27 March 2018 | Volume 77 | Edition 2
SRC reassignment: was it constitutional?
Tessa Knight
VARSITY investigates the constitutionality of last week’s reassignment of the SRC Image by Michaela Pillay
On the 8 th of March, SRC funds were frozen. On the 14th of March at the First Ordinary Sitting of SP, Logan, in his capacity as the Undergraduate Academic Co-ordinator, tabled a motion for the reassignment of SRC portfolios within the next 72 hours. According to Logan, “the SRC was paralysed by incompetence.” Logan cited the vacancy of TG and frozen funds as evidence that the SRC was not able to function with the current executive.
“We have to force ourselves to come to work on weekends even though we are not getting paid as feeding our families is more important than our dignities.”
Timeline of recent SRC interactions:
-08/03: SRC funds are frozen - 14/03: Student Parliament (SP), where Christopher Logan (DASO) puts forward a motion to reassign SRC portfolios. Motion becomes a recommendation. - 19/03: Loyola Nyathi (EFF) is inducted into the SRC as the 15 th member, and the SRC Weekly Standing Meeting takes place. A reassignment occurs amidst debates of constitutionality. - 20/03: 00:48am Karabo Khakhau (DASO) sends an email to all students as President of the SRC stating that the reassignment was unconstitutional. The Constitutional Committee (CC)
respond to an inquiry made by Logan regarding the 5 vacant SP positions, concluding that SP consists of 78 members not 83. The original vote to reassign becomes a binding motion. - 21/03: An email is sent by Karabo Khakhau as President of the SRC claiming that an appeal has been sent to the CC and the reshuffle will be held in abeyance pending the conclusion. - 22/03: An email is sent by Student Governance Council (SGC) claiming the reassignment will be held in abeyance. Follow-up email, sent later that day, states that the reassignment will not be held in abeyance. - 23/03: A complaint is lodged by the
DASO caucus, excluding Logan and Mthobisi Mngomezulu (DASO), against the rest of the SRC claiming incorrect procedures took place during the reassignment. SGC sends official notice of hearing.
Confusion was visible in some of the seated students who were not aware of the workers’ protest Last week, the SRC underwent a portfolio reassignment amidst allegations of unconstitutional procedures. Since the resignation of Treasurer -General (TG), members of the SRC executive were signatories of the account.
At SP, 54 members voted for the motion, 10 voted against and there were no abstentions (14 members were absent). This did not constitute a two-thirds majority; and therefore not binding to the SRC. Before the SRC Weekly Standing Meeting on Monday, 19 th March, Nyathi was inducted into the SRC, filling the position left vacant by TG, Johansson. The SRC would not have been able to reassign if there were not 15 members present. At the Weekly Standing Meeting, the majority of the 15 members present voted to accept the recommendation to reassign SRC portfolios. Chapters 6 and 12 of the SRC constitution were cited to impede a reassignment. Members of DASO allegedly stated that it would be best to seek clarity and then reconvene. A debate ensued over Chapter 12 until the Chair of the House decided that the matter would be decided via secret ballot. Nine voted that the Chapter was not relevant and six voted that is was. Proceedings then continued despite persistent requests from DASO members to postpone. During the reassignment process, Khakhau was
nominated for President, but declined. Logan then nominated Mngomezulu for President. Without another nomination, Mngomezulu was elected. According to a now-deleted SRC Facebook post the following reassigned executive was: President: Mthobisi Mngomezulu (formally Karabo Khakhau) Vice-President: Masixole Mlandu (PASMA) (formally Hannah Margetts (DASO)) Secretary-General: Zukiswa Jack (EFF) (formally Tami Jackson (DASO)) Deputy Secretary-General: Loyola Nyathi (formally Dylan-James Greenstone (DASO)) Treasurer-General: Christopher Logan (formally vacant) The remaining DASO members were not allocated portfolios as they declined to participate. In response to the reassignment, Khakhau sent an email on Tuesday 20 th (00:48am) claiming that the reassignment was unconstitutional. Later that day, the CC responded to a query made by Logan regarding the 5 vacant positions in SP and whether it affected his motion. In response, the CC ruled that the vacant positions meant that SP consisted of 78 members and this made Logan’s motion binding. On Wednesday 21st, Khakhau sent an email to the student body claiming an appeal had been sent to the CC and the reassignment would be held in abeyance in the interim. The SGC echoed this in an email sent on Thursday 22 nd , but retracted the statement on Twitter, saying the matter would not be held in abeyance. On Friday 23 rd , the SGC sent an official notice of hearing to Logan, Mngomezulu and other non-DASO affiliated SRC members regarding a complaint about the procedure followed during the reassignment. The hearing will take place tomorrow. VARSITY reached out to the DSA to verify the constitutionality of the reassignment. The DSA had not yet received the official minutes and thus could not respond. At present, DASO members (excluding Logan and Mngomezulu) maintain the reassignment was not constitutional.
@VarsityNews |27 March 2018|V77 E2|Page 2
NEWS
‘Listeria Hysteria’ at UCT campuses and residences
Tessa Knight & Louise Van Den Bergh news@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Nwabisa Plaatjie: A thespian in her own right Asanda Masoka
Image by Asanda Masoka
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Actor, playwright, and director captures the importance of the individual voice in a movement.
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thespian in her own right. Nwabisa Plaatjie, a BA (HONs) Theatre and Performance graduate from the University of Cape Town, is one, to name a few, of Cape Town’s creatives who are paving the way for the next generation of young writers, actors and directors to go places they once thought would be impossible. Nwabisa stands as a representative of black creative women who are existing and thriving - in their own right - in the creative space. Her archive of work includes 3 original plays: Identirrhaging (2015), Aha! (2016) and 23 Years, a month and 7 days (2016), with 23 Years opening the Arena of The Young Arts Festival in Erlangen Germany at the end of June. In addition, she staged the adaptation of The Native Who Caused All the Trouble. The play, 23 years, a month and 7 days – powerful and riveting - is set against the #RhodesMustFall and #FeesMustFall student movement. It makes use of the power that is found in storytelling to engage audiences in the struggles faced by womxn who found themselves deep in systematically violent social and political environments. Her focus here was to ‘capture the individual voice who was not necessarily the voice of movement or at the front of it’ Freedom in creative spaces
makes provision for the content offered to be better and unleashed at its full capacity; to spark conversation, to raise questions and speak to a much larger audience. And Nwabisa has done exactly that with her work. While in conversation with Pap Culture – Nwabisa mentions that her journey in theatre began before her actual studies. Isiqendu was her first introduction to theatre, or more so, her first introduction to story-telling. Isiqendu is the telling of stories using rocks or pens as characters and creating a story that allows one’s imagination to conceive what the rocks and story is conveying. Nwabisa Plaatjie is the first recipient of the Baxter Theatre’s PlayLab residency program; the second recipient of Theatre Arts Admin Collective’s Emerging Theatre Director’s Bursary 2017. Added to her list of achievements is the Fleur du Cap nominee for Best New Director, 2017. With these words, “there is a difference between being an activist fighting for change outside, and being a storyteller inside [the theatre]. I have the responsibility to each and every person who has bought a ticket and sat there.” We are excited to see what Nwabisa has in store for us in the future.
n the 4th of March 2018, the Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi, announced that an investigation conducted by the Health Department had managed to trace the Listeriosis outbreak to Enterprise and Rainbow Chicken products. Given that Listeriosis is a matter of concern to students, Varsity sought to find out how UCT has handled the matter at the various campuses and residences. With Listeriosis being linked to the death of more than 180 people since its outbreak, Varsity communicated with UCT’s Media liaison Elijah Moholola, to find out more on UCT’s efforts to minimise casualties. Although no official correspondence between the university and food vendors was issued, UCT claims to have addressed the issue of the Listeriosis outbreak with the food vendors through regular engagements between the parties concerned. According to Elijah Moholola, food vendors are required, as stipulated by health and safety regulations, to pass food and hygiene tests in order to be allowed to sell their prod-
Image from reuters.com
ucts on campus. “The university conducts regular unannounced food safety and hygiene tests via an independent company,” he stated. Vendors who fail to meet these standards are then considered by the university to be in breach of their lease agreements.
Akhona Matshoba
How has UCT tackled the listeriosis outbreak on campus and in our residences?
“The university conducts regular unannounced food safety and hygiene tests via an independent company,” According to Moholola, the university has made sure to notify catering staff in the residences about the outbreak. He added that they have also communicated with their procurement contractor who has “assured UCT that all the products procured for the university are safe and have not come in contact with any of the affected products”. “Hygiene is a critical part of the day-to- day catering operation. The units are inspected at regular intervals by an independent service
provider. The last inspection was carried out between February and March this year with no bacteria alerts resulting out of it”,stated Moholola. When asked if UCT had warned students about the Listeriosis outbreak and its dangers, Moholola stated that the university had placed notices in the dining hall to caution students. Despite not having officially communicated with students about the Listeriosis outbreak, UCT seeks to assure students that measures to protect them from the Listeria bacteria are being taken. For instance, as Moholola states: “samples of all food prepared in residence kitchens are kept for 72 hours and this allows traceability in cases of any foodborne bacteria outbreak.”
UCT maintains academic standards
Despite annual protests, UCT maintains global academic ranking Soligah Solomons
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uring 2017, student protests occurred across South Africa, leading to the disruption of classes and the immediate implementation of protest preventative measures. However, despite last year’s protests, UCT continues to be one of the top-rated global institutions, according to the latest QS World University Rankings. On the 28 th of February 2018, UCT ranked among the top 50 universities in the world in three subjects: Development Studies in 11 th place, Sports-related subjects in 37th place, as well as Geography in 49th place. In addition, UCT has managed to obtain another eight subjects in the top-100 ranking, namely: Agriculture, Anatomy, Anthropology, Archaeology, Architecture, English, Law, and Social Policy. The QS World University Rankings ranks 48 subjects within five broad subject areas: Arts and Humanities, Engineering and Technology, Life Sciences and
Medicine, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences, and Management. Despite predictions of UCT downgrading its academic standards due to last year’s protests, UCT’s performance has improved in all of the five broad subject areas. This is evident as Life Sciences and Medicine were amongst the top 100, the two subjects were placed in 88th place. The institution was determined to maintain academic
standards and to complete the academic year successfully. This included constructing a single exam venue on the rugby field and allowing for the deferment of examinations. Although it was expected that these measures would decrease UCT’s global ranking, the university has instead congratulated students on the improvement. Image from topuniversities.com
@VarsityNews |27 March 2018|V77 E2|Page 3
Saara Baartman on display and up for debate
Caroline Petersen
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illie Bester’s statue of Saara Baartman in the Oppenheimer Library at UCT, was robed from April 2016 and remained so until December 2017, when the garments and robes were removed from the body of Saara Baartman by American librarian, William Daniels, who no longer works for UCT. With much uproar from students and staff alike, the Works of Art Committee (WOAC) hosted a public discussion on Tuesday, the 20 th of March, in UCT’s Molly Blackburn Hall to discuss the future of the statue and hear students’ voices, along with the sculptor himself. In April 2016, a march was held from Bremner to Upper Campus to commemorate the Rhodes Must Fall movement. In the process, one of the stops was to visit the Sara Baartman sculpture in the Oppenheimer Library wherein eight womxn decided to robe Sara Baartman. A spokeswomxn from the library reports that, “Sara Baartman, all her
life, was stared at, and even as a work of art, was stared at again as you come up the stairs”, justifying the acts of the protesting students. Qondiswa James, one of the initial students to robe Sara Baartman, reports that the reason they robed the sculpture was because Sara Baartman equally experienced the pain and trauma black students’ bodies felt during the experience of the Rhodes Must Fall protests during 2015. James reports that this was an alternative method to listening to the narrative of black pain – rather, through visualisation. James finds that, despite Willie Bester’s attempts at recreating a mould of Sara Baartman, “she still remained an object” to “titillate the gaze of the [white fetishes]”. James speaks into the objectification of black bodies at UCT and compares this to the life of Sara Baartman. Students who agree to robe the sculpture believe the naked sculpture keeps Sara an object of white colonial gaze and they wish to
subvert this. Willie Bester responds to Q&A’s by explaining that he wanted to display alternative images of power as opposed to the institutions in South Africa that only display white power. A guest of the public discussion spoke to this by describing Sara Baartman’s sculpture as a symbol of hope, strength, and in a position of power as the piece of art is made up of heavy metals and mechanical objects. Bester replied to James’ point on black pain by responding as follows: “my dream was to contribute to a better society… my sculpture will contribute to a place where we can overcome any pain”. The chairperson of the public discussion who is also a representative from the WOAC (which has been curating art for UCT since July 2017) addresses Bester’s concerns about the sculpture being removed, explaining that other works of art around UCT had to be removed purely to protect them, not censor them. The discussion concluded with the note that the WOAC will take a couple of weeks to deliberate on the discussions made and make a decision about the future of Sara Baartman’s statue. Until then, the statue remains unrobed.
Image by Aaliyah Ahmed
UCT’s new VC, Prof Phakeng
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new era was ushered in for UCT on 17 March 2018. Professor Rosina Mamokgethi Setati-Phakeng became UCT’s Vice Chancellor (VC) elect amidst considerable support. She is set to take over on the 1 st of July this year. Phakeng holds an NRF B1 rating and a PhD in Mathematics Education.She served as Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) for research and internationalisation last year. Phakeng received a council approval rate of 75% during the deliberation process that occurred on the 17 March. The VC elect accepted her position with humility, stating that initially, she believed herself not to be worthy of the job. However, following numerous nominations and given the current issues faced by the university, she felt compelled to apply. “Institutions need particular kinds of leaderships at particular times, so I was persuaded by the argument about the timing, the importance of the moment, to have my kind of skills and attributes being in the leadership position now,” said Phakeng. She has also
How Does the DSA Distribute T Grants? 20 out of 112 UCT societies did not receive grants from the DSA this year. Sinothando Siyolo
Image by Aaliyah Ahmed
his year, 20 out of 112 UCT societies did not receive grants for funding from the Department of Student Affairs (DSA). According to Societies Coordinator Lindie Gayiza, the DSA does not discriminate against societies. The only reason societies are not granted funding is because they do not comply with procedural policy. In order for a society to receive a grant from the DSA, executive members have to submit a funding report, attend annual general meetings, submit a grant application and attend grant interviews during the September vacation. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a lack of funding. The DSA itself
UCT’s appointment of a new Vice Chancellor and beginning of a new phase Thandizo Chigona
credited the majority of her success to the struggles of many who had preceded her and fought for the idea that “black people matter, that black people can lead.” The VC elect expressed desires for increased strives towards transformation, stating she wishes for the university to be “unapologetically African”. She states that the university does not have to resemble the typical universities in order to be considered an academic leader. “In fact, what would give us the edge is that unapologetically African edge that we can foreground,” said Phakeng. With regards to students, Phakeng made a point of affirming that they are the primary focus. She continued with empathetic words towards students’ issues stating that in a radically changing world it should be expected that students’ demands, needs and aspirations change as the context changes. She went on to say that she wants to find constructive ways of engaging with current students and the visions they have come to fulfil, alongside the executive. “We need to be able to teach the
students we have now, not the students we had thirty years ago.” Professor Adam Haupt (a member of the Black Academic Caucus) has not expressed his congratulations but rather his surprise as to why someone of such exceptional credentials such as Phakeng, was still deemed unworthy of appointment by some. He believes that this part of the story is not as clear as it would seem and questions the hesitations to appoint a highly competent black female, especially given the times. St u d e n t s have conveyed their compliments toward the appointment of Phakeng, but few still hold some doubt. One student who wished to remain anonymous had this to say, “the fact that she was the DVC before this I think means that she is very much still part of the same authority structure that UCT had so I don’t see things changing very quickly after this.” Phakeng takes over during an interesting time for UCT given the past few years. It can be said with certainty that the academic world watches and waits with bated breath for the era of soon-to- be VC Mamokgethi Phakeng.
has been allocated the same budget from UCT for the past five years, resulting in societies receiving less funding as the number of societies has grown by 30%. One of the societies that did not receive a grant was SASCO. However, according to Gayiza, “SASCO were given a second chance but still did not follow the societies policy.” New societies, such as EFFSC (Economic Freedom Front Student Council), often receive less funding than older societies. Treasurer of EFFSC, Zukiswa Jack, claims that the R1000 allocated to EFFSC is not enough to sustain the society. The amount allocated to societies in 2018 was based on 2017
membership, according to Rainbow UCT Chairperson, Viwe Tafeni. As a result, societies such as Rainbow UCT, which experienced a larger than expected sign-up rate during Plaza Week, struggle to fund their events. Rainbow UCT in particular also only received funding this month, much later than expected. Many societies feel that the grant process should be streamlined in order to ensure funding is allocated before Plaza Week. There is also a general consensus that the DSA should be more consistent. Due to a lack of induction training last year, many societies did not know what procedures to follow in order to receive funding.
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 4
EDITORIAL
The Collective
Time for change?
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jarita Kassen editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za
DEPUTY EDITOR Tamutswa Mahari editorial@varsitynewspaper.co.za MANAGING EDITOR Michaela Pillay managingeditor@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Jarita Kassen Editor-In-Chief
ONLINE EDITOR Kate Southwood online@varsitynewspaper.co.za CREATIVE DIRECTOR Viwe Tafeni creativedirector@ varsitynewspaper.co.za CONTRIBUTORS & SUB-EDITORS Lizanne Thorton, Cayla Clement, Stefanie Simon, Bethany Long, Thanaa Jassiem, Nengishon Melaisho, Sitka Lombard, Lara Antonopoulos, Silulundi Coki, Tiyani Rikhotso
PRINT OPINIONS Parusha Chetty & Sumona Bose opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Tamutswa Mahari Just like that, the hot summer beach days were behind us. If you missed your chance to lay on the beach soaking in the scorching sunbeams, try again next year. It’s crazy how fast time goes by. It feels like March just began yesterday. But I suppose time truly does fly when you’re having fun. Now we welcome the warm winds and cool evenings before another cruel winter plagues our school days. Autumn is the most beautiful season in Cape Town. Tree leaves have turned to a bright red, earthy brown, vibrant yellow and orange.
Get
yourself
a
human
The sun is setting earlier and if you’re anything like me, this is shaking up your sleep cycle. But the sun is the least of my worries at the moment.
Michaela Pillay Managing Editor
My favourite thing about autumn is walking through dry leaves on my way to class and hearing the satisfying, “crunch” sound. It’s my personal sound therapy to start my days off on a quirky note.
Kate Southwood Online Editor
Email ads@varsitynewspaper.co.za for more info and bookings.
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ONLINE CHIEF SUBBER Benita Mwinkeu
ONLINE CONTENT EDITOR Arin Barry online@varsitynewspaper. co.za
ONLINE OPINIONS Raeesa Triegaardt onlineopinions@varsitynewspaper. co.za
FINANCE MANAGER Jessica Mandel finance@ varsitynewspaper.co.za ONLINE FEATURES Caroline Peterson onlinefeatures@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Ntokozo Mayekiso Copy Editor
VARSITY is launching a new Classifieds Ads Section UCT’s one-stop shop for quick and convinient adhoc adverts. Whether you’re selling your old car, your new textbook or even just looking for a house mate- for just R50, VARSITY’s latest print section is the place to be.
ONLINE LIFESTYLE & FITNESS Carl Osborne onlinesports@varsitynewspaper.co.za
NEWS REPORTERS Catherine Torrington, Lungile Sigasa, STAFF WRITERS Sibongile Ralana Nolitha Ngamlana, Babalwa Nomtshongwana, Soligah Solomon. Asanda Masoka, Ntombi Khulu, Kelsey Maggott, Thandile Xesi, Zahirah Benjamin, Praise Adejimi, Phopie Tshikovhi
Stay updated by following us on Twitter @ VarsityNews and Facebook @VarsityNewspaper, don’t forget to visit our website varsitynewspaper.co.za.
Never leave home without a jacket, you might get caught by the autumn winds or unexpected Cape Town rains (fingers crossed!)
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PRINT IMAGES Thapelo Masebe & Aaliyah Ahmed images@varsitynewspaper.co.za
hot water bottle if you’re feeling extra spicy.
PRINT NEWS Tessa Knight & Louise van den Bergh news@varsitynewspaper. co.za
PRINT LIFESTYLE & FITNESS Kaamil Adams sports@varsitynewspaper. co.za
The academic season has also taken a sharp turn and courses are storming in like a tornado passing. It’s clear that they’re taking no prisoners. Things are picking up and although it may seem sudden, test 2 and assignment weeks are coming at us and I hope you’re ready! But don’t let campus bring you down. Everyone deserves those moments cozied up in a blankie with a cup of hot chocolate. Get yourself a human hot water bottle if you’re feeling extra spicy.
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@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 5
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This Week in Images in Partnership with Photosoc Instagram: uct_photosoc
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1.Jian Song 2. Petit Noir by Thapelo Masebe 3. Louis Maarsingh 4. Alex Mkama 5. Kaamil Adams
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@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018| V77 E2|Page 6
OPINIONS
Parusha Chetty & Sumona Bose opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za
TRAILBLAZER
Palestinian Solidarity Forum (PSF) 1. What are the goals of the Israeli Apartheid week for the PSF? Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is an initiative that has been mandated by Palestinian civil society to the international community. Its main objective is conscientise people about the Palestinian struggle. At UCT, as the Palestinian Solidarity Forum (PSF), we generally look at IAW as an opportunity both to conscientise and politicise students about the Palestinian struggle, as well as a platform to launch our programs and campaigns for the year. 2. How did 2018’s Apartheid week display differ from previous years? Did it influence the momentum PSF has been gaining with regards to student awareness? On the display specif-
ically, this year’s IAW was especially unique. In previous years, PSF’s display was on the one side of Plaza, and the pro-Israel display was on the other. For people that had no idea about the Palestinian struggle, this gave the false impression that Israel and Palestine are two equal sides in an equal conflict. Of course, this is false. The state of Israel is an oppressor, while the Palestinian people are the oppressed. This year, the PSF’s display was right in the centre of Plaza and the pro-Israel side was off in a corner on the periphery. This really allowed us to clearly explain the plight of the students, without having to engage in the pro-Israel’s routine, typical racist arguments. For the first time the Palestinian narrative was centred, rather than sharing the space with a racist Zionist narrative. 3. Describe the general
Israeli Apartheid Week, key insights from the two sides of the wall, PSF and SAUJS. attitude UCT students have towards Israeli Apartheid Week and events hosted by the Palestinian Solidarity Forum? There’s a spectrum to how people respond to IAW. There are those who already support the Palestinian struggle and those who don’t know much about the Palestinian struggle, but are firm supporters of human rights and liberation, who fully and enthusiastically support IAW. Then, of course, there is a small but loud minority who support Israel (either out of ignorance, or just plain racism), who routinely try to undermine IAW. And then, there is a great number of students who have never heard of either Israel or Palestine, who generally respond with curiosity and interest. 4. How does the Israeli Apartheid affect the lives of South African Israeli
students? It doesn’t affect Israeli students by virtue of them being Israeli. There are Israeli students who are anti-Zionist and recognize the crimes of their country and feel very affirmed and bolstered by IAW, and contribute a lot to IAW. There are also, though, Israeli students, who are unquestioning Zionists who presumably take great offence at IAW for criticizing their state. 5. What is PSF’s vision and how do you intend to work towards this vision? Our broad vision is to take up the call made by Palestinian civil society to put pressure on the Israeli state and force it into a pariah position, where it has no choice but to concede Palestinian human rights. One of the most effective methods of pres-
Image by Jeremy Phillips
suring the Israeli state is by boycotting it. And so, we are pushing for UCT to implement an academic boycott of Israel to further isolate it in the global community. We hope that this kind of work, together with the solidarity work being done nationally and internationally cumulatively puts the kind of pressure on Israel that can force a change. 6. How can students get involved in assisting the goals of PSF? We have regular events, protests and demonstrations. We encourage all supporters of human rights to join us at any of these. We also have open meetings and we invite fellow supporters to contribute there. All this information is available on our Facebook page: UCT Palestine Solidarity Forum. Image courtesy of SAUJS
South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS) 1. What is the goal of the Israeli Apartheid week for the SAUJS? Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) is a week where Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state is violated. This leads to anti-Semitic undertones being felt throughout the week, which make Jewish students feel extremely unsafe on campus. We as SAUJS are avid promoters of free speech. However, during IAW there have been notable
incidents of hate speech which we strongly condemn and stand up against. 2. How did 2018’s Apartheid week display differ from previous years? Did it influence the momentum SAUJS has been gaining with regards to student awareness? SAUJS had their stand on a higher level of plaza. The status quo is for the PSF and SAUJS to get equal space on plaza and
unfortunately this was ignored by the university. However, I don’t believe that this decreased momentum as we still had meaningful engagement and dialogue, which is one of our overarching goals for the week. 3. Describe the general attitude UCT students have towards Israeli Apartheid Week and events hosted by the SAUJS? We had genuine interest and engagement. Our talks were
really well attended, and feedback was extremely positive. 4. How does the Israeli Apartheid affect the lives of South African Jewish students? Refer to question one. 5. What is SAUJS’s vision and how do you intend to work towards this vision? Our mandate/vision is to protect and advocate for the right of
Jewish students and their interest on campus. We have events for our members that encompass this. 6. How can students get involved in assisting the goals of SAUJS? Follow us on Facebook. Any potential places to get involved will be posted there.
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 7
Inxeba reveals our wounded society
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“Listeriosis, are we trivialising a serious matter?”
P.M.*
he adverse aura around this film is the epitome of the fragility of masculinity. The controversy surrounding the film not only speaks to the disclosure of cultural practices, but also to the unspoken truth of fragile masculinity: homosexuality. As a Xhosa woman who has seen the film, I cannot admit to seeing or hearing anything of which I had no prior knowledge of. What happens in the mountain is sacred to Xhosa people who identify as men.
There is something about homosexuality that threatens masculinity and it is high time we explore that However, the film does not expose any aspect of the practice that is unfamiliar to the general society. The real issue here is that this film challenges masculinity and speaks to queer politics by centralising the film around a cultural practice that breeds masculinity. This goes on to reveal a truth, which is a reality that cannot be dimmed. This is a
Agnes Sawari
chalenge to masculinity. The hostility towards the film depicts how being a queer black man is a struggle and how queer black men have been ostracized by social culture. Homosexuality is still a taboo topic within the Xhosa culture and the film is triggering to those who base their masculinity on the norms of heterosexuality and the socially constructed power that comes with it. The setting of the film is vital because it is located in the space where you are taught to be a man – a space where queer men are belittled, abused and treated as lesser men. What is a man? Is a man someone who repudiates other men because of their sexuality?
have cultivated a culture of hostility where queer bodies are not safe to be themselves within their own culture and within society at large. The film shows that suppressing one’s feelings can turn out to be toxic. People need to probe themselves to find the real reason behind repudiating a film that they have not even watched or scrutinized. Why does the merging of an all-male cultural practice and homosexuality make you uncomfortable? Or are you just afraid that it will force you to deal with your deeprooted issues, which is the truth of your own sexuality? There is something about homosexuality that threatens masculinity and it is high time we explore what it is.
Who asked you to fund my freedom?
Tanya Magaisa
I
write this opinion piece with grave concern. In my studies, I have always been led to believe that unreasonable censorship, irrational conduct, abuse of safe spaces and misuse of the buzzword “positionality” are a real risk to academic freedom, freedom of expression and organic, legitimate dialectic. I have always found comfort in the fact that freedom of expression is a constitutionally protected right in this, our ‘democratic’ South Africa. As a Law student, I find great comfort in the power of legality. As an aspiring Philosopher, I am
‘all our sh*t is in Europe’ critical of its very existence. These threats to freedom of expression are insignificant when one is fighting against money and since all our sh*t is in Europe, it’s quite clear who has the money. Decolo-
nial education is not a threat to freedom of expression but when the Western thieves are scared, they use money as a weapon to maintain their status quo or to steal people’s land *cough-Israelcough*. The West is not so much afraid of decolonial education as they are afraid that Bob Marley’s lyrics may become a reality; that we may ‘emancipate ourselves from mental slavery’.
‘emancipate ourselves from mental slavery’ Free, decolonial education, be it socialist, communist or ‘liberal’ has become the South African student’s Redemption Song. Imperialists know and understand the power of an unshackled black mind. From the Civil Rights Movement to Umkhonto we Sizwe. Thus, the West will not fund the freedom of a black populace.
I
n the past few months, South Africa has been thrown into a frenzy, throwing out cold meats and raw products in their homes in an attempt to curb the ongoing listeriosis outbreak. Bacon and polony have been compared to weapons of destruction. The outbreak has left many conflicted between their love for products such as bacon and risking their lives. For some, these food products
For some these food products are all they know and love, due to affordability and accessability are all they know and love, due to affordability and accessibility. There is a correlation between poverty and vulnerability.When outbreaks take over, the poor are most vulnerable due to their lack of immunities. Social media has had a significant role in the circulation of information regarding the crisis. It has certainly
The question is whether decolonial education is a sustainable reality in an arena that is still primarily funded and dominated by western culture? The answer is a resolute no. The point of decolonised education is to prevent this kind of dependence on the West. The dependence of black minds on Western funds. That is the prison rebuilt. Rather than asking whether decolonised education (that which is African) can submit, assimilate and navigate an oppressive system which has no desire to see a free black person, we need to find a sustainable system that will make us economically independent and equal in the international arena. We cannot still be asking the West to accept us for who we are. It has refused. No #FeesMustFall compatriot protested for dependency.
Image from WikiCommons
The insensitivity amongst the privileged shows the sheer apathy, the disenchantment of the severe impact that affects the masses. assisted in warning the masses to be cautious. Meanwhile, many have found time to construct humorous images and jokes about the crisis, choosing to trivialize a dark situation. By participating in the circulation or enjoyment of these sadistic jokes, our communities are depreciating in morale and integrity. The insensitivity amongst the privileged shows the sheer apathy, the disenchantment of the severe impact that affects the masses. This reflects ignorance. It is particularly concerning and disturbing to think that some homeless people may consume the products that are thrown away. One cannot justify the use of dark humour in
times of actual health risks, it is not funny to create humour about morbidity that affects the underprivileged the most. The deterioration of public health and negligence of the human condition remains an alarming matter. Polony is a staple food for Cape Town residents and the humour around this epidemic is indignant. There is stagnancy in matters of improvement. Collective measures should be taken with effect in order to stall the spread of this
Polony is a staple food for Cape Town residents and the humour around this epidemic is indignant. crisis. Is it justified that we become a community that resorts to humour whenever a crisis emerges? Is this an ideal coping mechanism? Are we using the media to self-destruct?
CLASSIFIEDS LOST PASSPORT
Tanzanian Passport no AB346121 Belonging to Bertha Kanuth Mbuya Lost on the 20th march 2018 at Gordon’s Bay,Cape Town South Africa after burglary. If found please contact Bertha Mbuya on 0713426195 or email Mbyber001@myuct. ac.za. Or take it to University of Cape Town, Health science department.
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 10 Image by Thapelo Masebe
The Burden of Housing For Students
Is it UCT’s burden to provide student housing given Cape Town’s exorbitant rental rates? Mantwa Mehlape The University of Cape Town is known to be the continent’s premier city, however it still faces the challenge of housing students in residences; hence, the student res crisis in the first semester of 2018. It was recorded in 2014 that the total enrolment of students was twenty-six thousand three hundred and fifty-seven (26 357) and due to the #feesmustfall movement the numbers increased rapidly. With the increase of student enrolment, UCT’s obligation to provide student housing had to increase as well. The Shackville
demonstration in 2016 indi-
With the increase of student enrolment UCT’s obligation to provide student housing had to increase as well. cated how student housing was and still is a huge weight on the
shoulders of the university. But, is this UCT’s problem? Students enrolling at UCT, especially those who have attained the distinction of being here after numerous hurdles, have the right to enjoy at least a proportion of their time at a residence. A standard number of students are accepted into the university although only some of them are o�ered space for residence accommodation. The imbal-
The imbalance of admission and space for residence should be dealt with immediately and effectively ance of admission and space for residence should be dealt with immediately and e�ectively. For example, they could make each single room within the residential accommodation sharing rooms instead, they could build more rooms for students, they could provide minimum standards for student accommodation and they could develop a multi- year plan for residence maintenance and refurbishment. The magnitude of the UCT resident demographic represents people from places outside of Cape Town such as Johannesburg, Pretoria etc. Residence caters to those who are trying to escape from the underprivileged realities of depreciative living standards where there is a constant struggle for transportation and access to resources. The consequences of not dealing with this situation in due time will lead to students finding o�-campus accommodation which charges a lot of money per month. Uncertainty is a huge part of student life and decent accommodation should be prioritised
for students. Residence for first year students provides an initial sound mental health support and a familiar setting to start o� with. When the issue has been solved, the university obtains a good public image and the issue of student housing is no longer a burden to the university. UCT has been going through tensions in the past couple of years when it comes to students, management and general administration apathy. In this light, we should remain considerate and attempt to understand that sustainability is a priority and UCT must be able to provide for students they accepted, and not just neglect their duties.
Residence caters to those who are trying to escape from the underprivileged realities of depriciative living standards where there is a constant struggle for trasportation and access to resources
Land Reclamation: Arms or Not?
Ilyia Metanoia
It goes without saying that growing up as a black youth presents itself with more challenges than any other racial group in South Africa. The idea of an increasingly proportionate ownership of land against a socio-political backdrop like #FeesMustFall, gives one hope that despite the (socio-economic) positions of the historically disadvantaged, the distinctive intersection between class and race can be blurred. However, if the democratic duration of 1994 is anything to go by, then Land expropriation is just a façade for reconciliation whilst
on-going socio-economic issues continue to rage. The strength of civil society is not one to be reckoned with. Numerous social groups are known to lobby for a Bill of Land reform. However, if arms are used in the process of attaining land reform, the possibility of violence is probable. The use of arms by political powers runs the risk
The use of arms would instigate the prioritisation of ‘national’ interest at the expense of human security
No framework will have the ability to prevent shortcomings in the process of reform.
of normalizing the possession of arms which would, in turn, a�ect the perceptions of violence. What then stops civil society from breaking out into civil war? Furthermore, the use of arms would instigate the prioritisation of ‘national’ interest at the expense of human security. Expropriating rural land requires much administration which proves to be problematic with respect to the rightful recipients and sustainability.
Land is a commodity that needs to be valued and traded on the market. How would the government ensure that land will be reliably and accurately measured in the process of expropriation? Additionally,
The real question is whether South Africa is able to take into account the intersectionality of land reform and plan accordingly. how would land be divided and allocated to ensure the mandate of equitable ownership? Assuming that the land
will be used for agriculture, which tends to the industrialization of food production, will the government use this in the global sphere with respect to comparative advantage and will this local market be protected? These are all important questions that follow the Bill that has been passed. In light of the above, we should ask which groups are going to benefit from this reform? No framework will have the ability to prevent shortcomings in the process of reform. Thus, the real question is whether South Africa is able to take into account the intersectionality of land reform and plan accordingly.
The Politics of Drought
Image from WikiCommons
Mbalenhle Khuzwayo Cape Town has experienced drought stress since 2014, but the severity of the situation deepened this year with the arrival and eventual conclusion to Day Zero. Consequently, there has been emphasis on reducing water consumption and saving water. Cape Town is currently the first major city in the world, that has come this close to running out of water. South Africa has about 4000 dams, only 350 of which are owned by the government and the rest are privately owned. However, only 6 major
dams provide water supply to Cape Town, all of which are privately owned. These dams prioritize agrarian water consumption with the rest of the city having to make do with the remains. Agriculture is a significant part of the South African economy but its maintenance currently exists at the expense of South African citizens. The phrase “being poor is expensive” comes to mind when discourse around saving water is around how water in the informal settlements is wasted. When in actuality being
poor and wasteful is counter-intuitive to saving in general, not just water which is critical for survival. For instance, in Khayelitsha, thousands of inhabitants share a single tap which is used to fill up single containers for an entire household to utilize. Centring poor South Africans as scape goats for Cape Town not meeting water saving targets, is problematic to say the least. Especially, when the areas with the most water consumption, according to the department of water &
sanitation, are places like Crawford, Constantia and Tokai in the top 10. Which are middle class to upper class suburban areas that have pools and garden fountains that consume large amounts of water collectively. Yet, there is little to no coverage on how the wealthy are the least accountable in reducing water consumption often at the expense of the poor. The drought is not under anyone’s control; however, alleviating excessive water consumption of an entire city is a collective e�ort. If those
who have had to make do with little to nothing during their menstrual cycle, what is stopping you as an individual who has more? If anything, I am personally grateful for the awareness this water crisis is creating about socio- economic inequality and how as a country we all need to do better by each other whether in Khayelitsha or Constantia something has to give. Especially for the greater good. As it is said, the toughest of times shines the brightest of lights.
@VarsityNews | 28 March 2018 |V77 E2 | Page 11
FEATURES
Ishani Lala & Nwabisa Mazana features@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Young, Bold and Budding
Phophi Tshikovhi
UCT students start their own businesses
“We do not have to search high and low, the best ideas are right under our nose, within what we love doing the most.” Entrepreneurship is the art of going for it. These are the words coined by a recent graduate who knows the entrepreneurship road all too well. In a society that has normalized one pathway to success, we cannot help but celebrate people that dare to enter a daunting but worthwhile journey. Today we choose to celebrate students, just like you and me, who saw a need in the community and decided to meet it. Many would say that entrepreneurship is a land of the brave but, quite frankly, it is a land of those who saw a need, feared how they would go about meeting that need and finally decided to just go for it! Now the question begs: How do these students manage, in these exciting but demanding times, to manage their business and still stay on top of their school work? The first student I talked to is Rialivhuwa Tshikovhi, a Mechatronics Engineering
student, who founded Braids by Riri in 2016. After Rialivhuwa grew tired of salons that were harsh on natural hair and their exorbitant prices, she started watching YouTube tutorials that would teach her how to braid her own hair. They say that practice makes perfect but, for her, practice brought precision. Fast forward to 2018, Braids by Riri is still up and running and caters to UCT students who are also at the receiving end of a lack of ‘Afro sensitive’ salons and their sky-high prices. When asked how she balances her academics and her business, Rialivhuwa said, “I am only available during the weekend but if I have a less demanding week, I can slip in a session or two. I am a student before I am a hairdresser.” It is indisputable that there is a need for salons that are sensitive to natural hair and it is because of this gap in the hair industry that Rialivhuwa might take this as an opportunity to expand after getting her degree. The next business is proof
31March Two Oceans Marathon Volunteers are needed for massaging the runners. Volunteers will get free food and a free T-Shirt. This will take place on the 31 st of March. Volunteers are advised to arrive at 05:00am at the Green Mile.
30March Gqom Kings Cape Town meets Durban & Eastern Cape. This will the Gqom event of the year, taking place at GQ Lounge in Gugulethu. On the 30 th of March, from 7:00pm till 5:00am the next morning.
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founded by Mvelo Hlophe, Thando Hlongwane, Akhil Boddu and Ntuthuko Mpaku. KAZI provides a platform to connect start-ups looking for mobile and web development with student-led development teams. Start-ups are able to access more affordable developers relative to industry developers. Organizations can relieve their in-house development teams of the backlog of incomplete development work and student developers make money whilst gaining practical experience. If you thought you needed the right set-up to start doing what you love, then think again. Not only was KAZI born out of a catch-up session at the cafeteria in November 2017, it was launched this past weekend. The launch was a success with Akro Capital as a partner and the event being closed off by serial tech entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Mushambi Mutuma. When asked how he manages to stay on top of his studies, whilst running his business, Mvelo, a B- Com Philoso-
that there is absolutely no need to be searching for massive ideas that will shake the world. That simple idea can easily be just what is needed to change the game. Mosa Molepo is an Honours student in Architecture who started a cleaning service in order to lift off the added weight that comes with cleaning, particularly to students. At the moment, the business is solely run and, therefore, Mosa looks at what he can manage and how long it takes. “If it takes me more than what I am putting in my academics then I revert back to my books,” he says. Mosa and Rialivhuwa are living proof that we do not have to search high and low, that the best ideas are right under our noses, within what we love doing the most. If you, like me, have been keeping your ears close to the ground lately, then you will have realized the tech start-up frenzy. One student who also saw an opportunity, in a place where many would have seen competition, is Mvelo Hlophe and his partners. KAZI is a tech start-up that was
phy, Politics and Economics student, emphasised sticking to a schedule and planning for the day ahead. “I believe in relaxation because the only way to function properly is to rest. Above all, I have a great support system around me. My team, friends and family keep me motivated to push me,” he added. The above mentioned businesses are but a few of the many that have been started. Jonga, founded by Ntsako Mgiba is a tech-start up and social enterprise that provides simple, low cost and most importantly community based alert systems for low to middle-income households. NISA finance, founded by Thando Hlongwane, links stokvels (savings groups) looking to grow their savings with small businesses that want to access loans for growth. If you were looking for inspiration then look no further. The UCT community has its own young and budding entrepreneurs and we are here for them.
Two Weeks Tonight
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April
Kahn Morbee & Karen Zoid Live at the Kirstenbosch Gardens Kirstenbosch has amazing summer concerts and they will be having Khan and Karen Zoid on the 1 st of April. Tickets are R135 for students. The concert takes place from 5pm-7pm First Sunday (Sneakers Only Edition) Rands Cape Town is having their annual First Sunday event on the 1 st of April. This First Sunday’s theme is “freshest” and “best sneakers” at the party. The event will be from 11:00am to 11:00pm.
April
Full Moon Yoga at St. James Catch a train to St. James and join Yoga South Africa as they have a R50 Yoga class under the full moon. The event will start at 6:00pm and end at 7:00pm. For more info, contact Tarryn on 0835566407.
Till the 22nd of April West
Side
Story:
With tickets starting from R150, you can catch this epic love story live at the Artscape Theatre.
Autumn pieces please-First Thursdays POPUP vintage market A night time market on a night that is already so buzzing? Yes please! Located on Bree Street, liven up your First Thursdays with a quick browse through some vintage goodies and walk away with great bargains
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April
Prime Circle live at Concerts in the Park Prime Circle is currently on tour around South Africa. On the 8 th of April they will be live at the De Waal Park, the event is free. Just book via the concertsinthepark.co.za link.
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April
The Cape Town Burger Experience: Fancy yourself a burger aficionado? Be sure to catch this epic burger fest which promises to bring together a host of flavour and fun. As the name would suggest, this event is all about burgers so be sure to go with an empty stomach. Tickets are available on Quicket and have a starting price of R295. Definitely requires some budgeting but will be so worth it.
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 |Page 12
Staying off the grid Image by Thapelo Masebe
About a week ago, I decided
to stay off social media and away from the memes. This was to see the effects of not being able to engage with the social media world. The other reason was to see if I could actually live without social media and if it is really a necesity. Can we engage with people, news, businesses and the world outside of Facebook, etc., or do we need to keep in contact via social media? For a person like myself who depends on social media for many things, like staying in contact with people, relying on social media for news updates, weather updates, memes or just to increase my general knowledge and keep in touch with fellow classmates to get daily updates on lectures and assignments, this was going to be a tough challenge. However, I wanted to see how good or bad I would do and if I am truly obsessed with the virtual world. Another thing is that I depend on social media on a great scale because I am an introvert and prefer my own
Nolitha Ngamlana I was getting so bored to the point where I started tracing the cracks on the screen of my cellphone with my fingers, while it was buzzing with notifications from Twitter and Facebook. Have you ever had your heart race due to stress or anxiety over not knowing what’s going on? That was me when the notifications kept swarming in.
Phase 3:
. So, engaging with people using social media is easy and the most comfortable option as well as not having to speak to someone. My daily routine consists of waking up in the morning and, before I do anything else, I check my cellphone for messages, updates, emails, etc. The first day was okay as I was swamped with a lot of school work. I didn’t go into panic mode yet. During the middle of the week is when everything went south and I thought I was starting to lose my mind just a little bit.
Phase 1 of my insanity was:
clinging onto my cell phone for dear life. Whenever I was walking on campus I felt the need to hold my cellphone in my hand because I felt a bit empty - even if I wasn’t using it. Just to get that sensation that I was kind of going to use it, but not really.
Eventually I moved on to Phase 2 of my insanity: FOMO.
I kept replaying all of the memes I had viewed the previous week in my mind. This was just to help me get by due to boredom. This week was really tough. Tougher than my exam period. . .
Phase 4:
I had withdrawal symptoms due to the lack of my dailydose of laughter from Ikeys Crushes 2.0 as well as not being able to do my usual rounds of privately investigating people on Insta . . .smh.
Phase 5:
Cleaning. I finally cleaned my cellphone screen after a long time, only to draw mini- tornados on the screen with my fingers. Why tornados out of all things? I don’t know.
Phase 6:
Lack of understanding my surroundings. I had no idea what the weather was going to be like. I mean, I had to actually go outside to check what was going on with the
weather, can you believe it? No Accuweather or Facebook or ENCA for updates. That Wednesday, due to my inadequate predictions of the infamous Cape Town weather, I was drenched in rain and my clothes felt sticky and on top of that. I was Jammie-surfing in damp clothes other students, standing next to me in their damp clothes, were rubbing against mine. I swear I felt someone’s hot breath but, hey, that is life. I could barely see properly because my glasses were wet and covered in mist or was it due to heat from rushing to the shuttle soaking wet? I don’t know. Then I had to write down my thoughts or experiences on the notepad on my cellphone and people thought I was having lit conversations or something when I was actually bored out of my mind. They didn’t bother me because they thought I was busy. I’m really good at this pretend thing. For the rest of the week I kept logging into the inbox of my email, hoping to find emails so that I could at least read something off of my cellphone. I kept pressing the refresh button hoping to find a new email. I felt happy when I saw a number next to the inbox tab because it meant that someone had sent me an email!
Phase 7:
Realization. I realized something, I didn’t learn anything serious about social media during this whole week. Only that my battery life lasted longer. This is one challenge I’ll never do ever again. I’m good.
SA’s LISTERIOSIS HYSTERIA Milda Mojapelo
S
o, a few days ago, I bought one of my favourite combo deals which consisted of a sausage roll and chips. As I collected my order, some random guy stared at me and, from underneath his breath, muttered the words, “You’re brave.” I was stunned at first but the lift quickly reached the top floor and I realised that I was actually placing my life in danger because…hey…LISTERIOSIS! Ever since the health officials announced that the bacterium that has caused so many deaths in our country, can be traced to our absolute favourite processed foods, we are all in a state of disbelief as a nation. I mean, what is a good sandwich without polony? What is a hotdog roll without viennas? Or better yet, what is a KOTA without polony, special, Russian and Vienna? Nothing makes sense anymore. Before eating a meal, you have to be extra cautious and, I mean, it’s worse if you were nurtured by polony and cheese sandwiches because all you have left now is well… bread and butter. They say the best remedy to any bitter situation is laughter. So there was a blast on social media with the trend #PeopleWhoDeservePolony. South Africans, you are truly ungovernable. Most replies revolved around giving polony to your exes or your currents who are cheating or that group of students who always discuss the answers to the test you just wrote. The list is endless but who would have thought that polony would, one day, actually have the power to kill us? It’s real, guys - too real, in my opinion - but let us just try to be civil about the matter and not kill one another. What we can do whilst waiting, though, is urge one another to stay away from list of banned processed foods, as issued by the Health Ministry, because we really need to live to see the resurrection of KOTA shops. It would also be of great help if we included this misery of ours in our prayers, as going back to the primary school life of eating Corn Flakes is just not ideal. On the brighter side, we can also use this as an opportunity to eat a slightly healthier diet, so add some fruits and honey to your muesli, granola or oatmeal and you’re good to go. This too shall pass…
How to navigate First Thursdays
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n the first Thursday of every month, Cape Town has art exhibitions, restaurants and shops that you can explore in the evening. This event aims to encourage the public to explore the rich culture the Mother City has to offer. The autumn programme has a lot of exciting experiences in store which will show you a fun time without breaking your budget. 1. How to get there. Fear not! The Jammie to Hiddingh campus has got you
Tiyani Rikhotso
covered. The last bus leaves Hiddingh at 23:40 but if you plan on staying out until the AMs, splitting an Uber with your friends to get back shouldn’t traumatize your wallet too much. The bigger the group the cheaper! 2. Art. One of the main happenings of the day is the celebration of the art that graces the walls of many galleries in and around the city (open to the public for free until 9pm). So whether you’re an ‘art hoe’ or simply want to get a good shot for The
Gram, a plethora of art is at your disposal. 3. Food and drink. There’s a wide range of restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges to choose from that will satisfy the keen foodie or whoever just wants to grab a quick bite (McDonalds and Nando’s are still cool too). This is also a good time to check out popular spots like Yours Truly. 4. Other fun stuff. You might also want to check out the St George’s night market or wander intoany
book, clothing or craft stores that catches your eye. And if you’re up for some live Jazz, head over to Harrington’s cocktail lounge. 5. Nightlife. As if the evening couldn’t get any better, Long Street is a 5-minute walk away from the where most of the First Thursday action takes place. So you can end your night off
dancing in spots such as The Waiting Room, Fiction, Club 169 or Jo’burg. For more information visit https://first-thursdays.co.za/ to find the official programme and a detailed guide to galleries, restaurants and more.
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 13
Nwabisa Mazana
Profile Piece:
Snikiwe ‘Sni’ Mhlongo S nikiwe Mhlongo is a third year UCT student who was born and raised in Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal. She is also one of South Africa’s biggest Social Media Influencers, with 53,3K followers on Instagram, 11,1K subscribers on YouTube and 10,4K followers on Twitter. It is easy to see why she is one of the country’s most prominent digital stars. Describe Snikiwe to us. Who is she, behind the camera?
What you see is what you get. I’m not that di�erent behind the camera. I talk so much I’m sure my friends get tired. I love laughing and being in happy, positive spaces. I genuinely enjoy interacting with people – being an entertainer is part of me. I’m not extraordinary but I like to believe my presence makes a di�erence in people’s lives, and my mom thinks I’m the funniest person on earth. What inspired you to start your YouTube channel? I think I’ve always seen myself doing it. I used to watch a lot of YouTube videos in primary school. I do things like making breakfast as if I’m explaining it to an audience/the camera. In grade 8, I convinced my friends to start a web series for YouTube (inspired by iCarly) and I wrote the whole
I
first episode and shot it using my phone. What I’m trying to get at, though, is that the idea was always in my head but the lack of engagement on YouTube in South Africa always made me scared. The recognition of South African YouTubers inspired me to finally do it.
Who is one of your favourite YouTubers? Kelsey Simone. I started watching a lot of her videos just before starting my channel and the way she made me feel left me wanting to give that feeling to people. If you could give advice to anyone who wanted to start a YouTube channel, what would you say? Just start. So many people ask, “what camera do I need and how much is it?” or “where do I get cheap lighting?”. All of these things are just you procrastinating. No one is expecting you to invest money
if you’re not sure that this is even for you, so just get whatever camera you have and start. Be sure of what you’re trying to achieve and stay authentic.
use a filming schedule so that I know what I need to film for which Sunday, way ahead of time, which helps me a lot.
How do you juggle school and such a booming YouTube channel?
Always be authentic, and “Be mindful of your thoughts because thoughts become things”. Despite her big social media following and digital influential status, it is easy to see why Snikiwe attracts as much attention and a�ection from those who follow her. She is as authentic as they come. Make sure to follow Snikiwe on her social media platforms via her handle: SNIMHLONGO (Youtube & IG)
Honestly, I don’t even know. Every semester when I get my timetable, I make sure that my Friday’s have little or no lectures/tutorials. Just so I know that that’s when I can film. It’s not always that easy though. Some days I’ll start making a video at midnight and edit until 3/4am because I’ve had school work to do during the day. I also
10 things to do during your Easter Vac
f you do not want to have a boring midterm break, here are 10 things you can do to make it more exciting.
1. Visiting the V&A Waterfront There’s the mall, the aquarium, the “Cape Town Eye”, and the V&A food market. 2. The Zeitz MOCAA The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa is a contemporary art museum located at the V&A Waterfront. It’s the largest museum of contemporary African art in the world. On Wednesday mornings it is completely free.
3. Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens You can admire the flowers for R35 (with your student discount), or go attend their famous summer sunset concerts. 4. Camps Bay/Muizenberg/ Clifton beach Catch a MyCiti bus or a train with friends to go to one of these amazing beaches. 5. Newlands forest Nothing is better than exercising with a good view surrounding you. Go with friends to make the experience more enjoyable.
6. First Thursdays “First Thursdays” is an event that happens on the first Thursday of every month. Art galleries, bars and clubs are full and a good vibe is guaranteed. 7. Town Besides the nightlife, you can go to places like Truth Coffee, Honest Chocolate and Clark’s. There are also places like: The Royal Eatery, and Unframed Ice Cream which are just as good and vegan friendly! 8. Markets Cape Town is full of amazing markets such as the Neighbourgood’s market and the Orangezicht Farm
Words/Motto you live by?
Fran Rattle & Nwabisa Mazana
Market- both which occur on Saturday mornings. 9. The Labia They might not have the latest movies at The Labia Theatre but the experience is wonderful, and particularly appealing if you feel like sneaking in a low-key flick without the mayhem of a mainstream mall. The Labia is situated in Gardens and is a two-minute walk from Hiddingh Campus. Catch a Jammie and enjoy great deals such as two movie tickets and two meals between the prices of R110 and R120.
10. The Biscuit Mill Situated in Woodstock. It has fashionable boutiques, food markets & restaurants offered in a unique, industrial-style setting. The Old Biscuit Mill is open 6 days a week (closed on Sundays and Public Holidays), and is a fun hang out spot for friends who do not want to spend too much. If you usually find yourself doing nothing in your holiday besides watching series, hopefully these 10 things will make your time off more exciting (or at least inspire you to find other exciting things to do).
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 14
Crash course in cryptocurrency
How to stay on top of work Sasha Broom
S
Jess Worsley
O
ver the last few years you’re most likely to have heard of the enigmatic internet entity that is cryptocurrency. Whether it’s never escaped the back of your mind or whether you’re an active Bitcoin trader, you’ll know that its advantages lie in it being a secure and decentralised form of currency. The system is similar to a public ledger to which any user can add entries. Each user has a digital signature with which they can approve transactions, which depends on the specific transaction as well as the user’s own secret key. To prevent people from copying the same message, each transaction also has its own unique code. Verifying the validity of a transaction is then just a case of ensuring that the secret key used to generate the signature corresponds to the user’s public key, which anyone can access. These layers of security make it almost impossible to add fraudulent transactions. You’d have to guess someone’s digital signature by brute force - and there are 2^256 possibilities. That’s a stupidly big number, larger than the number of
atoms in our galaxy, so you’d be guessing for quite a while. In order to maintain a decentralised system, each user broadcasts their transactions for miners to solve. Miners listen out for pending transactions and race to compute the next ledger – referred to as a block – which they then broadcast to the network. Bitcoin miners solve a block every 10 minutes, but newer currencies like Ethereum solves blocks every 15 seconds. When a miner solves a block, they receive a block reward as well as a transaction fee, incentivising their solving. Knowing which broadcast to trust relies on something called ‘proof of work’. This is the amount of computational work required to find a specific input that gives a low-probability output. In other words, it proves that the computer ‘broke the code’. The function that converts the input is called a cryptographic hash function and what makes it cryptographic is that it cannot just be reversed to find the original output. This means I can only crack the code by guessing the input and applying computational work. As more blocks are added, these
blocks form a chain. If anyone tries to change anything in the blockchain, they’ll change all the blocks down the line and have to redo all the computational work. This is pretty much foolproof because one fraudster will always be outnumbered by the rest of the users on the network, who will contribute to the blockchain at a much faster rate. Democracy wins. As a general rule, the longer the chain, the more trustworthy the transactions and this vast network helps to keep cryptocurrency secure. This summary barely scratches the surface of cryptocurrency and there are many other resources you can check out if you’re interested, including Satoshi Nakamoto’s original Bitcoin paper. It’s a young and fast-growing field and while we may be watching it cautiously – Bitcoin is dropping ominously at the moment – it is undeniably a hotbed of innovation that has the capacity to change the world economy as we know it.
The proper etiquette for sliding into the DM’s.
Kamogelo Moloi
With technological developments and upgrades in social media, approaching a person face-to-face has been disregarded. Especially with social media making communication quicker and more convenient, giving us a space that is inclusive of people of every calibre, a place where love is spiralled, friendships are built, families connect and where even important appointments and deadlines are met, we slightly tend to ignore our virtues and etiquettes when sliding into the DM. For the purpose of information, I decided to compile a list of DOs and DON’Ts when sliding down into the DM’s in order to best avoid being blocked, embarrassed publicly or even reported:
taying on top of your workload and making sure you don’t lose control may be one of the biggest daily challenges you face during your varsity years. Managing work load properly, though, can also prove to be one of the most beneficial aids to your stress levels and mental health. We all know what it’s like when the work has mounted up so much that it feels unbearable – and then we usually do even more to avoid it (Instagram, I’m looking at you). Below are some tips I find beneficial for managing work and, in the process, hopefully feeling more positive towards it. What deadline is coming up first? What needs to be worked at in bite-sized pieces over time? Try to prioritize completing one task at once. Focus on that rather than haphazardly working at everything and ending up with several half-finished and late assignments. Making a quick list in order of what you’d like to get done, first to last, can help here. Check in with classmates and tutors about
1. Don’t give one-word syllable greetings to people you haven’t acquainted yet. As you are most probably a total stranger to those recipients, it might totally help if you could drop an introduction, give your name or something they can relate to you with. 2. Do avoid weird or sexual messages before familiarising yourself with the person. This might give out the wrong impression about you but, if that really was your intention, please stop. 3. Do familiarise yourself with the meaning of your emoji’s. Emoji’s are a cool way of executing jokes or puns. With their intended use, conversations can be alive and fun but it might be best to just avoid them when communicating at a professional level i.e. with your colleagues or elders.
the current assignments to help assure yourself that you understand and are approaching the work in the most efficient way. When you’re doing work that especially interests you, it can also be motivating to talk about it. Next, find your workspace. Wherever you study most efficiently - whether that’s the library, your room, or elsewhere - head straight there when you know you should be working. Just being there can help to put you into get-it- done mode. However, nothing is more distracting than notifications coming through while you’re trying to understand your own thoughts. Reserve social media checks for after you’ve reached your goals for that study/work session, or you may find yourself writing Facebook posts longer than your essay word count. Finally, breathe. Your health and happiness always come first! Take a break: make food, walk in nature, rant to a friend - anything you need to do before getting back into it and slaying those assignments. You’ve got this.
4. Don’t creep onto someone, stalk or hound them, and don’t give them the impression that you’re forcing yourself onto them. It’s best to accept the decision of them not wanting to talk to you. 5. Do have a good sense of humour. Funny conversations are legit and friendly vibes are a good way to start conversations. You don’t want to engage in an all serious conversation. 6. Don’t pretend or portray yourself to be someone you are not. Honesty is a good ground on building relations. Bernard M. quotes: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind”.
LIFESTYLE & FITNESS
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77E2 |Page 15
Kaamil Adams sports@varsitynewspaper.co.za
Image by JonoforLee
Two Women, Headed to the Top
UCT Basketball has grown remarkably in the past few years. With highly ranked athletes and a proud management team, here’s what we can expect from a dribbling duo. Kaamil Adams
F
ortuna Bagula and Louise Ovner represent the UCT female basketball squad. Yes, they are tall and though their stature does improve their game, according to Ovner and Bagula: talent, strength and height are not the only factors which contribute to your success as an up and coming basketball player, especially at UCT. “Pride” and “game.”
Those two words summed up my interview with Bagula and Ovner. I constantly fell into a state of awe as a result of their passion and will power. Their words, feelings and body language were enough for me to conclude that they have great experience from UCT basketball. However, this passion and will power, is often shadowed by the gender bias discussion around basketball being a
predominantly male sport. Ovner and Bagula expressed deep emotions towards this issue which, even today,
consistently reveals itself in the world of sport. The effect it has on morale and growth is not only evident in basketball, but in every other sport played in the 21 st century. Outside of the discussion of gender dominance in the sport, UCT basketball admits that when compared to other universities, attendance and support still lacks. These issues, when not attended to, affect the management and drive of sport participation. The use of modern day services should be utilized in order to expose and spreadthe successes of sports clubs. Despite the club’s minor set-backs, there is much
to be celebrated. UCT basketball is able to boast about the South African National Squad representative who is infact a student at UCT. Kyle Maclean, proudly represented the South African National men’s squad at an open level.
Despite the club’s minor set-backs, there is much to be celebrated. So now you know, UCT basketball does exist. They need our support and yes, we are going to give it to them. They’re shooting hoops for UCT. So, let’s provide them with the ball needed to do so.
TURN LEARNINGS INTO EARNINGS
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THE BACK PAGE
@VarsityNews | 27 March 2018 | V77 E2 | Page 16
In this Issue Nwabisa Plaatjie: A thespian in her own right
2
3
Carl Osborne
T
How does the DSA distribute grants?
7 “Listeriosis, are we trivialising a serious matter?”
centrespread
8-9
12
What you didn’t know about the new VC
Meet Sni Mhlongo
13
How to navigate First Thursdays
Etiquette for sliding into DM’s
Kaamil Adams
W
he South African and Australian Cricket teams both came under fire recently, when a video surfaced of an argument between Quinton De Kock, South African batsman and wicket-keeper, and David Warner, Australian captain and opening batsman. This argument started over some choice words Warner used during De Kock’s batting innings in an attempt to unsettle the South African batsman. This, however, is a common practice in cricket and is often used in this form as a tactic to one-up your opponent and is a�ectionately referred to as chirping. The debate then rose around South Africa regarding whether chirping is actually necessary in modern cricket and whether it should have a place within the gentleman’s game. In my experience at schoollevel cricket, it wasn’t particularly necessary and was almost used as a novelty. You would “chirp” a batsman while fielding simply because you yourself, saw this happening while watching cricket and it just seemed like part of the game. On that level of cricket, there is no reason to do it, unless it is done in order to gain the feeling of being a true cricketer. However, the same cannot be said for higher levels of cricket. When physical ability and technique are all at a high level and most players are on the same par, ability wise, each player tries to
grab every small advantage. This is gained through overcoming the mental game and testing your opponents resolve in high pressure situations. This was echoed when Varsity News spoke to a UCT student, Yasin Razak, who plays club-level cricket for Montrose Cricket Club. He said that the thing that separates the good cricketers from the average cricketers, is mental strength and chirping is a way to test players’ mental strength. You try and get under their skin, in an attempt to throw them o� their game. However, he feels that the conduct is important when one partakes in chirping. It should not be open verbal abuse as when it comes to these settings, balance is key. Boundaries should always be observed so that it does not become the format of the actual game.
Image courtesy of : varsitycup.co.za
What is also important is how a player comes back from being chirped. He feels that the most acceptable way is to “talk” with the bat or ball. The mark of a good cricketer is coming back from being knocked down. Furthermore, a good team is one that uses these words to build intensity, spark interest, and keep themselves focused on the game at hand. What it can do for some, is raise their game which will lead to them performing better. Chirping is an intrinsic part of cricket, it leads to more intense and exciting clashes in the game. Whether it is experienced passively, with you just being chirped and not reacting, or actively, you will experience it. The question is: Will you let it rule you or will you rise above it?
14 An introvert’s guide to working out
University Sports South Africa (USSA) e seldom find university sports other than rugby and cricket broadcasted live on television. USSA (University Sport South Africa) however wishes to change the status quo by promoting other university sports in South Africa. Their vision and objectives have clearly portrayed the work done thus far. “USSA’s vision is to provide opportunities of excellence in student sport in order to participate and/or compete at all levels”. This statement made by USSA underlines their ethos. USSA represents more than 42 sports, each electing a board of committee members for their respective sporting code. It is excellent to see the promotion and exposure of lesser known sports, participating on a competitive level. Sports such as chess, ballroom dancing and even pool, have been promoted by USSA since their formation in 1994. “The Ministry of Sport and Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), agreed that due to the unique nature of student sport universally, The University
Chirping: is there a place for it in cricket?
Sport South Africa should be administered independently.” It is from this, that the International University Sports Federation (FISU) has proudly a�liated themselves with USSA. USSA’s a�liations with other national and international organisations has allowed them to improve and maintain a competitive standard in world sports, and this standard does not only relate to sports. USSA emphasizes the greater objective and vision in saying: “promoting sporting values means encouraging fair-play, friendship and co-operation among students, who will one day occupy responsible key positions in education, politics, industry, economy and culture.” It is evident that USSA has done much for sports in South Africa by promoting the sports that, in today’s society, have been looked down upon. Other than that, their core values are strict with regards to moral education and the overall development of South African university students who will fly our flag high one day.
Ntokozo Mayekiso
I
f you’re an introvert, you know how anxiety inducing the thought of working out at the gym can be. You wake up, tell yourself “today is the day”, and walk through that Virgin Active turnstile with the best of intentions to try and get that “summer body” right, or at least attempt to ween o� that last slice of pizza you had at 23:00 pm last night- which probably wasn’t the best decision given that you’ve been ingesting fast food the whole week. Feel dragged yet? Yup, me too. Behold, before you lies big, shiny machinery that stares you in the eye and all of a sudden, all your ambitions dissipate. One. Goal. At. A. time. Well, worry not fellow introverts, below I have complied some tips on how you can work out, without
the added stress of not knowing how the machines work, or whether or not you look terribly awkward at whatever you’re trying to do: 1. Apps! If you’re an introvert, you’re probably avoiding as much social interaction as possible by keeping on your phone. Well, why not use that to your advantage? Thanks to the plethora of fitness apps that can be found on your mobile’s app store, you can work out of the comfort of your own home. Try apps like: 8fit Workouts (includes a meal plan), Daily Workouts Fitness or Seven (gives you 7-minute e�ective workouts) for some good workouts. 2. YouTube videos YouTube is not only useful for when you’d like to make a stop
at “procrastination station”. There are also tons of fitness coaches that post their workout videos on the online platform. Try some Zumba, Cardio or even some Yoga. Whatever your interests, the possibilities are endless. The advantage is, you can switch up your routine whenever you want. 3. The gym at o�-peak hours I’ve been advised that working out at the gym when it’s not so congested, is the best. If you’re looking to have a fruitful workout, try getting to the gym at the wee hours of the morning (perhaps between 06:0008:00am depending on what time your gym opens, of course). If you’re not a morning person, try sneaking in a workout 2 hours before the gym closes. You’ll thank me later.
4. Earphones at the gym If you can’t beat the peak hours at the gym, try walking around with earphones to avoid social interaction. No seriously, try it. According to Dr. Michael Bull, a professor of Sound Studies in Media and Film, at the University of Sussex: “multi-faceted device tools [are tools] whereby users manage space, time and the boundaries around the self.” In other words, your earphones can be used as a way to isolate yourself from others in spaces of high volume. 5. Walking in nature A simple yet e�ective way of working out, walking. Find a tranquil and safe space to take a stroll and enjoy all that nature has to o�er.
The New Vice-Chancellor of UCT What you probably didn’t know about
Prof. Mamokgethi Phakeng Her time at UCT 2016
She joined UCT as full professor of Mathematics Education
2017
She became the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Internationalisation.
2018
She was appointed as the Vice Chancellor of UCT
She is the founder of a Foundation
She is the founder of the Adopt-a-learner Foundation (www.adopt-a-learner.com), a non-profit organisation that provides financial and educational support to students from township and rural areas to acquire higher education qualifications.
She talks
She does talks in exchage for donations for Theadopt-a-learner-foundation instead of requesting donations.
Among her many achievements
She was awarded the CEO Magazine award for being 2013 and 2014’s most influential woman in education and training in South Africa
She is Fashionable
NSTF award for being the most outstanding Senior Black Female Researcher over the last 5 to 10 years in recognition of her innovative, quality research on teaching and learning mathematics in multilingual classrooms. (May 2011)
She is super stylish and has very intersting shoes but she isn’t exactly a shoe girl.
She Travels a lot
She gives talks in Universities all around the world.
Her social media
Twitter: @fabacademic Instagram: @fabacademic website & blog: amokgethi Foundation website: www.adopt-a-learner.com
Shes a blogger
Not only on Instagram through motivational quotes and hiking but she has her own blog. Her website is www.mamokgethi.com Images and information from: twitter.com/fabacademic, mamokgethi.com