastical purely to engross ourselves in epic conflicts, lose ourselves in a surreal setting and live vicariously through authentic, riveting characters. Surely that is enough for the reader to handle without the added necessity of learning something? As soon as fantasy fiction has a take-away value, the consumer is sent to sleep. Yes, the battles do delineate good and evil and allow the virtuous to be victorious, but – let’s be honest – who really cares? I

for one am most enthralled by the subjects of my worst nightmares: the heinous villains fantasy writers dream up only to annihilate in the most spectacular of fashions. Who honestly cares for all the virtues when the vices are so sweet? Ultimately, it’s the rush we crave, the exhilarating escape to an alternate universe. Anything we may happen to “learn” on our journey will have no hold upon our return to reality. Furthermore, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter and Twilight all featured on the American Library Association’s Banned and Challenged book lists, making it rather incongruous for them to be teaching us anything ethical at all. It’s refreshing to lose ourselves once in a while and enjoy living in the fantasy, without having to learn anything from it.

opinions

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

Banning booze ads is pointless Quentin Coetzee

the mainstream media have nothing to do with why we drink in the first place. If anything, the alcohol producers will make more money due to saving on advertising. Even removing that, banning advertising of booze in the media to solve the problem of alcoholism is something I cannot really see working miracles. Whether teenagers or adults, people generally know whether or not they want to drink. If they do, they might pay attention to the advertisements, but it doesn't directly drive them to drink: they have already made that choice. If they decide against drinking, they simply ignore what is being advertised as it doesn't appeal to them. In either case, the advertisement does not play a primary role in motivating consumption of alcohol. I will admit that action like banning advertising of alcohol could possibly be a step in the right direction in the fight against alcohol abuse (a tiny step in which the foot moves about a centimetre in front of the other, but a step nonetheless). Unless further action is taken in addition, however, the entire ban will be like using a dishcloth as a bulletproof vest. So if this possible ban on advertising alcohol is the only thing to be done, we may as well just drop the idea now.

t turns out that the advertising of tobacco has been banned in South Africa, as well as other countries such as Pakistan and Italy. Many people, myself included, applaud this action. The idea is that if you cut down on advertising, people aren't going to pay as much attention to the products and the number of smokers will decrease as a result. Now imagine if such an approach to alcohol abuse were undertaken. What if all advertising of alcohol was banned? Wouldn't this impact on the number of drunk drivers on the country's roads and the problem of teenage consumption of alcohol? It is pleasant to imagine advertising as one of the major sources of the problem, but if you stop to think about it, you would see that it is not the be-all and end-all of this particular challenge. The thinking behind, say, banning alcohol advertising can most likely be attributed to what is known as the Hypodermic Needle theory, which says that an intended message sent via the media is directly received and accepted by the receiver. However, we know that we are smarter than that. We make informed choices about what we do and don't blindly respond to everything in the media.

Image: karl.shiftinteractive.ca

While a ban on alcohol advertising might have some impact if fewer people are being exposed to it through advertising, there are other forms of exposure; an advert about a bottle of Heineken or Captain Morgan won’t cause a country-wide binge by itself. Advertisements try to bring attention to something, and

the entire ban will be like using a dishcloth as a bulletproof vest alcoholic beverages are no different. It is our choice whether or not to pay attention.

That is part of why banning alcohol advertisements is utterly pointless. People don't generally buy a bottle of booze just because they saw the advertisement. As said before, there are other forms of exposure, such as peer pressure and social tensions. Banning alcohol advertisements will not help in any of these situations because ads in

YOUR CAREER

as an occupational Therapist

Careers Calendar may

VARSITY speaks to TARRYN CAWOOD, Occupational Therapist at Workability. Describe your role as an OT. I work in a team to facilitate and manage the rehabilitation process of people who have been injured at work. Cases range from acute physical injury to people suffering from chronic pain and, as such, my work requires me to be able to apply treatment principles to a wide range of injury and impairments and deal with a large variety of challenges. Describe a typical working day. Together with client and employer, we identify all work demands. I provide advice regarding the client’s physical capabilities, determine what temporary accommodations may be suitable and formulate a return-to-work plan. I run two group sessions, where clients see a physiotherapist and follow a physical rehabilitation programme based on their job tasks. Between sessions, I complete initial assessments and individual sessions to educate clients on topics such as pain management and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act. Many of our clients perceive injustice after an injury on duty; we address these factors so that the clients aren’t limited by them.

Which skills and personal qualities contribute to your success? I am a proactive problem-solver – as an OT we often provide the link in any workplace between our clients and other stakeholders e.g. doctors, employers. Multidisciplinary teams are becoming more vital and I enjoy working in a team. A high level of compassion means that I continually strive to assist my clients, even when job frustrations and personal difficulties sometimes feel too much. In what type of continuing professional development do you engage? I have completed many short courses to expand my skills base. In 2010, I completed the 3-week international Basic Adult Bobath Course and became accredited with the Progressive Goal Attainment Program in 2011. I am now completing additional modules of the Pain Course run by the Pain Management Physiotherapy Group. Your greatest achievement thus far? Continuing with OT even when others felt I was “wasting my skills” by not choosing a more lucrative pro-

fession. In a world where tolerance, kindness and compassion are often lacking, OT has a more significant role to play than ever before, as we believe in optimising a person’s function in their daily lives after injury, impairment or chronic illness has impacted on their personal goals.

in fo rm a ti o n • C en tr e fo

r H ig h er Ed

u c a ti o n D

t ev el o pm en

Services Division sharing their career journeys. All talks will take place from 13h00 –13h45

What challenges have you encountered? Becoming aware of and dealing with the many hardships that a huge majority of our country lives with is often incredibly disheartening. What advice do you have for current students? Don’t worry if you feel you’ve picked the wrong path: education is important because it provides us with the thought patterns that allow us to use whatever we are taught in smart ways!

c . z a s . u c t . a r e e r a w w w . c

ces i v r e S s r e e Car p o rt u n it ie a d vi ce • o p

Career Inside Stories Listen to the South African Police Forensic

9 May

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10 May

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8 May

Law Career Fair

Opportunities

09h00 – 15h00, Kramer Quad

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public service organisations

10h00 – 15h00, Kramer Quad

10 May

South African Reserve Bank –

Presentation

13h00 – 13h45 LS2C, Leslie

The Foschini Group

ild in g ri kw ag go Bu Le ve l 1, H oe pu s U pp er C am N o rt h La n e, 4 9 7 1 6 5 0 2 ( + 2 7 ) 2 ac.za rvice@uct. careers.se

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Course with the highest failure rate in each faculty Commerce

EBE

BUS1003H Introduction to Actuarial Science Failure rate: 43%

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Health Sciences

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HUB2005F – Introduction to Medical Engineering

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Failure rate: 33%

Failure rate: 60%

Engineering Disclaimer: Please note this is a Construction Studies course.

Science STA1001S – Statistics 1001

Failure rate: 64%

Failure rate: 66%

How do you learn?

Ridwaan Tayob BComm Accounting

When you contact people, do you prefer…

What’s your best study technique?

Write stuff down and drill it into my head What’s the one study snack you can’t do without?

Tea. I can’t do anything without tea.

Direct, face-to-face meetings? Speaking on the phone? Talking while walking or doing something else?

When you concentrate, are you…

By Zarmeen Ghoor Images: Uthman Quick & Chisanga Mukuka

What’s your best study technique?

Read over everything, then read it again.

Distracted by untidiness or movement?

What’s the one study snack you can’t do without?

Distracted by sounds or noises?

Chocolate.

Distracted by activity around you?

Do you believe in any exam/study superstitions? Or any rituals?

How do you cope with exam stress?

Umm, I don’t have much. When I do I’ll let you know.

Or any rituals? I never sit at table 23 in the exam room. Sparingly, dislike listening, and use words like see, picture and imagine?

What’s the first thing you’ll do when exams are over?

Call up my friends and get together (and NOT study) TELL US YOUR WILDEST/MOST NOTORIOUS POST-EXAM CELEBRATION STORY.

Do you talk...

I randomly felt like going to Camps Bay at 2 in the morning after exams once. We ate pizza on the beach and nearly froze to death.

Eagerly, enjoy listening and use words like hear, tune and think?

Distracted by untidiness or movement? Distracted by sounds or noises?

Visual Learner

You probably get very bored in lectures and struggle to pay attention. You should: Draw a map of events in history or draw scientific process Make outlines of everything! Ask the teacher to diagram Diagram sentences! Take notes, make lists Watch videos Colour-code words Outline readings Use highlighters, circle and underline words

When you read, do you prefer…

Sound out the word?

Meet people again, do you...

Forget names but remember faces? Forget faces but remember names?

Write the word out to see if it looks right?

Remember best what you did together?

Descriptive scenes and pause to imagine the action?

Look at the directions and the picture?

Enjoy dialogue and conversation and hear the characters talk? Action stories, or are you not a keen reader?

Mostly RED responses.. Audio Learner

When you assemble something, do you…

How do you cope with exam stress?

Jogging.

What’s the first thing you’ll do when exams are over?

Party, Party Party!

Prefer verbal instructions and discussing it with someone? Ignore directions and figure it out as you go along?

Mostly PURPLE responses.. Tactile Learner

You’re probably one of those people who can’t study without music and love group study sessions. You could benefit from:

You often have to drag yourself away from sport and other physical activities when it’s time to study. You should try:

Using word association to remember facts and lines Recording lectures Watching videos Repeating facts with eyes closed Participating in group discussions Using audiotapes for language practice Making audio recordings of notes after writing them

Studying in short blocks Taking lab classes Taking field trips, visiting museums Studying with others Using memory games Using flash cards to memorise Chew gum while you study; this helps your brain focus Walk rather than sit when trying to memorise something

Adri Uys BSc Chemical Engineering What’s your best study technique?

Read through work, memorise tuts

Hope factors

What’s your best study technique?

Revise and read everything.

What’s the one study snack you can’t do without?

I can’t study without chips.

Do you believe in any exam/study superstitions? Or any rituals?

Before the exam I ask God to help me and after the exam I ask God to make the tutor lenient! How do you cope with exam stress?

Long showers and music.

What’s the first thing you’ll do when exams are over?

When you spell, do you…

Distracted by activity around you?

Mostly ORANGE responses..

I go swimming or fishing.

Try to see the word?

With gestures and often use words like feel, touch and hold?

When you concentrate, are you…

Muhammad Ammon Bachelor of Arts

Kean Reynders Bachelor of Arts

Mark Zuckerberg

Probably the most famous college dropout right now, Mark Zuckerberg is the creator of one of our most powerful tools of procrastination: Facebook. Zuckerberg started the social networking site in his college dorm room and when its popularity exploded, he decided he didn’t need Harvard anymore – leaving his computer science degree hanging. Now he’s the youngest billionaire in the world.

In case things don’t turn out too well for us on this road, these people prove that you can still be successful without a degree.

What’s the one study snack you can’t do without?

Koeksisters! It used to be lemon meringue, but that became too expensive to keep up. How do you cope with exam stress?

We all know this man – the multibillionaire co-founder of Microsoft and thus pretty much life as we know it. Gates was actually a promising student enrolled at Harvard, but dropped out after two years. 30 years later, however, he returned to receive the honorary degree Harvard awarded him.

Bill Gates

Brad Pitt

Good looks, a perpetually skyrocketing career, and Angelina Jolie’s babies. What doesn’t Brad Pitt have? Well for one thing, a degree. Pitt attended the University of Missouri in the early 1980s, but dropped out two weeks before he was set to graduate with a journalism degree. He moved to Los Angeles, and the rest is, well, history.

I pray really hard and whine to my mum. I can’t survive exams without her. What’s the first thing you’ll do when exams are over?

Go out on a shopping spree! Maybe save up and buy those meringues. TELL US YOUR WILDEST/MOST NOTORIOUS POST-EXAM CELEBRATION STORY.

Well after matric I used up all the cash I had and went to Namibia for 2 weeks. I needed to be around foreign people.

features

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

Rummspringer let loose in Cape Town Shameez Patel

You guys were very well received at Flamjangled; was that expected? We were hoping for the reaction that we got, but we were still pleasantly surprised. We’d played two corporate gigs before that and it went down well, but the true test was to get up on a real stage and play the material for people who wanted to party. People were really digging our sound and couldn’t stop dancing! We were really stoked.

ewcomer electro-swing band Rummspringer played their first commercial gig at the Flamgangled Tea Party in March, where they were well-received by the strangely-dressed crowd. And after hearing the band, I can say it has less to do with the crowd’s flirtation with South Africa’s natural fauna and more to do with the kick-ass smooth sounds produced by this dynamic group. We caught up with trombonist, Ross McDonald, to chat about their success and future plans. Who is in the band and what do they play? The band consists of Carla, our lead singer on vocals, Joseph on percussion, Lee on trumpet, Simon on saxophone, Callum on guitar, and I play the trombone. Where did the band name come from? The band is the brainchild of Andrew Florenca and Will Hutton from The Sunroom, who make up the organisational and conceptual parts of the group. They decided on the name Rummspringer, which is the term the Amish gave to the period when they allowed their youth to explore the outside world and all it entails – drinking, partying, sex, etc. It literally translates into “jump around”.

Who writes lyrics and composes the music? The lyrics are shared between Carla and me, and the music is composed by me, Callum, our brother Myles McDonald, and Keving Ribbans, who does all the production.

Image: Jony Pillemer How would you describe your music using 3 words? Crazy. Electro. Swing. Who are your musical influences and what did you enjoy about them? Caravan Palace is probably the biggest influence for us in this genre, as they are top of their game when it comes to electro swing. The infectious way that they combine elements of French gypsy, swing and

electronic beats and productions is hard not to enjoy and really gets people of all ages moving. We are doing a similar thing with our group, drawing on the extensive knowledge in the field of jazz that sits amongst the various musicians. Other than the music, what do you do for the rest of the time? Everyone does different things in their spare time, but it’s mostly just music. Callum and I work at a music

How to

production/composition facility where we produce music for TV and artists. What were the biggest challenges so far? Due to the collective knowledge of the music industry, marketing of the band, and the leadership of the guys from The Sunroom, we’re really excited about building up our fan base; doing that, I guess, is the biggest challenge.

What is your biggest goal as a band? We want to be playing all the big festivals by the end of the year. Also what is a huge plus for this group is that it has the perfect combination of credibility and earning potential. Every musician loves to get up and play the music that they want, but people also want to get paid. This group allows for all the musicians to let down their hair and rock out but at the same time we can all walk away with something in the pocket.

Get through exam season

Dashalia Singaram

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e UCT students are facing a long, cold and wet winter, but this is accompanied by another season, a season of misery, also known as mid-year exams. A word of advice for those facing their first set of university exams: exams are hard. In four years, they will be harder. You will never enjoy them, so here are a few tips to help you survive them: 1. Be realistic. After four years on campus, I have finally accepted that, no, I will not start studying for exams two weeks early. We’ve all been there, swearing that we will be better prepared next semester. But we have also been hugging the toilet bowl after a rough night out, swearing we will never drink again. Time to face reality; sweeping declarations tend to closely resemble empty promises. 2. Don’t waste time. You’re studying an undergraduate degree, with a major in Procrastination. You have spent an entire day filing notes, because you can’t possibly study if everything is all over the place. Another hour is spent making a timetable so colourful it could induce seizures, which you will never stick to. And of course the regular Facebook/Twitter/BBM updates saying, “OMG I can’t study!” aren’t helping anyone. Stick to the essentials: snack breaks, smoke breaks, and taking the occasional walk to make sure the outside world

Image: cdn.nyulocal.com

is online

is still there. 3. Location, location, location. Everyone has their own preferences here. The library is a good choice, but unless you get there at 8am sharp, don’t bother. You will end up walking around for 20 minutes to no avail. Find an empty classroom somewhere – they’re quiet, usually unpopulated, and you won’t get strange looks from people when you start spouting colourful language at your textbook like someone with a severe case of Tourette’s. There are some places to avoid though. Inevitably, because the world is cruel, the weather during study week will be blissful. It is at this point that some genius will suggest studying outside. DO NOT do it. You will not study. You will laze around outside all day, get sleepy, and take a dangrous nap. 4. Don’t overdo it. Suffering from a burnout is about as useful as not studying at all. Take

regular breaks. Make sure you speak to at least one person during the day; there’s nothing more disturbing than greeting someone at 8pm and discovering you still have morning voice because you’ve been holed up all day. Try to limit this to people outside of your class. We all hate those sanctimonious nerds who say things like, “Oh no! I’m so stressed! I’ve only done six past papers!” Also, your writing hand will be quite sore after you’ve punched them in the face. 5. Let it go. When the exam is over, it’s over. A couple of expletives and a big “WOOOOSSSAAAHHH!!!” are all you need. Don’t spend the rest of the day trying to figure out where you went wrong. It will not help. Forget about it; take a couple of hours to rest your brain, and then move on to the next one. And if nothing else helps, just focus on the huge jol you will have after exams, where remembering anything is DIScouraged.

features

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

UCT rapper sweet-talks BlackBerry on campus Nicole Wilcox

olani Dludla, better known by his fans and friends as X, plans on making big waves after winning BlackBerry’s on campus “Wanna B Famous? Speak BlackBerry!” competition in March. One great Jammie Thursday, X competed against other emcees at UCT and came out on top, walking away with a BlackBerry and the opportunity to work alongside South African hip hop artist A.K.A. This budding artist from KwaZulu-Natal hopes this is the start of a promising career in the music industry, especially now that he has enlisted the help of one of South Africa’s biggest hip hop talents. X now has to go head to head with all the finalists for the chance to perform at BlackBerry’s Secret Gig as the opening act for a mysterious international artist. BlackBerry’s Secret Gig is one of the coolest events on the entertainment calendar. It offers the public exclusive tickets, which can only be won, to a gig at a secret location with the promise of incredible local and international talent. Last year’s mystery headline act was the UK’s Tinie Tempah, who performed for an intimate crowd of

Image: Uwais Razack 500 in Johannesburg. X’s amazing performance, which included an ode to UCT, won the crowd over the moment he took the stage. BlackBerry will now fly X, along with two other candidates from the University of KwaZuluNatal and the University of Western Cape, to Johannesburg and Durban to be mentored by A.K.A. The Speak BlackBerry campaign is now heading to other competing universities around the country, such as Wits University, Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg and

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. X, along with the other competitors, will then record a track that will be released and opened to public voting. The ultimate winner will be the contestant whose song accumulates the most votes. X feels extremely privileged to be working with A.K.A, “[He] is really an artist who’s doing big things. His music is very relevant and he relates to a lot of people in our generation.” He has also been approached by other aspiring artists to work with them: “the faith that I’m receiving from people is overwhelming and

Radiohead coming to SA?

Image: blitzgigs.de

Marike Watson

here have been a few “Radiohead SA Tour” posters spotted around campus, but to what are they actually referring? Radiohead is a rock band from Oxfordshire, England consisting of front man Thom Yorke (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Jonny Greenwood (lead guitar, keyboards, other instruments), Colin Greenwood (bass), Phil Selway (drums, percussion) and Ed O’Brien (guitars, backing vocals). They are famous for their unique rhythmic patterns, soulfully emotional lyrics, and captivating rock sound that has constantly evolved over the past 20 years. Albums such as OK Computer (1997), Kid A (2000) and The King of Limbs (2011) demonstrate how their music fuses elements of jazz, rock, electronic and classical music. The band has wone three Grammys, and are also three-time winners of Q Magazine’s “Best Band in the World

Today” award. Radiohead SA TOUR is a social media campaign to encourage Radiohead to visit South Africa as part of their current King of Limbs World Tour. The goal is to accumulate 40 000 likes on

Radiohead SA TOUR is a social media campaign to encourage Radiohead to visit South Africa the campaign’s Facebook Page, “Radiohead SA TOUR,” in order to convince Radiohead management that South Africa is a market that supports the band. This project relies on dialogue and the engagement of the community so that further support for the cause can be generated. Spokespersons of Radiohead SA TOUR, Tyrone Rubin and Tristyn von Berg, have announced that this cause has prompted the start

of a new project, referred to as the Radiohead Cover Project. This project involves persuading local South African musicians such as Van Coke Kartel or the Parlotones (who have possibly been inspired by Radiohead) to perform and record their version of any Radiohead song and post the video online. The goal of the Radiohead Cover Project is ultimately to try and generate more support for the initiative. Further information be obtained by email to admin@radioheadsatour. co.za or on Facebook at facebook. com/RadioheadSaTour.

right now it’s the driving force for me to continue writing.” X believes that this moment could be the beginning of his journey to greatness. When talking with X, you can feel the confidence this young man exudes. X began exploring his knack for rapping in grade 6 and started competing in grade 9. He was previously a part of a group named Insane Mentality and looks upon his high school career as the catalyst for his amazing way with words and verse, “I went to two high schools and both of them taught me significant things. I bonded with a lot

of the teachers and they’re the ones accountable for boosting my selfesteem.” The rewards that rapping has given X have been more personal than material, “Being a rapper, you know, when I was still growing up to me it seemed like if you’re a rapper you must have that energy and not be afraid of things so I took up challenges that I wouldn’t normally take up.” X claims that under the hardcore exterior he is genuinely a shy guy: “Rap became my excuse to go out there and do whatever I want to do so long as it’s a good challenge and I might get something from it.” While taking a break from the books, he works on his mixtape, Cheese and Mayo Music. He aims to blend his knowledge of sociopolitics and his love of entertainment to produce music to which listeners can relate while sharing worldviews. When X produces, he fills his lyrics with flow and flavour without taking away its relevance, “If I’m going to come up with the words, it has to mean something to me.” He hopes to represent UCT hip hop, because it (UCT) is the inspiration for the rap that won him the spot in the mentorship programme. Xolani has a winning attitude and with his hunger to join the stars one can only expect him to reach the top.

Top 5 ways to procrastinate Anade Situma As the season of exams looms, with it comes the entertaining surge of new ways to procrastinate. Here at VARSITY, we have decided to get the ball rolling. Our list is in no particular order and pays homage to some new forms of procrastination as well as to some of the more classic forms of this art. Eat “There is a fine lie between boredom and hunger” – Truths for Mature Adults, Anonymous Organise your notes... ...into what is sure to be a more intellectually stimulating system. While we are all for the idea of organised notes, there is no need to re-write all your sticky-notes just to make sure your colour coding looks pretty. Facebook stalking When you spend hours jumping from profile to profile, acting like you are some kind of PI as you use wall posts and emotional statuses, supplemented with your own wild imagination, to piece together the dramas of a person you haven't talked to in three

years, there is a problem. This is not the manifestation of you suddenly deciding to "not let life separate you from those who were once a part of your life", this is you letting someone else's life separate you from your education. Looking for internships This is a sneaky one. If looking for internships you will not qualify for if you do not pass seems like a constructive way to spend your time if you are not studying, there is something wrong with your logic. Over and above that, we all know that, although you may begin by looking for realistic, local opportunities, before you know it you are researching how much you would be earning if you had just studied what you loved and not whatever subject you are avoiding. Going to study at a café This is not Gossip Girl or One Tree Hill: those papers they are pretending to study are blank. The idea that all you need is a "change of enviroment" does not mean you need to head to the least conducive environment for studying. People-watching will be the end of your education.

features

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

5 books that surpassed the movie Zarmeen Ghoor

Depp’s portrayal of Wonka seems frivolous, and he comes across as an unhinged, Michael Jackson-like psychotic rather than an eccentric chocolatier trying to teach brats a lesson. It’s a fun, bright movie, but the innocent charm and humour of the book were just lost in all the colour and chocolate. If you want to see a good adaptation, go watch the 1971 version (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) starring Gene Wilder in a performance as charming as Depp’s is creepy.

Pride & Prejudice

by Jane Austen This is possibly one of the most frequently adapted novels out there, the latest being the 2005 affair starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. Now for ardent fans, a film will never reach the standard of an Austen novel. Ever. The first hitch is that you can’t condense Jane Austen into 2 hours and expect a fine result. The novel is laden with wit and satire that just doesn’t come through in the movie and the eccentricities of the painful, but amusing, Mrs Bennet are mostly glossed over. The biggest problem is that in the movie one doesn’t understand what attracts Darcy to Lizzie, or why she eventually falls for him – it just happens too fast with too many holes in between. Also, we’re sure they made more effort with their hair in the 1800s.

anticipation. Needless to say, this cannot be translated into a film. The rushed events in the film, and those left out completely, leave the themes of loyalty, brotherhood, betrayal and redemption insufficiently developed. I would say it lacked heart.

The Kite Runner

The Golden Compass

by Khaled Hosseini Hosseini’s debut novel is one of those emotionally loaded tragic stories that seems too horrific at times to be realistic – the attraction and brilliance lie in the writing. He wraps simple thoughts in beautiful phrases and uses his skill with words to draw you in and keep you turning pages with a mixture of dread and

The Picture of Dorian Gray Images: hariwrite.blogspot.com, lauraturleymedia.blogspot.com, cookievision.blogspot.com

by Phillip Pullman Published as Northern Lights everywhere except in the US (because they have to do everything differently there), The Golden Compass is the first in a trilogy and was brought to the big screen in 2007. The second book never made that leap and I’ll tell you why: the biggest mistake with the adaptation

was keeping it child-friendly. Despite the 12-year-old protagonist in the novel, it certainly isn’t meant for 12-year-olds. As a result, the movie ups on the drama, overcompensates on the action scenes and loses a lot of the depth and darkness of the novel. While Pullman continues the story without explanation and strings one along, allowing curiosity to develop, the film begins by blurting out a flat narration of the most significant and mysterious aspects of the novel – the nature of dæmons and Dust. There are chronological discrepancies and the book’s shocker conclusion was simply left out, creating the most extraordinary anticlimax in the history of film. At best, the movie is

Charlie & the Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl It’s usually interesting to see a new Tim Burton flick. Has he cast Johnny Depp yet again? Have the duo outdone themselves to produce something even more weird and strangely imaginative? This time they went too far. Besides clumsy mistakes like Charlie being offered dollars instead of pounds for his Golden Ticket in the little shop, a whole back story to Willy Wonka’s relationship with his neurotic dentist father was invented and inserted in the form of flashbacks. That’s taking creative licence too far.

Movie review: The Avengers

Movie Review

Berndt Hannweg

Monja Pienaar

Director: Joss Whedon Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston

n 1976, an exceptionally volatile year of the Apartheid era, South Africa saw the release of the classic film e’Lollipop. The film told the story of two young boys, Muntu Ndebele and Norman Knox, who, despite their racial differences, begin a friendship so strong, it becomes a brotherhood. Despite their success as child stars, however, their lives after e’Lollipop bear witness to the tests and trials of the Apartheid government. It is against this backdrop which A Million Colours is set. It has become something of a cliché for foreign filmmakers to use Apartheid as the topic for South African films. Admittedly, your first thought after watching the preview will most likely be: “I’ve seen it all before.” Nonetheless, do not let your prejudicial preconceptions discourage you. The South African/ Canadian-produced film is one of the few that capture our familiar history in a new light. Based on a true story, A Million Colours follows its protagonist, Muntu Ndebele, played by Wandile Molebatsi, through the June protests of 1976, township gangster wars, exiled ANC camps, and finally the drug-ridden areas of Hillbrow. Above all else, however, the film is a love story. Although their situations seem border-line unrealistic at times, Molebatsi and Masello Motana deliver believable performances

a dim shadow of the book.

by Oscar Wilde Released only as Dorian Gray, this 2009 adaptation of Wilde’s only novel has a dark atmosphere almost as penetrating as that of the novel, but lacks its gravity. It is well cast, with Colin Firth a perfectly wicked Lord Henry who pours his doctrine of gratifying one’s senses into the impressionable Dorian’s ear. The promising start of the movie collapses due to the one-dimensional nature of Dorian’s quest for pleasure. And did we have to see that much flesh? The film makes him seem like a dreadfully vain sex freak, whereas Wilde’s Dorian was primarily obsessed with his own beauty, but also wealth, opulence and standing in society. So, not a great Wilde variation, but at least Ben Barnes provides something pretty to look at.

which make their circumstances seem less exaggerated. With their contrasting worlds tearing them apart from the beginning, you find yourself rooting for their love to persevere and conquer the cultural and political challenges thrown at them. Of the three main characters, Norman Knox, played by idols winner Jason Hartman, as a soldier fighting for the Apartheid State, is arguably the least effective. At times, the film’s portrayal of the South African Army army is hardly believable and it largely resorts

to typical Afrikaner stereotypes. Nonetheless, the film successfully shows how easily the racial divide of the country tested even the strongest of friendships. Overall, A Million Colours is effective enough to bring you to the edge of your seat, but without the “based on a true story” tagline, the plot often seems slightly questionable. If there are any faults with the film, blame should be fixed with the directors rather than the actors: their performances are, without a doubt, responsible for the success of the film.

The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. There is no “I” in team. But Tony Stark would be very happy to point out there is a “me”. Having watched all five of the films that preceded The Avengers, I can tell you that Joss Whedon managed to do something extraordinary. He took various characters from a range of okay-for-a-Saturday flicks and produced a comicbook film to be proud of. The villainous Loki is back on Earth, this time stealing the Tesseract, a source of unlimited energy, with the intention of opening a portal through which his minions can invade New York. So Nick Fury calls together Thor, Iron Man, Captain America, Dr Bruce Banner, the

Black Widow and some guy with a bow (that appears to be his sole characterisation) to stop him. Michael Bay could learn a thing or two from Avengers, primarily to do with the need for a plot and pacing and good dialogue and characters you actually grow to like over the space of the two hours. Whedon doesn’t stint on the action, though, and the fight sequences and special effects are good, if not spectacular. The leads have some great interaction with each other, but it is Tom Hiddleston as Loki who steals the show with greasy superiority and evil panache, at least until the Hulk arrives on the scene. Fans of Marvel Comics should go see this film, while the uninitiated will enjoy the ride as well, with lots of good one-liners and some surprisingly heart-warming moments thrown in. If you don’t laugh and get teary-eyed while watching The Avengers, you may not be fully human.

features

Gig guide

May 8th–22nd Daria Pershina

inter approaches! But fear not, for those pyjamas and matching fluffy moccasins your Gran bought you are not your fate. We, at Varsity, have selected some of the finest activities to get you out of those fluffy duvets (and moccasins) and out into the social scene of Cape Town.

Hip Hop film festival Every Saturday up to the 19th of May, the District Six Museum is offering a showcase of the tradition of Hip Hop in South Africa through film. All the films are written and directed by local, young South African talent, and dancing is a prerequisite for attending the event. So if you’re not sure how to put your

best foot forward, head down to the Hip Hop Film Festival and learn something from our own South African youth. For more information on the festival and all the upcoming shows with the times check out the website districtsix.co.za. Date: Every Saturday till May, 19th Time: 2–6pm Venue: District Six Museum Address: 25 Buitenkant Street, District Six Email: dean@districtsix.co.za Phone: 021-466 7200/7100 Price: R20 p/person

Bringing Harmony Back If you’re a true Capetonian then the name Dave Ferguson is not new to you, but if you’re a new resident in Cape Town all I can tell you is

that this is an event that you cannot miss. Dave Ferguson is well known for playing the harmonica in some of the hippest clubs and bars of Cape Town, but don’t be fooled by the generalisation of the harmonica being an old man’s instrument. Dave Ferguson revolutionises his sounds with looping to give his music a modern edge. Dave Ferguson is back from his tour in Italy to perform in Cape Town till the 11th of May. Be sure to go see him at Don Pedro’s restaurant in Woodstock. Bookings are essential. Date: May, 11th Venue: Don Pedro & All His Beautiful Wives Address: 113 Roodebloem Rd, Woodstock Website: donpedros.co.za Telephone: 021-447 6152 Price: R45

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

Stranger than Fiction If you were ever a fan of the old Fiction in Long Street, you’ll be happy to hear that Fiction is back, only bigger and better! The new Fiction boasts a larger dance floor, a selection of the hippest DJs, and the craziest hours a club in Cape Town can offer. The owners of the long-standing and newly-renovated vegetarian restaurant Lola’s are the proud new owners of Fiction. They have fully renovated the club, which is now a local hangout offering beer and cocktails from midday, and which is one of the best alternative clubs around when the sun goes down. You can expect a variety of parties from Tuesday to Saturday. The greatest advantage of the new Fiction is that there is an upgraded security system; if you are worried about safety on Long Street, Fiction has got you covered. Student nights are every Tuesday, and before 11pm (upon showing your student card) entrance is free. Now isn’t that just stranger than fiction? Date: Student nights every Tuesday Opening hours: Midday–4am Address: 226 Long Street Email: info@fictionbar.com Telephone: 021-424 5709 Price: Free before 11pm with student card

Mother’s Day, May 13th If you’re a student who struggles to remember important dates, we are here to help you. Mother’s Day is around the corner, and if there are two days in the year that you should not forget, they are your mom’s birthday and Mother’s Day. If you haven’t spent enough time with your mom this year, then Mother’s Day is the perfect opportunity to make up for it. Why not spend the day picking

roses and drinking tea? Inside Wynberg Park you will find Chart Farm, a secret local spot for picking your own roses. You can expect to pay R4 for every rose picked on Monday to Saturday and, to make a student’s life easier, half price on Sundays. This is a perfect way to spoil your mom without having to break the bank. Bookings are essential, so make sure to phone soon. Time: 9am–4.30pm Address: Chart Farm, Klaassens Road, Wynberg Park, Wynberg Website: chartfarm.co.za Telephone: 021-761 0434 Price: R4 a rose (R2 on Sundays)

Good Food and Wine Show With winter approaching fast, the perfect place to be before hibernation is the Good Food and Wine Show. This event will provide you with perfect recipes for the winter months ahead; if the only recipe you’ve mastered thus far is microwave popcorn, then this event is for you. The event is a showcase of restaurant creations, available produce at supermarkets, and (most importantly for students) an opportunity to taste some of the offerings – for free. The Good Food and Wine Show starts on May 24th and runs until the May 27th. Tickets are R95 if bought from Computicket ahead of time, and will be a little more expensive if bought at the door. Date: May 24th–27th Time: Thurs–Sat, 10am–9pm & Sun 10am–6pm Venue: CTICC Address: 1 Lower Long Street Website: goodfoodandwineshow.co.za Price: R95

Rape video: helping to fight violent crime Cai Nebe

viral video depicting a 17-year-old girl being gangraped in Soweto shocked South Africans when it came to light in last month. The media’s handling of the case created a storm by reporting the violent crime, but also raised questions about how the story was reported by the news media. Professor Robert Morrell of the UCT Research Office, specialising in issues of masculinity, commented there were three stages which most is contributed to the public outrage of this case. Firstly, the six culprits’ decision and carrying out of the rape; secondly, their recording of their actions; and thirdly, their dissemination of the rape via video making their crime into an easily accessible form of media. While acknowledging that this was a terrible crime in itself, Morrell identified the recording and the dissemination as “the most important issues in this case”. “It appears that these young men believed the gang rape was testimony to their masculine prowess,” he said. Their combination decision of recording and distributing the rape

“is an affront to the constitutional values of South Africa” and shows an “escalation of a serious social problem in South Africa”. In view of how the event was presented to the public, which drew criticism, particularly in the Cape Times editorial regarding the Daily Sun’s publishing of video stills from the video that revealed the girl’s identity. Ntombikayise Bhengu, a firstyear student who hails from Soweto, said that while it was important for the media to report on such crimes, the method of reporting was wrong. “We must a think about the girl, who will be badly affected for life by this. The coverage also gives a bad image of Soweto,” she said. Morrell said publishing these images could inspire two different reactions in the public, such as “invoking rage at the violence against women”. Alternatively, they could instead initiate apathy, because the images naturalise and undermine violence. Buhle Manana, a third-year Engineering student, felt the images and video may “encourage other young to engage in similar acts of violence, because the power of the media makes them feel ‘invincible’ ”.

Morrell added that journalists must therefore be “mindful” of this and remain ethical when they are reporting such crimes. Manana added that South African society had become too “liberal”, stating: “The fact that they videoed it bothers me,” she said. She said that it showed how far the moral boundaries have been pushed back and also that we are in a moral decline in South African society. “There was no need for visuals in this story – that’s just sensationalism by press, and it make the immune to the violent crimes.” While the press method of reporting the incident has been questioned, third-year student Suvanna Pitamber said that at least the publication worked to raise discussion among the students and public. “By talking, we are raising awareness of gang rape and are less likely to live in denial of the problems in South Africa,” she said. SRC Media & Communications Officer Nkateko Minisi said that suppression of the video would have been a form of censorship. “Media can be used, and mostly is, in positive ways to counteract this negative instances such as this,” she said.

Image: Kosmaser.wordpress.com

Morrell said: “Unfortunately, sometimes it is martyrs that bring these kinds of issues into the spotlight.” It is hoped that severity of the consequences and the raising of awareness that this combination of

committing a crime, recording it and distributing the evidence via social media has created is a watershed moment in how South African society deals with violent crime and a wake up call to how far back moral boundaries have been pushed.

sport

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

Internal Soccer League kicks off Robert Byrne

hile things may be drawing to a close in European soccer leagues, our very own Internal League has just begun. This year’s first round kicked off in April, and with plenty of games squeezed in before June, most teams have been gracing the blustery Rhodes fields and Kopano AstroTurf frequently. The Internal Soccer League (ISL) comprises four 12-team divisions – the Super League, Premier League, First Division and Second Division. Last season saw Rondebosch United victorious in a tightly fought Super League battle, just pipping Barbarians to the post. An even tighter Premier League saw Forest Hill edge out Smuts Hall’s Zamalek on goal difference to be crowned champions. Meanwhile, Team Evil and Groote Schuur Residence coasted to victory in their respective first and second divisions. The popular knock-out cup competition will return in 2012 with the usual prospect of giantkillings and penalty shoot-outs. The competition pools together teams from all four divisions, randomly drawing them against each other. You might expect this tournament to be dominated by the elite Super

Leaguers. If last season’s competition is anything to go by, however, you can expect a few upsets on the cards again in 2012. Groote Schuur Res went on a fairy-tale cup run, reaching the final and despatching Super League teams Kopano A and Afghan FC in the process. Despite losing out 1-0 to Patriots in a close final, their cup run demonstrates that quality football that can be found across all the leagues. Peter Buckton, who manages the leagues on behalf of UCT Sport & Recreation, is enthusiastic about the quality of football, explaining, “There are a lot of good players in the leagues – most students are keen to play with their buddies and have time constraints, so we try to play on Fridays and Sundays.” The leagues provide a great alternative for those who cannot commit to frequent training or those who compete in other sports. That having been said, one or two of the more lowly teams within the leagues could probably benefit from more practice time. The UCT Fourths are also competing in the First Division this season, and will be hoping to see the disciplined UCT Soccer approach pay dividends. One feature of the competition is the intense rivalry between the residences. Forest Hill and

CARTOON CORNER

Smuts Hall have gained promotion back into the Super League this season, at the expense of Barcelona (Leo Marquard Hall) who were relegated from the top flight after an uncharacteristically poor season. Non-residence teams make up a significant number of sides and this year the league sees the introduction of seven new teams thoping to cause their very own cup upsets, à la Groote Schuur. The league also

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Casey-lee

With a readership of 10 000–14 000 students, VARSITY is the ideal way to reach the UCT student market. Discounted rates are given to UCT students and societies. To enquire or place an advert, contact KAEDE WILDSCHUT on ads@varsitynewspaper.co.za, or phone our office: 021-650 3543. Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union, Upper Campus

accommodates teams from CPUT and Rosebank College. The changing face of the league on a season-by-season basis makes the outcome difficult to predict. While you can expect Rondebosch United, Patriots, University House’s Dynamites and Afghan FC to challenge for the Super League, these are still early days. Buckton, refused to be drawn off the fence and make a title prediction, explained,

“It’s difficult to call during the first round (ending May 20), as a lot of changes happen after the vacation, with some students leaving their sides.” Nevertheless, he added, “Forest Hill and Smuts Hall have gained promotion back to the Super League after just one season in the Premier League and from what I’ve seen at their practices, they are looking serious contenders for honours in 2012.”

Where’s the athleticism? Michael McLaggan UCT’s performance at the USSA Student Athletics Championships confirms one thing: athletics at UCT is in dire straits. In a competition that featured some of the top South African universities, UCT performed dismally. With Pukke emerging overall winners and Tuks and UJ running closely behind, all scoring well over 300 points, the Ikeys were nowhere to be found on the list after failing to score a single point. This is not to discredit the athletes or coaching staff, but rather to shed light on the poor condition of the sport at our institution. We had seven athletes competing with only one coach who had to take care of all the disciplines. Maties fielded a team of over fifty and even Rhodes turned out more athletes than UCT. The UCT athletes were relatively inexperienced, but show great enthusiasm for the future. However, as long as most other varsities have more coaches than we have athletes, the future of athletics at UCT looks bleak. Training facilities here are atrocious, coaching staff is limited and interest from the institution seems nonexistent. Time and again, the excuse has been that “we are an academic institution.” Is this adequate justification for not taking sport seriously? All this is doing is

affirming the stereotype that all academic heavyweights are inherently bad at sport, which, of course, is untrue. For a very long time, we have been considered the top tertiary institution in Africa, yet we do not even have an athletics track. Unless, of course, you can consider that ditch-ridden, outof-proportion, three-lane chalk circles around the Woolsack Cricket Oval a “track”. Most high schools in our country have athletics facilities superior to ours. For athletics at UCT to develop, it would help if people were actually made aware of the club’s existence. Secondly, in order for the sport to be taken seriously, UCT must take it seriously. Better facilities are required to accommodate our athletes and also to arouse interest in prospective athletes. Greater academic flexibility can be provided for serious athletes so that they know that they can study full-time while also receiving efficient training without missing any academic work. Most importantly, specialised coaching must be implemented in order to cater for every discipline on offer. For maximum performance, maximum efficiency is required and it is this that we lack. We have proven to be one of the finest academic institutions in the world, now it’s time to show our mettle on the track and sports field. After all, in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.

sport

v71 e6 – 8 may 2012

SPORTS SHORTS VARSITY’s roundup of action-packed, homegrown sports clubs Nicole Beale Rowing The UCT Rowing Club showed its prowess once again at the South African Championships Regatta held in East London on Saturday 28th April. After winning the sprints regatta three weeks before, the Ikeys rowers were ready to race the official Olympic distance of 2 000m against some of the best rowers South Africa has to offer. UCT’s squad of over 35 students raced at Senior Championship level and recorded some impressive results: the men in the B-division who finished first in the pairs and coxed fours races, second in the single sculls and third in a hotly contested eights race. The B division women also won their doubles and coxless fours races, to add to the A-division bronze for the coxless fours and gold in the doubles race. The women’s A eight took gold convincingly, ahead of the favourites, a strong and experienced UJ eight. The A division men achieved a silver medal in their pairs race, along with a gold in their coxless fours. The eights race came down to less than a second at the finish, which saw UCT just losing out to a strong Tuks outfit. With the sprint season behind them, some of the Ikeys rowers are

still hard at work in their attempts to represent UCT and South Africa at the Student World Championships to be held in Russia this year. The rest of the UCT Rowing Club is preparing itself for the Boat Races in early September in Port Alfred. Last year’s UCT Sports Club of the Year is still keeping the Ikeys flag flying high. Gymnastics On April 22nd, UCT Gymnastics successfully hosted its first competition of the year at the Giants Gymnastics Club in Philippi. Stellenbosch was invited to join UCT for a fun competition in a bid to show the beginners a more competitive environment and begin teaching them the routines for the upcoming USSA tournament. The competitive stress was lightened by the encouraging team spirit from both sides, the crazy costumes worn, and gender swaps: girls competing in male outfits and vice versa, with one male gymnast’s bright pink tutu causing a stir. UCT received prizes for beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, along with some fun prizes such as Best Fall (which, to everyone’s relief, did not result in injury) and Best Dressed Individual (aptly described as a Pirate-Dracula sporting an

orange afro). The competition was a huge success and inspired the members to continue training hard in preparation for their more serious intervarsity tournament in July. Fencing Sunday, April 22nd saw an exciting fence-off between UCT and Maties. It was the first time the UCT Fencing Club hosted such an event, organised by UCT’s Alison MacLachlan and the University of Stellenbosch’s Filip Sundstrom and held at the UCT Sports Centre. It was set up to give some competitive experience to the beginner fencers before they head off to the USSA Championships, as well as to see which team is, in fact, better. There were no individual events, but rather events were set up like a relay where teams are made up of three fencers, each of whom fences about 3 bouts, traditionally to a score of 45. The competition ran smoothly and impressed the visiting WP officials. It is likely to become an annual event with a trophy engraved as “The Musketeer Cup”. Maties won this year, but UCT are determined to claim it back next year.

Image: Alison MacLachlan

With conributions from Jonathan van Rensburg, Kate Hawkridge and Alison MacLachlan.

In the name of wushu

Image: Kyle Hanck

Driven past Point

Sajjad Karamsi Sports Editor

The Sporting Bourgeoisie

Images: David Macua & Iman Adams

Aditi Hunma

nown for its thriving fauna and disa blooms, Betty’s Bay, the holiday village by the sea, was an ideal site for the second annual UCT Martial Arts camp, held from April 27th to May 1st at the Disakloof Youth Camp. It was organised by the UCT Tai Chi club and attended by 46 students and coaches from the Tai Chi, Taekwon-Do and Aikido clubs. The purpose was to devote a full weekend to intensive martial arts practice, while fostering what Tai Chi coach Peter Williamson called “cross-pollination” among the different martial arts clubs under the banner of wushu, the fighting arts. As Jet Li’s character said in Fearless, “I don’t want to categorise tea. As long as it’s tea, it’s fine with me. Martial arts are a way to strengthen oneself regardless of sects or schools by interacting with one another. The worst fight is within oneself.”

A typical day at the campsite began with three loud thuds at 5am and the scurrying of students from different huts to the candle-lit hall for a meditation session. This was followed by relentless practice, stretches and sharing sessions in the fields later in the day. In the evenings after supper – prepared by the students themselves – there were games by the campfire or martial arts movies with popcorn. Nature hikes, rock climbing and walks to the seaside were organised to revel in the calming surroundings. Throughout, students learnt and sharpened martial arts techniques such as the Tai Chi sword form and applications, Taekwon-do defences, Aikido’s spherical movements to redirect the attacker’s force, acupuncture, and so on. As Aikido Chairperson Regina Lindau pointed out, “Aikido is not a way of fighting but rather a way of learning to stop fighting.” The UCT Taekwon-Do Chairperson noted, “Each martial art has

its own philosophy, but a big part of the camp boiled down to this: there is no such thing as a perfect martial art. Take what you can from each one and make the best of it.” Peter Williamson from Tai Chi stressed that “the principle of wushu is, above all, self-development”. He added, “If we can control and maintain our physical bodies and minds and thus attain spiritual tranquility, then we are capable of much greater endeavours in every aspect of life.” Without internet, TV or tutorials, the days stretched; the hours of practice trickled by and students’ discipline and self-motivation were put to the test. Camp participants were greatly impressed with the camp’s diversity and the jovial atmosphere with one exclaiming, “There was never a dull moment with the variety of martial arts and social activities. The camp was a huge success, filled with laughs and awesome adventures.”

Higher wages and more lucrative sponsorship deals today have led to an increasingly widening gap between professional sportsmen and amateurs. This new sporting bourgeoisie has transformed the face of sport, and the relationship between players and fans. Billionaires have bought sports teams and have made them their playthings. In addition to Arab oil sheikhs and Russian oligarchs buying out the best football teams, cricket teams in the IPL are the toys of India’s richest men (and their wives). They all splurge money to satisfy their smallest whims, not caring about the financial implications of their decisions. It is admirable that the injection of wealth into sports has led to greater recognition for sportsmen (and, increasingly, sportswomen) and improved their bargaining power. It has provided them with financial security and the ability to retire comfortably at 40 without worrying about money. Sportsmen, in turn, have become more professional, and modern training and fitness regimes and tailored diets are all expected from them. It has also led to the commoditisation of players in auctions and drafts. Players are increasingly treated as assets (one

Portuguese football club even took out loans using its players as collateral). Children and teenagers are uprooted from schools and placed in academies which rarely provide any skills useful outside football. All this to increase their value so they can be sold off at a higher price. The monetisation of sport has is leading to a disconnect between fans and the players they cheer for. It is difficult to empathise with someone who earns R1million a week, yet throws a tantrum every time he gets dropped from the team. Fans cannot support players who moan about how the weather isn’t suitable for them or their food is bland, all while driving Bentleys, flying first class and spending hundreds of thousands on weekend gambling sessions. Is the soul of sport dying? It isn’t at the moment, but fans will increasingly get disillusioned as sport starts being played away from the fields and in the boardrooms and stock exchanges.

Sport VARSITY

FIXTURES WP Netball League

WP Hockey League

Saturday, May 12th

BELlville market

UCT A vs VULTURES A

hartleyvale

UCT A vs PINELANDS 6pm

Hundreds run UCT Memorial Race Saadiq Samodien

he 29th edition of the UCT Memorial 10km Race got off to a sombre start on Sunday 6th May, as approximately 1 100 runners and hundreds of spectators paused for 60 seconds of silence before the race began. The race is held every year in memory of Merrilyn Smith, Isavel Roche-Kelly, Lindsay Weight and Kevin Rochford, who were all top athletes at the UCT Athletics Club who tragically passed away. Each year, one of these four athletes is commemorated. Before the race, UCT ViceChancellor Dr Max Price made a short speech in memory of former top-class cross-country runner Merrilyn Smith, who died while on holiday in Zimbabwe. A moment of silence was also observed for 32-yearold Zolani Ntongama, one of South Africa’s top athletes who passed away at Groote Schuur Hospital last week, a victim of a hit-and-run incident. Soon after, the start gun was fired and all runners were swiftly on their way to the finish line. The winner of the men’s race, Anthony Gotangwana, finished in an impressive 30 minutes and 24 seconds after breaking away from the rest of the runners. He finished with a smile at the UCT Cricket Oval and described the route as tough, but manageable, with the more difficult part of the race being the last 5km. The real show, however, was stolen by the woman’s winner, Bulelwa Simae of Nedbank running club. She finished with a time of 37:39 and took home the Merrilyn Smith Memorial floating trophy. A firsttime competitor in the race, Simae was ecstatic. “I was glad to have won this race. Once I was ahead, I could relax because I was not being chased,” said a visibly-excited Simae,

Image: Uthman Quick who finished fourth in the 21km Safari Marathon held in Wellington on May 1st. Not all athletes were looking for a top finish though. Riyaad Salie, who also finished the race in under an hour said: “This is my first time I have done this race, and enjoyed it thoroughly. Although I never achieved a top spot, the atmosphere was overwhelming and certainly encourages me to do this race again next year.” The race’s chief organiser, Matthew Henshall, was glad to see the event finish without any hiccups. “It’s encouraging to see how smoothly the race has gone by compared to previous years,” said Henshall. He was also glad to see numbers in this race increasing each year. Price, who also finished the race in under an hour, was quite happy to

see the high turnout. “There are over 1 000 runners and more than 1 000 spectators. It is good advertising, but more importantly it brings people on campus from communities who don’t often come onto UCT. It is important because it breaks psychological barriers and creates a good atmosphere amongst the community,” said Price. He further added that he would love to see more UCT students join running- or other sports clubs. Despite the hundreds of people that took part in this race, parademic Emma Zuidema said there were no serious injuries, only the occasional bruise or scratch. The prize-giving ceremony took place as the final few runners reached the Oval. Many of the athletes who won their respective age divisions donated their prize money to the funeral of Zolani Ntongama.

Ikeys FC aim for Nationals Jonah Ssenyange & Sajjad Karamsi The much-awaited Wednesday Night Football games began on the evening of April 25th, with all men’s and women’s football teams in action. Ikeys FC, the first team, were competing in the University Sports South Africa (USSA) football league, while the second and third teams were participating in the Cape Districts Local Football Association (CDLFA) League. The women’s First XI were first to grace the Kopano AstroTurf for an encounter with their CPUT counterparts. The impressive coordination from the team members

and their sublime passing propelled the few fans into chanting for their stars. UCT’s dominance was soon justified as they drew first blood in the fixture with a strike from Tracey van Heerden that proved to be the winner in their first victory of the tournament. The men’s first team, however, faced a very tight game and had to rely on their resolute defending to hold out for a 1–1 draw against the CPUT men. After conceding a firsthalf goal, UCT put in an inspired effort in the second half that resulted in a Thabiso Mmotlana equaliser. Other results on the day were included a UCT 1–0 loss against Plumstead FC in the CDLFA Premier League, while in the First

Blue Division the UCT team lost 2–1 again to Plumstead FC. In the same division, however, UCT managed to record a 3–1 victory against Wolverhampton.

The women’s first team established their dominance The teams had a busy long weekend, with three games pencilled in over five days. For reasons best known to the football league administration, the fixtures against UWC on April 27th were cancelled. However, the double-header on Workers’ Day with Northlink College

IN MEMORY OF – Hundreds of runners woke up early on Sunday to participate in the UCT Memorial Run, including UCT Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price (below).

Image: Elwani Netshifhire and the Maties of Stellenbosch went on. The women’s first team established their dominance, thrashing the Maties 5–2 away with Mallory Phaneuf (2), Amelia Landay (2), Bianca Wilcox all scoring. Later in the day, the women kept their 100% record intact in a nervy 3–2 win against Northlink College, with Phaneuf again featuring on the scoresheet, along with a brace from Catherine Tricker. The men’s first team earned a well-fought 1–1 draw in a thrilling encounter after taking the lead through Jake Woolfenden. The game was action packed, with both teams having a number of chances to win the game. The resilient UCT team

was denied victory by a stunning free kick in stoppage time, after holding off the free-flowing Maties for most of the game. Against Northlink, UCT dominated for long spells but many wasted chances resulted in a paltry 1–0 win through a Mcebisi Mtshali penalty. This was the men’s first win, and helped improve their chances of making it to the Nationals. Wednesday Night Football returns on May 9th with TSIBA College playing UCT at the Kopano AstroTurf. Attendances were pitifully low in the previous games and the UCT community is urged to come out in support for the Ikeys FC.