2012: Edition 11 by VARSITY

Varsity

70 celebrating

years

The official student newspaper of the university of cape town

2 October 2012

Volume 71: Edition 11

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Broken lift causes havoc 2012 SRC report card

Disabled students left without access to Disability Day House for a month Olivia Wainwright

Image: michael.currin.co.za END OF TERM – Incumbent SRC members share a light-hearted moment as their year in office draws to a close. The 2013 SRC takes office on November 1st. For the 2012 edition of VARSITY’s annual SRC Report Card, turn to page 8. do we maintain a student’s dignity if they have to be met on the top level of the building where we have no offices?” She explained that during this time, some students had to be met on level six of Steve Biko, where Disability Services have no offices. They either had to borrow someone’s office or meet in the hallway; this was, at times, to the embarrassment of the student. The broken lift has called into question the location of Disability Services. Konghot explained, “We are not accessible. We can make the whole campus accessible, but we are not accessible.” She explained that, even when the lift is fully functional, their location

is less than ideal. In the past, they have had to call an ambulance for students with epilepsy.

“it’s not the first time I have been unable to access the disability services.” The ambulance services have not been able to take the patient up to the ambulance on a gurney. The gurneys will not fit in the lift and this has meant that students have had to be taken to level 6 in a wheelchair, and then transferred onto a gurney. Guy Davies, a part-time lecturer at UCT and the manager and owner

of Disability Solutions, was due to give a lecture at disability services on the day the lift broke. He himself is a wheelchair user and at least one other person who was attending the lecture was unable to use the stairs. Davies explained that, “It’s not the first time I have been unable to access the disability services. Access is always going to be a problem.” Davies also raised concerns about the way in which those with mobility impairments would be evacuated in an emergency. A UCT student who wished to remain anonymous expressed disappointment with UCT’s disability facilities. “My father is in a wheelchair and my parents attended my graduation ceremony

in December 2011. I arranged wheelchair access to Jameson Hall well in advance for the ceremony. We were able to park close and access the hall easily.” However, the student and her family experienced difficulty getting to the Maths Building for photographs. “There is no wheelchair access that we could find from Jameson to Molly Blackburn, where we had to take the lift down to University Avenue... the difficulties getting to the photos actually ruined the whole day. If there was an easier way, there was no one around to show it to us.” The Disability Service can be contacted on 021-650 2427 or dsadisabilityservice@uct.ac.za.

in this issue

he breakdown of the only lift in the Steve Biko Students’ Union left UCT’s Disability Service without the use of a lift for nearly a month. The Service’s offices are located on level four and the elevator was out of order from August 27th to September 25th. The broken mechanism that left the lift inoperative, had to be sent to Johannesburg to be fixed and the repair took longer than was hoped. Edwina Konghot, UCT’s Barrier Free Access Co-ordinator from the Disability Service explained that the broken lift put them in a difficult position. Konghot stated: “It created a barrier as disability services could not be accessed.” The broken lift also meant that physically disabled and chronically ill students were unable to write tests at the Disability Service office; the department had to relocate them to other, more accessible spaces. Not only were wheelchairand crutch users prevented from reaching the Disability Services, but those with chronic illnesses who would not be able to use the stairs could not get to their vital day house. André Theys, Head of Engineering Services at UCT, explained that the fault was reported immediately and that the Maintenance Help Desk informed the Disability Unit about the nature of the fault. “The Disability Service office is available via telephone or email during office hours for students or staff members who cannot access the office because of the lift failures,” said Theuys. However, Denise Oldham, the Direct Services Co-ordinater from the Disability Services, asked, “How

Active citizens

page 2

Chivalry - dead?

page 5

Free Pussy Riot

page 11

Best Bollocks

page 12

Sport Shorts

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

page 15

news

v71 e11 – 2 October 2012

News Bites Malema fears arrest Rustenburg – Julius Malema was scheduled to address Implats workers in Rustenburg, but has cancelled for fear of arrest. The Friends of the Youth League announced that they learnt that the police was instructed by a politician to arrest them. Malema was prevented from joining Lonmin mine workers striking in Marikana, as police argued that he was not a worker involved in the dispute. —News24

Terry found guilty LONDON – John Terry will serve a four-match suspension and pay a fine of £220 000 after being found guilty of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand by the Football Association. The verdict comes after Terry was found not guilty of the same incident by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Terry is considering appealing. —The Guardian

Troops storm Somalia KISMAYU – Kenyan forces have claimed to have taken over the last major stronghold of the al-Qaeda-aligned group al-Shabaab in Somalia. This ends al-Shabaab’s ability to control large tracts of territory and any beginnings of an underground or guerrilla phase. Kenya believed that Somalia was hindering their fast growing economy and that they needed to protect their borders. —New York Times

G4S bosses resign over Olympics London – Security company G4S failed to deliver its full contract for the London 2012 Olympics, resulting in two senior executives resigning. The company failed to strengthen its management handling the task of delivering more than 10 000 trained guards to protect Olympic venues. Thus, the British Army was called in to provide security. —The Guardian

Nepal plane crash Nepal – A plane heading towards Mount Everest crashed, killing all 19 people on board. At least 7 passengers were in Nepal to hike in the Khumbu Region around Mount Everest. The cause of the crash has not been confirmed, but the plane may have hit a large bird of prey. The pilot tried to land the plane safely in a river but it caught fire, killing everyone on board. —BBC News

Mu’Attham Carlie & Krysia Gaweda

Ex-UCT professor falsely arrested Temi Oketungi

meritus Professor Cyril Karabus was arrested in the United Arab Emirates on August 18th, while in transit to South Africa from the United Kingdom. According to a press release by UCT Vice-Chancellor Max Price, Professor Karabus was charged with the death of a 10-year-old girl he treated for acute myeloid leukaemia. She died during the course of the treatment, following which Karabus returned home. He was also charged with falsification of documents. Karabus remained unaware of the charges and was tried and convicted in his absence, only to be arrested now, ten years later. He has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail and payment of compensation. He has also been denied bail three times. The ordeal has been described by Price as “unreasonable and unjust.” The global community has expressed outrage at the treatment Karabus has received from local authorities in Abu Dhabi. Several influential South Africans from different fields pertaining to

Image: health.uct.ac.za

human rights have written an open letter to the Minister of International Relations and Co-operation requesting her immediate attention regarding Karabus’ plight. These

The petition currently has over 9 000 signers and aims to reach 10 000 before submission include Vuyiseka Dubula, General Secretary of the Treatment Action Campaign, Brad Brockman, General Secretary of Equal Education,

Mandla Majola on behalf of the Social Justice Coalition, along with several others. Karabus was arrrested returning from his son Michael’s wedding in Toronto, Canada. The younger Karabus expressed his concern for his father’s well-being in an interview with the Cape Argus. Drawing on his knowledge of his father, he stressed that “if he was informed about the charges, he wouldn’t have fled the country. He would have wanted to stay to defend himself and the reputation he has spent a lifetime building.” In light of this, Gerda Kruger,

Executive Director of the Communications and Marketing Department at UCT, stated that the University continues to support Karabus and is assisting behind the scenes in order to ensure that he receives a fair trial. Hence, a petition has been created on avaaz.org and on Karabus’ Facebook page; it is to be submitted to the Minister of Justice of the UAE. The petition demands the “Release of Prof. Cyril Karabus detained in UAE”. The petions expresses disdain for the treatment of Karabus. Its author wrote wrote: “This is not justice. He was not given an opportunity to defend himself. Medical patients die, particularly when they have serious illnesses such as leukaemia”. The petition currently has over 9 000 signers and aims to reach 10 000 before submission. Karabus has appeared in court three times since the arrest and is set to appear again in less than two weeks for the prosecution to present their evidence against him. A representative from the South African embassy in Abu Dhabi stated that Karabus is currently receiving consular assistance.

Manuel wants active citizens Cai Nebe Trevor Manuel, Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission, called for active citizenship protecting South Africa’s “good people” in making the National Development Plan (NDP) a success. Manuel was speaking at a seminar hosted by the UCT Politics Department’s PPA Programme on September 18th. He outlined the country's NDP and its policy implications. Senior Lecturer Raenette Taljaard introduced Manuel to the seminar,

NDP’s main goals are to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line which was held in the NSLT and attended mostly by third-year Public Policy and Administration students. President Jacob Zuma initiated the NDP in 2010 and placed Manuel in charge. The NDP’s main goals are to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line – those who earn less than R419 per month – from 39% to 0%; and reduce inequality by 2030. Manuel cited Ben Okri’s Steve Biko Memorial lecture, reiterating Okri’s message that “freedom was just the overture”, and “the real story begins with what people did with their freedom”. “How do we give content to our freedom?” he asked. He said that recognition of the strength of the South African

Images: flickr.com/WorldEconomic Forum

constitution, and the founding principles, informed the NDP’s “uplifting approach.” He added that the NDP was not governmental, and its capacity was “advisory”. He said the NDP embarked on a process of consultation, where every political party, trade unions, NGOs and other organisations were consulted. “Everyone was heard,” he said, “which is important, because it implies ownership by broader cross-

section of South Africa ... with the emphasis on a collaborative nature.” Manuel added that the NDP sought to enhance government policy because it draws on differences; it sees gaps in policy and “makes interventions that haven’t been policies, and stitch[es] them together. We try to get mechanisms to fit together.” Problems include questions of responsibility to the NDP and collaboration between departments.

Manuel highlighted the importance of policy and the need for a stronger focus on policy. He added that involving young people in policy was vital for the NDP’s success. Manuel called for active citizenship and public input, saying political documents alone will not cause a change. He said it was important to set in place accountability frameworks and to get rid of ‘Big Man’ or self-serving leadership. He said the NDP had to be staffed by capable people to make change possible and get rid of “the scourge of corruption.” The audience then posed questions about the NPD’s sustainability and the government ignoring active citizenship to the Minister. Manuel acknowledged the shortcomings of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), but said it was an important forerunner of the NDP. He stated, “We have experience – RDP was important in the formation of our democracy; then, we were trying to be magicians, instead of catalysts for development.” With regard to active citizenship, Manuel added, “We must protect good people in order to prevent corruption.”

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news

v71 e11 - 2 October 2012

You only vote twice Krysia Gaweda

he nullifications of more than 2 000 Vula votes cast a shadown over the 2012 SRC Elections, though enough legitimate votes were cast to provisionally declare an SRC for 2013. Thirty-two candidates presented themselves to UCT during the course of the election campaign, in hope of being elected to SRC 2013. In the end, 6 706 votes were cast. The majority of those votes (6 488) were cast by full-time students, and 218 were cast by part-time students. 3 360 of these votes were cast via Vula and 3 346 through the ballot boxes situated around campus. Mid-way through voting week, however, controversy struck and

2 312 Vula votes were nullified because of allegations that candidates had broken campaign rules by allowing voters to vote on the candidates’ personal laptops or iPads. Despite this, voting ran relatively smoothly and enough votes were cast for a 2013 SRC team to be elected. A minumum of 25% of the student body must vote for an SRC to be elected; the final percentage this year was 34%. “It was so easy and simple to vote, as there were many ballot boxes all around campus, as well as the opportunity to vote on Vula,” said third-year BCom Accounting student Nolwazi Radebe. Tarryn Naude, a newly-elected DASO SRC member commented that “there was an inconsistency

Students not to park on Princess Anne Drive Olivia Wainwright police have requested that UCT students refrain from parking on Princess Anne Drive and on the verge of the M3. “Due to the amount of theft out of and theft of motor vehicles at the above locations, a site inspection was done and this office discovered that the students were parking on an illegal red line,” said Colonel Karl Wienand of Rondebosch Police Station.

Wienand warned students that they would receive fines if they parked in the area again. “A joint operation together with Traffic, Metro Police and Rondebosch Police has been put in place, and vehicles are being issued with traffic fines for parking illegally.” Fines have been given to students parking in the area in the past, but police decided to formally warn students to create awareness that parking in the area is, in fact, illegal.

Robbers in residence Olivia Wainwright

perfume and some items of clothing, had been stolen. Loof describes her discovery, On the weekend of September saying, “I woke up the next 22nd, two robberies took place morning and went to my room and at Graça Machel Residence on it was locked. I then saw that I had Lower Campus. a message on my phone from the The perpetrator of at least one sub warden about my room being of the robberies, an unknown broken into. I then went straight woman, was stopped by a security to reception, where we dealt with officer as she exited Graça Machel. it further.” She left the bag she was carrying Loof was relieved to find the with the security officer and fled goods which had been stolen from the scene. her room in a bag at reception, and The bag contained stolen goods was lucky enough to regain all of belonging to one of the residents her possessions. and these items She continued, were returned “Afterwards, CPS to her. came and checked two robberies The second locks took place at Graça people’s incident occurred on their doors. Machel Residence when a student left Other than that her room unlocked I haven’t heard overnight during much. I’m just the long weekend. When glad I have my things back.” Steve the student returned to her Ganger, UCT’s investigations room, several of her valuables manager, explained that “CPS were missing. went to investigate straight away.” Malin Loof, one of the victims However, he explained that CPS of the robberies, explains: “I went does not report these matters to to my friend’s room to visit her the police, but “it is the students’ quickly, and we ended up watching responsibility to report to the an episode of a TV series. I didn’t police.” plan to stay there, and fell asleep Pat Lucas, the head of the watching the show.” Communication and Marketing The next morning, Loof department said “no suspect found that many of her valuables, had been identified [but] CPS is including her laptop, camera, investigating these incidences.”

in implementation of the voting system; there were gaps within the system where there were no rules. This led to the invalidation of some votes. However, [even though] this caused ‘frights’ between the parties, communication was good, and in the end everyone pulled together to make sure enough votes were reached.” Image: michael.currin.co.za

2 312 Vula votes were nullified UCT students were advised to vote for the candidates they felt would best represent and support their needs and were able to challenge candidates at ‘interrogations’ that were held in various UCT residences the week before voting. These encounters often became “intense and challenging”, yet at the same time “thought provoking” for many SRC candidates, said some students. Despite the withdrawal of two candidates, Upper Campus became festive during the election week, as the candidates did everything to get their names out there. From SASCO’s bright red

jumpsuits, to DASO’s handing out blue candyfloss and hot chocolate as students jumped off the Jammies, candidates took every opportunity to present their goals and objectives to students. Candidates were able to run under already-aligned parties, or could run independently. “SASCO and DASO definitely do have an advantage on the rest of the candidates purely because they are already well known and have previous political alignments. I only really saw members of those parties campaigning, besides for maybe one independent candidate,” said Chloe Petyt, a first-year Psychology and English student. However, despite SASCO and DASO’s goal for their entire party

to be voted in – thereby gaining a clear majority on SRC 2013 – many independent candidates were also elected to the council. In the end, independents, alongside DASO, were in the majority, each having seven representatives elected. Joined by three SASCO candidates, they make up the 17 student representatives. SASCO candidate Lwazi Somya, newly-elected member of the 2013 SRC, believed that the results were a “reflection of initiative [of] students and what they believe in. The ratio of members from each party within the SRC 2013 may make a difference as there will be a balance of power; however, what the students believe in is a true reflection of the SRC, and students need to get what they deserve,” said Somya.

Beware: cyber scams Mu’Attham Carlie

CT’s ICTS are running a monthlong campaign in October, titled Cyber Safety Month. Headed by mascot Cyber Ninja, the campaign is aimed at educating UCT students and staff about internet security and the potential risks they may encounter online. The campaign will advise the UCT community on how best to ensure they don’t become the victims of “cyber-criminals”, taking pre-emptive steps to avoid traps and avoiding the pitfalls of inadequate security. When asked why ICTS felt it necessary to have this campaign, Niki McQueen, the communications co-ordinator said, “It’s a fact that cyber-crime is on the rise, especially in this country. Quite a few of our students only encounter the internet for the first time when they come to university.” McQueen added that becoming a victim of scams can have serious consequences for internet users. Amongst the consequences listed by McQueen were virus attacks, identity theft and financial loss. “Cyber criminals are generally one step ahead of the curve, and new scams and schemes are popping up every day. ICTS’s mission statement is to ‘enable people through technology’ and one of the ways that we do this is through sharing information. In this case, the information-sharing campaign focuses on the potential risks that staff and students face online and how they can avoid and counter

Image: Niki McQueen

those risks” said McQueen. Samantha Rule, Technical Specialist in the Computing Platforms team of ICTS, said that Cyber safety month is necessary given the usage of online services like online banking, social networking and shopping.

“It’s a fact that cyber-crime is on the rise” “For me, the ICTS Cyber Awareness campaign initiative is to make UCT staff and students aware of cyber security threats, especially about their privacy when making use of social media” said Rule. Rule stresses the importance of protecting one’s “online persona and reputation” and added that employers are screening posts made on social media, which are “nearly impossible” to remove. The campaign will be split into four themed weeks. Each week will

focus on a different aspect of risk and cyber safety. The first week’s theme will be “social media safety” focusing on the risks people face on social media networks and the potential consequences of sharing too much personal information via social media platforms. The second week’s theme will be “personal safety both on- and offline” with the focus being on threats such as scams which lead to identity theft, and how to be safe when interacting with online friends offline. “Banking and buying safety” will be the focus of the third week, emphasising ways in which one can bank and buy safely online and what scams to look out for. The fourth week’s theme will be “portable and public computing” focusing on the safety of mobile and tablet devices and what not to do when going online in public places such as internet cafés. Students and staff can obtain more information by visiting www. icts.uct.ac.za and join the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/icts.uct.

editorial

v71 e11 – 2 October 2012

Editorial

Stephanie Venter

En Pointe

Lyndall Thwaits, Deputy Editor

Save the last dance

Editor-in-Chief

I hope you had the time of your life

Caterina Aldera Managing Editor

“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” —T.S. Eliot

Newsgathering

Tuesday, October 2nd, 1pm, LS1C

Interested writers, photographers, copy editors and designers should attend.

Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union

ed i

to r

l w s op in io fe ns at ur sp es or ts w eb im ag e ad s s hr

Telephone: 021-650 3543

@varsitynewspaper.co.za

Thank you and goodbye is more or less what I’m supposed to say here. But instead I’m going for Denial – so I’m going to use my final column to talk to myself (perhaps just as bad

[Ctrl + C]

end of a fight. I hope you’ll remember the countless memories set within the VARSITY walls and keep in contact with the alumni, maybe you’ll still write occasionally and when you’re really old you’ll look back and think, wow! the newspaper really made my university time more than I ever expected it to be. A year from now is rather daunting, given how quickly this year has flown by. I know I said I wouldn’t talk about the past but I owe it to many people that my sanity over the past year has remained semi-intact so thank you. You know who you are. But this is all rather strange; I think I’m going to stop now. This is my final curtain call. Thank you and goodnight. L

Rhynhardt Krynauw, Copy Editor So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, goodbye

nce upon a time, there lived a little, tiny mouse. The little tiny mouse and his little tiny spouse lived alone together in a little tiny house. Deeper in the woods, there lived an old and stinky fox. The old and stinky fox lived in an old and stinky box, and all around the place were lying old and stinky socks. A cold day in the winter, and the ground was turning white; the ground was turning white before the long and wint’ry night, and the little tiny mouse was saving food with all his might.

The old and stinky fox, however, didn’t dig this scene. He didn’t dig the scene, because he envied being clean, and more than that, the old and stinky fox was rather mean. He tried his best to stymie what the little mouse would do. He broke into the zoo and freed a caribou, because the caribou was pretty old and stinky too. The mouse and fox and caribou would never get along. They’d never get along; the fox had been alone too long. And all that time and solitude had made his head go wrong. The end. Thanks for listening.

Letter to the editor R6 million owed to UCT workers In 2006, UCT’s administrators allowed Supercare, one of the companies that manage UCT’s outsourced cleaning workers, to increase the workers’ weekly hours from 40 to 45 hours without increasing pay for the additional five hours. While workers protested, they accepted the change to avoid losing their jobs. After this change in hours, workers held significant protests demanding either a reduction in hours or an increase in pay. These protests continued until 2008, when Supercare changed the working week back to 40 hours at the insistence of UCT. This year, UCT administrators have acknowledged that workers have a clear “moral case” for compensation for the extra five

2012 Collective

ot once did I give a thought to the end when I sat down to write my first editorial for VARSITY. Now, 12 months and some valuable experience later, this space will soon be filled with someone else’s words. This is my last edition as Editor-in-Chief, and I’m pleased to say I’ve learnt a few things during my time at VARSITY. Allow me a few parting words of wisdom (summarised neatly into four main points below) in my swan song to the student body... (1) When in doubt, fake it You don’t need to know everything and you certainly don’t need to be prepared for anything. But, if and when you are caught off-guard, or feel a little shy – fake it till you make it. Nothing breeds confidence quicker than having to feign it. Perhaps it’s all simply a farce. (2) Keep swimming Life’s tough, and it doesn’t wait around for you. Deadlines will loom, extra responsibilities will rear their heads, and before you realise it, life is far more demanding than you’d ever thought. So keep swimming when the race seems too long or you feel yourself tiring: nothing feels better in the end than having risen to the challenge. We’re also a lot more capable than we give ourselves credit for. (3) Ain’t no mountain too high Every problem can be solved in bites – it just requires a game plan.

Short of a nuclear attack, nothing is quite as end-of-the-world as we imagine it to be. Look at problems in context and keep a realistic perspective on solving them. (4) Keep it real, y’all Immersing yourself in something is easy. Unfortunately, as we get older we have less and less time to focus on the things that matter: spending time with friends, relaxing, catching up. We’ve all heard about the great life/work balance that we should aspire to: it exists, and you’ll never find it if you don’t at least try. Of course, I come away with much more: the importance of short paragraphs is forever burned into my brain, as is the inefficacy of UCT’s financial system, and that initiative is not something everyone’s blessed with. To the 2012 Collective: A more talented, hard-working and fantastic group of people will be difficult to find. Thank you for the laughs, the debates, the arguments, and the hours that you’ve put into taking VARSITY to new heights. It has truly been an honour. To Alex Nagel and the incoming Collective: good luck. The talent that walks through VARSITY’s door every year astounds me and the 2013 Collective is no exception. To our readers: there’s no point to any of this without you. Thank you for grabbing a copy each week and taking to the Twittersphere with comments thereafter... On a personal note, my longsuffering flatmate, Uvania Naidoo, deserves a shout-out for all the dinners she’s cooked as I frantically edited the newspaper. Thanks! Shannon Bernhardt and Edwina Brooks have been indespensible to VARSITY this year – I doubt their commitment to student development could be matched! Trevor, Manny and Silvia also deserve a nod – the fifth floor wouldn’t be the same without you. Keep swimming, keep laughing, and keep reading. With love, S.

as denial…) a year from now rather than review the year I’ve just had. I suspect you’ll still be studying, either an entirely new degree or finishing off postgraduate studies. Ideally you’ll still be with the man you love and you’ll laugh to yourself about first year like you’re long past that phase. With any luck, you’ll still meet with friends who’ve known you for most of your life, and make many new ones too. You’ll experience things beyond your dreams and you’ll make both good and bad decisions along the way. Perhaps you’ll take a risk and it won’t work out, but at least you’ll be able to say you tried. You’ll over-think things and drive the people closest to you crazy, but mean well and always smile at the

hours per week and likely have a legal case to demand this pay. Most of the more than 300 workers affected by this issue will be entitled to around R19 000 each, around R6 million overall. UCT has argued that Supercare should be responsible for paying this amount, which Supercare disputes. It was proposed that UCT and Supercare each place R3 million into an account that can be used to reimburse workers, if ever the issue resolves. This solution is inadeqate. While UCT can afford to hold millions aside, the R19 000 will have an immediate and positive impact on workers’ lives. This money has been owed to workers for six years, and it is irrelevant which party is responsible. UCT must accept that while they can make a case for Supercare’s responsibility in court, UCT is the

sole reason that workers are here and UCT is ultimately responsible for their fair compensation and work conditions. Without their work, UCT could not function. UCT must pay now and deal with Supercare later. Furthermore, this incident is not an exception; injustice towards workers on campus is the norm. Outsourced workers do not receive a living wage or medical aid and have limited job security. The root of this problem is the outsourcing of the workers on campus to private companies, and the R6 million that UCT has finally acknowledged is owed to workers for overtime worked is just one of the devastating results of this outsourcing. UCT Students of the Workers’ Forum (UCT SWF)

editor-in-chief Stephanie Venter deputy editor Lyndall Thwaits Copy Editor Rhynhardt Krynauw Managing Editor Caterina Aldera news Olivia Wainwright & Mu’Attham Carlie opinions Berndt Hannweg & Nick Corbett features Anade Situma sportS Sajjad Karamsi & Nicole Beale images Uwais Razack & Thabang Serumola Design Nic Botha web Chris Linegar & Alex Nagel advertising Kaede Wildschut Finance Andrew Montandon OPERATIONS Jodi Edmunds marketing Andrzej Ogonowski human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Lydia Shilla I.T. Mfundo Mbambo sub-editors Beverly Ochieng’, Laurie Scarborough & Theresa Scott Centrespread assistant Zarmeen Ghoor Design Assistant Julien Speyer HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Michael Currin Cartoonist Julian Nkuna

opinions

v71 e11 – 2 october 2012

Is chivalry dead and decomposing? Burnt Toast

Berndt Hannweg

Opinions Editor

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish elements that make up you and me. Every effect has its cause, and a diligent investigator can trace it back to this historical genesis. In turn, everything will end, and all effects will conclude. You will leave university (hopefully with a degree), get a job, a family, a retirement, and then you will die. One day UCT will cease to be, either absorbed by a larger institution, bankrupt, outlawed or obsolete. One day this planet will be dust, then ash, as the sun expands, then he universe (that part of it shrinks again to burn away the last we understand) is built on of its fuel. The universe will expand change. Life, death, beginnings indefinitely (possibly) until all and ends, and the cycles atoms are so far apart from one in between. another that all movement ceases. I should give you fair warning, The end. by the way, that this particular Ultimately, you and I matter not column is going to perform some one whit in the grand and seemingly particularly deep navel-gazing. eternal scheme of things. Our It will be my last column for this existence doesn’t really register publication, and like my colleagues in this solar system, let alone all opposite, I of creation. will have to be Does this dragged away by mean we live in a Does this mean we my fingernails. hopeless and futile I hope that live in a hopeless and universe? Perhaps, futile universe? you have not only but, like religion, been reading this life is what column for the you make of it, past year, but also enjoying it. If whether you believe in big beards you have really enjoyed it, consider in the sky or no. Live to be happy, sending me large denominations with the caveat that making others of cash. I have my principles, and unhappy and ignoring problems they all revolve around receiving only leads to unhappiness in as much money for as little work the future. as possible. So after a year of science, I also hope that you are more politics, Angelina and euthanasia, informed as the result of reading what do I want you, dear reader, to not only this column, but this take away from this column? entire paper. VARSITY is the My personal aim in life brain child and end-result of (however long it may be) is to tireless work performed by a leave the world a better place team of thirty men, women and than I found it. Harder to do neuters who sacrifice their free than it sounds, but a worthy goal time and sanity to bring you a nonetheless, I feel. fortnightly paper. So please fulfil my goal for me: The same paper it takes you become a critical thinker. Never an hour to read takes us two accept anything which hasn’t been weeks to construct, along with proven to your satisfaction. Take all its attendant heart-attacks, nothing for granted. panic-attacks and writer-attacks. If everyone thought harder As I said, spontaneous shows of about what others were saying, in affection and gratitude would not print and in ‘real life’, I know the go amiss. world would be a better place. Back to the universe. Everything The universe is a big place, and in existence can be traced back to our lives but brief candles. Shine a few split-seconds after the Big with all your might. Bang. Planets, stars, stoats and the Thanks for reading.

Image: michael.currin.co.za

Nick Corbett

’m overcome with a sense of stone-frozen guilt on a daily basis, after the morning caffeine and before the day gets started. The Jammie rolls up, the doors snap open; my bag always gets caught on a corner as I sidle into a slim, plastic-covered chair by the window. I don’t look up. In the morning, my shoes interest me the most and they, their little eyelets staring right back at me, will never quite know why. I keep calm. But she’s looking at me. There is a girl staring at me and other people have started looking at me too. This lovely girl, of medium build and average height, is my enemy this morning, and every morning. Do I know her? No. All I know is that she wants my seat, and I’m not letting up. It’s a silent war: Girl on the Jammie vs Me. She’s determined to sit and she’s not giving up ground. But I’m safe and comfortable in my seat, and it’s going to take a particularly reckless swerve by the driver to change any of that. Still, there’s guilt caught in my throat and I look down at my feet.

This week’s poll The moneylaundering case against Julius Malema: • has no basis, • is a long time coming, or

Please, Dear Shoes, understand and support the bowed angle of my head and the disgrace my mother should be showering down on me at this moment in time. Go away and leave me to my seat near the window, please. I don’t like the looks I’m getting. The Jammie stops. She gets off and so do I, and then it starts.

She wants my seat, and I’m not letting up. A nearby construction worker on Orange Street yells out a cat call. “My girlie, can I buy you diamonds? What’s your number?” He whistles and jeers. And all the while this poor shadow of a girl walks with confidence in her stride, but a bitter look of despondency showing clearly in her face. Dare I say I saw one single Brooke Shields tear trickle down a cheek? Okay, not quite. At first I was relieved that I was rid of her expectant stares. But she wasn’t expecting any of this. You could call it unfair. You could call it sexism. Heck, you could call it a

Saturday afternoon stroll through the City. I think maybe she deserved that seat, that poor girl, as I watch her cross her arms over what I found an otherwise perfectly acceptable outfit. Her heels kick the dust behind her as she vanishes, and the ruckus vanishes with her. The City returns and another Jammie rolls up, doors snapping open – I’ve forgotten my student card somewhere on campus and hop on. There’s a woman seated by the window, looking at me as if I’m expecting something. I look at her face with a bit more understanding now. But her eyes dart straight down to her shoes. Did I need the seat this time? Maybe to recover from what I just saw. It’s an eye for an eye when it comes to being polite. We could spend the next forty years arguing who is right and who is wrong – chivalry and women’s liberation and equal rights for all. But I’m not going to do that. I think that perhaps it’s time to stop thinking about chivalry this and chivalry that and start working on being more nice to people who need it. And finishing the construction on Orange Street.

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The anti-Islamic film “The Innocence of Muslims” is: Designed to cause sensation

Legitimate free speech

25% 75%

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v71 e11 – 2 october 2012

Hate- and free speech

opinions

The nail in Mitt’s coffin Image: theatlantic.com

Katy Scott

a “purposeful distortion of facts intended to unjustly disparage or discredit an individual, class of t is hard to believe that perhaps individuals, or organisation,” it is this year’s most talked-about possible that speech deliberately film is a badly-made, low-budget, tuned to incite violence (such as 14-minute spoof, and no, it is religious slur films) has hateful not pornographic in nature. The intentions across the board. Innocence of Muslims is a blatantly Controversies surrounding anti-Islamic video which has the production of The Innocence recently been met with bouts of of Muslims have emerged, with violence and vandalism. the film’s actors alleging that they The disjointed scenes in the film were duped, their words dubbed portray the Prophet Muhammad and their dignity damaged; the with his face between a woman’s allegations highlight somewhat legs, savaging a piece of pork shady intentions. and encouraging his followers to There is no denying the sexually abuse children. It proposes provocative nature of the film. that Muhammad was illegitimate To release such a film in the and that the present touchy Qur’an is a flawed environment of What is hateful emulgamation of the Middle East to one may be parts of the Torah is only going and the New to dangerously permissible to Testament. contribute to an another Over and already heightened above the film’s volatility. lack of taste and the turmoil it has Demonstrations and violent provoked, it has further exposed protests broke out in Arab and the massive cultural chasm Muslim nations on September between Islam and the West, 11th this year following the film’s begging the question: where does YouTube broadcast. An armed freedom of speech end and hate attack on the US diplomatic speech begin? mission in Benghazi resulted in Many advocates of free speech the deaths of US Ambassador have defended the filmmakers’ Christopher Stevens and three right to produce the film. The other Americans. video, although offensive and On September 18th, a female disgusting, arguably does not in suicide bomber drove into a itself incite violence, but rather its minibus carrying foreign aviation reception and interpretation by workers in Afghanistan. The car an extremist fringe rendered such (filled with explosives) killed violence inevitable. nine people, eight of whom were Regardless of their political South African. agenda to invoke notions of The Innocence of Muslims the West as ‘the enemy’, by and the reactionary violence condemning such a hyperbolic, are equally repugnant, however, zealous reaction, one should not accompanying such “freedom of thoughtlessly condone the ‘art speech” is the freedom of choice, form’ that spurred such a response. and therefore it is entirely your After all, what is hateful to one may choice whether you condone, be permissible to another. condemn, or care at all. If hate speech can be considered

ideology that they refuse to be flexible, and want a president who is the same. These people confuse party allegiance with patriotism. My suggestion to Romney would be that these, in fact, are the people he shouldn’t worry about – even if it means that he loses millions in campaign funding.

people confuse party allegiance with patriotism

Kagiso Zwane

“T

here are 47% of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. My job is not to worry about those people. I’ll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives,” said Mitt Romney to his contributors in a secretly filmed video at a campaign fundraiser. It’s about time we saw politicians put their differences aside and actually co-operate on something. For months now, the Obama campaign has attempted to paint Romney as someone who is out of touch with real people. And now Romney has done their job for them, and the Obama campaign will stop at nothing to make sure the voters know it. So far, two adverts have been produced slamming Romney over the quote and his knowledge of politics; more are possibly still in the pipeline. If Romney’s words prove anything, it is that the candidate does not understand what it means to be President. Millions of Americans have been struggling to make ends meet. The closure and downsizing

of businesses has led to massive job losses and high unemployment (8% and upwards), by American standards, and the housing bubble bursting has left hundreds of thousands without homes. These are the very people in which the next President is mandated to focus. Nevertheless, Romney is not stupid. His business record – described by Bill Clinton as “stellar” – coupled with the fact that he won the Republican nomination, serve as proof of that. Romney’s problem is that he is trying to please the wrong people – a group of people that has been so blinded by allegiance to political

Money doesn’t win elections. Neither does dancing to the tune of the small and radical factions of the party, be it Democratic or Republican. Votes are what win elections, and with the polls currently giving “too close to call” a new meaning, no one can afford to play this game of divide and conquer; every corner must be courted and wooed. The risks of trying to put the population into groups and hoping that your people come through for you are simply too high. Romney’s campaign and image are in dire need of that turnaround magic he wants to bring to the White House. If the Republican candidate wants any chance of winning in November, he needs to start showing some leadership in his own back yard, or all this work and money would have been in vain.

SA – the slow kid Rushin Jansen

time – and with education-related protests in its wake, it is no surprise that war-torn countries Have you ever noticed that such as the DRC and Iraq are slow kid in your class who never graded above us, showing that seems to know what’s going on… war is rendered irrelevant in the ever? Well, recent statistics show face of utter ineptitude. that, in terms of education, South If I were a foreign investor Africa is that slow kid, falling in I would rethink ploughing my the bottom 3% of countries in money into a country that is terms of quality of education. largely stuck in the Stone Age in For context, this translates to terms of education. Either our SA being rated 140th out of 144 children are simply not smart – countries by the World Economic which is, in my opinion, not true Forum. The report has shown that – or they are not being taught over half of our school-attending well enough. population cannot properly read Be it the system or be it the or write. content of what This then is being taught begs the (or not being South Africa is that taught, as it turns question: what exactly are our out) – either slow kid falling in future leaders way it is simply the bottom 3% and citizens not adequate. learning during It is time we the school day? renounced the One could be forgiven for idea of employing Apartheidthinking Mathematics and related struggle veterans and English, as these two, in particular, those with political prowess and stand out as spectacularly dismal. start placing people with the One cannot help but wonder correct education and skills in where South Africa is headed with these positions of power. Surely an education system in shambles finishing high school should be prodigiously overshadowing a minimum prerequisite when the Apartheid regime’s. Our applying for Cabinet? education system is rated worse Perhaps I am overreacting and than Zimbabwe’s; it is almost being exceedingly harsh in my mind-boggling to consider just assessment of our Department how abysmal it must be and the of Education. I hope that in implications thereof. coming years they will prove me The textbook scandal has wrong. As one could imagine, just recently been resolved – by being rightly pessimistic becomes fashionably late South African boring rather quickly.

opinions

v71 e11 – 2 october 2012

The seductive power of the iBrand Mitch Prinsloo

“T

he best thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone”, as Apple’s PR department so headscratchingly claims, saw its release earlier this month. The device’s release has once again managed to crash order sites and make grown men cry at their dwindling bank balances. The iPhone 5 features a larger screen (but a thinner body), a faster processor and a slightly improved camera. It appears to be virtually the same piece of technology as its predecessor, with minor tweaks. Thus, the question is posed: why does every new release of this device, as well as those of Apple’s other products, continue to produce mass hysteria? What are we, as the discerning consumers, really paying for? The answer arises from Apple’s business modus operandi. For as long as the company has been a competitor in the modern tech arena, its claim to fame has been tied to products that were essentially made by everybody – but perfected (at least initially) by Apple’s visionary founder, the late Steve Jobs, and his team of whiz engineers. The iPod and iPad are primary

examples of this. Both were based on devices available years prior (the MP3 player and tablet PC respectively) but added Apple’s iconic design qualities and features. They were, at the core, no better or worse than the equivalent product – but the equivalent product did not have a stylised apple emblazoned across its back cover. Over time, with repeated success stories holding to the same incessant dogma of reliabilty and quality

the equivalent product did not have a stylised apple emblazoned across its back cover without a complicated setup, the contemporary Apple managed to monopolise the fashion-gadget market until nothing else could compare – at least according to

general consensus. Its products exemplified both a product that worked for the purchaser and a couture item with forever ahead-ofthe-curve design. Apple has always understood this. It realises what the end user sees, both in terms of what is on the screen and what surrounds it. The company doesn’t just care for having the objectively ‘best’ features bullet-pointed on the back of its packaging, it cares that it has the best

YOUR CAREER as a researcher at google

VARSITY speaks to SHIKOH GITAU, User Experience (UX) Researcher/ Designer at Google. What are your qualifications? BSc (Africa Nazarene University in Kenya), MSc (Computer Science) and currently completing a PhD (UCT) Describe your role as a User Experience (UX) Researcher/Designer at Google? I have to understand and act as an interface between the engineering side and the ‘people’ side. My role entails communicating the users’ needs to software engineers to develop appropriate systems in Africa, Asia and Latin America. These regions have different needs and internet connections to the US. Since I work mostly on the emerging markets, I have to do lots of travelling to India, Indonesia and Latin America etc. I started a feature called ‘A Day in the Life of a User’, so that engineers in the emerging markets can increase their understanding of the user experience. My PhD focuses on the use of mobile internet by semi-skilled people in South Africa. I have to gain insight into what pains the user and I have to connect these with the skills to develop technology to improve the users’ experience. What are your most significant projects and contributions? I undertook a project to develop a cashless system for the convenience of public transport users in Kenya. I had to learn to understand how public transport works,

from a user’s perspective. Beba, an NFC (near field communication) enabled payment card, is currently being piloted in Nairobi. As part of my Masters project, I started a social networking site, targeted at the semi-skilled market, who typically access the internet on their mobile phones. It helps them to build a CV and to apply for jobs. The users of www. ummeli.com are currently in excess of 75 000. What other student or community activities did you participate in during your time at UCT? As a student leader, I liaised between the Dean and students when there were any complaints. This experience taught me the importance of always being prepared and ‘doing your homework.’ The research that I had done for my Masters came to Google’s attention and they invited me to do an internship in London and Zurich. Which skills and personal qualities contribute to your success? I am an extreme people’s person, a strong networker and passionate about making a difference in the emerging markets. I also have the ability to accommodate people from many different backgrounds. For instance, I am not fussy about taking taxis around Khayelitsha! I love Maths – it changes how you think and how you solve problems.

What challenges have you encountered? At first I experienced some self-doubt, because I was the only African working with graduates from Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology etc. Then once I opened my mouth, I realised that I was an authority on internet usage in Africa and other emerging markets. Which positions have you held previously? Before my Masters, I worked as an ICT consultant at the Centre for Multiparty Democracy. What advice do you have for current students? The world of work is very much about how you negotiate yourself around different personalities, so learn how to manage different personalities. Always be well prepared, so do your homework well!

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features its buyer can understand and enjoy. Consumers do not buy what is logically the best technology after all, but instead what suits their style and usage demands. Therein lies the success of the technology juggernaut. Each new version of their devices has improved just enough compared to the previous edition. This stirs its long-term fans and those that recognise the allure of having such a hyper-fashionable item into a feeding frenzy. Just enough is changed so that the buyer’s intertwined collection of Apple products (from software to phone covers) must be updated across the board to keep up with the new purchase, commencing the wallet decimation. Through hyped-up features, a massive release date build-up and a will-they-won’t-they guessing game, the Apple machine persists as the foremost provider of consumer technology. The brand loyalty and status is such that we cannot imagine the Jobs-esque Midas touch simply fading away in the foreseeable future. Massive profits are theirs for the taking, and it’s up to the rest of the industry to match their new features list.

Insaaf Isaacs President

Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 4th-year BCom (Information Systems)

uring her term as President, Isaacs’ team has seen some successes, such as the opening of a 24-hour study space on Upper Campus. However, the President’s individual successes have been limited, with few personal projects undertaken during her term. Isaacs struggled to unify her team and her presence was often lacking at important meetings. When she did attend, she was underprepared and often reactionary. Problems with the SRC’s mid-year review meant that members were left with little feedback. Isaacs did aim to be supportive of members’ initiatives. She struggled, however, to get the SRC to work together, even though the team was made up of some strong individuals. Despite a specific responsibility being to “maintain contact with the outside world and acts as external spokesperson”, Isaacs stated that, after the SRC strategy plan, she realised her commentary in public discourse wasn’t needed by the students.

B–

Siya Yanela Songca Vice-President Internal

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 4th-year BCom (Hons.)

ongca’s goals this year were targeting student apathy, policy, internal discipline, social responsiveness and the SRC Entrepreneurship Fair. His role was largely supportive and he was kept busy this year with internal disciplinary matters. Songca worked hard to achieve his goals, and was an effective chair when he stood in for the SRC President at times. Songca has worked on a number of projects in his term of office, including the Entrepreneurship Fair with Jeremy Rose, the NBT debate and the Fees Resolution (pending). Songca hoped to make the Change Campaign (focusing on the STRIVE document) part of his social responsiveness portfolio this year, but this did not materialise. He has been a core member of the SRC and handled his responsibilities as the Vice President Internal well.

2012 SRC Report Card Compiled by: Olivia Wainwright, Stephanie Venter, Lyndall Thwaits, Alex Nagel, Robert Byrne, Krysia Gaweda, Mu’Attham Carlie & Sajjad Karamsi. Images: Michael.Currin.co.za Scale: A: 8.5–10; B: 7–8.4; C: 6–6.9; D: 5–5.9 E: < 5

Vice-President External Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 5th-year MBChB

amothwala worked on a variety of projects, ranging from a proposal for tutored supplementary exams and constitutions for student sub-councils for Hiddingh and Music School, to a National SRC Summit (held at CPUT) and arranging talks by government ministers aimed at various faculties. His mandated focus on international students resulted in a variety of Africa Month events. Many have viewed his work with IAPO positively. Ramothwala “doesn’t like to take credit for all things” and took pains to mention others involved in projects. However, this year’s VPE has been criticised for a lack of professionalism at times, especially with regard to the constituting of committees. Ramothwala also admitted that poor internal communication on the SRC resulted in a disciplinary hearing over his trip to another university earlier in the year. At times Ramothwala’s individual contributions to projects were unclear and his administration at times was inefficient and some projects were started too late in the year.

C+

Fadzai Chitiyo

Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 4th-year BSocSc

Secretary-General

Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 3rd-year BSocSc khize was professional and worked hard this year in her role as Secretary-General. However, some of her initiatives were more time consuming than they were worth. An example of this is the creation of a system to allow fair committee allocations of SRC members – this was successful to a degree, but cost more time and energy than the project was perhaps worth. Although Mkhize did attend some meetings, her absence was noticeable at others, particularly in the second semester. Mkhize’s commitment to the SRC has been questioned at times and, though the SRC Student Leadership Dinner was a good idea, Mkhize struggled to pull the event off due to “very little man-power.” The Secretary-General of the SRC is also “responsible for the compilation of minutes for SRC and Executive Committee meetings;” she was, however, unable to keep on top of providing the necessary minutes to SRC members, particularly during the latter half of the year.

C–

This year’s SRc have seen some solid successes, including the opening of the Upper Campus Clinic, the return of Intervarsity, and the launch of a 24hour study space on campus. For the first time in years, the team saw no resignations or exclusions. While the team was made up of some strong individuals, there was a lack of teamwork and the members failed to work towards a common goal. Some worked hard within their portfolios, but others did not do the work required of them, and this let the SRC down as a whole. Internal communication between SRC members also seems to have been missing to a degree, and the lack of a substantial mid-year review left many without direction. This year saw little political infighting and the SRC strengthened their communication with students, particularly noticeable during the Jammie Shuttle strike earlier in the year and their active Twitter feed. The 2012 SRC worked hard to lay a solid foundation for the newly-elected SRC.

Undergraduate Academic Chair

Basani Mkhize

Mike Ramothwala

B+

hitiyo’s achievements this year boiled down to strengthening individual undergraduate faculty councils. She initiated induction programmes for faculty councils and tried to restructure the responsibilities of class representatives to make the system more efficient. Chitiyo also tried to ensure that there was strong student representation on the Readmissions Appeal Committee (RAC) and even pulled in other non-SRC senior students to sit on the committee. She ran the Academic Activism Campaign at the beginning of the semester, emphasising the risks of academic exclusion, and helped with the SRC’s C3 (Comment, Compliment, Criticise) campaign. Chitiyo was also part of the Library Working Group that negotiated for the 24-hour study space. While she showed great commitment in the first semester, her attendances at committee sittings have dropped recently. Her management of sub-committees could also have been improved. Her diligence and the effort behind the projects she undertook were commendable.

Ali Kiyaei

Postgraduate Academic Chair

Affiliation: SASCO Degree: PhD in Molecular Biology

A–

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 5th-year postgraduate LLB

he oldest member of the SRC, Kiyaei was lauded for his performance in this new portfolio. Dealing with postgraduate academic issues, he was instrumental in the creation of various postgraduate student faculty councils, as well as revamping the Postgraduate Students’ Association. He hosted induction and academic talks, organised “career conversations” together with the Careers Service, and even moved into a third-tier residence to better understand the challenges postgraduate students face while living in UCT residences. In addition to this, he sat on 16 different committees, including Council, the highest decision-making body at the university. He was part of the Library Working Group that spearheaded the efforts to get a 24-hour study space at the library, and was often tasked with negotiating with management. However, his contributions in SRC meetings were occasionally deemed to be controversial. In spite of this, he has left behind a solid foundation for future holders of the chair.

Muhammad Motala

Alex Spoor

Deputy Secretary-General

poor’s responsibilities on the SRC this year were largely administrative, being related to taking minutes at SRC meetings, compiling agendas, writing up submissions for policy, liaising with the Department of Student Affairs, and managing the SRC offices. As a returning member, Spoor felt his role this year was very advisory and that his experience on the SRC in 2011 gave “grounding to the team”. Although Spoor is credited as being very vocal for the students on various matters, he did not implement any projects of his own this year, and many of his achievements were collaborative or built on previous SRC groundwork. Nevertheless, his contributions to the fees debate have been commended. While Spoor had good intentions, his lack of personal initiatives meant he could have made more of his term in office.

C+

Entertainment and Fundraising Co-ordinator Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 4th-year BSc

B–

uhammad Motala’s commitment and contribution were questioned at the beginning of the year. It appears, however, that since then he has changed his attitude toward his position on the SRC. Motala has proven to be a very committed SRC member, with many successes to speak of in his portfolio. He has thus far collected R389 000 from Jammie Thursday events and is set to make the most turnover for the Student Bailout Fund that an SRC has ever made. He has found that not all of his plans came to fruition, such as his hope of creating Hiddingh Fridays and his failure to complete the Plaza policy. However, Motala plans to hand this over to the 2013 SRC member who takes on his portfolio. Although he has been present at committee and SRC meetings, he has not added much to them.

Lorne Hallendorff

Kwado Ofori Owusu

Affiliation: Independent Degree: BBusSc (Finance)

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 4th-year BCom (Economics & Law)

Sport and Recreation Coordinator

Transformation Co-ordinator

orne Hallendorff has had a very busy year. He was able to complete all he set out to do and lay a stable foundation for the new SRC members to come in. Being the committed and determined SRC member that he was, Hallendorff put actions into place and achieved the results he wanted. He fulfilled his role beyond what was expected, with many successes in office, such as the 100 Plus O-Week Sports Tournament and Showcase, as well as helping to bring Intervarsity back. Going beyond the constraints of his own portfolio, Hallendorff also helped lead and assist, alongside other SRC members, with the new 24-hour study space. Hallendorff seemed to always go beyond what was expected of him and could be said to have been your “go-to guy” when you wanted things done. His performance on the Sports and Recreation portfolio has been commendable.

Treasurer

hile most SRC members are winding up various projects, one of Rose’s main focuses is still to come: the 2013 fee proposal (dubbed the “FeesResolution?”), which is still to be presented to management. However, Rose has had a busy year on the seventh floor, administering the SRC Bailout Fund, keeping expenditure in check, co-ordinating the SRC Entrepreneurship Fair, and liaising with the Department of Student Affairs on the student funding structure. Rose states that he has completed, or is completing, all but 2 of his personal goals for his portfolio: the strengthening of transparency regarding SRC spending, and the oversight of other student bodies’ finances, which Rose states is simply beyond a single student’s capabilities. This year’s Treasurer was described as professional and focused on the job. However, while Rose has undoubtedly worked hard this year, he has not worked too far out of his portfolio.

B+

Affiliation: DASO Degree: 4th-year BBusSc

B–

aird-smith showed initiative in his position by concentrating on small-scale issues that made significant changes to residence life as a whole. He emphasised the need for the SRC to be visible in student residences and decided to do this by focusing on policy changes rather than initiating new projects. LairdSmith introduced warden reviews to evaluate the efficiency of wardens’ performances in the residences, made short-term improvements to the quality of meals served, and reviewed the functioning of the laundry system. With regards to crisis accommodation, Laird-Smith personally commuted students to and from residences, however, he displayed a lack of focus when it came to O-Week and welcoming freshers to campus. Laird-Smith felt that the House Committees should have had a heavier hand in allocating accommodation to students in crisis. Despite obstacles UCT management put in his way, Laird-Smith displayed strong leadership skills and passion, remaining motivated in his portfolio.

Nkateko Mnisi

Societies Co-ordinator

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 5th-year MBChB

Samanthaclaire Ncube

Health, Safety & Environment Co-ordinator Affiliation: DASO Degree: 4th-year BSocSc (Hons.)

B–

cube showed dedication towards the well-being of her fellow students, most notably in the introduction of the Student Wellness Service (SWS) on Upper campus and the various courses that were available to students in relation to their physical and mental well-being. The successful introduction of a better-staffed Upper Campus Clinic can be considered a major achievement for her personally, and for the SRC as a whole. However, these achievements came to the detriment of her work on safety and the environment. She can be commended for organising self-defence workshops and co-ordinating safety messages to students, but at policy level there appears to be little change as a result of her endeavours. The new environment aspect of her portfolio is threadbare too – only her involvement in the on-going UCT Heritage Park stands out. Overall, she delivered admirably on a broad portfolio, helping in many aspects towards bettering student well-being.

Kabelo Pule

Services and Labour Co-ordinator Affiliation: SASCO Degree: 3rd-year BBusSc

n terms of actual achievements, it is very difficult to pin down exactly what Pule did in this new role. Early enthusiasm and a strategy for the new portfolio fizzled out. Highlights included his work on the Strategic Forum and Finance Committee and contributing towards the successful SRC-wide response to the Jammie Shuttle strike. However, much of Pule’s portfolio objectives have been left unfulfilled or still ongoing. These included contract reviews with Nashua and food providers, cementing a bus service to accompany the 24-hour library initiative, and constitutionally defining his own role for his successor. Pule failed to establish a sub-committee for the new portfolio and little has been achieved with regard to monitoring and improving the Jammie service. One of his most important responsibilities – to workers – was largely unfulfilled. Overall, Pule should be held accountable for his portfolio, which was lacking in concrete achievement.

Day Students Co-ordinator

espite the portfolio being neglected in previous years, Mnisi’s portfolio was active this year. Successes include the Freshers’ Guide, informing and guiding new and young students, as well as helping the project “to go viral” by improving the SRC’s visibility and social media. The SRC’s Vula tab and Twitter account were active throughout the year. This allowed students to constantly know what the SRC were up to, enabling them to view minutes from SRC meetings along with other SRC information. However, the SRC website and Facebook page appear to be outdated. Throughout the year Mnisi continually worked on the “Mygeni” hub, which would bring together many different sectors of the student community. Mnisi has laid a solid foundation that should go a way to resolving the on-going struggle of communication between SRC and students.

ne of Moss’s portfolio objectives was to improve oversight of the societies sector. Prior to taking office, no overarching policy for the criterion of societies regarding issues such as what was expected from them and from the Department of Student Affairs and the SRC, existed. By May this year, the Societies Council, chaired by Moss, had an overarching policy governing societies’ basic functions and expectations. Additionally, Moss has helped institute a ‘warning phase’ through which societies that are in danger of becoming defunct can receive support. The iKhaya Day House issue infringed upon the societies sector and Moss played a major role in getting a motion passed for a permanent space for iKhaya. Moss led the “Right2Know Students Against Secrecy” campaign; this project encompassed many societies generating inter-society cohesion on the issue. However, he notes that student activism was semi-successful. Overall, Moss played a significant role on this year’s SRC.

James Olivier

Media & Communications Co-ordinator

Michael Moss

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 3rd-year BSc

Residences Co-ordinator

wusu worked hard this year with regards to organising and managing the New Hope Summit and the Conscious Conversations initiative. He showed commitment to his portfolio by regularly attending SRC meetings and showing strength as a member of the Senate. Owusu felt that the issue of race was a main area that needed attention during his term. He indicated that forums were a powerful way to enter UCT’s public discourse, generating a stronger student voice. However, some have said that the forums did not have a solid structure. With regards to the Admissions Policy, Owusu said not enough was done to encourage students to submit to the Howie Commission. Had he focused more on this area, Owusu felt students would have realised the aim of “driving a student voice on admissions policy review”. The portfolio also entailed a focus on gender issues, a responsibility apparently neglected by Owusu this year.

Affiliation: Independent Degree: 3rd-year BA (History & Politics)

Jeremy Themba Rose

James Laird-Smith

Affiliation: DASO Degree: 3rd-year BBusSc (Economics)

C–

livier has been vocal in bringing the students’ voices across in committees and management. He received written confirmation from the Vice-Chancellor that iKhaya Day House will be given a permanent space and used his position on the Space Allocations Committee to try and ensure significant academic and social working spaces for students. Additionally, Olivier played an integral role in securing parking space for Medical students since UCT’s lease with a parking sector at Groote Schuur Hospital had expired. However, many of Olivier’s projects are projections for the future, such as using “dead space” on campus to accommodate UCT day students. Olivier travelled to Stellenbosch to see what their SRC had done for day students and found that they had a successful social and work space called The Hub. Despite this finding, Olivier failed to implement or propose anything of the sort at UCT.

The SRC Report Card is an annual VARSITY project that is conducted to assess the performance of each year’s outgoing SRC. The Report Card is conducted in an open and inclusive manner. All information presented in these reports has been sourced from the SRC members themselves, council members, staff and students they have worked with in their capacity as members of the SRC. VARSITY reserves the right to summarise and comment on the information provided by the SRC members and external sources, which resulted in the above grades. Every effort was made to remain fair and objective in conducting this process.

features

v71 e11 – 2 October 2012

The culture world cup in CT Daniël Geldenhuys

Image: flickr.com/ama lia

just one really big break – a Twilight or a Harry Potter – to launch their success. Such a break inevitably leads to many more, higher-paying and widely sought-after jobs. It’s safe to say that Lady Gaga is Cape Town’s big break. Mamma Monster’s acknowledgement of

It’s safe to say that Lady Gaga is Cape Town’s big break the Mother City has already got Linkin Park and Red Hot Chili Peppers hot on her heels. And don’t

Remnants of the original

Images: flickr.com/ofsmallthings; collider.com

Lynne Marie Fraser

he desire for change is an allencompassing movement which, ironically, never changes. Rapper Snoop Dogg recently reinvented himself in response to an apparent need for change by adopting a new title: Snoop Lion, a rastafarian reggae artist in his spiritual awakening. Despite the hype surrounding this change from gangster to rastareggae, it is almost certain that Snoop will return to rap once again, either as a dog or a lion, performing for the same audiences, die-hard

supporters or not. Changing only a title to create expectations of real difference and novelty is an uncannily similar illusion to that found on the feature film scene this year. All the industry has to do is tag a ‘2’ on to the end of a film title et voila! audiences believe that they are about to watch something completely new and perhaps even better than the previous film. This year, we face a continuation of dance battles in StreetDance 2, a reunion in The Expendables 2, another kidnapping in Taken 2. Hollywood is threatened by eagle attacks again in the horror film Birdemic 2: The Resurrection and, naturally, the Cullens will continue their endless fight against their identities in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Spiderman was released for the umpteenth time, but with the great addition of an adjective in The Amazing Spiderman, and The Dark Knight was modified with an ominous verb in The Dark Knight Rises. Certainly more intelligent

than adding a number. Third and fourth sequels this year include another helping of alien chaos in Men in Black 3, one too many dance-offs in Step Up Revolution, and the prolonged travels of the ever home-sick NYC animals in Madagascar 3. And of course almost the whole of our human evolution is seemingly retold in the fourth Ice Age film, Ice Age: Continental Drift. Fortunately, there is hope for the original. Although most of the original films this year have been based on novels, their punchy storylines seem destined for the big screen. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, for example, starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, is fresh and thought provoking in many ways. This film almost changed the face of Yemen, until their tourist board released a disclaimer stating that they do not, in fact, have a salmon-fishing industry. The Rum Diaries reveals the wilder side of journalism, alcoholism and Puerto Rico in the 1960s, while allowing women another two-hour chance to gaze at Johnny Depp. It also achieves comedy from the mundane, a feat often forgotten in flashy mainstream sequels. Romantic comedies, threats of mass murder, infection and the end of the world, and cute cartoons are inevitably repeatable genres. It is not for their novelty that audiences flock to see these films, but for the same generic, expected experience. It is only through a bold and fresh storyline that an original film can be successfully produced and transformed into a classic. And as we all know, those are the only movies we really remember – the only ones that can change our lives.

forget the Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber rumours. Cape Town must exploit this opportunity to create an impression on Gaga as dazzling as her performance is sure to be. With her presence at any and all music award shows worth mentioning, mingling with the ultimate stars, she really is

Book review

short disclaimer: The writer of this article’s position as an avid Lady Gaga fan, who spent 12 hours laptop-bound waiting in a digital queue for tickets to her Cape Town concert in December, will by no means influence this article, a completely unbiased expression of views. Really. In case you hadn’t already heard, the “Cultural World Cup” is coming to South Africa. Preparations began two years ago, with the construction of the Cape Town Stadium especially for the occasion. A few soccer games and some small-scale concerts, including U2 and Coldplay, have been held there to make sure it’s running to its full capacity. In light of the success of these events, Cape Town can proudly declare that it is fully equipped to accommodate the biggest music, fashion, and cultural icon of our time. Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball will be hitting the Mother City in just over three months. Here is why it’s going to benefit you. As we all know, an actor needs

Cape Town’s golden ticket! Socialite that Gaga is, she’ll be telling all her Grammy Awardwinning friends about how wonderful it is to spend time in Cape Town. We hope. She’ll insist that they all simply must go to do a show. We hope. If Gaga’s concert is a success, you’ll soon be flipping a coin to decide whether to go watch Adele or Lana Del Rey. They’ll probably be performing on the same night; cranking out another stadium shouldn’t be a problem. Even if you aren’t a fan of Lady Gaga, you must recognise the positive influence her performance could have on our home town. If the government can acknowledge it – they didn’t put all that money into building the stadium for nothing – then so can you. So even if you don’t have tickets, at least go join in for the fan walk. Celebrate the dawn of a new era in Cape Town culture. This is our time to be globally recognised for the vibrant city that we are. Don’t let all the build-up of the past two years go to waste. Paws up!

Julien Speyer êêêêê The Year of the Gherkin Author: John Dobson

he diary format is a light and pleasant read in comparison to dense course readers and other works which take themselves very seriously. John Dobson presents a year in the shoes of a white, late-twentysomething male, Jase Brydon. This is a character to whom students can relate, and the author takes great care in capturing the essence of his protagonist. It is important to realise early on, without giving too much away, that Dobson’s protagonist is a satirical character and might be related to Ron Burgundy or even to Johnny Bravo in terms of eccentric self-obsession: living in their own world that is their character. We all know a Jason Brydon; the typical aristocratic South African character. This is what really draws the reader in. He is someone we saw at school or on campus: the Polo-driving, Dieselflaunting Prada-hysteric who is majoring in consumerism and

dreams of a job overseas getting paid “proper” money. While one can picture the protagonist in the real world, there is no doubt that this kind of person would not want to keep a diary. Dobson reflects this to an extent: the daily journal style only lasts as long as the plot needs it to and quickly ends before the year is up. Dobson’s portrayal of our local environment is a joy to take in. From the J&B Met to Movida, all of this is processed by the Jasonator and the social commentary quickly follows through his narcissistic lens. The humour is great and it is written on several levels; most of the time, Jason doesn’t get the last laugh. Jason’s anti-hero character is one of the strengths of the book. Dobson has done a tremendous job of capturing a personality; if one doesn’t like the book then one doesn’t like a character from our everyday society. This novel will hold value in the future: I look forward to picking it up off my bookshelf in 20 years’ time to reminisce about the people we encountered at university, and also to save having to go to school reunions and socialise with the real Jason Brydons.

features

v71 e11 - 2 october 2012

Pussy Riot: silenced punk rebels Dashalia Singaram

n February 21st, three Russian women took over the Christ the Saviour Church in Moscow with their punk-rock sounds and politically charged lyrics. Six months later, the women were convicted for “hooliganism motivated by political hatred” by the Russian authorities and sentenced to two years in prison. These three women – Nadezdha Tolokonnikova, Marina Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samusevich – are members of the feminist punk-rock group Pussy Riot. They have become overnight celebrities, sparking international outrage and support for their release. Various cellphone-recorded videos have gone viral on YouTube, showing the women, wearing balaclavas singing their song “Holy Shit” on the altar of the Christ the Saviour church, criticising Vladimir Putin’s increasingly autocratic rule of Russia and the suppression of resistance from its people. The performance was staged at the church to simulteneously expose Putin’s close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church. A member of the church has since come forward saying: “We did forgive them from the very start. But such actions

Image: flickr.com-Eyes on Rights

should be cut short by society and authorities.” And cut short, they have been. The Russian government shows no sign of altering their stance, despite overwhelming international pressure from the public and bodies such as Amnesty International. Since the women were charged on August 17th, thousands of people globally, including numerous

A topless Ukrainian woman armed with a chainsaw cut down a cross in Kiev in support. celebrities, have marched in protest against the harsh and disproportionate sentences the

Pussy Riot members received. Musicians worldwide have critisised their sentencing. A balaclava-clad Madonna pleaded for their release at her concert in Moscow. “As human beings, we should have the right to express our opinions and still be treated as human beings’’ she said, removing her jacket to reveal the words “Pussy Riot” painted across her bare back.

Celebrities including Sting, Paul McCartney, Die Antwoord and Stephen Fry have also spoken out against the sentencing. Despite the governments attempts to silence them, the remaining members of the band released another single during the court trial, entitled “Putin has lit the Flames”. These brave women have used their incarceration to alert the world to the injustices they face as women in Russia. Other women have also acted out in rebellion: A topless Ukrainian woman armed with a chainsaw cut down a cross in Kiev in support. “It’s appalling that the musicians from Pussy Riot could face prison sentences… Dissent is a legitimate and essential right in any democracy” said Sting. In times of civil unrest and political turmoil it has always been artists, writers and musicians that have used their passion and skills to rebel against the oppressors. The likes of Hugh Masekela, Johnny Clegg and Miriam Makeba were instrumental in raising the spirits of South Africans in the midst of Apartheid. One can only hope that the global community will continue to fight for the band and their cause – one day looking back and wondering what the fuss was all about.

EVENTS MANAGEMENT AT UCT? YES! Events Management is a major component in the Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Tourism Management), and one of the fastest growing industries both in South Africa and elsewhere. Conferences, exhibitions, concerts, festivals and other types of events need graduates who have a wide range of key management skills and who can plan strategically. The key elements of business, tourism and events management are taught in this intensive one-year postgraduate management programme, which has been rated the top programme in Africa in its category by best-masters.com, and 11th in the world. Also offered at UCT are Postgraduate Diplomas in Management in Marketing Management, Sport Management and Entrepreneurship. These challenging but rewarding courses prepare students for the world of business and have a reputation for dramatically enhancing career opportunities. A strong theoretical and practical grounding in management disciplines and area of specialisation ensures that graduates can make an immediate and valuable contribution in their chosen careers. To apply for admission, you need only an undergraduate degree in ANY area, a year of your time and the passion to succeed. Applications close end October each year. For more information contact Nashly Langenhoven: Email Nashly.Langenhoven@uct.ac.za Tel 021 650-3777, or visit the School of Management Studies website:

www.commerce.uct.ac.za/managementstudies/pgdiplomas

features

v71 e11 – 2 October 2012

The best free wi-fi spots in Cape Town

Take your studies to the streets

Shannon Holcroft

until 5pm, the happy hour cocktail specials will give new meaning to the old excuse of ‘working late.’

s the city slowly thaws and warmer days draw near, it is sinful to spend hours working in a stale-smelling computer lab or claustrophobic res room when Cape Town has many free wifi spots to choose from. Slaving away to meet assignment deadlines seems like far less of a drag when you can simultaneously enjoy a delicious refreshment in a relaxing setting. A selection of the best cafés in the city for surfing the net are outlined below. Starlings Café 94, Belvedere Road, Claremont If you’re one for quirk and ambience, Starlings Café will quickly establish itself as your favourite escape from boring study spots with its exquisitely eccentric décor. This may, however, jeopardise the chance of doing any serious work; even a simple bathroom trip takes far longer than usual as you may be distracted by all the beautiful trinkets and odds and ends on display. In terms of free wi-fi, no specific amount of

Image: michael.currin.co.za cap is allocated per customer. Simply request the password and get surfing. Cocoa Wah Wah 18 Main Road, Rondebosch As you enter Cocoa Wah Wah, a poster sporting a bearded Chuck Norris lookalike proudly proclaims that each customer is allocated 100Mb of free wi-fi, which is more than enough for hours of internet research. However, this is a well-

known spot and popular with students, so you may find yourself striking up a conversation with a classmate instead of getting down to business. Their giant chocolate-chip cookies and other mouth-watering baked goods have also been known to inhibit productivity. Banana Jam Café 157, 2nd Avenue, Harfield Village, Kenilworth

The art of indie Georgina Lockwood

Fat Cactus fiesta Rob Byrne êêêêê

ndie is cool. The main point, as written on Urban Dictionary, is: “Don't take the scene and the whole hipster attitude seriously. No one does. And if you do, well, then I'm cooler than you.” Indie is short for independent. It stems from 1980s alternative garage music, independent of any record labels. Today, the term transcends the music genre to encompass fashion, culture and business that are decidedly unpolished and anti-mainstream. While commercial sells a brand, Indie tells a story. A Google search for “Indie businesses in Cape Town” finds facts about The Dutch East India Company, but nothing on small business initiatives. Google’s ignorance is a fair reflection of the network of Indie business consumers: You need to know someone, who knows the somehow and somewhere of the something you are after. Because it’s only Indie if it’s below the radar. This is exactly why it’s a Catch-22 situation for Indie businesses between widespread success and keeping that authentic Indie feel. Many commercial-label businesses start out as alternative ideas like selling home-baked goods and organic farm produce in a derelict part of Woodstock. The Old Biscuit Mill, a popular Saturday market in Woodstock, is an example of a popular Indie idea gone mainstream and the constant conflict between being under the radar and greatly successful. In the Mother City, there are a variety of Indie setups that are inspiring and creative. Just this

If you’re worthy of being called a Capetonian, you’ll already be familiar with Caribbean-themed Banana Jam Café, as it is a popular student haunt for reasons which are generally anything but academic. On top of offering a relaxed space for light meals or pre-drinks before a night out, Banana Jam Café provides customers with unlimited free wifi between 11am and 4pm. As an added benefit, if you happen to linger

Image: guywithcamera.co.za

once, here’s the something you need to know in a guide to six of our favourite Indie spots available in Cape Town:

Original Initiatives Hide & Sheep An interactive T-shirt label. Anyone can submit a drawing and each month the drawing that receives the most ‘likes’ on Facebook becomes a t-shirt available for purchase. Contact: Facebook: Hide & Sheep Hip Kim Argentinian belts made from original leather stirrups. These belts are usually worn by local polocrosse players in Argentina and their traditional colourful patterns have moved them off the polo field and onto our own UCT campus. Contact: Kim 073 156 8492

A Cause to Shop Suns & Daughters Great basic hoodies and t-shirts sold on the philosophy is one-forone, or two for the price of one. You buy one for you and one goes to the

underprivileged. Contact: Facebook: Suns & Daughters iBlank SA Any hobby from drinking beer, surfing, skating, cycling or going for coffee will fill the “blank” on your t-shirt design. Then, the money goes directly to a charity related to, or supporting a related cause that gives to the underprivileged. Contact: iblanksa.com

Foodies The Dogs Bollocks This chef uses the comfort of his home garage to serve only two things: monumental burgers and homemade wine. You have to bring your own cutlery if you need it and accept that there are only 50 burgers made per night. Then he closes. Place: Roodehek Street Contact: Mike 083 440 7843 Limoncello A caravan selling Italian cuisine. Place: On the side of Victoria Drive between Camps Bay and Llundudno, with an excellent view.

Lunchworks 22 Waterkant Street, Cape Town For students in touch with their inner environmentalist, Lunchworks offers unlimited wi-fi as well as organic coffee and light, wholesome meals made using locally sourced ingredients. The long table in the centre of the café provides a comfortable space to catch up on some work while people-watching and soaking up city energies. As I’m sure your mother once told you, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. Similarly, free wi-fi carries with it certain obligations, although these are quite tame in comparison. It’s just common courtesy to order something that is in a higher price range than a glass of tap water when an establishment is providing you with internet, regardless of the oftenblamed student budget. Luckily, the spots mentioned above offer food and drinks that are both tasty and affordable, so there is no reason to be stingy.

Mexican food: I absolutely adore it. In my home town, absolutely nowhere near the land of the Sombrero and drugrelated decapitations, we have one Mexican Restaurant that rather conspicuously doubles as a Pizzeria. It’s owned and run by Austrians – quite the intermingling of cultures. So, when the prospect of dining in a proper Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant is on the cards, I tend to jump at the opportunity. It was with absolute pleasure then that I graced The Fat Cactus in Gardens, along with my willing housemate, Syd. The recommendation came from a friend. He made the bold claim that they served the best nachos he’d ever had. With that in mind, my housemate and I set off with the intention of sharing a plate for starters. The allure of the jalapeño chilli popper, however, quickly put those plans to rest. It’s a term I’ve heard thrown around quite a lot and as a selfproclaimed foodie, I was slightly embarrassed to say I had no idea what a ‘popper’ was. The last time I’d heard of ‘poppers,’ they were the buttoned trousers (now exclusively worn by chavs) that swept through late-nineties Britain in a remarkable fashion craze. And yes, I did own a pair. I keep them as a reminder of where humanity can go wrong. As for the ‘chilli popper,’ a little googling was in order. Deepfried jalapeño chillies, stuffed with cream cheese. Basically a heart attack on a plate, but a very

delicious one at that – we devoured them along with the two coleslaws that were served alongside. Although the nearby table tucking into nachos reminded us of what we were missing, I’ll stand by the poppers and say they were a good choice. On to the mains. Syd ordered Quesadillas – tortillas stuffed with cheese and tomatoes, fried and served with your usual Mexican condiments, guacamole, sour cream and salsa – highly recommended and a good cheaper option. I went for the Chili con Carne, always the acid test for a Mexican/ Tex-Mex restaurant. It was good. In fact it was so good I found myself scraping the bottom of the bowl to try and get every last ounce of scumminess. Unlike your common con-carne, it was not made with mince, but rather slowly stewed pieces of beef, which I’m told is the proper way to make it. Apparently, tomatoes shouldn’t be used either. Looks like I’ll need to revise my home recipe. Genuine Mexicans, moustaches and all, would no doubt have approved. The chilli was served in a rustic pot, with a cheesy crust and salsa on top. On the side was a generous portion of nachos and sour cream, ideal for dunking into the spicy, gooey, delicious mixture. There was no shock when the bill came either – just over R100 each for a shared starter, main course and drink. All-inall, pretty reasonable. While the service may have left a little to be desired – I’m pretty sure our waitress was dead inside – it was a thoroughly enjoyable meal in cosy surroundings. And for those nachos, I’ll be back.

features

v71 e11 - 2 oCTOBER 2012

How to get through the final stretch Dashalia Singaram

ith less than a month left before final exams, most students are feeling the effects of a long and stressful year on campus. And by stressful, I mean the sudden realisation that exclusion is an ever-present possibility, no matter what the idiots running for Faculty Council promise you. So for those of you feeling burnt out and ready to give up, here are a few tips on how to make this month count. Look for the light At times, especially at 2am on the morning of an 8am exam, it may seem like the torture will never end. It’s at these times you may be tempted to throw your textbook out of the window and get a few hours of sleep for the first time in days. Don’t. Inevitably, you will realise a few minutes later that it was a mistake and have to go all the way outside to fetch it again. Make sure you have something to look forward to after each exam, whether it be a day off from studying, or even just a few hours away from the books having a good meal that was not made in a microwave. Giving yourself a light at the end of the tunnel will make each small victory seem worth it. Cut your losses For some students, first-years especially, you may have spent the entire year living from drunken weekend to drunken weekend, from

Tiger to Long Street and back again. And now, you may find yourself with reality crashing down around you saying things like, “Am I even doing this course? Who is that lady standing at the front of the lecture theatre?” If this is you, then your DP is probably as stable as you were last Friday night. Now, no one is saying you should give up on trying to pass everything. But for once, use your common sense. Be honest with yourself. If you honestly cannot see youself passing a course then don’t fight for it. It is better to write three exams and pass them all than write all five and fail every one. Keep Calm, and Carry on The final term of year has a horrible history of being one where students put themselves under enormous pressure and end up doing terribly stupid things. If you haven’t been working as hard as you should have, then start. If you have and are still concerned, then work a little harder. Do not fly off the handle, pull your hair out and act like a mental patient. Nervous breakdowns are real; so are burnouts. And they are as bad for your GPA as a sunny day on Jammie stairs. So whether this is the end of an enlightening (but not so educational) first year at UCT, or if this is the end of what seems like an infintely long degree, remember that the world will keep spinning and the three-monthlong Summer vac will be here soon enough.

Book review:

Thinking Up a Hurricane Berndt Hannweg êêêêê Author: Martinique Sitwell Embarking on a sea voyage is an exciting prospect. You look forward to the calm days on azure waters or sipping cocktails on your vessel while lolling about in exotic lagoons. An actual sea voyage however, is not so luxurious. Chartering your own yacht is an endless slog punctuated with brief moments of startling beauty and pants-wetting terror. In many ways, then, this book resembles that voyage. You start off hopeful and optimistic, but you’re left with an endless slog. Moments of beauty and terror seldom enter into it. Thinking Up a Hurricane is a semi-autobiographical beginning from 1977 Durban. It depicts the childhood of Martinique Sitwell which was spent sailing around the world with her family on their homemade trawler, Vingila. This should have been a brilliant book. Sitwell is a good writer with a knack for telling adventure stories, but there is a fault. And in a biographical piece it is a glaring fault indeed: the book would be better if the main characters had all fallen off the boat in the first week, and left the

rest of us unencumbered by their presence. Sitwell and her brother are children and then progress into adolescents, with all the humdrum emotion that entails. Their mother comes across as distant and parochial by our admittedly modern standards, but it’s Sitwell’s father Frank who will make you wish for some horrible tragedy at sea. The man is abusive, stubborn and quite literally out of his depth. It takes a very special sort of man to drag his family away to sea when he has no experience with sailing or navigation. Almost every moment of peril in this book can be traced back to Frank and his overriding desire to get his own way. If you can bear his stupidity for 400 odd pages, you’ll find a mildly diverting narrative about life at sea and the world of sailing as it existed a couple of decades as well. You may even learn something about seashells, in between the offhand mentions of murder, abuse and animal pornography. You can head out to sea and spend weeks caught in the melancholies, while the shear mindlessness of it all saps your spirit, or you can read this book. Either way, it’s pretty much the same thing.

Image: michael.currin.co.za

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Best in class. And outside of class.

sport

MSC peak again Megan Kinnaird VARSITY sat down with Hannes Breytenbach, one of the UCT Mountain and Ski Club members who ventured to Mount Elbrus, Russia in July. Breytenbach and four other MSC members Birte Toussant, Ashley Pople, Graeme Paul and Silke Pritzen successfully reached the summit of the highest mountain in Europe, standing at 5 642 metres. The five climbers formed part of a twelve-person annual expedition team overseen by the UIAA Youth Commission that encourages young people from all over the world to climb iconic mountains. Last year it was the Drakensburg, and this year it was Mount Elbrus. The international group included youths from Spain, Finland, Ukraine and of course, South Africa. The five UCT students, along with Rick Kotze (of Stellenbosch) arrived in Russia two weeks before the start of the climb to acclimatise, explore, and train for climbing on the ice. On July 15, the team started their ascent, taking a cable car to 3 500 metres. From there they hiked up to 4 500 metres, then back down to 4 200 metres for the night to acclimatise. The next day they embarked upon the 1 400 metre vertical ascent to the peak, in clear weather, reaching the top later that morning. Some team members suffered from altitude sickness, as well as sheer exhaustion from the difficulty associated with climbing

in the bitter cold. The expedition team of twelve was accompanied by only one guide, so more than anything, Breytenbach commented it was a “mental battle with yourself.” Mount Elbrus’ two peaks form a saddle and to reach the highest peak they had to climb over the slightly lower peak at 5 621 metres. In this crucial moment, Breytenbach emphasized the importance of not only mental strength, but team spirit and motivation. “Someone gives you that little bit of motivation that means so much,” he said. He added that for a few members of the team it was touchand-go at times, but in the end the climbers encouraged and urged each other to push-on through the exhaustion to accomplish the last bit of the climb. When the team reached the peak, Breytenbach experienced relief more than anything else. The accomplishment sank in afterwards when they were back at base camp. He added, “We stayed on the top just long enough to take a couple of photographs, highfive each other and then head back down.” More than anything, Breytenbach and the rest of the team’s story highlights the importance of perseverance through willpower as well as team motivation. He summarised it as a “once in a life time experience” for him and everyone who participated in the climb.

David, Goliath and the other guys Dashalia Singaram

ith the T20 World Cup well on its way, there are no surprises about the teams who have qualified for the Super-Eights. The South African team has fallen into what most are calling “The group of death,” along with India, Australia and Pakistan. It is safe to say then that local fans have paired off, ready to perform the Heimlich Manoeuvre on one another for fear of yet another “choke” from the team on the big stage. Of all the teams who have competed in the tournament, South Africa ranks first, winning 72.2% of their T20 games. And yet their best performance was making the semifinals in 2009. The story is an old one. Ask any cricket fan sitting nervously, beer in hand, on October 2nd when we play our final Super-Eight game against India. South Africa may as well have coined the term “choking.” And yet we are not the only Goliaths to fall at the big stage. Sri Lanka are also hard-pressed to defend their halting performances in the tournament. In their defence, Mahela Jayawardene said he would rather be a runner-up than an “also-ran.” And if the big cricket tournaments were new hippy schools, both Sri Lanka and South Africa would get awards for effort. Then again, so would everyone else. While this T20 World Cup has brought up many of the same boring issues, it is not to say that it has been without its fair share of drama and excitement. As someone who loves watching the Davids give the

Sports Shorts VARSITY’s round-up of home-grown sports clubs

Image: Gallo

Goliaths a good run for their money, watching Afghanistan make India scramble around like Graeme Smith looking for the last pie on the shelf was priceless.

if cricket tournaments were new hippy schools, Sri Lanka and South Africa would get awards for effort As a team whose country has been in political turmoil for more than a decade, just qualifying for the tournament ahead of many first-world countries is admirable. They put on a great show and had it not been for three or four dropped catches, they may have been the Cinderellas of 2012. But as with most T20 tournaments, the commentary revolves less around

the matches and more around the gossip. England are under huge pressure after a humiliating loss to India, barely making it past Kenya’s lowest ever T20 total of 67 all out. And of course, the talk is not around what India did right, but WWKD what would Kevin do? As England failed dismally against India’s spinners, every Tom, Dick and Kevin’s dad were quick to point out that Pietersen is their best player against spin bowling. Captain, and subject of allegedly “scandalous” text messages, Stuart Broad was quick to defend the team against suggestions that they missed Pieterson’s strong hands, whether they be used for typing or batting. Alas, with the Davids being knocked out of the tournament, the competition is far more predictable. Will Goliath finally learn to swallow, or will it once again be taken by one of those other guys?

Driven past Point

Sajjad Karamsi Sports Editor

Death by apathy

Robert Byrne Athletics

UCT Athletics Club had a good showing at the Cape Town Marathon on Sunday September 23rd. Twenty runners participated in the full marathon and 10km events. Of the four marathon runners, William Robinson clocked the fastest time with an impressive 2:53. He was by far the quickest finisher amongst UCT’s runners, with Jennifer Kithinji (4:29), Laurie Nathan (4:35) and Paula Dollman (4:48) coming in significantly lower in the field. In the 10km event Phumlani Simon ran a blistering 33:29, placing him 19th overall. The 40-minute mark was broken by six others, with Thomas Niven (36:23), Nelson Bass (36:25), Michael Mclaggen (36:41), Michael Loseby (37:28) and Thabang Letheo (38:49) all running well.

injuries such as sprains and strains. Suzie Martel, of UCT Gymnastics commented, “the course was overall very informative and definitely a great opportunity for all of us. We are looking at possibly continuing with Level 3 First Aid.”

Gymnastics

Taekwon-do

Gymnastics is a sport prone to injuries, so those participating at UCT will be glad to know that 11 members of UCT’s Gymnastics club took part in a first aid course on Saturday 15 September. The course was free of charge and all of those in attendance successfully passed Level One First Aid with the help of the enthusiastic instructor. They learned about basic First Aid including CPR and also focused on common sports

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Image : UCT Taekwon-do TAEKWON-DO STARS – UCT dominate at national championships

On September 21st, UCT’s Enslin Gardiner and Mohapi Mohlamonyane travelled to Johannesburg to take part in the 2012 Closed SA-ITF Taekwondo Championships. They were accompanied by their fellow Western-Cape teammates from Gi-Baek Taekwon-do school in Greenpoint and their coaches Matthew Esof and Chase WatkinJones. Teams came from all corners

of South Africa. The two UCT students trained hard for weeks with their coaches and it was worth it. Enslin took part in two events; Individual patterns and sparring (65kg-71kg). He won a gold medal for his patterns and a silver medal for sparring. Mohapi took part in three events; individual patterns, sparring (65kg-71kg) and special techniques. He won a gold medal for his patterns and in the sparring event. The two UCT competitors met head to head in the sparring finals after fighting their way up the ladder, with the Western-Cape duo making their province proud.

With contributions from Bronte Westcott, Suzie Martel & Mohapi Mohlamonyane

You. You sitting outside the Food Court whiling hours away smoking a hubbly. You sitting on Jammie Steps several hours a week spending time in empty conversations. You sitting in your room watching hours and hours of series every week. Your student experience at UCT is hollow, and it’s your fault. Your (a)pathetic life needs a huge shake-up. Your experience at university needs to be more than academics and the weekend jols. University is where you learn to be an adult, learn to be responsible, learn to be more conscientious and more diligent. You won’t learn any of this, though, unless you become an active student. Your university experience will be shallow and boring if your apathy overcomes you. Get out there. Pick a sports club, a society or a developmental agency and get involved in it. Just signing up isn’t enough. Play an active part. Go for all your training sessions and all the society events, and don’t be the absent volunteer who never turns up for any SHAWCO events. Take up leadership roles. With almost two hundred societies and sports clubs, and myriad positions available at the developmental

agencies – SHAWCO, VARSITY, RAG, Ubunye and UCT Radio – you have no excuse. Be part of the committees and sub-committees at your res. Tutor. If you have decent grades, it’s not that difficult. The benefits are enormous. Besides the great friends you’ll make and the tremendous amount you learn, it looks great on your CV. Employers are huge fans of past leadership experience. And don’t be the person who moans all the time about how UCT is inefficient and doesn’t care about students when you just sit around doing nothing yourself. You my friend, go to the best university on this continent, and have the abilities to do something about it. If you choose to wallow in inertia, the fabulous student experience you expected coming in to UCT will die a miserable death. Death by apathy it shall be.

Sport VARSITY

FIXTURES Laborie Rock Run

Sixes Tournament

Saturday, October 13th

UCT Athletics

UCT Cricket

Paarl Rock

Forest Hill Hockey Astro

Rising stars aim for Olympics Robert Byrne

hile your average social sportsman may have mastered the art of balancing a heavy night (gatsby included), turning in a mediocre sporting performance and still managing to hand in that essay on time, things are quite different for those at the top of their game, especially as far as swimming is concerned. It’s a sport that requires dedication and, most importantly, time in the pool. VARSITY caught up with two of UCT’s most promising Swimmers, 19 year-olds Dominique Dryding and Ayrton Seeney. Dryding, a second-year BSc student, first came to prominence in the All Africa Games in 2007, where she won two bronze medals at the age of fourteen. Since at UCT, her focus has been on middle- to long-distance events, from 800m up. She rose to prominence in April of 2012 at the National Championships and Olympic trials, where she came third in the 5km freestyle and made the final of the 200m butterfly, unfortunately missing out on qualification. Despite setbacks – and the inevitable questioning around her future that occurred around her matriculation exams – she is committed now more than ever to swimming. Local Swimming team the Cape Dolphins have played a big part. ‘The people who keep me motivated are the ones I train with. I think that the squad has really helped; they’ve helped me keep going and find the love of it again,’ she said. And it’s quite an arduous task. Dryding trains for around 24 hours a week in total, often in the pool twice a day, accompanied by strenuous gym sessions. And that’s before she even considers her lifesaving commitments. She is due to compete in Adelaide, Australia in November both for South Africa and her local club in the Lifesaving World Championships. Exciting prospects are on the horizon for Dryding, as she aims to qualify for the South Africa University Games and World University Games in Russia. She has also set herself the target of gaining a medal in the World Championships. Should things go to plan, the globetrotting will continue with a potential trip to Colombia to compete in the Commonwealth Stillwater Championships. The recent Olympic achievers, many of whom she knew from competing at the All Africa games, have acted as a motivator. “It was a little bit of mixed emotions. Seeing all of them competing has given me a lot of motivation to work harder and keep pushing myself. “Long-term, I want to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. At the moment

Image: Ayrton Seeney THE STROKE OF VICTORY - Two of UCT’s swimmers, Ayrton Seeney (above) and Dominique Drydin are hoping to qualify for the next Olympics. I’m aiming towards 10km, but things do change, so I’m not setting that in stone,” she added. Seeney, a 19-year-old BCom student, started swimming at the age of seven and quickly worked his way up from a provincial level to the national and international stage. Last year, he represented South Africa at the CANA African Senior Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, winning three gold medals and one bronze. His strongest performances have come in the 200 and 400m Individual Medley and the 800m Freestyle, favouring the 400m IM event, that of his Olympic hero Ryan Lochte. At UCT, Seeney is on an extended programme which allows him to get the balance right between his studies and extensive training. He singled out the help of Economics lecturer Leigh Lakay, who has assisted him on the way. Looking to the future, Seeney is hoping to see his UCT colleague Dryding at the World Student games in Russia 2013. However, his ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. He too has drawn inspiration from the likes of Chad le Clos and Cameron van der Burgh, but has always had the driving desire to reach the top level. A promising future lies ahead for these two stars. With the right assistance both in and out of the pool, these two UCT students can realise their Olympic dreams.

MOUNTAIN MADNESS

The Mountain and Ski Club has been undertaking various expeditions around the world this year, inlcuding the Himalayas and Mount Elbrus in Russia. For a more detailed report of the climb, please see Page 14. Images courtesy UCT Mountain and Ski Club