Varsity
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THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
12 March 2013
VOLUME 72: EDITION 3
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International students speak up Vincent Supparayen & Chris van der Westhuyzen
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earners from foreign countries studying at UCT expressed their concerns with the university at an International Students’ Forum on Wednesday, March 6th. The event, organised by the SRC, further served as a platform for them to announce their plans for improving the campus experience for both semester abroad and fulldegree international students. About 50 students at the forum were from countries within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This group of learners was recently hit by a fee increase after the International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) announced a levy of R1500 that would be charged to the accounts of all SADC students. Bongani Mabuza, chairperson of the Swazi Students Society, said he and his peers were outraged at the levy increase. He said the fee hike could only be justified if there was a visible improvement in the services that IAPO provides to international students. “We just want to know how that extra money is going to be spent,” said Mabuza. “I’m curious to know why IAPO wasn’t present at the forum, because they have questions to answer.”
Image: Maria Kalymnois
Many international students said they sometimes felt misrepresented on campus Image: Maria Kalymnois INTERNATIONALISM: Vice-Chancellor Thandabuntu Nhlapo (top) speaks about UCT’s strategic objectives. day we can help bring about policies that would be better for the entire student body.” Many international students said they sometimes felt misrepresented on campus, especially when local students made insensitive remarks about foreign countries. Benamile Zwane, a student from Swaziland, urged the SRC to educate the campus
community on issues relating to the home countries of international students. “People here don’t always understand what it’s like back in my home country,” said Zwane. “It might just be ignorance, but their comments can sometimes be hurtful.” Keenan Hendrickse, SRC Vice
President of External Affairs, said the aim of the quarterly forums would be to bridge the gap between different nationalities and address the issues that foreign students struggle with. “The SRC will host a series of workshops where we will tackle issues like xenophobia,” said Hendrickse. “These seminars will
IN THIS ISSUE
Chanda Chungu, SRC Societies Coordinator and Chairperson of the International Students SubCouncil (ISSC), said the SRC would relay the students’ plea to IAPO and urge the office to disclose in explicit terms how it planned to improve its services to international students. “The SRC is here primarily to listen to your ideas and suggestions,” Chungu told students. “We will inform the administration of your concerns so that at the end of the
also grapple with notions like Afropolitanism and what it means for UCT to call itself Afropolitan.” Deputy Vice-Chancellor Thandabantu Nhlapo said that since UCT adopted internationalisation as one of its strategic objectives, the demographic of foreign students was changing. “Africa is now in the picture; it’s no longer just about exchanges with the global North,” said Nhlapo. Darren Brookbanks, SRC Sports and Recreation Coordinator, said he was advocating for UCT to “look to the East, and not only to the West like it has in the past”. He announced the SRC’s plans to develop a partnership between UCT and Peking University in China. Brookbanks further encouraged all international students to get involved in sports events such as Intervarsity, which will be taken place from May 3rd to May 5th. “Joining a group of fans at a sports event doesn’t require any paperwork, and it’s a great opportunity for our foreign peers to integrate with other local students,” said Brookbanks. Students at the forum raised concerns over the challenge many of them faced at the start of the year when they were required to present their Matriculation Exemption Certificates in order to register for 2013. These documents certify that international exam results meet the same standard as South African examinations, and are therefore a prerequisite to graduate from any South African university. Students claimed they were not forewarned of the new requirements, while faculty managers insisted that several emails and text messages were sent out to inform students. Chungu said he was of the view that faculties should have engaged the IAPO, the ISSC and the SRC to assist in spreading information on the new procedure. “Several students came back unaware and felt unjustly treated by the new system,” said Chungu. “The SRC will do its best to enhance the communication channels between students and the administration. But for that, we need everyone to participate in the process.”
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NEWS BITES Hugo Chavez dies from cancer VENEZUELA – Hugo Chavez, the 58-year-old President of Venezuela, died last Tuesday after a long battle with cancer. Chavez’s democratic ascent to the presidency in 1999 ushered in a new era of Latin American politics and Venezuelan international relations. —CNN NEws
HIV positive baby “cured” MISSISSIPPI – A baby born HIV positive has been “cured” of the infection for the first time, American doctors announced last Sunday. The development could change how infected newborns are treated and sharply reduce the number of children living with the virus that causes AIDS. —NEw york times
Kid sets teacher’s hair alight CAPE TOWN – A local teacher has not returned to Crestway High School in Retreat after one of her Grade 8 pupils set her hair on fire last Wednesday. The 26-year-old reported that she was traumatised by on-going physical and verbal abuse in class. —iAfrica
ANC hits back at Oscar’s dad JOHANNESBURG – The ANC has rejected “with contempt” the accusation made by Oscar Pistorius’ father that the ANC government is unwilling to protect white South Africans. “Not only is this statement devoid of truth, it is also racist,” ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu said in a statement. Pistorius has been charged with premeditated murder. —Independent Online
Gareth Cliff cast in Disney’s Phineas and Ferb JOHANNESBURG – South African radio presenter and Idols judge Gareth Cliff is to lend his vocal talent to Disney’s Phineas & Ferb TV series. Cliff has been cast as a Ducky MoMo salesman in the third season of the BAFTA-nominated and Emmy Award–winning animated comedy series. —Sowetan live
NY Man fakes his kidnapping NEW YORK – A 34-yearold Brooklyn man reported missing two weeks ago has been charged with faking his own kidnapping – and he may have concocted the story to avoid his girlfriend’s wrath. Police stated that he was found hog-tied, with his hands, legs and mouth covered with duct tape. —NBC News
Saadiq Sanodien
LGBTI parade the Mother City Sandile Ndelu
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n March 2nd, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Support (LGBTIS) community gathered together at this year’s Cape Town Gay Pride Parade. The march, which moved through the streets of the De Waterkant, the city’s ‘Gay village’, was attended by people from all over South Africa. One third year student said pride was still a significant component of gay culture as “it creates a lot of awareness, brings the LGBTI community together and is a good way for LGBTI people to feel comfortable about themselves”.
…in an aim of gathering awareness about LGBTI discrimination… Also in attendance were various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and interest groups, most of which set up information and pride memorabilia stalls for the marchers’ consumption. Amongst these organisations was the Gay Flag SA Campaign, whose founder, Eugene “Huge” Brockman said that the festival “is a good reminder, visibly show[ing] support, community acceptance and integration [of the LGBTI community] with mainstream society”. California based NGO, The NOH8 Campaign was also present. It was founded by partners Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley in response to the passing of the Proposition Eight Bill in November of 2008 in California. The bill aimed to ban same-sex marriage. Bouski said they had undertaken to criss-cross the world with the aim of spreading awareness about LGBTI discrimination and of
Image: Sofia Gilli GAY PRIDE: LGBTIS community gathered in demonstration at this year’s Cape Town Gay Pride Parade. encouraging collective civil action which had subsequently resulted with their presence at the Cape Town Pride Parade. The parade was the finale of two weeks’ worth of festivities which this year included a pride rugby match, comedy night, drag queens’
entertainment evening and the Equinox Spring Fair. The Festival, with a 2013 theme of ‘Love is Beautiful’, has been staged since 2001 and is organised by a non-profit organisation of the same name that is run by a group of volunteers.
According to their website and one of their volunteers, Chumani Ndabambi, they are “committed towards being inclusive and encompassing… celebrating diversity and creating awareness”.
Stop Rape Campaign launched in South African schools Stefanie Busch With the commencement of Human Rights Month, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and LEAD SA have launched the Stop Rape Campaign. This initiative seeks to raise awareness and educate 10.2 million learners on issues concerning rape and genderbased violence. Special assemblies were held in schools nationwide on Friday, March 1st, as requested by the DBE, whereby scholars were addressed for 15 minutes about rape and sexual crimes.
over 64 000 cases of rape were reported to the police in 2012 “There is a general perception that students do not know what rape or sexual harassment is,” said Tich Chikowore, head of
Image: flickr.com/photos/presidencyza STOP RAPE: President Jocab Zuma kick-starts the campaign in schools.
LifeLine Southern Africa. Thus it is important to educate scholars at an early age, so that it will remain with students into their adulthood. The Stop Rape Campaign is to provide such awareness. When addressing recent attacks on women, including the gang-rape and the murder of Anene Booysen, Angie Motshekga, Minister of Basic Education, stated that, “In the last few weeks our country has been
forced to recognise that rape and gender based violence have reached pandemic proportions.” She continued to say that the collective rage in the country, as a result of such crimes, should be turned into constructive action. President Zuma, who launched the Stop Rape Campaign on Thursday, February 28th, at the Glendale Secondary School in Mitchells Plain, acknowledged the
urgency with which the rape crisis in South Africa is to be treated. “We have come together to say that these horrendous attacks must stop,” stated Zuma in his address at the campaign’s launch. “Together we must say that these abusers, murderers and rapists should face the full might of the law.” Zuma went on to say that over 64 000 cases of rape were reported to the police in 2012 – an average of 175 a day. Instead of the issue of rape to lose its power to shock, Zuma urged that South Africans should not get used to such “acts of base criminality.” The DA has welcomed the launch of the Stop Rape Campaign, emphasising the idea that Parliament should encourage South Africans to participate in a national dialogue about the rape and sexual violence crisis. Lindiwe Mazibuko, parliamentary leader of the DA, urged, “There is a silent war against the children and women in this country – and we need all South Africans to unite in the fight against it.”
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International Wheelchair Day Cai Nebe
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he Molly Blackburn Hall, usually frequented by the Latin and Ballroom Society, turned into a dancefloor of a very different kind last Tuesday, March 4th, as the SRC hosted International Wheelchair Day. Wheelchair dancers and their able-bodied partners took to the floor for a performance during the event, showcasing extraordinary dance skills. The dancers included UCT student activist for disability rights, Chaeli Mycroft. Mycroft performed an entertaining tango with her ablebodied partner, Damian Michaels. “It’s exactly the same as dancing with anyone else. It’s just that I have to lead a lot more,” said Michaels. “Our responsibility as disabled students is to speak about our place in the UCT community and not just be okay with how things are. We want things to get better,” Mycroft added.
R1.43 million … to improve facilities for disabled students Mycroft said UCT had been very good in providing equal academic opportunities to disabled students, but it was also important to make a “full” student experience possible. She added that the SRC, which obtained sponsorship for three new wheelchairs for the university’s Disability Unit, was “very supportive of our mission”. “My role as a student activist is to change perceptions. I see myself as very capable,” Mycroft said.
Images: Rhiannon Rees WHEELCHAIR DAY: Chaeli Mycroft, UCT student activist for disability rights, as well as SRC president, Lorne Hallendorff and Vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price addressed students on their aims to improve accessibility for disabled students at UCT. Manthipi Molamu-Rahloa, Director of Services to People with Disabilities at the National Department of Social Development, and Vice-Chancellor Dr Max Price attended the event. Also in attendance was SRC President Lorne Hallendorff, who said that the initiative was aimed at improving the accessibility for disabled students at UCT. Price said, “One of the purposes of education is to work out the experiences of other people from
different backgrounds. People come to UCT with different needs and challenges and go out of UCT to contribute to the world in very different ways.” He also noted the geographical challenge of making a university on a mountainside accessible to disabled students, saying that UCT had to make its famously steep campus more accessible to disabled students by introducing lifts, ramps and modified bathrooms. Additionally, the Department of
Higher Education and Training last year granted UCT R1.43 million to spend until 2015 to improve facilities for disabled students. “There is still much work to be done,” Price conceded. Molamu-Rahloa congratulated UCT on its initiatives to make the campus more user-friendly for disabled people. This initiative has helped disabled students show their capabilities and form “an inclusive society at UCT”. “We, as disabled people, add
value to society. We make people understand that there is diversity,” said Molamu-Rahloa. Marissa van Rensburg, SRC Transformation Coordinator, said society has a problem if it does not cater for its disabled members. “This year’s SRC decided that we can’t just not put disability issues on our radar,” said Van Rensburg. The event was hosted “to promote awareness of the need for inclusivity and barrier free access at UCT,” said the SRC.
Student’s project gets recognised Temi Oketunji
Nomfundo Dlangisa, a thirdyear BCom Accounting student at UCT, recently qualified to attend the Spark SA Accelerator Program, which provides emerging social entrepreneurs with strategic support and financial grants to realise their budding community projects. Dlangisa founded the Community Development Youth Association (CDYA) in her hometown of Pietermaritzburg after identifying problems in her community. “The public areas are not looked after,” said Dlangisa. “There are no recreational facilities, and the youth are unemployed and demotivated due to a lack of communication between them and municipality.” The focus of her project is thus to provide young people with employment and empowerment by giving them a hand in building their own communities. The Accelerator Program is a five-day workshop in Johannesburg during which qualifiers, chosen
from all around South Africa, receive training in aspects related to the successful establishment of a social entrepreneurial venture. The focus of the workshop is to gain access to information about entrepreneurship and to create detailed and focused action plans for turning ideas into reality. Dlangisa said she was very proud,
“…South Africa is so big with young leaders in abundance” even though she never expected to make it to the qualifying rounds of the competition. “I feel very honoured and blessed,” said Dlangisa. “I honestly thought it was a long shot, because South Africa is so big with young leaders in abundance.” Dlangisa said she was very excited about the workshop, and believes it will provide her with the tools, support and insight to help improve her project. “I expect the workshop to refine
my ideas and connect me with people who will help in furthering my dreams of seeing the CDYA implemented all over the country,” said Dlangisa. According to Bulelani Futshane, a 2012 qualifier, the workshop is useful because it provides assistance by sharing experitse in the areas of registration of community development organisations. Futshane, whose project hosts educational workshops for primary school pupils in Inyanga, said qualifying for the Accelerator Program was “very tough” and required one to have a very good background in terms of social issues.
Image: Nomfundo Dlangisa CHANGEMAKER: Nomfundo Dlangisa, qualified to attend the Spark SA Accelerator Program.
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New era for Kenyans after elections Vincent Supparayen & Sajjad Karamsi
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huru Kenyatta was declared President of Kenya last Saturday, March 9th after a terse election process closely followed the world over. With a record turnout of 86%, Kenyans queued for hours to exercise their right to vote with the spectre of the post-election violence of 2007 still in everyone’s mind. International news agencies meanwhile mobilised en masse for what they expected to be a repeat of those events. The two main contenders for the presidency were Raila Odinga, representing the Coalitions for Reforms and Democracy (CORD), and Kenyatta representing the Jubilee Coalition. Kenyatta’s win is controversial as both him and his main coalition partner and running-mate, William Ruto, are set to be tried at the International Criminal Court in April for charges relating to the violence that followed the 2007 elections. They stand accused of mobilising their supporters and encouraging them to partake in the violent killings. However, both Kenyatta and Ruto are claiming innocence in this affair and have promised that they will cooperate with the ICC. Odinga has vowed to challenge the results in court, citing irregularities in the electoral count. He has however, called for calm from his supporters decrying any
Image: flickr.com/AJstream
NO REPEAT OF 2007: Kenyan’ hope for peace after the 2013 elections. potential violence from them. Odinga contested the elections in
“Lets hope that the International Press go back home without the story that they came here to write.” 2007, but the results saw him lose to Mwai Kibaki. However, external observers deemed the election to be
neither democratic nor fair, because the votes had been tampered with. Outrage over the election’s outcome saw the country engulfed in intense ethnic violence. Approximately 1 300 people were killed, while many more were forced to abandon their homes. A solution was later found whereby Odinga and Kibaki agreed to enter into a coalition government, with Odinga as Prime Minister and Kibaki as President. This year’s elections saw
procedural amendments in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the 2007 debacle. All candidates were featured in a televised debate in which each candidate had to explain their plans for specific issues affecting Kenyan society. This media platform aimed to increase transparency, allowing Kenyans to hold their leaders accountable. In addition, the winning candidate was required to garner more than 50% of the total vote, as
well as 25% of the vote in 24 of 47 Kenyan countries. New legislation discouraged the media from spreading any propaganda that could promote tribal violence. Kenyans remain tense, awaiting the outcome of Odinga’s court challenge, with many hopeful for peace. One Kenyan said on a social network site, “Let’s hope that the International Press go back home without the story that they came here to write.”
Students and politicians debate budget Sandile Tshabalala
role in budget decisions can help to bring about positive changes in South Africa. “The common vision of South Africans is to see a rigorous affiliation between labour, private sector and the government,” said Peterson. “Skills development and public participation are core areas that can enhance our economic stability.” Nqabayomzi Kwaakwa, Deputy Secretary-General of the UDM, said
UCT students gathered at Obz Square on March 4th to debate the 2013 National Budget Speech delivered the week before by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. Organised by the residence’s House Committee, the event drew MPs and students who shared their thoughts on the budget’s implications for South Africa. DA MP Geordin Hill-Lewis said his party welcomed the Budget Speech, especially since it focused on the National Development Plan and
students raised concerns about economic freedom, job opportunities for graduates and gender violence in society the New Growth Path. Hill-Lewis, a UCT alumnus, said he was, however, disappointed that the issue of the youth wage subsidy was ignored. The United Democratic Movement’s (UDM) Bantu Holomisa said he was satisfied with the provision of R1 trillion for infrastructural development and service delivery, as these addressed the needs of ordinary South Africans. “It is high time that the
Image: Jessica Breakey government deviates from elite projects such as speed trains and starts focusing on improving infrastructure in townships and rural settlements where the majority of the electorate is located,” said Holomisa. During the question and answer session the floor was opened to the audience. Yolana Nxesi, a BSocSc student, said she was concerned with the failure of the budget to give a long-term plan on the economic inequalities persisting within our society. In response to Nxesi’s question, Professor Ben Turok, the ANC MP for Mowbray, Claremont and Rondebosch, said the government had increased its welfare
expenditure, especially in providing grants, due to the growing social inequalities and unemployment rate. He further encouraged young people to “engage and be active in economic programs such as the National Youth Development Agency”. Other students raised concerns about economic freedom, job opportunities for graduates and gender violence in society as obstacles to economic growth. Professor Francis Peterson, Dean of the Engineering and Built Environment Faculty, said he was fascinated that government had finally decided to make education one of its essential priorities in the budget. He further suggested ways by which all the people who play a
he believed government had the capacity to deliver on its promises to the people, but that a lack of transparency and accountability continued to pose a challenge. “We are aware that R102 billion has been spent by the government on consultants,” said Kwaakwa. “No wonder our economic growth is less than the inflation rate.” For further VARSITY coverage of the National Budget visit www. varsitynewspaper.co.za
editorial
Procrastination for the dedicated soul
Alexandra Nagel Editor-in-Chief
Grey Peter Pan
Managing Editor
Copy Editor
Letter to the Editor: Villainous Sex Anya Kovacs Whilst perusing Edition 2 of VARSITY I came across a most diverting article about sex. The author, Anima McBrown, bewailed the ubiquity of sexualised content in our society. How ironic, given that she uses a very sexually suggestive opening paragraph to draw readers to her article. Actually, McBrown doesn’t seem to be quite clear on exactly what it is that she is bewailing. Is it the objectification of women (she refers to a sexually suggestive music video) or the ready availability of sexual material that is the problem? McBrown suggests that “We need to ask why it is necessary to allow sex
ed
to spew its evil” into our world. Ag ja well no fine, as we say in Cape Town. That’s an important question. There is a big problem with it though: Sex is not evil. Sex is many things: a route to procreation, a form of recreation, an expression of domination or an excellent form of exercise. Or, for the romantics out there, an expression of love. It is the way in which we engage in sexual acts which gives them meaning. I agree that the sexualisation of women (and we are talking predominantly of women) is problematic. I don’t deny that we live in a misogynistic society in which violence against women is endemic and I am right at the top of the list of people who
think that wearing black for a day isn’t “enough”. But returning to an ethos of sexual repression isn’t going to help either. Sex is here to stay, and the only way forward is to separate sex as a shared experience between respectful partners, from sex as an objectification of women and a tool to sell everything from Vaseline to vaginoplasty. We have a monumental task ahead of us, but as with any large task, the trick is to do it in little bits so as not to be overwhelmed by the task (thesis, anyone?). So here is my little bit: to stop using the female body in advertising, and to start objecting when I see others doing so.
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Level 5, Steve Biko Students’ Union ke
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Volume 72. edition 3: Please accept our apologies for the following errors:
Andrew Montandon
Online Editor
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Newsgathering Leslie Social 1C Tuesday March 12th 1pm
Mitch Prinsloo
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Facebook!
Laurie Scarborough
them are girls. The best part of this secret procrastination scheme is that you can enter tournaments and actually stand a chance of winning big-time moola. If you’re a high-skilled Dota player, you could compete at Rage (no, not Plett Rage, kids) in Jo’Burg and become famous! Okay, probably not famous ... But pretty respected in the online arena. All for not wanting to do your Marketing tut? Sounds great! So why do us regular folk use such boring methods of procrastination when we could be earning money for it? That I can’t tell you. Maybe you should discuss it later in the library, instead of doing your stats tut.
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VARSITY Cubs on
The worst (and best) types of procrastination are foreign to none. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and as of late that Harlem Shake video on YouTube, keep us half-heartedly
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Deputy Editor
ri co al py ed on lin e ne w op s in io fe ns at ur e sp s or ts ce
met a boy once. A young one he appeared to be. He said many knew him as the tokoloshe, but a pale-skin like me would know him as Peter Pan. He promised a world. A world nothing like my own, and called it Never-Never Land. I asked why such a place would bear the weight of an unfortunate promise; forever unreachable just within its name. “Take my hand and I will show you exactly what it is not. A place that does not lie at the South, with the tip closest to hell; that does not see colours in the rainbow.” With one foot on the brightly-filled border of the place closest to hell, I leapt at the boy’s grey hand and his promise he kept. I stumbled into the land that promised nothing and yet it was still gauging more possibilities than mine. Grey flowers and trees were spurting from out the ground like popcorn kernels exploding in a silver pot.
Rebecca Dallas
@varsitynewspaper.co.za EDITOR’S NOTE VARSITY would like to clarify that the image of Mninawa Ntshongwana was incorrect. Here is the correct image taken by Tarryn Naude (Volume 72. Edition 2 p. 11) Stef Martin wasn’t credited as a sub-editor for Edition 2. The rowing image on page 16 is credited to Backsplash Magazine: South Africa.
2013 Collective
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Blue, red, black, gold, green and white was now spewing from out of the horizon, trying desperately to alter my vision to witness the fabricated rainbow. I wanted to remain in the land where blindness reigned supreme and history was no longer his story, the boy who claims to be Peter Pan. He left me here in the world which sheds no spectrum of otherness, just to have me gulped back in to the world where there is. His absolute craving to have me feel such pleasure suddenly being seized from right under my feet was the gift I took from NeverNever Land. I was like the plates on a table when the tablecloth gets ripped out from under them. You expect a surprise and for the plates to neatly remain, but there I was smashed and smeared with blue, red, black, gold, green and white until my eyes glistened with so much colour I immediately forgot the grey. As if it never happened, I sat up on my living room couch, wiped the drool from my mouth and hastily drank my Earl Grey tea. I switched on the TV and low and behold there was my Peter Pan. Standing behind a wooden block with a black stem pointed at his mouth to amplify his sovereign voice. His words mimicked an amateur, Peter Pan-like paint brush, trying to blend all the colours together on the South African palette. Yet there was no sign of the deeplydesired grey.
entertained for hours. But what most of you don’t know is that the internet is a sneaky playground for those with legit computer skills who really want to procrastinate. I’m talking about something which can casually take up hours of your time, cause the most intense bursts of rage and even get you a little fan-base if on the off-chance you aren’t a complete noob. I’m talking about online gaming, children. If you thought it was a ‘sport’ for greasy-haired nerd boys who are afraid of sunlight or something, then you are WRONG. These Dota, Starcraft and Hon-playing closet nerds are EVERYWHERE. Some of them are rugby players. Some of
w eb im ag e de s sig n ad s fin an ce
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editor-in-chief Alexandra Nagel deputy Editor Rebecca Dallas managing Editor Andrew Montandon Copy Editor Laurie Scarborough online editor Mitch Prinsloo Online chief subber Theresa Scott news Krysia Gaweda & Chris van der Westhuyzen opinions Katy Scott & Uthman Quick features Daniël Geldenhuys & Lynne Marie Fraser sportS Rob Byrne & Megan Kinnaird centrespread Zarmeen Ghoor images Tebesethu Nkambule, Elelwani Netshifhire, Siyanda Ralane & Jessica Breakey Design Julien Speyer web Stephen Hulme, Robin Mukanganise & Peter Maluge advertising & Finance Imaad Isaacs & Salman Ghoor human resources Tanyaradzwa Dzumbunu & Kudzai Tabaziba Marketing Vikash Gajjar sub-editors Marike Watson, Beverly Ochieng’, Hannah Gauss, Stef Martin, Jena Ascough, Bronté Miles, Stephanie Venter, Asanda Ntshiqa, Sajjad Karamsi & Diana Fletcher.
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V72 E3 – 12 MARCH 2013
Applications open: SA hero needed wScotty Does Know Stephanie Venter
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hen Oscar shot Reeva, the dreams of a nation died. When Lance admitted to doping, faith in sport quaked. When Tiger slept around, the core idea of a family man was shattered. And when Hansie accepted a bribe, the world ended. What did these men have in common? Gender. Great talent. Great success. Life in the public eye. And of course, sports. These scandals have been called the death of the sports star, the fall of the heroic role model, and the consequence of modern, branded heroism. It hasn’t helped that three of them were sponsored by Nike. The charges vary – everything from wanton philandering to coldblooded murder – yet, discussion (bar that of extreme outrage or enticing gossip about the latest ‘facts’) has been the same: does society place too much emphasis on too few people, who ultimately cannot live up to the pressure? Is the concept of a role model outdated? Hardly, given that the term was only coined in the first half of the 20th century. Despite the term’s young age, discussions of ‘role models’ flow freely and easily in modern society: are young children trying to imitate the Kardashians? What does it say to society when a president says that having dogs as pets is race-specific? In a society that largely values individualism, we have a fascination with the collective. We band together to build up our heroes, and often band together to bring them down. It seems that there is something perversely fascinating to society about the downfall of a role model, hero, and leader. I can describe the conversations
I Image: flickr.com/ lildude
between ordinary South Africans about Oscar Pistorius’ murder charge as nothing short of gleeful as South Africans shared the latest tantalising ‘facts’ (read: rumours) with each other like it was a recap of the latest episode of The Bold and the Beautiful. To their credit, they shared Oscar’s Olympic triumphs with each other
We band together to build up our heroes, and often band together to bring them down. with almost as much conviction. Our role models come from many spheres – think of parents, teachers, public servants, political leaders, successful business people, and sports heroes – but the sad fact is that, in modern South Africa, a lack of good role models for citizens is becoming increasingly apparent. As a sports-mad country, South Africa clings to its sporting heroes like demigods – in times of utter
despair, we can usually rely on our sports heroes to come through. In many ways, Oscar Pistorius’ murder charge has shattered South Africa. Not the hopes and dreams of the citizens, but rather its public image. South Africans liked Oscar. We loved him. Who didn’t get a lump in their throat when he carried the SA flag in the London Olympics? People could say what they liked about South Africa, but it wouldn’t make a difference because if we could make someone as good as Oscar, we, as a nation, must be capable of good. Robert K. Merton, the sociologist who first described the concept of a role model, said that the term had within it many “ambiguities, incompatibilities and conflicts”. I’ve been told that Tiger has always been a philandering fool – his pre-fame youth was littered with casual flings, before his golf took off and before Nike’s publicity team stepped in. The notion of role models will never die. Society needs people to look up to because it needs the assurance that everything is on track.
Not game for meat in SA? Hannah Simon
The horse-meat phenomenon that surfaced in Europe has created worldwide upheaval. While South African meat merchants may not be role-players with regards to the plight of the pony, they are, however, guilty of something related. Neigh, neigh – forget equestrian eats. Scientists of Stellenbosch University have spotted traces of donkey, goat and water buffalo in some South African meat brands. Sample meats that were initially tested were found to contain ‘unconventional’ (to say the least) ingredients. Mislabelling is under great debate as to whether it really does pose a threat to health, ethic, and economics. Let’s be honest, it’s more of a consumer fraud. More often than not, our egos are bruised by it more so than our bodies are. We, (mostly) as consumers, are taken for gullible fools – and we don’t like it. However, some serious health issues can emerge as a result of mislabelling. Allergies to certain mislabelled meats are probably of the highest concern. While it may be rare that long-term health issues arise from allergies, some serious
remember being entertained for hours watching snails become quite spectacularly sozzled in the buckets of beer my mother left out to drown them in. Interestingly enough, I’ve found it takes approximately a bucket of beer for our generation to come out of their shells too. My ears pricked up the other day when I heard that recent studies have disproved the age-old ‘beer goggles’ theory. Since you know, there aren’t more important things to investigate these days. I will admit that this momentous discovery has one fantastic repercussion: the “I was drunk” card can no longer be played to explain away all the slobbery surprises one wakes up to. Alcohol is no longer some supernatural substance lowering our sexual inhibitions (and standards) to a point where a two at 10pm becomes a ten at 2am. The only part of our brain that still functions after we have spewed all rationality down the toilet is our desire. And what’s more desirable than that two-stepping troll enclosed in a warm stench of pungent vomit staring directly at you? The point of all this, other than to make you mentally grimace thinking about all your past mistakes, is to reinforce that we need to stop listening to Jamie Foxx (or pop in general) and start taking the blame off the alcohol.
Katy Scott Opinions Editor
We are so quick to displace our responsibility for all forms of imbecilic behaviour on the liquor we have consumed. Despite what you wish to believe, the alcoholinfused break-ups, car crashes, hook-ups, fist fights and drunken truths you find yourself involved in can not be dismissed by the fact that you were like, so totally wasted bro. For the girls, the most irksome of cards played in the blame game is the “I was spiked” one. Honestly darling, those strings of saliva and incoherent noises dribbling out your mouth are not because some crazy man was so desperate to get into your high-waisted skirt that he went out of his way to drug you. Quite frankly, spiking is a rare phenomenon whereas alcoholism is not. With binging a popular past time in South Africa, it’s safe to assume that the majority of “spiking” is self-induced. Menstrual cycles, un-lined stomachs and certain medication can all contribute to an excessive drunkenness that is confused or conflated with being drugged. Any night you are wrapped around the toilet should have shown you your limit by now. It really distresses me that we are not reaping the fullness and fun out of our inebriation. After all, it is when we hit that sweet spot that conversations start rolling, awkward situations are eased, business deals are struck, girls grow closer, boys a little too much and everybody’s best qualities are accentuated. In this day and age, where relationships start in one boozeinfused night, we should be thanking alcohol for our partners and our very presence here today. Now with that disturbing image of your parents in mind, let’s have a drink. First round’s on me.
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opinions@varsitynewspaper.co.za (but mercifully curable) short term side-effects may occur. On the contrary, however, some scientists have claimed that ‘alien’ meats are somewhat healthier than the standard, ‘beefy’, boerewors. They are reportedly lower in additives, fat, and cardiac-killer cholesterol. This then raises the point on whether we are, in fact, making far more of an issue around this than need be. Would it really be so shocking were we to nibble on bits of (questionable) wild game once in a while? Undoubtedly, most Westernized countries will have a reaction to being fed (both literally and figuratively) false information. It
is culturally alien to us to eat some of the more ‘exotic’ animals we are so used to seeing on game drives and in NatGeo magazines. Sight, slaughter, snack?
our egos are bruised by the discrepancy more than our bodies are Over and above this, most of these targeted animals are red-listed – for example, the mountain zebra. Their very-likely-tendency to become extinct is partly in our hands, and
the overexploitation of these beasts, just to fill our pockets, does not quite bode well for the future of South African wildlife and tourism. The consumer loses trust in the marketer. The reputation of the meat market is totally slaughtered, and in turn, extinct. This can bring on some serious economic problems. Major meat suppliers lose out because they aren’t supplying to retail stores. Retail stores lose out because their turnover is lower owing to fewer meat sales… and so it all becomes one big meaty (and moneyless!) mess. Over and above health and economics, mislabelled meat
poses an enormous threat to religion. Meats wrongly labelled as Kosher or Halaal can result in a serious divine catastrophe. Apart from merely breaching religious conduct, fundamental believers would, no doubt, feel a sense of outrage at compromising their religious standards. Amongst all the rumpus rage around the rump (or lack thereof), there is a silver lining. Researchers have come up with what is, for now, the only solution: a DNA barcode on every meat package to classify whether you’re eating ‘pure’ meat or, in fact, a substitute specimen.
opinions
The elegance of Maths
V72 E3 - 12 MARCH 2013
7
HIV free UCT
Angela Kirykowicz
T
he terms ‘beauty’ and ‘elegance’ are widely used in the mathematics circle, which tends to leave those uninitiated a bit perplexed. As a general rule, most people are used to applying these terms to a wide range of disciplines including Art, Music and Dance, but not to Mathematics. This speaks of the inadequate way Maths is taught in school; formulas are prescribed without discussing where they come from, or what they actually describe. The history of mathematics, like the history of any subject, is full of quirks and surprises; who would have known that the mother of computing, Ada Lovelace, was the daughter of the famous poet Lord Byron?
…teach mathematics as if you were teaching a foreign language… Mathematics is the language of the universe; everything that we are familiar with, or will be familiar with, can be written using its code. The typical saying that nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution, can also be applied to maths; namely, nothing in the universe can be understood, except in the light of mathematics. It is true that concepts can be explained without using mathematics, but the understanding is only superficial; in order to truly know how the universe works, you have to learn and use its language. As a language, Maths is difficult to grasp. However, this is true of practically everything. Some people never learn to cook or write well, which doesn’t deter others from mastering
Image: Maria Kalymnios
Image: Anna Degenaar those subjects. It’s the same for Maths; all you need is time, perseverance, and an inquiring mind. The tools you will acquire can be applied to any facet of life, from spotting faulty arguments to appreciating the implied beauty it conveys. It is very difficult to describe how Maths is beautiful; it is just something implied in its structure, similarly to how people appreciate good art – when you see a beautiful painting, such as Van Gogh’s Midnight in Paris, you implicitly know that it is beautiful without having to explain why. Elegance is a bit different to beauty; it usually applies to proofs or formulas that are short or unexpected. A physical example would be Einstein’s formula E = mc2, where E is the amount of energy produced by an object with a mass of m and c is the speed of light in a vacuum, which is constant. Although seemingly innocuous, it is a profound
result that shows matter and energy is interchangeable. Karl Marx once remarked that when people are learning a new language, they automatically translate it back into the one they already know. This is true for those trying to learn Maths; eventually, your translation malfunctions. Part of the problem is the way mathematics is currently taught in school; students are force-fed a myriad of formulas and concepts, often out of context. This creates a vicious cycle of students who struggle with Maths and become parents themselves who cannot help if their children also struggle. A remedy is to teach Mathematics as if you were teaching a foreign language; you communicate it through its symbols and equations, explain were they come from in the language you know and, ultimately, encourage students to master it themselves.
Today’s (a)pathetic youth Richard McLean What do you care about? It's a question we tend to brush off as we move onto less ‘intense’ topics, such as the weekend's carousing outside Tugwell. Perhaps it is something we really should give a bit more thought to. After all, a young Baptist minister once said: “if a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live.” So, what do we care about? As a leftist, I tend to shun the self proclaimed ‘liberal’ who is accustomed to sitting at luncheons in the Southern Suburbs, exclaiming how “our president is an idiot” and “the ANC is corrupt to the core”. This kind of ‘liberal’ is counterproductive; he likes to talk, but is too concerned with his own career and his own ‘bubble of privilege’ to really make an effort to do anything. This is the kind of ‘liberal’ who is too scared to set foot in the township. His ‘activism’ consists of sticking a rhino horn (resembling a certain human appendage) onto the front of his fuel-guzzling SUV and
Regardless of the knowledge and training at your disposal, and beyond weekly mobile vans and a walk-in office at the Sports Centre, Are we the beginning of the HIV- what exempts you from the reality free generation? Or does it just that is a disease that is wiping out make us feel better to think and populations across the world? say that we are? HIV cannot be seen as the There is less than 0.1% ‘poor or uneducated man’s disease’ prevalence for HIV-positive because, unlike your efforts students at UCT. This is great throughout the semester, there is right? Not really. While 0.1% out no DP tag available as a guarantee of approximately 23,500 students at the end. looks good on paper, we have to Being HIV-free is not limited get down to the real question: to living without the disease. It With such a large population of also necessitates choosing to live students – of whom not nearly knowingly. Above that, what is enough are getting tested – what essential is active participation does it mean to be in healthy HIV-free anyway? behaviours The disease carries HIV cannot be seen as on a daily a heavy burden on the What the ‘poor or uneducated basis. thoughts, beliefs and we are man’s disease’ actions of society. The striving unrelenting stigmas for is not a fuel the ignorance pretty little and neglect that transgress the percentage that decorates annual socio-economic boundaries reports, but a generation that is that many think defines who is using what they know to carve a at risk of contracting the virus. progressive way forward. It is the The mere fact that you are able everyday fight to actually be what to open this paper and read this we are aspiring towards – to say article means that you are part of a less and do more. ‘privileged’ group. As Sisters Nelson and Christien This contentious title earns you from the Student Wellness Service certain stereotypes, such as the in the Sports Centre share, HIV notion that with the opportunity is not a death sentence. It is now to acquire vast amounts of grouped with other chronic knowledge and utilise different conditions such as Hypertension resources, surely you ‘know better’ and Diabetes Mellitus. Students – thus ‘act better’, right? need to feel sufficiently empowered The myth goes something to test for the virus so that they like this: UCT students practise can make informed decisions safe-sex all the time; they're about how to live their lives well-educated and well-aware of more efficiently. all risks and consequences and If we are to live freely and are, therefore, always equipped knowingly, the responsibility is on to make the right life choices – all of us to play our part. So do you especially those that affect their really know Mr and Miss UCT? education, health and wellbeing. The collective goal is clear, but can But ask yourself whether this the same be said for where you glowing stereotype sticks to you. stand as an individual?
Anima McBrown
giving money to a beggar once a month. As such, he soothes his own painful conscience without making any real difference. But what about UCT students? Surely our own history of campaigning for what is right at
too quick to paint all liberals the same shade of blue a time when society was morally corrupt means something in our modern context? Sadly, the evidence that I have seen on campus leads me to a different conclusion. The last time I saw a student get even vaguely passionate about any issue was a politics student who ranted against his tutor's decision to give him 0% for an assignment because he had conveniently ‘forgotten’ to include a bibliography. Of course, one mustn't be too quick to paint all liberals the same shade of blue. The march up Jammie
stairs suggested to me that UCT students do (at least) care about some issues. And organisations such as SHAWCO do amazing work in underprivileged communities; running tutoring programs for learners and mobile health clinics for the sick. By contrast, there are those who seem to be more in line with my own political views, and these are the likes of the YCL (Young Communist League). Where is the hammer and sickle in all of this? All I've seen so far from the comrades suggests they do a huge amount of politicking and waving of the ‘revolutionary’ flag, yet when it comes to events such as Marikana, the SACP (and thus the YCL) side with the ruling ANC, rather than showing solidarity with the workers in the strike. After the events of the 1980s, it really is sad for me to see the fire of the youth dying out. The only visible action is amongst a minority of concerned students. The rest of us need to pull ourselves out of our apathetic stupor and do something significant.
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opinions
V72 E3 – 12 MARCH 2013
Chávez: The distortion of a legacy Uthman Quick
social assistance to the poor as some sort of mass bribe. This is the naked elitism tinged in racism that Chávez and many others who believe in the Bolivarian revolution have sought to change. The idea that people believe is that the poor are too stupid and materially driven to be able to make rational decisions about who they want to lead them unless they receive free ‘gifts’ in return - Mitt Romney’s 47 percent if you will.
O
n March 5th, Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías died after possibly one of the most public battles with illness a head of state has ever had to face. Immediately after the announcement, twitter feeds, 24hour news tickers and newspaper articles were all unable to talk of the his death without adding that he was a person who divided opinions and polarised his people. There is no doubt that Hugo Chávez was not everyone’s cup of tea. But the fact that, once again, many in the global media industry have chosen to focus their attention away from the man himself. Instead, they devote much of his obituary to their own ideals and sensitivities. This is emblematic of the challenges Chávez continues to face even after his passing. Those who know Chávez’s story were not surprised. Growing up as the second of seven children into the poverty stricken rural grasslands of a Venezuela (and Latin America)
Chávez has left an indelible mark on Venezuela and Latin America Image: flickr.com/ El Mundo, Economía y Negocios
dominated by right-wing killing machines and CIA puppet leaders, Chávez’s rise to the presidency was no twitter aided marketing miracle. The truth is that Chávez, although an instigator himself, rode a natural
wave of rejection towards American neo-liberalism and economic enslavement in Latin America. His critics disagree – pointing to his parties use of Venezuela’s considerable petrol wealth to provide
This is not to say that the Chávez government was a flawless people’s champion. Seriously high-levels of crime, corruption and government mismanagement still plague Venezuela. Alliances with Gaddafi and Assad, although more for show than substance, were questionable façades of anti-Americanism,
despite the US remaining Venezuela’s number one trading partner. However, what is undeniable is that Chávez has left an indelible mark on Venezuela and Latin America. While our government struggles to address the inequalities of the past, Chávez was able to cut domestic poverty in half. Far from being the dictator some have labelled him as, Venezuela now enjoys some of the most free and fair elections in the world and many ordinary citizens are involved in governing themselves through local councils. Chávez, above all, has managed to realign the status quo of politics in Latin America from one dominated by American political and economic agendas to one of revolutionary thinking. The truth is that the polarisation that many speak of in the wake of Chávez’s death is not amongst the poor majority, instead it divides those who saw him as a politician who finally had the interests of the poor at heart (despite his flaws) – and those who represent the new forms of failed politics in the past.
Stars are forever Basking in each other’s lunch authority who have a scandal haunting them. The question is: will these scandals ever deter people from supporting their It is a fact today that superstars ‘heroes’? I believe not. I believe and scandals go hand-in-hand. they will still love their chosen These scandals are happening with stars for their achievements such frequency that they are fast despite the stains on their becoming commonplace. reputations. Many of these, more often Oscar, for instance, is an than not, involve criminal charges inspiration to many disabled such as doping and murder. With athletes out there, with him the number of appearing in convictions that Time Magazine’s have happened in nothing more than a list of 100 most recent times, one influential figurative shock to our people in 2008 could be forgiven system for thinking and 2012. That d e f e n d i n g influence is why celebrities against this incident such charges is a waste of time. won’t deter many of the Oscar The most recent case of fans from still worshipping him. controversy amongst influential However, some of the figures is Oscar Pistorius, who shot aforementioned stains are just and killed his girlfriend, Reeva too big to pass off as a ‘minor Steenkamp last month. While he incident’. The Lance Armstrong claimed he thought she was an controversy was one such case. intruder, and that it was a tragic The United States Anti-Doping accident, there are a lot of people Agency (USADA) took action who don’t believe him. against him, and he finally stopped Maybe these sceptics are right, contesting the doping charges. or maybe this was a terrible Although many people, including accident as he claimed. The event myself at one point, believed him itself, however, is somewhat to be innocent, the later admission reminiscent of a tragedy of of doping and the subsequent stardom: amid your fame, some loss of his titles forever tarnished unpleasant detail surfaces in the his image. public eye, creates a scandal, and A major point to note on plagues your life. superstars and controversy is Michael Jackson’s child that, regardless of the scandal or molestation accusations in how tarnishing it is, it is nothing 1993 and arrest in 2003 are just more than a figurative shock to two examples of such celebrity our system. People are repulsed at scandals. There is also Lance first, but will adapt. If we love that Armstrong, who received a person enough, we can ignore lifetime ban from cycling and lost their uncomfortable new details. his Tour de France titles as a result If the new details don’t sit well of using performance-enhancing with us, we have the option of just substances. removing that memory, like the There are so many more cases garbage that it is, and finding new out there, and these cases are people to look up to. In either not even restricted to superstars; case, the culture of worshipping sometimes it’s people with ‘superstars’ will never die out.
Quentin Coetzee
Busang Senne
Deep in the underbelly of Middle Campus lawns wait the flock of the Idioticus Maximus for their sacred ritual in their natural habitat. The animal kingdom of UCT migrates every summer to witness the Idioticus Maximus in the phenomenon of Sixes by Sevens… Being a fresher, I had only heard Sixes by Sevens being referenced in bizarre jokes or questions asking what 6x7 equalled: if only I had known the answer. If you were like me and are reading this with no knowledge of this phenomenon, the basis of this complex and confusing event is to gather up a swimming team, wear a ridiculous costume (hopefully of the waterproof variety) and proceed to eat colourant-treated, carb-loaded food and a steady stream of beer. Not so bad right? Except that indulging in six beers and then doing seven laps can have its consequences: like being drenched in vomit in an array of mushy colours to the delight and disgust of the crowd. I needed answers. A video on YouTube uploaded by UCT Film Society gives a glimpse into this tradition: one inebriated trooper stating, “I’ve never felt more alive.” Apart from that, when asking the question “Why?” all I got in response was, “Because it’s funny.” Funny? Insanity is a bit closer to the mark. I don’t know who’s crazier: the people who decided this was a good idea or the people who come running back to watch it every single year. It’s the fascination with all things trivial – small things amuse small minds. So what does this say about us UCT students? Are the 1.2 million books in our state-of-the-art library just so boring that we have to revert to the primitive? Even a good game
Image: Michael Currin of hacky-sack just won’t cut it anymore, and to me that is slightly
Even a good game of hacky-sack just won’t cut it anymore and to me that’s slightly worrying. worrying. The fact that we’re entertained by things like Jackass and apply it to our lives with practices like Sixes by Sevens, really makes you wonder… surely our psychology has evolved enough to not be amused by stapling each other’s bottoms? I’m not trying to stand on a podium and preach the frivolity of Generation Y (I was, after all, an active participant in the stupidity) but I think at least some of you agree
that we could probably be changing the world instead of actively engaging in a mad spectacle of human fluid. But then again, who am I to say that tapping into that ritualistic spirit of brotherhood and solidarity whilst basking in each other’s lunch, doesn’t matter? Maybe that’s all that matters: finding people who you will let puke on you and who will let you do the same to them. Maybe that’s the true definition of family, friendship and fellow countrymen. Maybe that trooper, eyes wild with raw energy and face glistening with someone else’s sandwich, really hadn’t felt more alive in his life. I guess sometimes you have to forget you’re a capable and intelligent human being, throw caution to the wind, and throw up on each other. After all, that is the ‘Ikeys vibe’, right?
opinions
V72 E3 - 12 MARCH 2013
9
UCT’s sugar-coated catacomb How dope is the pope? Alexandra Nagel
Aisha Abdool Karim
A
mongst the leafiness of the gravelly road flamboyantly named Lover’s Walk, skips a young maiden in a polka dot dress. Little does she know that a dark and looming presence is creeping up behind her (and no, it isn’t the “protective” hands of CPS) to snatch away her innocence and her Blackberry. Who crafts this picture for us to trick our minds into only seeing the maiden without the dark cloud of doom rumbling behind her? Perhaps it all begins with that fancy video of UCT shown to us at Open Days in schools across the nation. With a lengthy email sent out last week from Properties and Services Director, John Critien, about students being followed to campus after they had drawn money from an ATM in Rondebosch on Main Road, one wonders where CPS was during such a dilemma. As stated in the email, security guards were being physically attacked by the alleged robbers. How cna we expect CPS to protect us when these poor security guards can barely protect themselves? As per the description on the UCT website, CPS “acts as a positive deterrent against potential crime actions”. What happens when the crime is actually taking place? Yes, we have heard the story of “keep on the blue route” and “press the big blue button when someone is attacking you” (oh one moment please Mr Robber, I just need to wait for the lady on the intercom to respond to me. But now please proceed). We are
Image: Isabella Hugow CPS: Are they actually equipped to protect us? encouraged to carry pepper spray on our person, yet the very people who are paid to ensure our safety have no means to actually protect you and me or even themselves. Continued on UCT’s website it states that “in extraordinary circumstances CPS is empowered to take whatever appropriate action is necessary to maintain order and security on campus”. Fair enough, but CPS does not possess anything but a luminous green vest that could really empower them. And how would they deal with this “extraordinary circumstance”? Perhaps radio in to the nearest police station while you lie dying on the floor. Right now, CPS is acting purely as car guards and over-sized pigeons crowding the entrance of the Middle
Campus tunnel that leads to Upper Campus. Instead of the usual pigeonlike act of swarming in to swipe your food, this breed merely peck at the occasional student card produced. Our sugar-coated catacomb that we call UCT is hollower than you think. We get taught about crime, sent emails about it too. People that we know of fall victim to it, and yet we still prance around campus freely with our polka-dot dresses and Blackberry in hand. Most of the time CPS will not be there to shelter you under the UCT umbrella when the Cape Town evils come raining down. Why we draft such a blissful portrait for ourselves of the glorious Rondebosch Main Road is a case of pure ignorance; it’s sketchier than you think.
Apartheid: What’s in a name
changes occurring. More cultures are present and religion has become more localised making it Sex scandals, child abuse and tougher for one man to maintain numerous other legal issues that control of such a large and diverse have plagued the Catholic Church community. have culminated to the point where The election of a new pope the Pope has resigned for the first brings with it a hope of progress time in over 600 years. With this and an opportunity for the sudden change in leadership, what church to elevate international is the future of the church? involvement. Whoever is elected The Catholic Church has has the potential to broaden the somewhat lost its relevance to impact of the church, as they could society and seek guidance the global from the community over i n t e r n a t i o n al The Catholic Church the years, given c om mu n it y. has somewhat lost its that people While generally relevance in society are no longer the church has governed by a kept issues theological state. amongst its own However, even with the decreased leaders – but the church could involvement of the church globally, turn to other leaders for assistance. the resignation of the pope seems The current state of governance to have captured the attention of has not exactly worked in favour people worldwide. of the church and whilst they In theory the election of the still have a considerable amount Pope should have no effect on the of followers, the past few years it way society functions as a whole have been shrouded in a myriad of and yet there is still the possibility legal and financial issues. Now is that this resignation could lead the chance to turn the fate of the to a transformation of the church church around. and thus have a more far-reaching A new pope may not be able impact than anticipated. to come in and magically make I don’t believe that the election all of their problems disappear, of a new pope will change the but he can set them on the right entire ethos of the church, and, at track to move forward and begin its core, I believe the principles of the process of resolving issues the Catholic Church will no doubt of the past. remain the same; yet, there is still The unexpected resignation a chance that a new pope could of Pope Benedict XVI has left come in and increase the influence the future of the church open of the church. and there is no telling which The church has become direction it could go. Regardless isolated and has restricted its of past issues plaguing the church, reach, as well as understanding. this election could bring change The world has progressed rapidly where it is needed and it will be over the years and the church has interesting to see where things go not tried to keep abreast of the from here.
Uthman Quick There is a place in the world today where people of different ethnicities are separated by concrete walls. On one side of the wall, residents enjoy a life similar to that available in European cities. On the other side of the wall most people live under constant humiliation, degradation and enforced poverty. If this sounds somewhat familiar to the average South African citizen who hasn’t had their head under the sand for the last fifty years, that’s because it is familiar. The Afrikaans word for this is apartheid and it exists
Palestinian citizens of Israel are afforded separate and unequal social benefits right now in Israel and Palestine. There is no doubt that the use of the word apartheid is controversial – I do not use the term lightly and neither do the thousands of activists and students who in over 250 cities around the world are participating in the ninth annual Israeli Apartheid Week. From Aberdeen to Zurich, people are recognising that the resemblance between South Africa’s former system and Israel’s present day system is too powerful to ignore.
Image: Michael Currin ISRAELI-APARTHEID WEEK: UCT protested against discrimination towards Palestinians in Israel. In many instances what Israel has created is the essence of the term apartheid: ‘separateness’. Just as the NP government sought to divide people based on race and with the agenda of siphoning off key resources, so have Jewish-only Israeli settlements (which are illegal under international law) devoured Palestinian land and resources. Both regimes justified this action under the guise of state security. Israel and the Israeli people have a
right to security, however it poses the question: how does settler colonialism increase security? and how does separating families members from one another and their breadwinners from their livelihood with an illegal separation wall make your citizens safer? Inside Israel the Apartheid similitude continues. Even though Palestinians make up around a fifth of Israel’s population, they are treated like second-class citizens.
Palestinian citizens of Israel are given separate and inferior social benefits and are made to live in separate areas where they face the threat of demolition to their homes. And just like the Apartheid Mixed Marriages Act, they are not allowed to marry Jewish Israelis. Critics of the Israeli-Apartheid analogy say that Israel cannot be an apartheid state because Arabs and Jews can swim at the same beaches and sit next to each other
on buses, which is true. But Rosa Parks did not refuse to give up her seat on that bus in Alabama because her life depended on sitting next to white people. Cosmetic equality is meaningless in a system that has segregation at its core. Palestinians, like the people of colour under the Apartheid system in South Africa, are forced to accept poor education, high unemployment and most importantly are deprived of land which is rightfully theirs. That is the association that matters. The question is what should we as students do about it? The answer to this also lies in the legacy of this country’s struggle against Apartheid. While the NP government in South Africa was seeking the advice of their Israeli counterparts on how to manage their brand in the face of globalisation, university students were at the forefront of the AntiApartheid Movement. The fact that we now live in a society that, at least in its laws and Constitution, is a model of equality and freedom is partly due to the activism of people around the world who had the fortitude to stand up for what they believed in. There were of course those who chose not to protest against Apartheid and who labelled Mandela and the ANC as ‘dirty terrorists’ whose sole aim was to drive all white people into the sea. Which side of history will we find ourselves on?
Dentists have the highest suicide rate among the vast range of careers out there, closely followed by actors, musicians, writers and photographers. rs.
What’s in a d
The cause of many heated debates between of job-shadowing and googling and the mot money’ conflicts is the career choice. Most of lifelong decision at the barely-ripe age of 18, different degrees apart. We thought we’d loo
Desig
The average person will change jobs every six to ten years and careers between two to four times.
Where and how much?
We’re always crowing over how UCT is the to affect our pockets? The statistics below seem Average
According to Forbes, the five “happiest” jobs belong to members of the the Clergy, firefighters, physical therapists, authors and special education teachers.
Chemists, dental hygienists and bakers are said to be the top three professions with the highest bosshate index.
Sources | www.payscale.com | www.forbes.com | w
degree?
us and the parents, manyy hours ther of all inner ‘love versus us f us make this supposedly , without any idea of whatt sets ok at just a few.
gn: Zarmeen Ghoor
Research: Tasneem Amra
op university in Africa, but do these bragging rights m to show a definite trend.
Tuition Costs per Year (2012 figures)
www.pathmotion.com | www.moneyweb.co.za
Money talks Undoubtedly, the prime concern that steers the career choice decision is that of renumeration. Pay packages are not always directly related to one’s degree. Many a lost soul has ended up working in a field vastly different to what they had studied at university. Towards the end of last year, Forbes published a list of the ten degrees that generally glean the highest starting salaries. Although this list applies better to more developed countries than South Africa, they give a good indication of where the world is heading. They are: 1. Computer Engineering 2. Chemical Engineering 3. Computer Science 4. Aeronautical Engineering 5. Mechanical Engineering 6. Electrical Engineering 7. Civil Engineering 8. Finance 9. Contruction Management 10. Information Systems
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features
V72 E3 – 12 MARCH 2013
What it takes to live a model life A career in modelling can take you places (literally) and earn you packets. Interested? Daniël Geldenhuys
C
lick, flash! Click, flash! Click, flash! That’s the sound of your picture being taken by a professional photographer while a crew of stylists and assistants watch you work your magic. If you’re taller than the counter at Panda Land and not blatantly hideous-looking, you’ve probably considered making a side career out of modelling. You’re probably expecting to read about how modelling is a very serious career: how it’s not as easy, glamorous and lucrative as it seems – and that doing it on a student schedule would be a major challenge. False.
your modelling career can give you a (very profitable) holiday income In fact, your modelling career can easily be tailored to fit your schedule, and it can give you a (very profitable) holiday income, whisk you off to New York, London, Tokyo, etcetera – making you enough money to pay off your student loan and maybe even buy an apartment. Click, flash! Linda Bruchhausen, the owner
Image provided by Boss Models of Boss Models, and her team get between 20 and 45 emails a day from model hopefuls. From those, two to three will get serious consideration, and every two weeks one will be called in… “and then out of even those we won’t take most.” Click, trash. Chatting to Linda about all the FAMQs (Frequently Asked Model Questions), it becomes clear that
model life is not unlike that of a superhero. In order to get your powers (signed with an agency), you need to be in the right place at the right time. The people at Boss Models trawl the streets of Cape Town like genetically modified spiders, looking for someone tall and attractive to bite. “We have found incredible models at UCT,” says Linda. “Really
beautiful people.” (Click, flash to that.) About 15% of Boss Models are tertiary education folk. The agency takes down your schedule of lectures, tuts and exams, only calling you for castings in your free time. A Hiddingh Jammie (perhaps reminiscent of a Bat Mobile after consuming several illegal substances) will get you in walking distance of most castings.
And although no one’s going to shine a (insert your name)-shaped light to the Cape Town sky when you get booked for a job, you will get a text message to alert you about your next mission. Click, dash! You’re hoping for either a catalogue or television shoot, the latter being quite lucrative, thanks to the royalties you get every time your commercial is screened. Cape Town models are in luck: CT is an international TV-shoot hotspot. Click, cash! The first thing to ask yourself as you embark on a modelling career is whether you measure up. Literally. Around 170-174cm for girls and 184-190cm for boys are the essential height requirements. That said, exceptions (sometimes your personality can give you those extra metaphorical centimetres) are made by the agency – you’ll just be excluded from work that demands tall over small. But most importantly, Linda emphasises, you have to have a flexible personality. “In this job you have to accept conditions that are sometimes really not easy, like being called at 11pm to say you have to be on set at four the next morning. The models who are easy-going make the most money.” And there you have it. Click. Flash.
Student staples: a few basics can make a whole menu of delicious meals Cassidy Nydahl Student pantries (or let’s rather say, solitary food cupboards) are notoriously under-stocked. This makes deciding what to make for dinner quite a mission. Here are a few basic ingredients students should always have on hand that make the base for many simple, delicious and healthy meals. Avocado: while this ingredient is a little on the expensive side during their off-season, a little goes a long way. Other than dressing up almost any salad, it’s amazing mashed on toast, in wraps, or as a dip for nachos. Pasta: this is an obvious one. Pasta dishes can be made as simply as adding fresh chopped tomato, pesto and feta. Pasta is the kind of ingredient that can be used with anything left over in your fridge. Lemons: lemon juice makes simple and healthy dressings for salads, gives extra flavour to chicken and fish, and is used in almost all Asian cooking. Feta: not many salads taste as good without this yummy ingredient! It also works well in pastas, on pizzas and crumbled over avo on toast. Spring onion: a little fresher than onion, spring onions add that extra bit of zing to any dish, and taste good, both cooked and fresh. Chilli, garlic and ginger: these should always be in the fridge! Woolworths sells a great little fourpack for only R17.99, that has all three of these ready and mashed, so you don’t have to do any of the prep.
Chickpea, orzo and feta salad
Quesadillas
Lemony chicken and avocado pasta
Images: Shannon Krausey Ingredients:
½ cup orzo pasta rice 500ml chicken stock 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 spring onion, chopped 1 round feta, crumbled Any salad vegetable, chopped (e.g. tomatoes, peppers, cucumber) Handful fresh mint, chopped Handful fresh basil, chopped 1 tsp chopped green chilli Juice of half a lemon
Method: Bring the chicken stock to the boil, then add the orzo and boil until al dente (around ten minutes). Once the orzo is cooked, add all the remaining ingredients and dress with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Tips: Orzo rice is delicious in salads and pasta bakes, but can also be substituted with couscous or another type of grain.
Ingredients:
2 wraps ½ cup grated cheese Fillings: absolutely anything! But here are some suggestions: Sliced avocado Sundried tomatoes Rocket Freshly chopped tomato Grilled chicken breast, sliced up Scrambled eggs Pesto Any type of cheese
Method: Place a layer of grated cheese on one wrap, arrange all your fillings on top, adding another layer of cheese onto the fillings, and sandwich together with the second wrap. Bring a wide pan to a low-medium heat and carefully place your quesadilla in the middle to toast. Once the bottom side is crispy, quickly flip it over and toast the next side. Take out of the pan and cut into slices, then serve.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil Juice and zest of a lemon 1 tsp crushed garlic 1 tsp chopped green chilli 1 chicken breast, sliced into slivers ½ avocado, mashed Handful parsley, finely chopped Handful grated parmesan 100g-200g spaghetti
Method: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the garlic and lemon zest and fry for a minute. Add the chicken breast slivers and fry until cooked through, then add the drained pasta (with a little bit of the pasta water) and toss. Stir in the mashed avocado, parsley and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.
features
The future has arrived
V72 E3 - 12 MARCH 2013
HOW TO:
Imagine wearing your internet, phone, camera and GPS at all times. It’s possible.
BE SEXY Image: flickr.com/ watchmojo
Ryno Nortjé
S
oon people will be roaming the streets with robotic limbs and bionic eyes, searching for directions using their glasses, and taking photos using their watches. All of these technologies currently exist, but not all have made it to the market yet. Here are the ones we already have: ■ The world’s first muscle and nerve controlled arm prosthesis was permanently implanted in an amputee last month. This means that instead of a socket fitted to the arm stump, a titanium socket is fused to the actual bone where the prosthetic will be attached. A more natural feeling of movement is thus obtained with less irritation to the skin. The prosthetic is accompanied by electrodes which are permanently implanted in the nerves and muscles so that commands can move directly from the brain to the arm. This is an inspiring technological innovation that can radically change the lives of amputees. ■ The bionic eye has recently gained approval for sale in the US. It is a revolutionary concept created in order to treat a certain type of blindness. It is made up of a tiny camera situated in a pair of glasses. This is connected directly to your retina. Although it does not restore normal sight, the signals from the camera can be learnt and interpreted to the point where colour, object and headline-sized letter recognition can become possible. Now for the gadgets that we are waiting for: ■ The Neptune Pine watch will
Ryan Bird
Image: Ehud Rattner
BIONIC EYE: Scientists in the US are inventing treatments for blindness. become available at the end of this year, but orders are already streaming in. This “new-generation” technology supports micro-SIM cards, allowing you to make calls, send e-mails and browse the internet. The 2.5 inch display allows you to watch videos, navigate using GPS and is compatible with all android apps. Taking photos and videos is also possible with the built in 5 MP camera. This option works out cheaper than most smartphones at just under R3000 so we might be seeing a move away from the handheld device to a more sophisticated James Bond approach of communication. ■ Google has come up with a way to constantly keep the internet within your line of sight. “Glass”,
The smile Believe it or not, you can actually practise your smile. Visit the mirror once in a while; it might seem pointless in the beginning, but once you get the right combination of teeth, lip and jaw, the results will speak for itself. For those of us who don’t have the best teeth in the world, we will wear our smiles with pride… keeping our mouths closed.
The future seems to be geared towards wearable technology. Not a bad idea considering it will make it more difficult to lose those valuable items that are already so often referred to as extensions of ourselves.
Look in the eye Esquire’s sexiest woman of 2012, Mila Kunis, has big round eyes that are normally just cute. But then she positions her eyelids and eyeline in such a way that becomes sexually appealing. The
Aisha Abdool Karim
Image: flickr.com/ mshea easy as it sounds. Writing the novel in Zulu took Mbuyazi much more
There are those who argue against the invention of new words time and effort than it would have if he’d used English terminology. Whilst inventing the new words, Mbuyazi took into account the different aspects of the things being described such as their movement, appearance and the sounds they made. While the intentions behind this modernisation of the language were
No, appearance is not everything. With the right combination of mannerisms, you too can work towards landing those People or Esquire “sexiest” covers. Everyone has their own perceptions of what makes “sexy” sexy. Sure, your appearance must be appealing, but your actions can amplify your sex appeal to new heights no matter what you look like. A simple tweak in a mannerism can turn you from a “forever alone”, to The Law of Magnetism in no time.
their newest product is a pair of glasses that sports an onboard minicomputer. This allows you to surf the net through voice commands with the results appearing in the righthand lens of the glasses. It doesn’t end there. You can take photos, record videos, get GPS directions and translate languages all through voice commands. “Glass” will only be available next year as it is still in its testing phase.
Zulu gets creative: A new novel is innovating the Zulu language Everything you say or hear in your everyday life from ‘awesome’ to ‘pandemonium’ is constructed from the same 26 letters. These letters can be arranged in numerous different ways to create countless new words with new definitions. English, for example, has evolved to the point where words from a hundred years ago are no longer in existence. Zulu is now following suit with a new novel which introduces 450 new Zulu words – but not without a little controversy. Phiwayinkosi Mbuyazi, a South African engineer-turned-author, found the Zulu language lacking in terminology for modern concepts such as air conditioning and pollution whilst writing his book, Amayiphendleya. The novel is about teenagers exploring the wonders of technology – which is what led him to discover the dependence people have on English while using the Zulu language. He didn’t want to resort to using English words in the book because isn’t it just so much cooler to invent your own? This led to his decision to update the Zulu language. Making up words isn’t nearly as
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good, it seems that the reactions have been mixed. There are those who argue against the invention of new words and would rather keep the language ‘pure’ (or perhaps they’re just jealous they didn’t get to have the fun of making up words themselves). Others feel this change is essential to keep the language alive and ensure its continued use in the future. Whichever side you’re on, the words already exist; whether people choose to use them or not is up to them. Hopefully all the intrigue and debate over the language will lead to Zulu literature becoming more popular and relatable to younger generations.
“distant look” is quite sexy, but balance is everything. The way you look at somebody can say a lot, but be careful – staring for too long can be just plain creepy. Keep the masses interested by having a mysterious look. Consult mirror. A trademark move Legally Blonde’s ‘Bend and Snap’ is “a secret move that has a 98% success rate of getting a man’s attention. When used appropriately, it has an 83% rate of return on a dinner invitation,” according to Elle Woods. With a success rate this high, it’s well recommended that you use a trademark move to give you an edge. Be innovative: manufacture a unique technique to get yourself noticed. Bottom lip bites, hair flicks, and loud laughs, are subtle but effective. You can go bigger if you feel the time is right. Just make sure you’re breaking hearts, not noses. The strut – don’t try too hard The way you carry yourself is important to unlocking your “outer” sexiness. Don’t walk around like you are God’s gift to humanity – that’s not sexy. People magazine’s 2012 Sexiest Man Alive Channing Tatum walks like a normal human being, proving that it’s okay to walk around without hurting your back or chest muscles.
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V72 E3 – 12 MARCH 2013
Has the organic movement reached a stalemate? With the ever-increasing global population, the organic movement might be on the brink of extinction. Shannon Holcroft
O
rganic is a buzzword in our health-obsessed society. Any product sporting this label is thought to be tastier, healthier and better than its inorganic opponent. Upmarket stores have jumped on the vegetable oil-fuelled bandwagon, stocking certified organic products at astronomical prices. Organic farming is widely thought to be the healthiest option for our planet’s well-being, as well as our own. But this view is being challenged by leading scientists and agricultural experts.
“Organic farming… is being challenged by leading scientists and agricultural experts.”
Image: Elelwani Netshifhire HEALTH FREAK: Is organic food really the way to go? pollination of at least a third of fresh produce, cutting down on synthetic pesticides should feature high on our environmental agenda. Despite these significant advantages of organic farming, a number of eco-warriors like Mark Lyan are revoking their long-term support of the movement. Lyan condemned organic farming at this year’s Oxford Farming Conference, declaring Genetic Modification (GM) technology the only feasible method to combat the world food crisis. As the world’s population is predicted to skyrocket to 9.5 billion by 2050, we await a future of even more mouths to feed; a future where the organic movement may have no place. Organic farming delivers a 40-50% lower yield than inorganic farming across the same land area. Foods that have been genetically
tweaked are denied membership to the organic club, despite how GM technology offers scientists the opportunity to develop crops that require less pesticides and deliver increased yields. GM food has been demonised by environmentalists and declared a symptom of humanity’s ‘God Complex’, regardless of its potential to decrease pesticide and land area use. As genes are often introduced from one species to another, many feel that GM technology allows humans more control in shaping their world than they should be. Although long-term studies of GM food consumption have not yet been conducted, the organic movement may find itself at a standstill if it continues to barricade itself from these important advances. So what will happen next? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Elephant Shoes Jimmy Nevis Melissa Cohen Edgy. Pop. Dreamer. Soul. With over 15 000 followers on social networks, UCT’s Jimmy Nevis is one of South Africa’s most exciting new artists to hit the music scene. With his local number one hit single “Elephant Shoes”, which means “I love you” when mouthed, this local heartthrob has been lighting up the South African music scene with his good looks, humble attitude and passionate vocals. After appearing on top South African television shows, Top Billing and Expresso, his fame has soared since the release of his debut album
titled Subliminal late last year. The success of hits such as “Heartboxing”, “Elephant Shoes” and his latest single, “In Love with You”, suggests that this 20-year-old is heading for greater things. Like many great musicians, Jimmy Nevis was inspired by music at a young age. He is passionate about music and enjoys using it to make a difference in people’s lives. After writing poetry and lyrics for a number of years, Jimmy was able to write and produce his entire album. “They’re about seeing beneath the surface. Going beyond the music,” says Nevis about the meaning behind his work. Nevis masterfully balances his
student life with his blooming career, assignments never having kept him from making his music dream a reality. Nevis says it best, “It’s tough, but this time in my life is about making my dreams come true, and no one is going to stop me.” Jimmy has been working tirelessly on the music video for his latest single, “In Love with You”. It features some of our very own UCT students and will be released in the next few months. Do yourselves a favour and grab a copy of Subliminal, go watch some of his videos and like his social network pages. Let’s support a fellow student in his dream to continue to succeed!
Rise of the Afrikaans Film Empire Image: nfvf.co.za
Organic food’s chief selling points are its nutritional value, ecofriendliness and production without synthetic pesticides or artificial hormones. However, Stanford University recently analysed 240 studies of organic and conventional produce and discovered no consistent difference in vitamin content across the farming methods. Although organic food might not be the most nutritious option, there is sound reason in the movement’s crusade against the use of hormones and pesticides. It is highly likely that the milk added to your morning coffee is produced by cows treated with the artificial growth hormone rBGH to increase their milk output. When cows are exposed to rBGH, an insulin-like growth factor is produced in their milk. As high levels of this growth factor are associated with an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, choosing organic dairy products has its obvious benefits. The ill effects of synthetic pesticides in inorganic farming are shown through dwindling bee populations worldwide. According to research done last year, the use of crop pesticides causes nests to produce fewer queens, meaning that each successive generation of bees is smaller than the last. As bees are responsible for the
Liza Mirò Combrinck
Jakhalsdans, was a brilliant drama that really earned my respect – and a tear or two. When people think of Afrikaans In 2012 we saw Wolwedans in movies, the general name that die Skemer, Pretville Semi-Soet pops up is usually Leon Schuster and now in 2013, we see Klein – known for his brilliant pranks Karoo hitting the big screen along back in the 90s, and for his cringe- with Bakgat 3, The Windmill and worthy, brilliantly Verraaiers. bad movies that …imagine an Afrikaans The South followed. African film version of High School Since 2008, Musical meets Mamma industry, it I have been seems, is finally Mia. p l e a s a nt l y discovering its surprised to see potential. In order Afrikaans films of a much better to promote culture and language quality being released. I thought among audiences who are no Bakgat, one of the first, would be longer necessarily theatre-goers, terrible. But upon pressure from with a government that only funds my dad, I eventually watched it a meager amount for arts and and howled with laughter. Still a culture; movies seem to be the pretty “kommin” representation answer. of the Afrikaans culture, but still While we have lots to work on, successful in poking fun at it in an I think we’re getting there; there American Pie kind of way. are little things that need fixing. Following Bakgat, the Our camera work is brilliant and Afrikaans film industry had a up to par with the Western world sudden boom and produced real - our acting, not so much. quality in 2010 – The Incredible We also need better Adventures of Hanna Hoekom was scriptwriters (Pretville didn’t a fantastically disturbing watch. even have a scriptwriter); seeing And, embarrassingly enough, I as actors are only as good as the actually enjoyed Liefling die movie, script allows them to be (Imagine not because it was good, but Leonardo Di Caprio in Liefling). because it was absolutely hilarious Finally, we need to see the other - imagine an Afrikaans version South African languages in our of High School Musical meets films just as much as Afrikaans. Mamma Mia. On the other hand,
features
V72 E3 - 12 MARCH 2013
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The sweet (academic) escape
UCT offers students a host of international study opportunities. Listen up, jet setters. Lynne Marie Fraser
H
oards of opportunities to travel abroad during your studies are waiting just below Jammie stairs – and you probably didn’t even know it. Have you ever imagined living in Europe, Canada, the USA or Australia? Keep reading. The International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) is a largely unknown treasure-chest of exciting possibilities for travel. The destinations mentioned above are home to the many partner universities that welcome UCT students for between six months to two years at a time.
options include prestigious institutions like Yale University and the University of Michigan The application process is simple. Although the challenge of proving you are a deserving candidate can seem daunting, it is just a case of presenting yourself in the form of a motivational letter before the submission deadline. The applications are open to UCT first-year students with academic aggregates of 68% and higher, Masters and PhD students and Proffessional, Administrative and Support staff (PASS) at UCT. Through various scholarships
Image: Anna Degenaar and fellowships, some of the more specific programme options include prestigious institutions like Yale University and the University of Michigan, to name a few. Postgraduate students can complete their entire degrees at an institute in Europe or go for a creditbearing exchange period through the Erasmus Mendes Scholarships for South African students. Under Erasmus Mendes, the
It is impossible to provide an accurate figure for the expenses left up to students that go on exchange. However, it is safe to say that overall the financial pressures are at the very least alleviated by varying contributions towards airfares, health insurance, accommodation, monthly allowances and tuition fees, depending on the particular program. It is because of your status as not just a student, but a student of the top university in Africa, that such a beautiful opportunity is knocking on your door. Ok, it’s not exactly knocking, but it is sitting on middle campus waiting for you to go and meet it. UCT Film and Media Production student Stephen Horn recently returned from his semester at the University of California in Santa Cruz, USA. Amongst enthusiastic accounts of friends he met and new places he saw, Horn also sums up the motivation to explore the world beyond our own borders: “People are blind about what they’re missing if they’ve never left the country. Go, people!”
applications for the EU-SATURN programmes have just reopened from March 1st until April 14th and the applications for the EUROSA and EMA2SA programmes will close on March 15th and 18th respectively. As students, we are plainly encouraged to live and study abroad with the active help of UCT and the institutions we choose to visit. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that these are once in a lifetime opportunities.
Lecture Roulette #1: What happens when a student walks into a random lecture? Kaylene Overall I stopped in my tracks when I saw that the CEM “lecture” I was about to attend looked more like a tut group. There were about 30 people at most. A few of them glanced at me as I slid past chairs and tables to the very back. “They know!”, I hissed to my friend Ella. She nodded. “Probably.” As you can imagine, that put me at ease. Thanks, Ella. You may be wondering what this little segment is all about. Well children, this is Lecture Roulette. And as the name suggests, one unlucky person walks into a completely random lecture and endures whatever may follow. “Whatever” could consist of public humiliation, actual participation or the very improbable outcome of you actually enjoying it. I took my seat and prepared my notebook and pens to look as if I planned on being productive. I put on my best “I-am-interestedand-listening” face and hoped the lecturer wouldn’t notice me. He didn’t. At least in the beginning. Was it the fact that I kept shifting because the Nivea cream was making my legs too slippery, or could it have been the loud thud my head made against
*Terms and Conditions Apply
Image: flickr.com/000000barbourians the desk when I simply couldn’t take any more information about hydrochloric acid, that made him turn his head my way? It was over. He knew. He knew. Providence was with me that day, it seemed, as he remained silent about the imposter sitting in his classroom. I tried to listen, I really did, but to be honest all I learnt was stuff about colours, scientific jargon, a new and personalised term for the male appendage (“litmus paper” as in “come see my litmus paper” or “she wants the litmus”) and scientific insults (“your face is hydrochloric acid”). And no, that last bit was not part of the syllabus. My new physics buddies gleefully informed me of this inside joke. The minutes continued to tick by and so I began to wrack my brain to come up with a plan of escape. I considered going with my trusty
fall-back routine of “pretend to have a panic attack and/or nervous breakdown, thus resulting in storming out of the said venue”, which I very successfully applied last year when I walked into a 2nd year stats exam instead of 1st year linguistics. Of course, in true “Kaylene-isan-idiot” fashion, this technique was only carried out once I’d written my name on the paper and the examiner had said “begin,” so yes, I had a sniggering audience as I shamefully made my exit. I decided a repetition of such an action might be slightly dramatic for a science lecture and so I stuck it out. Right to the very last fraction/ equation/letter/nonsensical number. All I can say about my experience is: Never. Again. Ever. Visit varsitynewspaper.co.za/ features for weekly Lecture Roulette reports.
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V72 E3 – 12 MARCH 2013
Cape Town’s quickie with Miguel An intimate performance and a mass love-affair on an ostrich farm
Image: Siyanda Ralane
Sibabalwe Mona
G
et there at 11am, they said. The show will start at 1pm, they said. That is what was going through my mind, as I sat on the ground in sweltering Cape Town heat, on a farm at 4pm two Sunday afternoons ago. After five hours of sitting, sun burning and waiting for the Metro FM-sponsored Miguel concert to start, at the Cape Town Ostrich Farm, many of the concert-goers were fed-up with the organisation and logistical failures of the concert. I saw many deciding to leave the venue, feeling that wasting their whole day in the sun was not worth the money they paid for the ticket. I was ready to pack up my belongings and leave in bitter disappointment, when at about 5pm, on the sixth hour, the show finally began. First up, South African musicians, Zakes Bantwini and Donald warmed up the crowd (side note: who knew Donald could sing, like sing? His Maxwell and Chris Brown cover performances really impressed the crowd). Then, the moment that we all had
been waiting for had arrived: Miguel was about to hit the stage. The crowd of hundreds chanted in excitement and anticipation “MI-GUEL! MIGUEL!” as the band prepared for the show’s main act. When the Grammy award-winning R’n’B superstar stepped on to the stage, the girl next to me began crying immediately. The crooner was definitely a hit with the ladies.
He… had the ladies fanning themselves – and not only because of the sweltering weather. After the first performance of his debut hit single, “Sure Thing”, Miguel stopped the show to tell us that he felt disconnected from the people on general seats; he called everybody to get into the golden circle area so that they could experience an intimate performance. If you didn’t already love Miguel, now you did. Hit after hit of our favourite singles from his two albums were performed. The crowd was screaming, dancing, swaying and singing along to every single word.
Miguel sounded even better live, than on his record and he gave us all he had, vocally and physically. Every girl felt like he wanted to personally woo each and all of us when he sang “Adorn”, and every girl was asking “Me?” when he performed “All I Want Is You”. Miguel’s MJ-esque rock star dance moves and sexy teases ensured that the women were entranced; much to the amusing annoyance of a lot of men in the audience. Unfortunately, a poor sound system at the venue did not permit Miguel to perform a full set, which he apologised for, but he did agree to do an encore. He and his band rapped, danced and sang his sultry single “Quickie” which, as the title suggests, had the ladies fanning themselves – and not only because of the sweltering weather. Altogether, the tiresome first six hours of the day were made worth it by a passionate and enthralling performance. Getting the opportunity to meet him and hear him perform again, later at the Camps Bay Beach Club St. Yves proved to be the icing on an already well-adorned cake, but that is a story for another day.
The student/tutor relationship Busang Senne
Teachers don’t go to Tiger. They’re stuck in some strange category in between, leaving us There you are, gingerly asking forever confused. if anybody has a stapler for your It is by far the most complicated assignment, twiddling your relationship most of us have ever thumbs outside some arbitrary had, like the uncertainty that Arts room. It’s meridian (why did arises from not knowing the nobody warn you of this evil?) and difference, between the clockwise to be quite honest, apart from the and anti-clockwise Jammie. fact that you should be indulging I like to think of them as in your lunch voucher, you have helping hands. Not hands which no idea why you’re there. are there to slap the back of What is this strange yours like your Grade 10 Biology phenomenon teacher, or hands filled with which you a w k w a r d should graze at Friends don’t give silences and the Tin Roof bar, friends tutorial hushed whispers because nobody assignments. known as the wants that level tutorial? What of awkwardness. is its purpose? R a t h e r , What does it want from us? they’re hands that are there In theory (and from running to give you those little pushes around campus playing forward. Like Siri on the iPhone; journalist), I’ve come to gather all you have to do is ask the right that the consensus as to the question, and they’ll tell you enigma of the tutorial is 50/50. everything you need to know. Some of the tutors think it’s Tutorials are weird and invaluable: Tara, an English awkward. You have no idea what Masters student and tutor, said you’re supposed to do or how she couldn’t think of a more you’re supposed to act and it feels important structure in the a little bit like Grade 10 Biology undergraduate program. Students class (or your personal equivalent like Anita think we could easily of strange). spend that hour doing something My advice? Act like you’re a more interesting. Like watching genius, pretend you’re the next paint dry. Karl Marx, stay inquisitive and But the real issue I’m baffled question everything. Tutorials about is the complex student/ are like Fedics: if you can’t beat tutor relationship. What are them, join them (questionable tutors exactly? Are they friends? chicken or not). Friends don’t give friends tutorial But what do I know? I’m only assignments. Are they teachers? a fresher.
Trigger happy in the United States Already a heated issue in the US, gun control is now on the minds of many South Africans. How do our gun laws compare? And how safe are you?
Iman Adams “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” This constitutes the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights of the United States. The Sandy Hook Elementary massacre, where 20 children and six adults were fatally shot in December last year, ensured this amendment would hang on the tongue of every member of the gunrights movement in America. Since
Applicants are subject to extensive background checks Image: flickr.com/ Andre Mondou the shooting, President Obama has promised to tighten gun regulations. Gun massacres are not a strange occurrence in the US, yet sadly it has taken a good number of incidences for a serious debate about gun regulation to ripple through American civil society. In 2012 alone, there were seven mass shootings across the country, with Sandy Hook being the final push. As a result of the shootings,
President Obama put together a Gun Violence Task Force led by Vice-President Joe Biden to discuss and suggest ways of preventing these things from happening. Senators Diane Feinstein and Joe Lieberman proposed a ban on all assault weapons, and former senator Gabrielle Giffords – who was injured in a 2011 shooting in Tucson –
launched Americans for Responsible Solutions in an effort to support the tightening of gun regulations in the US. Obama has also proposed universal background checks on anyone intending to purchase a firearm, and limiting magazine capacity to ten cartridges. These propositions have caused outrage among the gun-rights
movements, as they feel it is unconstitutional. This proves to be untrue however, as all the suggestions put forward on gun regulations do not infringe upon the right for people to “keep and bear arms”. As it stands, gun laws in the US differ by state. In one state you may be able to carry a concealed firearm in public, but in another state it may be prohibited.
In South Africa, gun laws are national, and following the Oscar Pistorius shooting, questions have been raised on our gun regulations. Local laws are strict in comparison to the US. In SA, semi-automatic rifles and shotguns are restricted, and automatic firearms are prohibited. There is a two-year waiting period after you’ve applied for your gun license. Applicants are subject to extensive background checks, interviews with a spouse or partner and two other individuals, competency requirements, training, criminal record checks and an explanation from the applicant as to why he/she wishes to own a gun. Gun culture in South Africa is not as extreme or deeply ingrained in our people as it is in the US, but many citizens feel that owning a gun is necessary due to the high violent crime rate. If America is any example, then South Africans can appreciate our strict gun laws, as we do have substantially fewer mass shootings here. Do stricter gun laws prevent mass shootings and protect citizens, or do they make it more difficult for people to protect themselves? You’re entitled to your own opinion, but the Oscar Pistorius drama has certainly proven that paranoia comes with no advantages.
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YOUR UCT SPORT
Left to Right: Jonty “the silent assassin” Adams – keeps his cards close to his chest; Witblitz Mooney – King of climbs and all things bling; Greig – enjoys ripping the team to pieces at every opportunity; Kelley – “the iron lady”, Nina “Greig stole my kit again” Sender; Amy Burgerbee – team physio, vice-chairwomen and all round clown; Sarah - has put many a man on the team to shame; Grant “thunder-quads” Kruger; Rich “no, I’m only doing a short 160km today” Damant; Ethan – prefers bikes with one wheel but equally deadly on two.
A fair trial?
Lwazi Mangwana
A
fair trial. This is all we are asking for. UCT will ask the question, “Are you good enough?” And as athletes, our response is instinctively, “Let me show you.” We spend hours training; building our bodies to be better than our opponents and strengthening our minds to be better than ourselves. When entering the UCT environment, the question many ask themselves then is, “Will I be given an opportunity to show this establishment that I belong on the team?” Theoretically, trials are the best way to discover new talent, but in practice there are many difficulties associated with the system. For one, the amount of students that show up to trials is staggering and that places a heavy burden on staff to find where and how each player can fit into a team. With the limited amount of resources and time, it is commendable that staff attempt such a process. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there are also talented individuals who will never be discovered because they simply do not get the time they deserve. VARSITY interviewed students who play sport outside of UCT on a higher level who decided they wanted to move towards playing for their own university. One student attended soccer trials for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd teams and noted a number of shortcomings. Most notably, it appeared that members of the 1st team were not present at trials at all and it seemed as though they were not expected to participate. A lack of time for players to illustrate their ability was a huge problem, given the numbers participating - in both the 1st and 2nd team trials’ players were given
only ten minutes to prove they belonged to their respective teams. Only in the 3rd team trials did our player feel a fair chance was given, owing to the use of a full pitch whilst playing 7-a-side, giving the players greater freedom. The system clearly allows some talent to slip through the net, or more accurately, further down the ladder. VARSITY spoke to a former UCT 4th team soccer player, who recounted his team comfortably beating the supposedly superior 3rd team in a friendly encounter. This article is not a statement implying that the system in UCT is flawed. However, we have to ask are UCT’s sports clubs, whether it be soccer, netball or any number of team sports, shooting themselves in the foot by not applying a rigorous, lengthy and fair trial process? After all, underappreciated sportspeople can always ply their skills in club sport. We need an investigation into what we can do to ensure that good players find their way and do not get lost in the system. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd team players all earned their stripes and deserve to be where they are, at the top of the pile. The question I am asking is: do players that also deserve to be there with them get the chance? UCT could be representative of a bigger problem in sport where talented individuals are not given a fair trial because of insufficient resources and time. We played sports at school on the first team. We were winners; who made it to the finals of our club championships and collected the medals. We’re good. But the question that will be on all our minds is “How good are we?” Am I the best player on the 3rd team? Or will I be the worst on the 1st? There is supposed to be only one way to find out: a fair trial.
Is “Le Spice Boy” worth it? Leke Oluwole Le Spice Boy, Golden Balls, Becks, DB7 or simply David Beckham, it seems like everywhere he goes the media follows and swoons over him in legions. As a footballer whose impact off the pitch seems to overwhelm his impact on it, it was very obvious once he announced his decision not to extend his contract at LA Galaxy that football clubs would fall head over heels in an attempt to sign the superstar.
Beckham has already been christened “La Bonne Pioche” in Paris The former England captain had offers from 12 different clubs from all over the world, but opted to join Paris Saint-Germain. Beckham, 37, signed a five-month deal with the Ligue 1 leaders in January, donating his salary – at least £1 million (R13.4 million) to a children’s charity. The validity of the move has been questioned by some who argue that at 37 years of age, this is more of a media stunt than a move for footballing reasons. It is pretty obvious that the commercial outlay of his stay in Paris will most definitely outweigh his impact on the pitch and with fierce competition for a midfield spot. Especoally coming from the impressive trio of Blaise Matuidi, Thiago Motta and Marco Verratti; it is obvious that Becks will have to work hard for a starting role. However, the leadership skills and vast amount of experience he has is unrivalled in the PSG squad and footballers such as Maldini, Giggs (who recently signed an extension at Man Utd to play until he turns 40), Scholes and Andrea Pirlo have proved in recent years, that it is possible to stay competitive in the
Image: Getty GOLDEN BALLS – Beckham could prove a valuable asset to PSG both on and off the field. top leagues with the right amount of determination, irrespective of age. Beckham’s move to LA was also seen by many as purely for financial gain, with a reported figure of $250 million in salary and commercial endorsements over the five years of his then contract. As well as the fact that the MLS is hardly a hotbed of talent, it was hard to argue that it was a move for professional reasons. There is no question that PSG deal is mutually beneficial. Beckham can continue to play football at the top level, which he has always claimed is what matters to him, while PSG’s as well as French football’s image gets a much-needed boost. Carlo Ancelotti, the club manager added, “He can bring his experience, his quality, his professionalism these are things that we need.” Beckham might be limited to cameo appearances, but as a model professional his qualities and experience may well help PSG in their bid to clinch the domestic
double and go as far as possible in the Champions League. However, in signing the world’s most marketable footballer, PSG’s owners, Qatar Sports Investment (QSI), are hoping to reap benefits that go far beyond the end of the current season. Beckham has already been christened “La Bonne Pioche” in Paris, which translates to “bargain,” and when speaking about the duration of his latest contract, Beckham said, “I don’t see this as a short-term project.” “I consider myself part of the club’s future. I’m part of this project…helping the club become one of biggest powerhouses in football.” With Beckham shirts flying off the shelves for a whopping R950, PSG stand to make a considerable amount from this love affair, and Beckham may too add to his impressive trophy haul. One may as well add “La Bonne Pioche” to his long list of nicknames.
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SPORTS BITES Basketball diplomacy “He wants Obama to do one thing - call him.’’ These were the words of colourful NBA Hall of Famer, Dennis Rodman, about his new pal, dear leader, Kim Jong-Un. Rodman was part of a Harlem Globetrotters side that poignantly visited at a time of heightened tensions between the United States and North Korea, following Pyongyang’s nuclear test last month. He still harbours hope for a thawing in relations between the two powers, adding, “He [Jong-Un] loves basketball. And I said Obama loves basketball. Let’s start there, all right. Start there.’’ – foxsports.com.au
That’s Criminal Ref An 18-year-old Manchester United fan was so incensed with referee Cüneyt Çakır’s decision to send off Nani in Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid, he called 999 stating that the decision was so bad, it was a crime. He would have been better off heeding the advice of Lord Fergie, as the Manchester United manager was said to be “too distraught” to speak about the match afterwards. At least then he would have avoided a slap on the wrist from the local police. – bbc.co.uk/news
How Abbott that: debuts to remember Saadiq Samodien
M
aking your international debut is a dream come true for any sports person, but for some their first foray into the international fray proves to be a memorable one. South African fast-bowler Kyle Abbott had such a performance during the recent final Test of South Africa’s 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan. His phenomenal return of nine wickets on debut got VARSITY thinking about famous debutants down the years:
Image: Ladbrokes.com
18
Faf du Plessis You may ask what’s so special about scoring a century on debut when 95 other players to have achieved the same feat. That he batted for 376 balls and seven hours, for a start, is quite impressive. That’s equivalent to 89 overs of cricket, which is one full day of a Test match. Moreover, he was the key to South Africa salvaging a draw against Australia in Adelaide, where they eventually marched on to win the series 2-0. With a gritty defensive knock which showed real maturity, sheer class, and true guts, Du Plessis wrote himself into South African folklore forever.
Tonderai Chavanga To score a try on debut for the Springboks is quite an achievement, but to score no less than six on debut is nothing short of phenomenal. At the tender age of 21, Chavanga
STAR DEBUTANT – Kyle Abbott picked up nine wickets for the Proteas achieved the feat in a home game against Uruguay, with the speedster running in six tries to leave South Africa with a mammoth score of 134-3. In the process, he broke the record for most tries in one match by a South African.
Nadia Comaneci While today’s youth are more likely to spend their time procrastinating on social media, or deciding if they prefer Justin Bieber or One Direction, Nadia Comaneci had no such options at the age of 14. On her Olympic debut, the young Romanian gymnast did what no
one else had ever done; she scored a perfect 10, and in the process won gold. As if that wasn’t enough, she notched up another five perfect 10 scores and a legend was born. Possibly the greatest athlete that has ever graced this earth, it was quite evident from the start that she was a special talent.
Alan Shearer Arguably the greatest player of the English Premier league, his goal-scoring tally certainly seems to support this claim. Yes, Alan Shearer, the man with the golden boot of the EPL was certain to be a massive star
of the game after his sensational debut(s). The “Debut Specialist” scored a hat-trick on his first outing for Southampton versus Arsenal and then went on to score in his debut for both England and Blackburn. “Shear” brilliance. There is hope, however, for those debutants who don’t shine as bright as those listed. Ultimately, it matters less about how you start and more about how you finish. Take the example of cricketer Don Bradman he scored 18 and 1 on his debut for Australia. Today he is known as the greatest batsman that has ever lived.
Only In Texas
Messi’s R478m foot No that’s not how much it’s insured for...who knows, it might actually be more. This was in fact the going rate for a pure-gold replica of Messi’s left peg, unveiled in Tokyo last week by Japanese jeweller Ginza Tanaka. Tanaka took a cast of the foot at the end of last year to commemorate Messi’s footballing achievements. It’s no surprise he chose Messi, the golden boy of world football, who never misses gilt-edged chances and is widely regarded as 24-carat genius. – metro.co.uk
Rob Byrne
Resurrecting past sporting glory Bruce Hughes
S
o you consider yourself a bit of a sportsperson. You achieved a fair few accolades at school and your friends convinced you that within the next couple of years you could be battling Djokovic, Messi, Armstrong (and his armada of drugs), or whoever else it is at the top of your sport. You left school with hope in your heart and lofty ambitions of podiums and champagne. Now you’re four weeks into varsity, or maybe it’s a year and four weeks, and you seemed to have regressed in every aspect of your game.
You haven’t lost that desire to be the best, you just temporarily misplaced it last week on that Long Street mission. Your lecture schedule is filled with those pesky eight o’clocks, awkward two hour breaks, and late afternoon tutorials. Your friends want to have a sneaky beer or two every other night and there’s that assignment due on Monday. But you convince yourself you haven’t lost that desire to be the best, you just temporarily misplaced it last week on that Long Street mission. How do you get it back? Here are some helpful tips from an individual
who has fought the same battle for the past five years: ■ Come to terms with the fact that you may have to train at inconvenient times; whether it is before your 8am lectures, during your midday breaks, or in the evening. ■ Join a sports club on campus. Here you will find others in the same position as you and once you’ve finished with the introductions you can get on with the business of finding a training partner. Promising to meet your training partner at whatever wee hour of the morning, it was you who foolishly agreed upon it, will force you out of bed on those days when you would otherwise have found an excuse to hit snooze.
Image: Flickr/Fernando Pangare
The National Rifle Association (NRA), the most powerful gun lobby group in America have announced that they will be sponsoring the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Texas on April 13th. NRA Chief Executive Wayne LaPierre, who has led a backlash against President Obama’s call for tighter gun ownership regulations following the Sandy Hook massacre, commented, “NRA members and NASCAR fans love their country and everything that is good and right about America. We salute our flag... volunteer in our churches and communities... cherish our families... and we love racing.” Ergh. – foxsports.com.au
■ Draw up a weekly timetable and treat it like a lecture schedule (unless you are prone to missing lectures). If you have a schedule down in paper it should make it harder to justify missing a session. ■ Set yourself a series of tough but realisable goals. It is much harder to miss training if you know it will set you back a step on the road to achieving your goal. ■ Accept compromise and use the time you have on weekends. Some nights you will have to turn down that third beer/brutal fruit, take your friends taunting on the chin, and
BURNT OUT? – Balancing studies and sport can be a tricky business retire to bed early. There will be many many more nights in the future. ■ Tailor your training regime, do less hours but use the hours you have better. In other words, make every training session count. School is over and guaranteed free afternoons and weekends are a
thing of the past. This, however, need not be an insurmountable hurdle to getting back on track in your sport of choice. Maintaining decent grades and achieving on the sports field is an exercise in tightrope walking, but with a bit of dedication and compromise you might just begin to taste that champagne.
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White line fever
SPORTS SHORTS
I
Image: Eleanor Shadwell FUN AND GAMES – UCT Underwater club pooled together to raise money for Save Our Seas
Rob Byrne Ultimate Frisbee UCTU’s Flying Tigers (1sts) put up a strong performance in the Mother City Invitational Tournament held at Villagers Rugby Club, Claremont, last weekend. With noticeable absences due to injury, the Tigers did well to secure 4th place out of seven sides, beating a strong Maties team in the process. The team faced a gruelling schedule of five straight matches on the Saturday in intense heat and were unlucky, with the scoreboard not accurately reflecting how the side pushed hard for each point. Fern Beetle-Moorcroft, an International student, wowed everyone and came away with Female MVP of the tournament. The UCT Cookie Monsters (2nds) also brought forth their new found skills and moulded into a cohesive unit by day two, making sure that UCT, once again, came away with the Spirit of the Game Award for knowledge of the rules, good sportsmanship, and a great team ethic.
Judo Ernest and Nico Louw put in
1st place performances in their respective weights in the first leg of the Western Province Judo Trials held in Bellville on Saturday, March 2nd. David Lutrin, of UCT, also put in a strong performance, gaining 3rd place in the under 66kg division. All three stand a chance of representing Western Province at the South African National Championships held in Port Elizabeth in July. The club announced the following squad will represent UCT at the USSA championships held at Wits University from March 21st-24th: David Lutrin, Danny De Klerk, Kai Coetzee, Nico Louw, Richard Welsh, Deon De Villiers, Mikhaila Job and Jess Donnelly.
Underwater How far would you go to raise funds for a good cause? How about being underwater for duration of 24 hours? That’s exactly what the members of the UCT Underwater Club did in their annual DIVER 24 relay at the UCT pool. For duration of 24 hours a diver was always present in the pool, taking part in numerous activities and tasks for prizes from ‘Save Our Seas’ organisation, SASSI, Jack Black and The Divesite all in the
name of raising funds and awareness for the Save our Seas Foundation in Kalk Bay, which conducts important research into shark life and runs educational programmes to teach children about shark awareness and misunderstanding.
Cycling The opening of the “buggy” category at this year’s Cape Argus, which allowed disabled persons to ride the race in a buggy towed by an able-bodied person, saw UCT Cycling club represented by Grant Kruger and Chaeli Mycroft. Mycroft, a student at UCT with cerebral palsy, is the first ever disabled UCT Cycling Club member and therefore also first disabled member to represent UCT in the Argus. The pair rode in aid of the Chaeli Campaign, which the Cycling Club promoted on Upper Campus on Wednesday and Thursday last week. If you would like to find out more about the Chaeli Campaign, please visit chaelicampaign.co.za.
With contributions from Eleanor Shadwell, Nicolaas Louw, Bruce Hughes and Kabelo Mafiri.
Don’t keep calm and back your boytjies Continued from page 20 ... including incorrect preparation, players and coaching staff - the list is endless. But what good does any of this do? Since our emphatic Varsity Cup victory in 2011, I have time and time again made my way down onto The Green Mile only to leave eighty minutes later with a feeling that builds up inside, not of anger nor even disappointment, but of pure frustration.
We have the players, we have the coaches and we play an awesome brand of running rugby. The Tigers have been leading in two of the last four matches lost. In the other two games they have ended within a converted try of winning.
In the draw against NMMU, UCT showed total domination but were simply unable to convert this into points. If we look at these stats, perhaps then with one home game to go, the 2013 Varsity Cup season might not be looking so glum for the Tigers. The boys go out there week in and week out, putting their bodies on the line for one-another, playing their hearts out. The memory of that 2011
season is in the back of their mind as much as it is in ours. We have the players, we have the coaches, the systems are in place and we play an awesome brand of running rugby. Perhaps we should, rather than ask the question of “What has gone wrong?” ask ourselves, “What can we do to change it?” And what more can we, as true Ikeys fans do, other than “Back OUR Boytjies?”
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Rob Byrne Sports Editor
Failure not an option for Mourinho
was waiting for that moment, something to change the ebb and flow of the tie. that changed things - Nani’s It was almost inconceivable to sending off. In my view, he should me that Jose Mourinho would lose have received a yellow card as it out to Manchester United. After was clearly his intent to control the all he is a winner, a modern day ball. It was a dangerous act, but not Napoleon, who has conquered all worthy of a red card. before him in Portugal, England Many Manchester United fans and Italy. seem to be clinging to the fact Spain, however, has proven to that this action by the referee be a somewhat trickier proposition (Cüneyt Çakır can now consider for the ‘Special One’, and despite himself the most unpopular league and cup titles under his man in world football with an belt, he has already surrendered estimated 659 million fans calling the league title to Barcelona for his head) meant that the tie was this season. effectively over. A rather fractious relationship Granted, it did change the with the media, fans and hierarchy complexion of the game, but has ensued; meaning that an often United were still in the ascendency, glum, sullen did not lose Mourinho has important He breathes controversy. an replaced the defensive cog, He’s arrogant and man I like to and could have remember. calculated, but that’s r e a l i s t i c a l l y He was the precisely why I love him hung on for the man who slid on rest of the tie. his knees down This fortuitous the touchline. The man who had event was exactly what sparked members of the press in stitches Jose into life. Instead of sending talking metaphorically about what on the stripped off Karim type of eggs are good for omelettes, Benzema, he introduced the and the man who, as much as it man who changed the tie, Luka hurts me to say as a Liverpool fan, Modric. Modric, operating in “ssh’d” the Liverpool faithful after the space between midfield and their captain scored an own goal. attack, had an immediate impact He breathes controversy. He’s and levelled the scores with his arrogant and calculated, but that’s venomous strike. precisely why I love him. Wherever Not only that, but once he plies his trade next year, which Ronaldo had applied the coup de almost certainly won’t be Madrid, grâce, he quickly introduced Pepe one club will be the recipient of to sure things up for the remainder undoubtedly the best manager in of the tie. world football. And there he was. The Despite the doubts, I was still Mourinho of old, unsurprisingly waiting for Mourinho to come up gracious in leaving the bench trumps. Then Sergio Ramos put early and not accepting what was the ball in the back of his own net. a somewhat hollow victory in the United were on top in the tie, eyes of United’s fans. After all, the selection of Danny Wellbeck he may well be heading to Old seemed to be vindicated as he Trafford next season. caused issues for Real’s defence Although the events were and old-timer Ryan Giggs looked incidental, Mourinho capitalised to be the best player on the field. on them expertly, as only an all And then it came, that spark conquering winner knows how to.
VIEWPOINTS:
The Nani Red Card
“Refs ruined what was a great European cup tie. Not sure what he has seen to make that a straight red?” Always one to have a say, English midfielder “Disappointing that a game of that size was decided by a refereeing decision. Can understand why he sent him off but got to say it was harsh.” @themichaelowen echoes the sentiments of all sane people in the football world. “Independent of the decision, the best team lost. We didn’t deserve to win but football is like this.” Real Madrid manager
Jose Mourinho praises the performance of Manchester United, despite their controversial loss. “It speaks volumes that I am sitting here now rather than the manager of this fantastic football club.” United Assistant Manager Mike Phelan replaces Alex Ferguson at the post-match media conference. “What’s all the fuss about? Nani karate-kicked him in the sternum - lucky not to be jailed, never mind sent off.” @piersmorgan puts in his two cents.
Sport VARSITY
FIXTURES Varsity Cup Rugby
WPCA Division 1A
Monday, March 18th, 7pm
Saturday, March 16th, 10am
THE GREEN MILE
BOON WALLACE OVAL
Ikeys Vs Wits
UCT Vs CTCC
Captain Ikey remains upbeat Megan Kinnaird
ourselves and for our supporters. We will be looking to finish off well and take that momentum into the league.
VARSITY recently caught up with newly-appointed Ikeys captain, Liam Slatem. Despite a succession of defeats, the resident scrumhalf remains positive about the side’s performances so far, and has high hopes for the remainder of the season. Slatem, currently studying a Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management, assured us that while rugby is his passion; his academics are very much a priority. He came across as a cheerful and humble individual, enthusiastic about the games to come and uncompromising on where the team have gone wrong so far.
After a poor Varsity Cup campaign last season, many Ikey fans were expecting a backlash this season. Do you think it would be fair to say you’ve failed in this regard? No, definitely not. Although the results haven’t gone our way, we are constantly learning and improving. We are a rather young team and nothing improves a player like experience. We will only keep improving and as I said, there are special things to come from this team.
What do you say to the team critics? Well, even though the results haven’t gone our way, I still believe that this team is definitely talented enough to achieve special things. We are a young side and will continue to grow and build a strong identity. We understand that the results haven’t been favourable and the critics will focus on that, but as a team, we believe there are big things to come.
How has the transition been from Deputy to Captain? It really was a huge loss losing Levi [Odendaal]. He was a great captain and is a phenomenal player. The transition, though, has been really easy and the team has been great about it. There are a lot of seniors in the team and that’s definitely helped a lot. It’s been great and I’ve learned a lot from players and management. How do you plan on motivating the team going forward, given the results so far? To be honest, the guys are 100% motivated and that’s never changed throughout the whole competition. I have mainly been focused on keeping a positive vibe in the team and making sure the guys keep
Image: Jessica Breakey LIAM SLATEM – The newly appointed Ikeys captain improving and we keep setting high standards for ourselves. The motivation and pride is definitely still there, that’s for sure.
Given the results of the past five games, what are you realistically
looking to achieve for the rest of the season? We really want to finish this season off positively and emphasize the Ikey identity. This team has great character and we want to show that in these next games, both for
Do you think there has been obvious improvement from last year’s Varsity Cup season - and if so, in which areas? There has definitely been an improvement from last year. As a team, we have grown in maturity and have improved in various aspects of the game substantially. A stand-out this season has been
the performance of our forwards - opposition teams are no longer seeing us as a weak pack. We have fronted-up every week and dominated most teams, which was previously unheard-of from a varsity team. As a team, we have definitely grown and will continue to grow. I expect big things from this group of players.
Your last game of the season is against Wits; they’re currently at the bottom of the log. Would it be safe to say that you expect to finish the season on the high? We definitely want to finish on a high, yes. We know that a positive finish will give us good momentum going into the league, and even next year’s Varsity Cup. We are focused on finishing this campaign well and showing ourselves, and our fans, what we are capable of and what’s still to come from this group of players.
The Ikeys have had a lot of support from the fans this season, especially at the Maties game. What is the significance of this for the team? The crowds have been great and the fans have been awesome this year. It has definitely helped the team and it’s great to see the supporters coming down in the thousands to support us. We really do appreciate it, and hope to see all the fans at the Green Mile for the match against Wits.
Don’t keep calm and back your boytjies Hugh Van Niekerk
W
e have the players, we have the coaches, the systems are in place and we play an awesome brand of running rugby. Last Monday saw another night of Varsity Cup come and go. Once again the Tigers were left to lick their wounds, reflecting on what might have been had that final tackle been made, or if that last pass had gone to hand. This time the gut wrenching 37– 15 defeat came at the hands of our neighbouring rivals: Maties. Having yet to get off the winning mark this season many have once again raised the question, “What has gone wrong this season for the Ikeys?” The year started off with great promise as the team trained before and into the December Holidays to turn around the disappointing 2012 Varsity Cup performances. There was much hype and excitement around the first
encounter NMMU Madibaz on home soil. The boys looked fit as the crowd rolled in, expecting the Tigers to make amends for the defeat suffered at the hands of the Madibaz in the previous encounter. All that could be mustered, however, was a five-all draw in a howling south easterly wind which made UCT’s expansive running brand a difficult game plan to execute. Fans were not completely despondent as the team had showed glimpses of brilliance in what can only be described as appalling rugby conditions. However, this has seemed to be the story of the 2013 season. What followed were losses to Tuks (24– 16), UJ (42–26), NWU-Pukke (29– 16) and most recently Maties. It is easy to sit on the side line and make assumptions as to what the team is doing wrong One can go on for hours speculating as to the factors that may be to blame ... Continued on page 19