activate edition 8 2012
TRANSCRIPT
ActivateRhodes University’s
Independent Student Newspaper
Est. 1947
Stand Up To CancerWith Activate and Movember
INSIDE
SAPS continues to dissapoint
Page 3
Manguang looms for ANC
Page 5
Photo StoryPage 8
Halloween on a BudgetPage 10
Tripping the DaisiesPage 12
Premier League Round Up
Page 15
New Look!
New
s [i
n b
rief
s]B
y B
ren
da
Sekg
ota
Water problems affect MpumlangaThe water-supply problems in Mpumalanga have affected some areas terribly. The
residents of Bushbuckridge are forced to draw water from dirty dams and even snake-
infested locations. There are water tanks in the area but these have not been filled for three
weeks, which is how long the residents have been without clean water. Last week the
MEC for corporative governance and traditional affairs, Madala Masusku, announced that
Bushbuckridge local municipality owed R260 million to the water board.
Marikana ensures protection
The Marikana Commission of Inquiry has assured
protection programmes for the people due to testify
who fear for their safety. This comes after the National
Union of Mineworkers (NUM) branch leader Dailvuyo Bongo
was shot dead at his home in Marikana, North West, on 5
October. “There was no sign that he would be killed, we saw
that there was no unity among the involved organisation but
cannot say if Bongo’s death was linked with rivalry,” commission
spokesperson Kevin Malunga said. Bongo was among those
who took part in the commission’s, in loco inspection of the
hill where 34 striking Lonmin mine workers lost their lives as
police opened fire on them in August. (NUM spokesperson
Lesiba Seshoka called the attack an “assassination”.) Bongo’s
death comes after that of the NUM branch chairperson last
weekend. There was also an attack on another branch leader,
who survived, but his wife was killed, according to Seshoka.
Malunga revealed that the commission was still consulting legal
experts, following a government call to pay legal fees for the
families of the Lomin Marikana dead. Malunga said while the
commission is sympathetic to the families of the deceased,
they cannot legally commit themselves to providing financial
assistance. He said that such a move would put a strain on the
already financially-struggling organisation. The commission was
adjourned until 22 October.
2 NEWS 16 October 2012
F18 fighter jet breaking the sound barrier during a flight demonstration over the Axalp in Bernes Oberland by the Swiss Airforce, taken on the 11 October 2012 : REUTERS/Pascal Lauener.
Mark Massey (L) and partner Dale Frost, preparing to register their marriage in New York City Clerck: REUTERS/ Andrew Kelly
After crossing to Turkey by boat, Syrian men take a break and rest, October 11, 2012. REUTERS/Osman Orsal.
Running children, as public health workers fumigate a local neighbourhood in the Dominican Republic,October 9,2012:REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas
By Hancu Louw
The newly-developed Shamoon virus recently infected 30
000 computers on the Saudi Arabian state oil companies’
(ARAMCO) network.
According to timeslive, U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta
said that the Shamoon infection has been the biggest attack on
the business sector to date. A similar occurence a few days later
led to the infection of Qatar’s natural gas firm, Rasgas. The virus –
specifically aimed at cyber espionage in the energy sector – makes
use of shared networks on computers running Microsoft Windows
“NT” operating systems.
By activating a code called a “wiper”, system files are overwritten
and replaced by an image of a burning U.S flag. In the case of the
ARAMCO incident, all the computers had to be disposed of due
to the lasting damage of the virus on the network.
Shamoon strikes and infects 30 000
DA leader, Helen Zille is calling for the formation of a new
political party to challenge the African National Congress.
Zille said the historical roots of the current political parties were
making it difficult for them to challenge the dominant position of
the ANC alone.
Zille has called on “constitutionalists”, both within ANC and in
other political parties, to “take the plunge” and move out of their
comfort zones into a new political formation. She continued that
the current leadership battles in the ANC and its alliance partners
had pitted these “constitutionalists” against populists who abuse
institutions of state to pursue narrow political agendas; who see
the constitution as a barrier of their progress and who mobilise
on the basis of racial nationalism. She said this had created
contradictions that the ANC is failing to manage. The DA has been
wooing smaller opposition parties to join in its fight to reduce
ANC dominance.
Zille calls for new party
Editor-in-chief:
Xand Venturas
Deputy Editor:
Sarisha Dhaya
Chief Copy Editor:
Matthew Kynaston
Online Editor-in-chief :
Megan Ellis
Webmaster:
Brad de Klerk
Online Content Editor:
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Chief Media Supervisor:
Hancu Louw
Chief Sub-Editor:
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Chief Designer:
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Assistant Designer:
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Chief Pics Editor:
Niamh Walsh- Vorster
Assistant Pics. Editor:
Sibulele Mabusela
Illustrator:
Katja Schreiber
News Editor:
Brenda Sekgota
Politics Editor:
Andrew Blane
Business Editor:
Njabulo Nkosi
Features Editor:
Samantha Luiz
A & E Print Editor:
David Mann
A & E Online Editor:
Leah Solomon
Lifestyle Editor:
Rhea MacDonald
Environmental Editor
Jane Berg
Sports Editor:
Bridgette Hall
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Ashleigh Morris
Finance Manager:
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Contacts:
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Cover pic:Niamh Walsh-Vorster
Printed by Paarlcoldset, Port Elizabeth
From the Editor
A disservice By Hancu Louw
Waiting 35 minutes or more for the police to show
up at 12am: a situation all too familiar to many
Grahamstown residents.
According to recent reports based on the 2011/2012 South
African Police Service (SAPS) report tabled in Parliament on
28 September, 58% of all 10111 calls are incorrectly, or simply
never processed.
Terence Nombembe, Auditor General of the investigation,
said that, “So-called ‘positive incident reports’ to 10111 call
centres had to be entered on the SAPS case administration
system (CAS) to generate a docket with a case number.”
However, he added that 58% of positive incident reports were
not linked to dockets on the CAS.
SAPS currently costs taxpayers R62.4 billion per year, a
shocking amount considering the inefficiency experienced in
most towns and cities in South Africa.
In an independent study headed by the Mail and Guardian,
Grahamstown ranked 19th on the log for residential burglaries
with 1057 crimes reported in 2010/2011, showing a 6.24%
increase to 1123 reported crimes during the 2011/2012
period.
The discrepancy between what the public is told and the
reality becomes clear. By dialling 10111, all citizens expect
a swift response and efficiency in dealing with any criminal
case. However, when my fellow digsmates and I reported an
incident to the Grahamstown police on Monday, 8 October
2012, there was a 35 minute waiting period during which a
SAPS patrol vehicle drove straight past the incident without
reacting.
Ironically the Grahamstown police have been unwilling to
respond to these incidents and all attempts to engage with
the issues of inefficiency have been met with phrases like “the
police and the community are fighting crime together”, or
utter silence. It does seem worrying that earlier this year Kernel
Nell of the Grahamstown Police publicly stated that, “It is not
the best job being in the South African police – we ask for your
prayers to help us do our jobs more efficiently.”
Certain expectations are inherent when a state institution is
called the South African Police Service -- expectations which
are often not met. With an estimated 1032 firearms lost or
stolen over the 2011/2012 period and a budget leaving R617
million unspent, including R92 million allocated to detective
services, the numbers seem to speak for themselves.
Student protestors demonstrated outside the Grahamstown Police station earlier this year in dissatisfaction with police services. Pic: Niamh Walsh-Vorster
Edition 8 ActivateIndependent Student Newspaper
Welcome to the newly redesigned Activate. I hope you enjoy reading this paper as
much as I enjoyed putting it together with my new team.
First off, I’d like to explain the nude person on the cover. No we aren’t just putting
a naked girl on the cover to draw your attention (well, maybe a little), we decided on
this cover because we are attempting to promote cancer awareness. I don’t think I’m
being too presumptuous in saying that there isn’t a person around that hasn’t been
affected by cancer in some way or another. The point being, its something that needs
to be addressed and we at Activate have decided the best way to do that is to have a
competition.
We’ve partnered with the good people at Movember South Africa and we will be
running a competition throughout the month of November to see who the cancer
crusader with the best ‘tache is. Although all of the details of competition are yet to be
ironed out, we can promise awesome prizes.
Basically the men (and, erm, women) of our quaint varsity town will submit photos of
their furry upper lips and we’ll post them up on our website (activateonline.co.za) and
then you, the students of Rhodes University will vote on which one you like best.
With that said, we don’t want the focus to be taken away from the fact that we are trying
to raise awareness and support for cancer support groups. As a result of this, we will
incorporate the fundraising aspect into our competition. In the meantime, enjoy the feel
of you clean-shaven visage for a couple more weeks, because come Movember, there
shouldn’t be a shaven upper-lip around. We’ll release the full details of the competition in
the coming days on posters and on the web so keep your ear to the ground.
Aside from that, as I before, this edition has a fresh new look which we developed over
some time. Because we’re a new team, we felt it was time for a new look. Anyway, enough
of me, enjoy reading the new and improved Activate. If you have any issues you’d like
to raise, or you just feel like hurling digital profanities at someone, drop me an email at
Xand Venturas
Editor-in-Chief
Comment & Analysis EditorScience & Technology Editor
Activate is hiring...
4 SRC: End of year report 16 October 2012
The SRC 2012 Vision was adopted as “The
Reformation of Student Governance at
Rhodes”. Bear that in mind as the presentation
unfolds. For the purposes of laying a concrete
foundation for this presentation, I’d like to reflect on
some of the challenges we have faced as a Council
at the start of this year. The resignations of our
Media, Societies, Treasurer and Activism Councillors
respectively impacted team morale and cohesion
greatly.
Societal matters for one have still to this day
been a challenge to administer and maintain, most
particularly with regards to our relationship with the
Finance division and the financial systems that the
University has subscribed to.
Another hurdle faced, without going into much
detail, was the consistency within the SRC office
regarding our staff. This year, we have had an
unprecedented 4 Financial Administrators in the past
10 months which impacted tremendously on the
continuity and institutional memory of the office. Its
been rough!
Regardless of these adverse conditions though,
we have effectively dealt with these challenges and
have STILL managed to introduce various innovations
that have overall, increased visibility and the general
impact that the SRC has had on campus and
nationally, yes nationally this year.
Regarding governance, we have managed to
service students faced with the reality of academic
and financial exclusion with a turnover of a 80%
success rate this year. This representation extends
to SRC involvement in both lower and higher
disciplinary hearings and countless interventions to
students in need.
Moving to developmental milestones, we have
managed to engage with sub-structures with the likes
of the Oppidan Union and the Post Graduate Liaison
sub-committee towards our vision of in sighting
reformation.
This is with regards to mandate and their roles and
responsibilities in the greater picture of the student
governance organogram at Rhodes.
In terms of representation, we have been party
to consultation of the new and improved student
disciplinary code and numerous other policy changes
to better the lives of students. These include tackling
issues around students challenged with disabilities
by highlighting the accessibility issues and providing
ramps and rails on campus. We further facilitated a
successful examination timetable such that there are
no Saturday Examinations ever, thus ensuring a fixed
two day period for study every five-day cycle.
The hosting of successful O-Week and Inter-varsity
programmes by making students aware of the rules
and regulations and providing adequate security
is indicative of the overall success of the year.
Furthermore, we initiated a shuttle service available
to all students since the beginning of second term
which has proved a tremendous help for those
needing it.
Concerning policy change, this year has witnessed
the amendment of the student’s constitution, with
the introduction and implementation of a changed
tenure, such that the SRC runs from January to
December in order to facilitate more effective training
and hand-over, the Residence Councillor to run in the
general elections and the Secretary General Portfolio
to effectively replace the Vice President External in
achieving more accountability and administrative
strength to the institution as a whole.
Lastly, the financial checks and control mechanisms
introduced this year is to foresee mature and
accountable expenditure within the institution as
well. We have certainly come a long way in the short
period that you have afforded us to represent you
and your best interests.
At the first Student Body meeting, I stated our vision
and the trajectory and objectives that we would
like to accomplish - That being, the Awakening,
Rehabilitation and Reformation of Student
Governance at Rhodes University. Of course this
vision is far from full realisation, but concerted efforts
have been made to facilitate its manifestation in the
next few years.
This is speaking to a change, that we as a collective
want to be and can be for the future leaders that
are to succeed us. With elections for majority of
leadership positions coming up, I appeal to society
committees, senior students, sports code captains,
faculty representatives and any other leadership
position that I have respectfully omitted, vote
responsibly by questioning and querying agendas
behind an individual’s motive to campaign for
any leadership position – question not their mere
portrayal of cheap and meaningless leadership
jargon, but of their character and ethical thinking that
they subscribe to. Bear in mind the hard work left by
your predecessors that have in sighted progress in
your tenure you’ve left.
To my colleagues (in no particular order), Nicolain
Shabangu, Ruth Kruger, Silvanus Welcome, Cacharel
Wroots, Mfundo Makana, Venessa Siwawa-Ndai,
Rory Abrahams, Martin Forsyth, Simone Starkey,
Thabo Seshoka, Owethu Makhatini, Zoey Sibeko,
Bradley Bense (VP 2013), Sakhe Badi (President
2013)...Take a bow for an outstanding display of work
ethic, perseverance and commitment to the students
that have put us in office – Let’s give them a round of
applause.
To the SR Council of 2013 – The “SomeBadi”
Administration, our Best wishes for every success in
your tenure – make us proud!
It has been an honour serving you, students of
Rhodes University. You certainly have (MATT) ERED! I
THANK YOU.
- Mathieu Maralack
SRC President’s final address
By Bradley Peter Bense
This year saw a tumultuous beginning under the Maralack
Administration. Dealing with the unfortunate resignations of SRC
Liaison Officer Mr Mark Addison, four SRC Councillors, and the death of
Financial Administrator Ms Nicky Harris, morale was low and we had two
weeks until Orientation Week. All societies’ information, hard and soft
copies, was found to be missing.
The SRC had no choice but to take immediate action. With 11
councillors left and a new Liaison Officer, Mr Eric Ofei, the SRC
appointed assistance from alumni to fill the gaps in a much depleted
team. They had to track down society chairs using 2010 information,
because that was all that was left. Bi-elections were held for the non-
contested vacant portfolios, which saw very good participation from
both candidates and voters. Ironically, these positions were far better
contended than the official elections had been the previous year.
Halfway through first term, the SRC had filled all vacant positions so
that a training weekend could be held in Port Elizabeth. It was there
that the Maralack Administration formulated their vision and mission, to
rejuvenate student governance. In the implementation of this mission,
they were faced with several problems, such as deficits in all accounts
and the SRC communication with substructures such as Societies, Head
Students, Halls, Sports Administration, Student Sports Council and the
PGLSC had been broken.
Each councillor brought something new and exciting to the council.
Mfundo, with extremely limited time and no handover, walked into
office without full contact details of societies or even a Society Council.
Zoey ensured the return of the SRC Shuttle. Sakhe’ formulated a
Faculty Representative Policy and legitimized the body, and remains
highly respected with the University Administration and Faculty
Deans. Cacharel started with six SRC Hall Representatives out of 12
after the Kholosa administration had scrapped the idea in 2008. 11
of the 12 positions are now filled. Thabo fixed communications with
Community Engagement Representatives and raised R45 000 with the
Give 5 initiative working with Rhodes Alumni House and the Dean of
Students Offices. Rory threw smashing Great Field Parties, ensuring
that Inter-Varsity can continue being held at Rhodes. Martin improved
the SRC constitution which many previous administrations failed to do,
allowing more Student Body and Forum meetings to be held this year
than many previous years. Simone co-ordinated spending, keeping the
SRC afloat on a cut-back budget while paying off many of the existing
account deficits. Ruth was involved in environmental conferences across
the globe while also being active here at Rhodes, facilitating Rhino
Week and Environmental Week. Nicolain handled countless individual
Oppidan issues. Owethu became the active member on council, driving
events and taking part in the Anti-Fur Protest during Animal Rights Week.
Amirah and Vanessa worked together on International Week and the
Parade while defining the International Councillor portfolio. Silvanus
guided and organised Orientation Week 2012 while representing
Rhodes SRC nationally. Matthieu orchestrated all SRC activities and kept
the Council together. After a national SRC Colloquium during Inter-
Varsity, the SRC has become recognised on a national level. I made a lot
of posters.
I also learnt about a vision and what that means in the world of the
institution. What one attempt to do as an individual can never be
achieved in one term of office. A vision ensures groundwork and then
evolution of a body. In the context of the SRC, any and all visions are
about the students. Our vision was to empower the students by plans
reforming student governance. The students, however, took things into
their own hands. 2012 saw a responsive student body, something I first
realised when students initiated a march for “Black Thursday” against
the change of exam time tables in June. As an organiser of themed “lets
unite Rhodents” Purple Thursday events, this upset me. However, Black
Thursday did not. It represented just what the SRC has been trying to
bring about for years. Rhodes students were engaging. They were
fighting. I’d call that a job well done.
SRC of change? Media 2012
Outgoing SRC: President - Matthieu Maralack; Vice President Internal - Martin Forsyth; Vice President External - Silvanus Welcome; Academic Councillor - Sakh’usomeleze Badi; Activism and Transformation - Owethu Makhathini; Community Engagement - Thabo Seshoka; Environ-mental - Ruth Kruger; Media - Brad Bense; Oppidan - Nicolain Shabangu; Projects Manager - Rory Abrahams; Residence Councillor - Cacharel Wroots; Societies - Mfundo Makana; Student Benefits and Sponsorship - Zoey Sibeko; Treasurer - Simone Starkey; International - Vanessa Siwawa-Ndai . Pic: Supplied
The contents of this page are not necessarily affiliated with Activate, its writers or editorial staff
By Fezekile Cokile
Current US President Barack
Obama competes to be
re-elected over Mitt Romney
in the political arena, ahead of the
6 November elections. A brief look
into what each candidate promises
to achieve might give you an idea of
the different positions found in their
manifestos.
In case you have never heard of
Romney before, he is the Republican
nominee running against incumbent
President Obama. Born in 1947 the
business-minded Romney founded the
investment firm Bain Capital, and has a
net worth of $250 million (roughly R2.2
billion). He is not new to politics as he is
the former governor of Massachusetts.
Romney attempted to run in the 2008
US elections as the Republican nominee
but lost to John McCain. In terms
of government spending, Romney
promised the National Association for
the Advancement of Coloured People
(NAACP) in July that he would reduce
government spending and eliminate
Obamacare. His reasoning behind this
was “a high level of debt slows GDP
growth and that means fewer jobs. If
[the] goal is jobs, we must stop spending
over a trillion dollars more than we earn.
To do this, I will eliminate expensive non-
essential programs like Obamacare, and
I will work to reform and save Medicare
and social security, in part by means-
testing their benefits.” Furthermore,
according his manifesto, Romney will
reverse the Obama-era defense cuts. He
believes that “a strong America must –
and will – lead the future. I will insist on
a military so powerful that no one would
ever think of challenging it.” These are
the only few points of what Romney has
promised America.
Similarly, President Obama has his
own list of promises which cover areas
of infrastructure, healthcare and the
military. In a campaign rally in Ohio in
July, he spoke about how “we will not
go back to the days when insurance
companies could discriminate against
people just because they were sick.
We're not going to tell 6 million young
people who are now on their parent's
health insurance plans that suddenly
they don't have health insurance.
We're not going to allow Medicare
to be turned into a voucher system.”
Healthcare is a domestic concern in
America, much like in South Africa.
According to Timothy Johnson, author of
The Truth about Getting Sick in America,
it is a moral issue: 45 000 people die
every year in the United States because
they lack healthcare.
Additionally, when speaking about
the heated issue of Afghanistan, Obama
promised that, “By 2014, the war in
Afghanistan will be over…I have set that
timeline. I intend to keep it, because
after a decade of war that's cost us
thousands of lives and over a trillion
dollars, the nation we need to build
is our own.” Interestingly, PolitiFact.
com reported that Obama has only
kept 38% of the promises he made in
the 2008 run-up elections; 15% were
compromised while 17% were broken.
Come November , the two opponents
will see just how influential their
promises have been to the American
people in this game of politics.
US election at a glance
By Fezekile Cokile
In just two months the ANC’s election conference
will be held in Mangaung, and President Jacob
Zuma could face two opponents for the title of
ANC President. The two politicians gunning for Zuma’s
position are likely to be Deputy President Kgalema
Motlanthe and Tokyo Sexwale, Minister of Human
Settlements. Who is the likeliest victor?
Tokyo Sexwale:
Sexwale is no stranger to politics, even though an
article published by Pretoria News in June revealed
that 57% of the respondents knew that Sexwale, who
is Minister of Human Settlements, was a politician or
a businessman, while 18% thought he was a football
player, 12% a comedian, and 6% said he was a judge.
Sexwale made his contribution to South African politics
as a member of the Black Consciousness Movement
and joined the ANC underground movement in the
1970s. After being released from Robben Island in 1990
he was elected to the Executive Committee of the ANC.
In 1994 he was elected as Premier of Gauteng and then
left the political arena in 1998 to go into business. In
recent years Sexwale has returned to his political roots
and is the current Minister of Human Settlements.
Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe:
Perhaps a stronger opponent can be seen in
Motlanthe, who has the ANC Youth League backing
him, according to the Mail and Guardian.
The Gauteng Province Executive Council has shown
its dissatisfaction with Zuma’s performance in a
statement made by provincial leader Mashatile, who
says, “As this Provincial Executive Council we have
been calling for the renewal of the ANC change in
leadership.” Motlanthe moved into the limelight when
he took over as temporary president of the country
between 25 September 2008 and 9 May 2009,
following the dismissal of former president Thabo
Mbeki. He served as Secretary General of the National
Union of Mineworkers (NUM) from 1992.
President Jacob Zuma:
Unarguably no stranger to politics, the current
president, Jacob Zuma, is gunning for a second term.
Despite the backing of his province, he appears to
be a little anxious about his chances of winning in
Mangaung.
IOL reported that “President Jacob Zuma’s lobbyists
want to offer Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe
the position of president of the country after the 2014
general election in exchange for no contestation in
Mangaung.”
Motlanthe’s spokesman, Thabo Masebe, declined to
comment.
It remains to be seen what will happen in December
in Mangaung. We can only sit and watch as the ANC
political heavyweights go into battle to become the
party’s next leader.
ANC heavyweights prepare to battle it out at Mangaung
SMACKDOWN!By Andrew Blane
As students we have yet to make our
mark on the world, as we are still
building the foundations of our CVs and
completing our education.
Unless we are directly affected by the
current affairs of South Africa as well as in the
world, many of us are not truly conscious of
what is happening around us.
By being conscious I do not mean
reading the news and complaining about it.
We need to take it a step further and read
between the lines by questioning it.
The Marikana strikes do not necessarily
involve a mob of protesters asking for a
ridiculous increase in their salary. They
rather represent a larger problem with the
economy; the result of poor service delivery
and the growing gap between the rich and
poor among other things.
Students have a responsibility to take
notice and question our surroundings,
because our actions from here on can
have the ability to change the situation in
our country, even if it is merely through a
single vote. We live in a democracy where
the government needs to represent the
will of the people. Although you may see
yourself as just one person, a number that is
insignificant in comparison to the country’s
massive population, you have the ability to
affect others or to become part of a group
that can.
The growing unemployment rates, the
recent fall of the Rand and crime rates all
affect us in one way or another. South Africa
has the highest popular protest rates in the
world; this clearly indicates the need for
change. Instead of criticising the municipal
workers for trashing the town in protest,
consider their grievances and what is being
done to rectify them. It is our responsibility
to hold the government accountable for its
actions.
As the cost of residence and digs is rising,
the ideal home has become increasingly
unaffordable and the ability to continue
studying will become even more financially
straining. Some may be forced to enter the
job market earlier than anticipated, provided
that there are still jobs available.
The environment is also at risk and
rapidly being depleted and plundered by
humankind.
It is therefore important that we become
active in the political sphere in order to
prevent this, or at least have some say in our
future. Asking questions leads to answers.
Although it may not be as simple as raising
your hand in a lecture, there are reasons and
solutions for the current issues surrounding
us. The bigger picture needs to be brought
into consideration, or viewed from a
different angle.
As Mahatma Ghandi once said, “When
the people will lead, the leaders will follow.”
Our future depends on it.
The importance of being active in the political
world
5POLITICS16 October 2012
By Andrew Blane
A seminar was held on 10 October by Jacklyn Cock,
a former Rhodes student who has published
widely on issues relating to the environment. He
brought to light some of the concerns pertaining to
South Africa’s ecological movement Towards a Green
Economy.
With the environmental concerns growing, there is
much need for discussion. There is no international
agreement on how to reduce emissions and the
ecological crisis has led to the increase in food prices,
water shortages and crop failure, for which sub-Saharan
Africa is expected to bear the brunt.
The South African Labour Movement (SALM) has
stated that it is committed to a just transition, however
Cock raised the point that there has yet to be an
agreement as to what changes shall occur was well as
the scale of the transition. The SALM merely talks of a
transition. This could involve either a shallow or deep
informative change.
The ecological crisis is both a threat and an
opportunity, by using capital as an incentive for change,
where powerful people in both governments and
corporations promote activity.
Cock quoted Sir Richard Branson in saying, “the
only option to stop climate change is for industry to
make money from it.” Thus the expansion of the market
reduces nature into natural capital. Cock also criticised
President Jacob Zuma’s path to national growth, saying
that some policy documents were incoherent and many
government actions were in contradiction with the
2010 promise of a Green Economy.
Cock also questioned the idea of ‘green jobs’; local
labour that benefits the ecology. There has been very
little of this in evidence and their benefit to communities
is minimal. Moreover, government is not doing enough
to replace energy-consumptive jobs with green jobs.
At the end of the day it is the poor who suffer most,
whether through the difficulty in accessing energy
or the massive problem of food security. 42% of
households in South Africa are malnourished, and one
in four children under the age of six shows signs of
stunted growth. In the questioning after the seminar
Cock raised the problem with food prices in South
Africa and how major companies have managed to
exploit the people through price fixing and corruption.
In recent years, the price of bread has risen by 66%
as a result of our need to import wheat – the result of
which is the price having been fixed according to the
Chicago Commodity Exchange, instead of something
closer to home.
In light of worsening climate change, another point
raised was the scarcity of water in South Africa and the
action taken so far.
Little was said about the wastage by elites through
swimming pools, golf courses, etc.
While the poor are suffering, the focus has been on
an extension of the already unaffordable prepaid water
meters in poor areas.
Jacklyn Cock: The Green Economy
President Barack Obama (L) and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney laugh at the end of the first presidential debate in Denver 2012. Pic: Jason Reed/ REUTERS
Julius Malema: A man of contradictionsJulius Malema is known for speaking his mind. Often what he says comes across as utterly shocking, incredibly funny and at times, inconsiderate. He tends to contradict himself and more often than not goes on about his privileged relationship with
President Jacob Zuma. However, his once-revered attitude to-wards the current president has been less than complimentary following his expulsion from the ANC. The following quotes are some of the few we have collected to demonstrate this:
“Zuma was taught by people on the ground. He is the most educated president. Economics is simple – put bread on the table.” (Eastcoast Radio)
“President Zuma has undermined the legacy of Mandela. We [expelled ANCYL leaders] never slept with children, we were not expelled for raping or stealing money but were expelled for politics.” (23 July 2012, Nelson Mandela Memo-rial lecture, Port Elizabeth, EC)
“I am not here to speak… President [Jacob] Zuma will speak on behalf of all of us. He was elected, whether we like him or not.” (6 January 2012, ahead of the ANC centenary gathering in Man-gaung)
“We must pray for Mandela to live long up until Zuma is no longer presi-dent because he (Zuma) does not qualify to bury him. He does not have the moral authority to stand near his coffin [as state president].” (19 July 2012, Qumbu, EC).
“They must leave now if they can’t accept Zuma... The ANC is not short of leadership. If
you leave we have others to replace you.” (21 June 2008, Claremont Sugar Ray Xulu
stadium in Durban, KZN)“Travelling overseas in the past you were asked about Mandela, but now when you land overseas they ask you how many wives you have.” (19 July 2012, Qumbu, EC)” “We are prepared to
take up arms and kill for Zuma.” (2008)
“My only regret was to campaign for Zuma, and I apologise dearly.” (2012)
“Now we say, come 2009, [Zuma] will become president [of the country] and only
death can stop us from ensuring that this happens.” (Mail and Guardian 2008)
“What is the legacy of President Zuma? His legacy is that of being interrelate [sic] to the youth, is that of expelling those who disa-gree with him.” (16 June 2012, Thohoyand-dou, Limpopo)
“An attack on our leader (Zuma) is an attack on our revolution, which is an attack on our
people. You are a guard in the revolu-tion. You must be like a security
guard and it’s your duty to defend the ANC.” (Mail
and Guardian)
“Who goes to Nkandla of all places? There’s no wisdom there, nothing to learn, unless it’s about cultural aspects.” (9 October 2012, Virginia, FS)
By Fezekile Cokile
Graphic: Xand Venturas
THEN NOW
Pic: Gary van der Merwe Pic: Supplied
6 POLITICS 16 October 2012
By Kate Pinchuck
Directed by Oliver Stone
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Taylor Kitsch,
Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek
Running time: 131 minutes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Savages tells the story of two marijuana dealers, Ben
(Taylor-Johnson, of Kick-ass fame) and Chon (Kitsch), who
make a dubious deal with a ruthless Mexican drug cartel who
kidnap their shared girlfriend, O (Lively). Salma Hayek makes
a convincing cartel boss, although her character is not as fully
developed or explored as it could have been. Benicio Del Toro,
as usual, is the bad guy and again he is perfectly cast. He seems
to have an affinity for greasy, sleazy gangsters. Even John Travolta
features as a corrupt DEA agent.
At first it reads a bit like a Guy Ritchie film, just not as fast-paced
or witty. It is, in fact, quite slow. However, the sweeping shots
of Laguna beaches and Blake Lively’s hair blowing in the wind
provide an interesting contrast and respite to the gratuitous
violence throughout the film.
The violence used is excessive as its presence goes far beyond
its necessary effect. It is as though the film is desperately trying
to drive the point that these are “bad people” and cannot think
of another way in which it can be done.
Aside from the graphic violence and slight dragging of some
sections, Savages includes some powerful performances and
takes a slightly new look at the drug-deal-gone-bad scenario
by adding the aspect of a complex, three-way love story.
The beautiful, sunny California scenery provides a nice irony,
juxtaposed against the insidious actions of everyone who lives
there, and also allows the cast to be sweaty most of the time.
It is a competent crime film with some interesting dramatic
nuances thrown in. Some guy gets both his kneecaps shot in
the first ten minutes. All in all, Savages is a fairly decent way to
entertain yourself for two hours. It will be screening at the Movie
Zone Cinemas (formerly the Roxbury) from 2 November. See
www.grahamstown.moviezonecinemas.co.za for details.
Sweaty faces and gratuitous violence
GIG
GU
IDE
By David Mann
It is the final term again, which means exams are around the corner and students
are looking to get as much partying done as possible before they hit the books.
Johannesburg-based band Shortstraw are providing Rhodes students with one last pre-
exam blowout when they stop off here on their Hashtag Hashtag tour.
The tour, which is appropriately named after the band’s self-confessed Instagram
addiction, will see Shortstraw travelling from Cape Town to Bloemfontein and everywhere
else in between. This will be the second time that Shortstraw play in Grahamstown: their
first was at The Monastery on 7 October, a gig which bassist Russell Grant described as
“a titballs amazing show. It was loud, sweaty, and filled with quart-sized beer bottles. So
we’re looking forward to coming back!”
Comprising of Al (vocals), Russell (bass guitar), Gad (synth and piano), Tom (ukulele and
guitar) and Ollie (drums and vocals), the five piece indie- folk group have gained rising
fame in and outside of the Joburg music scene with their upbeat and often humorous
songs and formidable stage presence.
Russell says that the band loves going on tour together, as they “get to play frisbee on
the beach, roll through small towns, stay up all night, funnel beer from Vuvuzelas, and
occasionally play [their] musical instruments.” They are particularly excited to play here as
they have cited Grahamstown as one of their favourite places to put on a show due to the
town’s energy and enthusiasm.
Shortstraw will be playing with King Dinasour at Champs Action Bar on Wednesday, 31
0ctober, so make sure you go and show your support and enjoy one last crazy night out
before exams.
Shortstraw return to Grahamstown
7ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTEdition 8
El Toro facing uphill battle
Johannesburg-based band, Shortstraw, are set to gig at Champs Sports bar later this October for all those who like to listen to ‘tharsh folk’ music. Pic: Sourced
RUTV Documentary
Film FestivalWednesday 17
OctoberRhodes Theatre
R257pm
Drinks and snacks available
Karaoke NightEvery Wednesday
Champs Action BarFree entrance
LAN Champions
Friday 19 OctoberGeography 10Members: free;
Non-members: R1010pm
NatCaf Stand Up ShowThursday 25
OctoberThe Union
Free entrance9-10pm, straight
after the NatCaf show
Tunnel Vision Festival
Saturday 27 OctoberThe Tunnels
R60 presold; R80 at the gate
Tickets can be purchased from Under
the Arch or contact 083 670 5695
The Woody Cape Festival
ExperienceNovember 30 to
December 2Addo Nature Reserve outside Alexandria
The Horror of Grahamstown:
Shortstraw and King Dinosaur
Wednesday 31 October
Champs Action BarR209pm
By Campbell Easton
For even the most skilled band, getting
started in Grahamstown is no easy feat.
It takes a lot of time and talent to separate
yourself from the other performers,
and nobody has a harder time than the
alternative artists who do not appeal to the
mainstream.
El Toro, a fiery flamenco duo consisting
of George Karamitsos (22) and Matthew
de Klerk (21), have had trouble finding a
foothold in Grahamstown, but after a series
of very successful gigs have begun to carve
a niche for themselves.
However, despite warm responses from
Rhodes’ crowds, getting an acoustic group
started can be an uphill battle. Pirates
has stopped hosting their Wednesday
acoustic nights, and non-electric groups
like El Toro are not allowed to participate
in the Live Music Society’s Battle of the
Bands – something which the duo found
disappointing. “I thought it was unfair that
we couldn't perform,” said De Klerk. “I felt
that El Toro could have held its own against
any hard-core 'electric' band.”
As with any student group, the future of
El Toro is uncertain. They intend to keep
going but Karamitsos leaves Rhodes at
the end of the year, casting doubt on their
plans. “There is talk of a return of El Toro
for Fest 2013,” Karamitsos said, “I would
absolutely love to continue because I
feel it has so much potential. We are just
in unfortunate circumstances.” With or
without his partner, De Klerk intends to
continue. “I have plans for El Toro, and
I'm gonna have to find a replacement if I
want to keep the Flamenco flame burning.
Not an easy task, when you consider how
flippin' badass and dextrous George is. I
have one or two options, but we'll see. It's
by no means the end.”
El Toro will be opening for Danni Bowler
at Olde 69 on Wednesday, 17 October.
Pic: IMDb
Grahamstowns act, El Toro, are a two-man acoustic piece with George Karamit-sos (left) and Matthew de Klerk (right) making Pic: Sourced
8 PHOTO FEATURE 16 October 2012
By Julien Fiévez
With the increasing threat of poaching
becoming ubiquitous, South Africa needs
more game rangers to man posts across the
country. Ulovane Environment Training solves that problem
by providing ranger training to applicants of all ages.
Situated on the border of the Amakhala game reserve,
40 kilometres outside of Grahamstown on the Port
Elizabeth road, the Ulovane camp is almost entirely self-
sustaining, using solar power for electricity and heating
their water as well as using the borehole for their water
supply.
Ulovane was started in 2005 and offers a variety of
programmes, accredited by the Field Guides Association
of South Africa (FGASA), which aim to equip students with
the skills needed to become a game ranger in Southern
Africa. Botany, geology and meteorology are just a few
of the subjects that are taught by facilitators Mike Rosati,
Schalk Pretorius and Cobus Spies.
The group adventures across the Amakhala reserve in
search of practical examples of the work that they have
come across in the class room. It is not uncommon to see a
student munching on some kind of plant which they were
able to identify and pick.
Their Land Rover, affectionately named Eleanor, has done
more than 200,000 kilometres on dirt roads, paying the
price with a number of less-than-functional accessories.
Each student is required to lead a game drive, taking
the facilitators out onto the reserve and giving them a full
tour, including a drinks break at one of the reserve’s many
viewing points.
Student Tayla McCurdy, originally from Port Elizabeth,
enjoyed being part of the programme. “It just worked out
like this. I did a bunch of other things before coming here,
and now I think I have found something that I actually like
and enjoy. I’ve already been offered a job at Kariega (game
reserve), so this is just a necessary course to get me to that
point.”
Ulovane provides South Africa with highly trained, well-
rounded and enthusiastic rangers and guides, who are
ready to work to protect South Africa’s environment.
Meanwhile, back on the range…
1. A large bull elephant (Loxodonta Africana) wan-
ders down Striata road on the Amakhala reserve.
This bull, affectionately named Afstert, is one of 22
elephants on the reserve.
2. Tayla McCurdy takes a moment to check the spe-
cies of the small, purple Erica (Erica carnea). This
plant flowers for only a few short weeks, covering
the zuurveld vegetation in Amakhala reserve.
3. A crash of white rhinos (Ceratotherium simum)
drink from a puddle in the track after a period of
heavy rains. By the end of July this year, more than
245 Rhinos had been poached in South Africa alone.
4. A caracal (Caracal caracal) slides through the
undergrowth as it moves silently through the bush.
Caracals are fiercely territorial and are known to
fight to the death in territorial disputes.
5. Facilitator Cobus Spies applies flesh from the Afri-
can potato (Hypoxis Hemerocallidea) to a small gash
on Tayla McCurdy’s hand. The African potato has
many uses, ranging from burn ointment, to food, to
a moisturiser.
6. Mikhail Thomas and Simpiwe Ndlovu shovel the
quarried limestone from the trailer onto the dirt
road. Tayla McCurdy stands waiting for an opportu-
nity to begin raking it out and flattening it into the
potholes.
1
2
9PHOTO FEATUREEdition 8
3
4 6
5
By Rhea MacDonald
It’s almost that time of year again; the time for goblins and ghosts, witches and
warlocks, vampires and werewolves. Candy, costumes, and jack-o-lanterns.
This is what Halloween is all about, right?
Wait a minute, let’s get real. It’s more like this: absurd amounts of alcohol, girls
clad in the skimpiest clothes imaginable, and people partaking in unbelievably
outrageous antics.
It’s one of the last chances to let loose and blow off some steam before the
final exams of the year. Whether your plan for Halloween goes along with the
first suggestion or the second, you will most likely want to line up some sort of
costume.
Rhodes students don’t go small in anything they do, and Halloween is no
exception. However, we are students after all and we don’t have a lot of extra
cash to spend. Here are some ideas on where to buy for less:
Halloween on a budget
By Rhea MacDonald
You may have noticed around November
each year, men of all ages begin to
get a bit scruffier – particularly in the upper
lip department. This phenomenon is
due to a worldwide movement known as
Movember.
Movember started off in Australia in 2003
as a challenge between two friends. Luke
Slattery and Travis Garone decided it was
time for the moustache to be brought back
into style, so they convinced a group of
their friends to take part in a dare. They all
agreed to shave their faces on the night
of 31 October that year, and grow their
moustaches until the end of November.
During the four weeks, the men noticed
that many conversations were started
because of the unusual hair on their faces.
The two founders decided they should put
the interest of this large number of people
to use, and started raising money for charity
by asking for donations.Since men are often
apprehensive about discussing problems
with doctors and are more likely to just
ignore health matters, Garone and Slattery
thought it was important to help raise
awareness about men’s health problems.
After much discussion, they decided on
the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia,
since the issue of prostate cancer is not
widely known and the disease many men
worldwide.
They started the Movember Foundation
and launched a campaign for the following
year (2004). The first year raised over $50
000, and led to expanding the cause to
include depression in men.
Currently, Movember takes place all
around the world with over nine countries
officially participating in the month-long
event, and almost 2 million people
participating in general. Each year more
and more people become interested in the
event and men everywhere gain greater
awareness about health issues that affect
them.
To become an official participant, simply
visit za.movember.com and register. There
are dozens of prizes to be won and more
information for those interested in the
cause. Men: This Movember grow your
facial hair. Shape it, trim it, curl it, gel it, and
most of all, wear it proudly.
Rhodes and the world shall turn their eyes
to the thousands of moustaches adorning
male faces, and men everywhere will be
better off because of these furry facial
additions.
I moustache you a question
By Ruan Scheepers
Suppose you’re off with a bunch of mates and it’s
going to be a pretty sick weekend. Everyone
piles into your car and you head off to the
coast with some good tunes and in high spirits. Just
outside Kenton you strike a pothole that you didn’t
see because you were fiddling with the stereo. A solid
thump and you may even stop to check for damage.
The tyre does not deflate but forms a bubble on the
sidewall.
You also notice an indentation on your rim. In this
case, a damaged tyre must be removed as soon as
possible to avoid a blow-out which could result in a
severe accident. Your car should then also be taken
to an accredited service centre (Market Square VW,
Settlers Toyota or General Motors etc. depending on
the make of your car) to check for possible suspension
damage.
To avoid a situation like this, you have to wake up
behind the wheel. No matter how much driving
experience you have, learn to read the road surface
at all times. You should also adjust your speed to
match your ability to deal with the road surface. The
same applies on gravel roads. Here careful attention
needs to be given to what lies ahead regarding
ditches, corrugations, rocks and holes possibly
filled with water. Sharp stones can shred a tyre and
ditches can smash your oil sump, resulting in major
engine damage. Corrugations can be dealt with by
simply moving more to the centre or extreme sides
of the road where the surface has not worn so much.
Increasing your speed over corrugations will also help
stop excessive vibrations.
Another issue is water: road cars and excessive water
do not gel. The same applies to mud. A Polo Vivo is
not a Jeep. It is low to the ground and has minimal
protection from water around key electronic parts in
comparison to purpose-built off-roaders.
Chances are that if you go near water deeper than
your shins, you could cause damage to your car. If you
have a 4x4 and are feeling brave, always remember
to test the depth and submerged surface if you are
crossing a deep forge to avoid getting stuck.
If you do not have four wheel drive then stay away
from loose muddy areas, especially if you are alone
or without a recovery strap. If you do find yourself in
a muddy patch or saturated grass, either wait for the
area to dry out or proceed extremely gently, keeping
your forward momentum without spinning your
wheels too much. Aggressive driving will leave you
stuck or up against a tree.
Something else to pay careful attention to is your
vehicles’ ground clearance. The rule of thumb is to
have your wheels on the highest part of the terrain at
all times to avoid scraping the underside of the car
on higher ridges. If you really need to go down such
a route, ask a friend to walk in front of the vehicle to
guide you as you slowly proceed forward. Keep in
mind that the forces exerted on vehicles on a day-to-
day driving basis are astronomical. Key components
of the car such as the suspension, engine and gearbox
work under very stressful conditions, and when the
stresses on these components become too high,
costly repairs are often a result.
Avoiding the avoidable
10 LIFESTYLE 16 October 2012
Shop: Adult World
Where: Beaufort Street, just
after KFC
Type of Supplies: Sexy
costumes such as school
girl, nurse, and French maid,
various unique stockings,
wands, make-up, hand cuffs,
crowns, and more.
Approx. Price Range: Full
Costumes – R200, Stockings
– R150, and accessories –
R20-R80
Shop: That Store
Where: Anglo African Street,
turn left off High Street
Type of Supplies: Accessories
such as ribbons, tiaras, pipe
cleaners, paint, feathers, beads,
sparkles etc.
Approx.
Price Range:
R10-R50
Shop: Nearly New Shop
Where: 41 Hill Street, turn right
off High Street
Type of Supplies: Great quality
second-hand clothing and
accessories of all shapes and
sizes. Lots of unique items
perfect for putting together
costumes.
Approx. Price Range: Small
items such as vests and skirts –
R50, dresses, jerseys etc. – up
to R150
Shop: Under the Arch
Where: Bottom of campus
entering onto High Street,
under Drostdy Arch
Type of Supplies: Unique
clothing, scarves, jewellery,
and accessories.
Approx. Price Range:
Accessories/jewellery –
R40-R60, unique
clothing – R100-
R200
How will you grow your Mo? Pic: Flickr
Always stay clear of wet grass and loose mud. Pic: Ruan Scheepers
By Hancu Louw
D isclaimer: the author in no way intends to cause slander to the
name of the institution of Rhodes University or any person, body
or organisation affiliated to the University. This article is a mere
portrayal through the perspective of an individual who wishes to spend
his time in the company of individuals known and unknown to him, during
organised times of social excess.
Try as we may, we cannot deny that we all crave a little insanity from time
to time – the wish to wilfully destroy ourselves. A depraved notion if there
ever was one, but it seems, in light of our historically illustrious past, that
we are destined for utter excess.
It’s late afternoon, a tepid Black Label quart in hand. The lawns are
ablaze with white and purple. Fluid creatures stumbling about, music
blaring from some speaker, the steady beat pulsating though our bodies.
Disjointed cries echo off the walls as things slowly but steadily spiral out of
control…
The sun fades and the beer is replaced by cheap generic box wine, the
fuel of the wasted youth; prospective leaders in a time in which all points
in the direction of total annihilation. Standing in little groups we chatter
away happily, light-headed and optimistic for what the night may hold.
The excitement of another night of lubricated mob fury.
We reach the fields and I can feel the blood rising in my chest. Through
bloodshot eyes, I see a similar tension in all of them, shouting on the
stands, cheering: a projection of their hopes and dreams. This is how
Inter-Varsity plays itself out, with all of us ending somewhere in New
Street. We, the honest thrill seekers, being milked of our means. But in the
moment we are all too happy to ‘get another one.’
And so it continues, Boat Races comes along and it’s a mere switch
of scenery; a jumble of humans and cars, the best and the rest out to
represent their team. Overalls slowly absorb the activities of the day,
spilling into ever increasing debauchery. By 9pm things have reached
their peak, the winners long lost in the mob, swallowed by the temptation
of ‘having really been there.’
It inevitably ends in drunken brawls and people being stood on, fences
being scaled for fear of paying another R20. Pipes offered and turned
away, frantically being looked for in the wee hours of the morning. Men
shouting from delirious perches on camping chairs for, “weed, any damn
weed?!”Almost-muggings, and stumbling to the beach at 9am to have a
last one…
We have all had a similar time, maybe not all at once. It may be that
the author resides in total delusion, but I think it’s pretty safe to say it’s
happened to all of us purple people on some level.
Cradock and the ridiculous heat, dust mixed with the icy brown waters
rushing past the bank. Hansa flows like the river on which the race is held
at this event, the last in the Rhodes ‘Big Three’. I mean, there are even
shirts with tick boxes promoting this trend in organised excess.
The Friday night is always the sneaky one; it pounces on you as you
leave your tented braai area, on some haphazard mission to get to the
field. Beers in hand I head out with the team, ready to get this thing going,
anxious to lay eyes on the local Afrikaans ballies and their antics.
It flies by in a blur of live music and dry grass. Saturday and it’s up and
away to see some spectacular bails, canoes crashing, while you break the
seal on another bottle of Cape Hope; someone forgot the cups, so it’s
a plastic bottle doing the rounds. The day wears on and I end up with a
delightful boere tan. The night goes as expected, the prices are low and
combination of Energade and beer has everyone bouncing feverishly.
It never ends well though, attempting the walk, or opting out for some
spot in town at “an oke’s house man, come…” never really nurses the two
day binge. The drive back is mashed into a blur of heat, lame tunes on the
radio and cheap cigarettes.
We are a people of unconsidered decisions hurtling down three or
four years on a diet of late nights, sober or not, seeking that one time it
all made so much more sense. This is the dark side of Rhodes sport, the
opportunity is all too tempting and all the reasons are to go at it as hard
and fast as we can.
The dark side of Rhodes sport
By Caitlin Stobie
Madame, monsieur, good
evening
and welcome to Forever.
I am the maitre d’.
May I show you to your seat?
I can’t give you the best table;
Father Time’s been sitting there
for the last few millennia,
drowning himself in whiskey.
I heard Mother Nature stood
him up.
And before you get comfortable,
I must ask you to pay
no attention to Shakespeare.
He’s been slumped in that corner
for as long as anyone can
remember,
saying something about summer
to the fake flowers
between glasses of gin.
But here in Forever,
we welcome the ones who wear
black
to traffic light parties.
We reserve tables for those who
spend their lives
waiting for someone
who won’t make them wait.
Our cutlery is made from melted-
down promise rings,
donated to us by pregnant
schoolgirls.
The chairs are upholstered with
wished-upon eyelashes.
Our napkins are Dear John letters
that were never delivered.
And the menu!
The house wine is a vintage
Chardonnay
with a bouquet of promises and
a palate of lies;
best served chilled.
Our dish of the day is regret.
It comes with a side of bitterness.
Here, it’s so clean
you can remember the first time
you smelled blood.
You can taste the day
you learnt what love wasn’t,
or the last time you stood in your
childhood house
and felt at home.
But our after-dinner mints are as
sweet
as the birth pangs of a wife
who only knows miscarriages.
Our bills are written with
invisible wedding invitation ink.
We peel paint off the walls
of every high school art room
and graffiti our doors with the
words you wish you’d said.
We make masterpieces of the
memory
of the last time
your father looked you in the
eyes.
And at the back table,
between lost handbags and
coats that used to fit,
we record the titles of all the
great romances
that should have been.
So let today be the day you
come inside.
Let it be the day you remember
the names you used to rehearse
when you fell asleep.
Today, forget that pain
is more than a sheet of glass.
Let it be the day you put
memories
into lungs
into breaths
into voices
into songs
so you may throw them all to the
wind.
This is where you’ll find them.
Stay as long as you need -
the restaurant is always open.
Come inside.
The Restaurant of Forever
11FEATuRESEdition 8
By Tristan de Robillard
On the last Friday of each month, a
group of poetry enthusiasts get
together at Café D’vine in the name of
appreciating poetry. One by one, each
person will stand and recite the poems
closest to their hearts. It can be of any
genre, whether written by a world-
famous poet or their own work.
The idea of it is to share poetry which
comes either from the heart or touches
it in a profound way within a supportive
atmosphere.
Lydia Kasese is a second-year BA
student who was invited to perform
this week after some excellent
performances elsewhere, and says it
is an amazing experience. “No pun
intended,” Kasese quips, “but words
cannot describe it. And yet that's
exactly what is done there. Words are
used to express what people feel and
have felt. Words are used to unite the
elderly and the young of Grahamstown.
And at the end of the night, race, age
and nationality are nothing but words
in an enemy's dictionary. It’s a very
unifying experience.”
The range of people who attend is
impressive considering the relatively
small size of the congregation. As
Kasese points out, looking around the
room during the readings reveals the
faces of first-year university students,
businesspeople, high school students
and the elderly, and their experiences
are just as varied. Nowhere is this
variation more pronounced than in
the poetry written by the attendees
themselves: One young man stood
up and proceeded to deliver two
consecutive, emotionally wrought
performance poems that brought
him – and several people in the
audience – to the brink of tears, but was
then followed by an older man who
wrote in Dr Seuss-like rhymes about
a bothersome fly in his lounge. “It is a
creative cauldron of inspiration,” says
Liam Marsland, a first-year who has
also been to the evenings, “A definite
must-see for the silver-tongue and the
poetically inclined.”
So mark it off on your calendars, and
meet the colourful people who make it
possible at Café D’vine at 7pm. It is sure
to be a place where you feel at home.
Celebrating verse
A Rhodes student passed out during the inter-varsity rugby final. The debauchery ended in a random nap under the stands where spectators ignored the not-so-surprising scene. Pic: Niamh Walsh-VorsterThe Inter-varsity after party held on the Great Field earlier this year saw roughly 5000 students partying up a real student mare. Pic: Mia van der Merwe
By Staff Writer
Pretty – generally an average adjective used to describe things that
are so. But when it comes to Cape Town, the use of the word
‘pretty’ is perfect. From the people to the venue and even the
festival facilities, popular music festival Rocking the Daisies provided
enough eye candy for anyone. Coming from our humble university, I had
to adjust to the ways of the Cape upon arriving, and taking two drops of
liquid mushrooms was no help either. After setting up our little home for
the weekend, we mixed our poison and set off on our first adventure.
As we walked along, the flurry of anonymous passers-by did nothing
to help us ease into our new environment. We settled down to watch
the Black Handed Kites, a typical indie duo from Cape Town. However,
our attention was soon lost to a huge panda-head tent on our right. We
wandered towards it and, going with the flow of the crowd, ended up
at a mini Clifton beach with jocks and their girls clad in minimal clothing,
bouncing to house beats that were playing at the Mainstay-sponsored bar.
The touch of white sand lead onto a large lake where no one was going
to swim the whole weekend due to a lack of sunny weather. Moving past
these toned figures, our adventures took us to the food court. Hudson’s
(burger joint) and Knead (bakery) were the main attractions, and I found
the prettiness of Cape Town and its people to be evident in every corner –
the event even provided a Daisy Den for the girls, where they queued for
want of cleanliness and GHDs.
Looking down towards the Red Bull stage, it was a perfect scenario for
skipping: there was green grass with purple flowers littering its space, and
if only the sun had come out to play, we’d all be smiling. Instead, I hazily
walked into the Nu Beats World Barn for a bit of trippy fun.
The festival became a daze of meeting people, making missions across
the campsite to find fellow Rhodents and some heavy judging when
it came to the music being played. Jeremy Loops, meh. His music is
inspiring, but his act as a whole is disappointing – his explanation of the
loop pedal in the middle of his performance was off-putting. Benguela
on the other hand (a three piece improvisation act) played mind-blowing
music. Their psychedelic ambient sound allowed you to lose yourself
inside, where flowing thoughts gathered to show their approval.
Wondrous- it was a definite highlight. Another experience was Card on
Spokes. As a double bass jazz musician, he mixes his live bass with synths
and samples to create slow hip-hop infused beats.
I missed a lot at this festival, as with most. With so much on offer, and so
much confusion when your brain is mush from the night before, it’s difficult
to find a direction. People, events and titillating sounds constitute a million
distractions, all having seemingly equal importance in your deluded mind.
I struggled through Saturday and then, after a short nap, it was time for
what we came to do – watch Bloc Party.
For three days after their performance, goosebumps tingled their
way through my body. The thought of the rain during their set, with
those warm stage lights filling the audience and creating silhouettes
from behind could not have been done better. The rain, a natural effect,
could not have been timed more perfectly. As the set got heavier during
their two tracks We Are Not Good People and Team A, it was the most
beautiful atmosphere in which to be. Bloc Party was a dream. The natural
high produced by their music and performance kept us on our feet a little
longer, but the following acts could not top it so back to tent life it was.
Sunday, the last day, saw the depressing side of the festival. A wasteland,
it showed the dirty side of these once-pretty people. Tents were
abandoned, food was discarded and piles of litter were strewn across the
deserted campsite. It was a sorry sight, so we went off for some surf pop in
the form of Beach Party. The prettiness was again evident as those left were
scattered in front of the main stage to soak in the last notes of the festival,
clinging on to the memories.
I wouldn’t swop this weekend for anything. I’d have it playing on repeat
if I could: prettiness included.
The power of the pretty
12 FEATURES 16 October 2012
By Ruan Scheepers
The recipe was simple. Plan a route into the desert region of the
Northern Cape, find an experienced overlander to guide you,
work yourself to death to reach the target budget, blow half of that
on booze and then convince your old man to hand over the keys to
his brand new Land Rover Discovery. For two friends aged 19 and
21 it seemed possible. So we did it.
Six people, two Landys, twelve bottles of Captain Morgan
and fourteen days of touring a mystical region of South Africa.
Namaqualand is a semi-desert region in the Northern Cape
province of South Africa. It is perhaps best known for the annual
flower season which is a spectacular phenomenon occurring
between August and October. December, the hottest time of the
year with temperatures reaching 45˚C, seemed the more sensible
option. In two weeks we toured from Pretoria, over Upington
and through to Pofadder, where we left all tar roads for the next
2000km as we followed the Orange River to its mouth at the
Atlantic Ocean.
Once beyond Pofadder, our convoy took the gravel road leading
to Pella on the banks of the Orange River. This tiny town with its
date-palm trees is the classic oasis. The central point of this town
is the church built by a Catholic missionary in 1885. After a tour
of the church building, the route west from Pella enters the semi-
desert region along the banks of the Orange River. Totally alone
in this desolate environment, speeds were kept to a minimum
to avoid damage to the vehicles and trailer on the treacherous
tracks. Any event of mechanical failure or damage to the Landys as
a result of careless driving could mean an end to the expedition.
The lower-profile tyres on the Discovery were concerning but in
retrospect they performed exceptionally well.
Our accommodation was tents for the duration of the trip.
Minimalism is the way to go, so only basic food items were
brought along. A portable fridge is essential for meats but mostly
to hold ice and Coke. We lived in shorts, bathed in the river and
slept under the stars. Five days into the trip, however, we were
spoilt with flushing toilets and hot water when our route brought
us to a guest house in the middle of the desert. It once played host
to Nicolas Cage and 30 Seconds to Mars singer, Jared Leto, during
the shooting of a film in the region. This was a time to unwind by
the pool, get cleaned up and check the vehicles.
From there we entered the untouched heart of Namaqualand.
No other people were seen for days and the terrain became
exceptionally challenging. At times we relied purely on our GPS
navigation to guide us through the rocky desert. The brutal
landscape with its jagged mountains and thick sandy tracks is a
prime example of unspoilt nature, an environment too hostile for
human life to be sustained. Thus far, however, we had survived a
smashed iPhone, a ruined tyre and rim from hitting a large rock,
and bruised egos after some showing off got the Discovery so
stuck it needed winching to free it from the soft sand. This proved
once again the need for a support vehicle and relevant recovery
gear on a trip like this.
We trekked inland and on the eighth night reached our
overnight stop where we would be striking camp inside a cave,
a landmark of the area. We were now still two days drive from
Vioolsdrif, the nearest town on the border with Namibia. With
fuel and rum starting to run low, signs of insanity steadily crept in
as the battered team pressed further west. With no spare tyre on
the Discovery and the trailer taking a beating, the going was nerve-
racking as we crossed very hostile terrain. If we lost another tyre on
the sharp rocks we would be stranded. By some miracle we made
it to Vioolsdrif where we refuelled and resupplied. From here we
would continue through to Alexander Bay on the West Coast and
then head south to Port Nolloth before starting the return trip to
Pretoria. Just a few kilometres from Alexander Bay, it was the turn of
the Defender to dramatically lose a tyre. With the spare fitted, we
rolled on.
The town of Alexander Bay is where the Orange River mouths
into the Atlantic. This was once a major diamond mining area,
but all that remains of the mining today is an eerie desert
landscape filled with abandoned machinery and buildings. Here a
miscalculation in soft sand on a narrow track caused the Defender
to fall over onto a mine fence in the dunes outside the town.
Careful assessment of the situation ensured a safe recovery of the
Landy with only minor damage. With a mix of Eric Clapton and
Coldplay, we headed south to Port Nolloth using the tar road.
Once in the town, we enjoyed fresh seafood at a local beach pub
before making our way back towards Upington and on to Pretoria
over the next two days.
This trip is an example of something every lover of adventure
should try. We are very privileged to have had the opportunity
to explore this country’s hidden treasures in the way we did. We
learnt a lot about the basics of overlanding, the cultures of the
Northern Cape and how to handle crises, all while experiencing
the best Africa has to offer. Keep it simple and do not take anything
you could do without. With the current cost of fuel, it is no cheap
exercise but worth every cent. Plan a trip and make it happen.
Desert, Dust and Diesel - Expedition Namaqualand
Our noble steads: The Defender Tdi and Discovery 4 V8. Pic: Ruan Scheepers
The cave where we set up camp. Pic: Ruan Scheepers
“Today I have called on President Zuma to do what is right, and what his high office demands
of him. He does not have to wait for the public protector inquiry, which I will be calling for, to
correct this wrongdoing ... He can cancel his upgrade, and instead spend the money on the
neighbouring communities which so desperately need jobs, infrastructure, and services.”
- Democratic Alliance Parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko urging President Jacob Zuma to
cancel the upgrade to his Nkandla homestead, which is said to have cost R2 million.
R8.8591 / 1 USDR14.2437 / 1 EURR11.4832 / 1 GBPEx
chan
ge
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By Njabulo Nkosi
This year marks the centenary of the ANC, as well
as the five year conference (Mangaung) where
Jacob Zuma aims to maintain the presidency.
Other factions within the Tripartite Alliance will strive to
topple him off the throne. In the current political and
economic situation it would seem that whoever wins
the presidency will gain many spoils, while the country
suffers.
The Tripartite Alliance is the association between
the ruling party, ANC, COSATU and the South African
Communist Party (SACP). It is centred around short-to
long-terms goals of the National Democratic Revolution
– the establishment of a democratic and non-racial
South Africa, economic transformation and continued
process of political and economic democratisation. This
alliance is the driving force behind and the explanation
of, current post-apartheid South Africa.
“There needs to be unity in the Tripartite Alliance,”
said Jacob Zuma, “There are those against us working
hard so that we do not achieve success… the Alliance
needs to lead South Africa.” The Tripartite Alliance is
the true holder of economic and political power in
the country. Many inefficiencies and movements of
progress can be traced back, directly or indirectly, to
this union.
Unemployment is at 25%, poverty levels are high and
many see the country as having a very unequal society.
There is a crisis in the mining sector which drives away
foreign investment because of low investor confidence.
Scandals are rife surrounding the R238 million Zuma-
Nkandla residence improvements and the tender scams
which point towards Julius Malema. Trust in government
leadership is questioned and the Tripartite Alliance is
seen as both the answer and the problem.
COSATU is the largest of the trade unions in South
Africa and they aim to organise 1.8 million workers
against exploitation. They have the power and
capacity to influence government policy, decrease
unemployment and help protect employer rights.
However, the recent youth wage subsidy (aimed at
improving youth employment opportunities) proposed
by National Treasury and the Democratic Alliance , has
been rejected by COSATU. The subsidy, which can help
to create 133 000 jobs, is thought to be detrimental to
the country and the ANC has been lukewarm on the
issue. This, coupled with the mining crises (Marikana
and Lonmin), is an area where COSATU has the ability to
influence the future of the country.
The ANC and SACP both have aims to create 5 million
jobs within the coming decade. The ANC has a majority
of seats in parliament and it can therefore influence
policies that curb the crises in South Africa, such as
the mine closures and strikes affecting transportation
and food supplies around the country. The disunity of
the Tripartite Alliance and its failure to act has led to
the threat of disinvestment in the country, increased
inflation, high unemployment and other economic
woes: when it has been solved, the country can move
forward.
ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe says, “We
need to appreciate the fact that this is the alliance of the
liberation movement. Once you accept that, you don’t
expect sleepless nights because [the alliance partners]
will always engage on various issues. But COSATU [and
SACP] always agrees with the ANC on many economic
policies.” Whoever wins in Mangaung will head the
ANC and lead the Tripartite Alliance.
Tripartite Alliance: Power holders in SA
By Matthew Lester
Graduates leaving university have
generally predicted their future as
‘get a job, start working, buy a car
and house, find a spouse and get on with it!’
However times are changing, and fast.
Traditionally a generation lasts for 20 years.
We are currently in ‘Generation Z’ or ‘The
Silent Generation’ that is supposed to run from
2000 to 2020. A few disturbing trends have
already emerged in Generation Z:
The global credit crunch has left the ‘baby
boomer generation’, born 1945 to 1963,
hopelessly underfunded for retirement. This,
coupled with a substantial increase in life
expectancy and investment losses, has left
millions of baby boomers world-wide facing
a very uncertain retirement, and their children
with the prospect of inheriting their parents
rather than their money.
The emergence of the Chinese and other
major economies in the Eastern Hemisphere
has resulted in massive increases in energy
prices.Most certainly the recovery from the
global credit crunch will not be quick. In
short, the world has to come to grips with the
fact that we have lived too large and it is very
difficult to cut back. This has changed the way
most of us will live out the rest of our lives. Life
in a 4X4 is now a thing of the past. Perhaps
we cannot wait until 2020 to announce a new
generation and we should be looking at the
new Generation Bieber from 2010 onwards,
and defining a new way of living on a far more
sustainable basis.
Graduates leaving university are going to
have to learn to ‘live smaller’ from houses
to cars, with fewer dirty habits, maximising
continuing professional development using
Internet technology, and living with the elderly.
All of these changes are fast becoming a reality.
Failure to adapt to the new challenges will
simply drive families of the future to become
broke, poisoned by way of a lethal cocktail of
increased energy costs and associated taxes.
Graduates will be far better equipped to deal
with future challenges than the millions of less
privileged South Africans who are unemployed
or economically inactive. However, even a job
coupled with an unsustainable lifestyle is a very
frightening prospect.
Matthew Lester is an associate professor at
Rhodes Business School.
Is it too late to rewrite the
book?
13BUSINESSEdition 8B
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Logos of each member of the Tripartite Alliance. Pics: Sourced
Gill Marcus comments on
South African Economy
Business Week reports that
South Africa’s economic
outlook is worsening and job
losses will mount as strikes
spread in Africa’s biggest
economy. “The outlook at
the moment is deteriorating
rapidly,” Reserve Bank
Governor Gill Marcus told
students at Rhodes University.
Recent capital outflows are
an “indicator of a loss of
confidence” among foreign
investors, she said.
Vodacom now live with 4G
Mail and Guardian report
that Vodacom has begun
to sell 4G services based
on long-term evolution
technology, but coverage is
extremely limited - for now.
Toyota recall to affect South
African customers
Toyota Motors said in the
Business Report that South
African Toyota owners would
be affected as part of a wider
global recall of 7.4-million
cars, but was unable to
immediately confirm its full
extent.
Rand at a record Low
The rand has hit a three-and-
a-half year low against the US
dollar. This is attributed to the
illegal strikes in the mining
sector. South African Minister
of Finance Pravin Gordhan
said he believes the situation
will improve.
South African mines stuck in
19th century
As reported by Mine web,
Mamphela Ramphele said
South Africa's mining industry
has a 19th century business
model which depends on
cheap labour, and will have
to engage in mass firings to
remain competitive.
Employment grew in
September
According to an
employment index,
employment in SA grew
1.61% year-on-year this
September, this year
following declines in August,
reports News 24.
For the latest business news go to activateonline.co.za
By Gorata Chengeta
On Friday, 5 October, Rhodes University
held its annual Environmental Awards
Ceremony in the Senior Common Room.
The ceremony was headed by Vice Chancellor Dr
Saleem Badat and attended by some of the university’s
best-known environmentalists.
The previous SRC Environment Councillor Ruth
Krueger and Rhodes’ Environment Officer Nikki Kohly,
presented the awards.
The Residence/Society award was scooped by
Allan Webb Hall. The hall was commended for their
commitment to working collaboratively on a number
of activities such as their Earth Hour event and tree-
planting project.
The individual award was given to Brett Sutherland,
who is currently pursuing his Honours degree in
Environmental Science. He founded the Vermiculture
project last year alongside Nikki Kohly, and is the
current project manager. The Vermiculture project
heads the installation of worm farm bins on campus.
The guest speaker for the occasion was Professor
Mervyn King. As a former Supreme Court judge, last
year he was presented with the Green Globe Award
for Sustainability in recognition of his environmental
advocacy in the corporate sector. King said that
when he was a student he studied “as if the earth
had limitless capabilities”, but recognised a shift in
mentality in today’s youth.
He predicted that the challenge for
environmentalists in the future would be to change
the minds of corporate heads, as multinational
corporations are more influential than governments,
so people cannot rely on politicians to appeal to
them about environmental issues. He encouraged the
audience to challenge such multinational corporations
to improve their sustainability: “If you think you can
continue with business as usual, then welcome to the
age of stupid.”
Rhodes University celebrates environmentalists
By Jane Berg
The Vermiculture project in Rhodes’ Grounds and Gardens
is a year old and still going strong. The initiative is run by
Brett Sutherland, who is currently pursuing his Honours degree
in Environmental Science. His aim is to create a completely
sustainable system for disposing of the university’s waste.
Vermiculture, or worm farming, is the use of earthworms in
a controlled environment to disintegrate organic material into
useful nutrients. The project involves collecting food scraps from
the Nelson Mandela dining hall and using the non-invasive worm
species Red Wigglers to convert it into rich organic fertiliser. This
comes in two forms: vermin-compost and vermin-tea.
Taking dilution into account, the venture currently produces
about 95 litres of worm tea in summer and 45 litres in winter. The
project is still hoping to expand in order to become economically
sustainable and help communities in Grahamstown create their
own worm farms.
However, Sutherland says continuity is a challenge as. “The
sustainability of the project requires a constant reserve of funds
and dedicated individuals to run it.”
The fertiliser produced through worm farming is not only
superior to its commercial counterparts in terms of its ecological
footprint, but also in its quality. Steve Faulconbridge of Liquid Gold
Earthworm Solutions says that worm compost, unlike the fertiliser,
improves the fertility of the soil and its water holding capacity and
structure, with no excess of harmful nutrients.Faulconbridge likens
the worms to “farmers” as they aerate the soil, boost the microbial
community and develop natural hormones and regulators which
stimulate plant growth.
The worms feed on the bacteria, which are passed out to form
compost that he says is “loaded with stable and usable macro-and
micro nutrients.”A worm farm requires very little effort to maintain;
it needs to be filled up once or twice a week, a sunny location, and
occasional watering.
“It just makes sense-waste in, food out,” says Faulconbridge. “I
save a lot of money and I am able to support myself off the worm
growth and the products that they produce.”
Vermiculture begins in Grahamstown
By Gorata Chengeta
On Tuesday, 16 October, World Food Day will be
commemorated around the globe. This is an
initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),
an agency of the United Nations (UN).
According to the FAO, despite the fact that we have the
capacity to eliminate hunger, almost one in seven people
suffers from undernourishment. With the population
of the world expected to reach nine billion by the year
2050, the role of small-holders in providing food is
becoming increasingly important. Hence it is highlighted
as a theme for this year’s World Food Day: Agricultural
Cooperatives – key to feeding the world.
The FAO have chosen this theme because small-hold
farmers, particularly those in developing nations, do
not benefit from increases in world food prices. Some
of the factors which hinder small holders from enjoying
the benefits of increased food prices include high
variable costs of production, limited access to proper
infrastructure and lack of transport; which makes them
more susceptible to poverty.
The UN declared 2012 to be the International Year
of Cooperatives. The UN views these cooperatives as
an opportunity for collective, sustainable development
which can benefit communities at large as opposed to
profit-making companies that only benefit shareholders.
The FAO, through studying existing models, found that
small-holders could benefit in several ways from engaging
in cooperatives. As they operate with a collective
voice, they can exploit market opportunities and enjoy
more bargaining power in policy-making processes.
Additionally, they allow farmers the chance to develop
technical and managerial skills. It is hoped that by
commemorating World Food Day, governments will act
to facilitate cooperatives within their agriculture sector.
Focus on farmers for World Food Day
14 ENVIRONMENT 16 October 2012
Saleem Badatt presents Allan Webb’s Busisiwe Kubeka and Keegan Watkins with their award at this year’s environmental Awards for being the most environmental Hall on campus. Pic: Sibulele Mabusela
Fracking: The basicsBy Jane Berg
• The natural gas for Hydraulic Fracturing is
found in two types of rock: coal beds and shale
formations. Conventionally, natural fissures in the
rock are used to collect such gas, but the most
concentrated deposits are found deep in the
earth.
• The gas is reached by vertical drilling for
approximately one and a half miles; once the
right depth is reached the drill is positioned
horizontally.
• At this point a mixture of water, chemicals and
sand is injected at high pressure into the shale
which has been fractured by the pressure inside
the well. The sand keeps the cracks open so that
the gas can flow from the fissure into the well.
• American production of shale gas began
in earnest around 1998, and is now accounting
for a quarter of its natural gas extraction. Other
countries which employ this method are China,
Poland and the UK. It has,however, been banned
in France and Bulgaria.
• The rights for a vast shale field in the
Karroo have been leased by a group of energy
companies including SASOL, Anglo American,
and Falcon Gas and Oil, but mainly by Royal
Dutch Shell.
• The Karoo covers 15% of South Africa’s
landmass; searches for natural gas began in the
1960s but were deemed unfeasible until fracking
developed.
• South Africa lifted its moratorium on the
exploration of shale gas in the Karoo in this
September, after a study lessened concerns about
its safety; the moratorium had been in place since
April 2011.
• Concerns about fracking mostly centre
on potential water pollution and the leaking of
methane into the atmosphere. Environmentalists
argue this belies the advantage gas has over coal.
A new farming initiative in Rhodes University is using earthworms as a means of creating fertiliser. Pic: Supplied
By Bridgette Hall
Seven-time Tour de France winner and inspiring
charity man, Lance Armstrong, lost his reputation
as a respected athlete this week as details from
the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) investigation
emerged. USADA Chief Executive Travis Tygart said,
“The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the
US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most
sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping
program me that the sport has ever seen.”
It was first revealed in August that the sporting body
would investigate Armstrong, after he was stripped of
his seven Tour de France titles and given a lifetime ban
by the USADA. Armstrong indicated that he would not
contest the charges that he had used performance-
enhancing drugs throughout his career, although he
continued to deny that they were true.
Earlier this week the USADA released the report
which left Armstrong’s fans and the cycling fraternity
shocked and disappointed. It contained the sworn
testimony of 26 people, including eleven of his
teammates, to the International Cycling Union (CUI),
the World Anti-Doping-Agency (WADA), and the World
Triathlon Corporation (WTC).
Furthermore, the thousand-page dossier included
financial payments, emails and laboratory test results
which the agency says prove the use of performance-
enhancing drugs by Armstrong and the US Postal
Service Pro Cycling Team. The sheer magnitude of the
operation has stunned officials and fans.
The report continues to describe how couriers would
follow the tour to deliver drugs to Armstrong and
members of the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team,
and how they would undergo blood transfusions in the
team doctor’s hotel room at night during the Tour de
France.
This would boost oxygen levels in their blood,
hereby improving stamina and recovery speed. It also
describes how thousands of dollars were flushed down
the toilet in a team camper-van over a possible police
raid in 1999, and how they were warned before drug
tests.
“Lance Armstrong did not merely use performance-
enhancing drugs. He supplied them to his teammates,”
the report said, “He was not just a part of the doping
culture on his team. He enforced and re-enforced it.”
One of the most surprising testimonies to come out
of the debacle was that of George Hincapie, who
rode alongside Armstrong and admitted to using
performance-enhancing drugs.
Other cyclists named in the report include Frankie
Andreu, Michael Barry, Tom Danielson, Tyler Hamilton,
Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer, Stephen Swart, Christian
Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters and David Zabriskie.
Armstrong’s lawyer, Sean Breen, maintains his client’s
innocence and called the report a “one-sided hatchet
job.” Breen said the agency was “ignoring the 500-600
tests Lance Armstrong passed, ignoring all exculpatory
evidence, and trying to justify the millions of dollars
USADA has spent pursuing one single athlete for years.”
The dossier from the USADA has been sent to the
International Cycling Union (UCI) which now has 21
days to challenge its findings and appeal to the World
Anti-Doping Agency, or comply with the decision to
strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles.
A hero’s fall from grace
15SPORTEdition 8
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By Xand Venturas
It’s the most popular football league in the world, and
this Barclays Premier League season is shaping up to
be one of the most interesting in recent history. After
last year’s heart-stopping finale, when Sergio Aguero
snatched the title from right under Manchester United’s
nose, this year promises to be just as exciting.
The early pace setters have been Chelsea. They sit at
the summit of the table with 19 points, four more than
United and their neighbours City. With the acquisition
of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin, Victor Moses, Oscar and
Cesar Azpillicueta, the Londoner’s made their intentions
clear – Abramovic wants the Premier League again.
Manchester United’s new signings Shinji Kagawa
and Robin van Persie have gelled instantly, with RvP
having already scored five goals in seven games so far
this season. A few sloppy results have let United down
though and as a result they are already trailing Chelsea.
Fernando Torres seems to have finally escaped the
gloomy shade of Didier Drogba’s shadow and has been
ably leading the Chelsea line, scoring four goals in the
process.
The surprise packages of the season so far have to be
Everton and West Bromwich Albion. Everton have made
a stunning start to the season and are currently sitting in
fourth place. This is a radical change from the norm, as
football fans have become accustomed to a slow start
from Everton and eventually getting their act together in
the final third of the season.
Perennial strugglers West Brom have also made an
astonishing start to the season finding themselves in
sixth place, ahead of Arsenal who are in seventh. It
would seem West Brom manager Steve Clark, who
has worked under Jose Mourinho has instilled a similar
ethos in his squad to that which ‘The Special One’
had at Chelsea. They’ve been grinding out results and
snatching goals when they’ve desperately needed
them, much like Mourinho’s teams have a knack of
doing.
Of the newly promoted teams – Southampton,
Reading and West Ham – only the Hammers have made
an encouraging start to their life back in the Premier
League. They are currently in eighth position while the
other two lie in, or just above, the relegation zone.
The disappointments of the season so far most
certainly have to be Queens Park Rangers. After
investing heavily on players during the summer transfer
window, Mark Hughes’ players have failed to live up
to their billing and have a measly two points out of a
possible 21. Liverpool are also in with a shout for being
the most disappointing team so far, only racking up six
points from their first seven games.
It would seem that their new manager, Brendan
Rodgers has not yet been able to fully imprint his style of
play onto his squad and they lack the fluidity and poise
that characterized his Swansea side of the 2011/2012
season.
Despite their strong start to the Premier League
campaign, Chelsea fans shouldn’t get too excited as
they have been known to have a bad spell around the
Christmas period-a time when the Manchester teams
tend to excel. All things considered, football fans can
look forward to an enthralling year from the Premier
League’s finest.
Chelsea setting the standard
Fernando Torres scores during the 2012/2013 Premier League. Pic: Sourced
By Xand Venturas
Sitting in the stands screaming your
lungs out, taking swigs of the cheapest
alcohol you can find out of a Fanta
bottle and then eventually stumbling off to the
Rat. Sound familiar? Probably. Sport at Rhodes
has become an excuse for many students to
get completely smashed-drunk, and this is a
problem.
Sport is a beautiful thing. Whether its
rugby, football, cricket, tennis, water polo,
badminton or archery, organised sport has
an effect on people that is largely unrivalled.
It makes us patriotic. It makes us proud of our
country/province/city/varsity/school. And
for a brief moment, everyone supporting the
same team as you is your mate. However, this
effect has been lost in some sense at Rhodes.
Our sporting events are being made
into excuses for the student body to get
debaucherous without any real enthusiasm for
the actual sporting event or its outcome. This
is the sad reality of sport at Rhodes.
What is particularly saddening is the fact that
I have witnessed first-hand the effort that gets
poured into organising and executing these
events. The time and money that is spent on
putting on a outstanding event is essentially
wasted on a group of people that wouldn’t
notice if there were branded hoardings on
the side of the pitch, even if they drunkenly
tripped over one.
The experience of these events is largely
spent in an alcohol-fueled daze that, yes,
makes you have a great time and gives you
a wicked hangover the next day, but does
not allow for any appreciation of the sporting
event at hand. This experience is explained in
vivid detail by senior reporter, Hancu, in his
article on page 11, “The Dark Side of Rhodes
Sports”.
These issues have always been simmering at
the back of my mind since I arrived at Rhodes,
but they were really driven home in the weeks
preceding this year’s Inter-Varsity. The most
common words coming out of most Rhodes
students mouths were, “I can’t wait for Tri-
Var!” The reason this is troubling is because
people weren’t actually looking forward to
the sporting events, or supporting their mates
who were participating. They saw it as a
reason to let loose.
Admittedly, everyone needs to get battered
once in a while, but why are our sports
events being used as the scapegoat for our
unbecoming behavior?
I suppose that the problem that is inherently
part of Rhodes culture is that Rhodents will
largely find use any excuse to get drunk and
sporting events happen to be one of the best
opportunities for this to happen. I propose
that the next time an organized sporting
event comes along, we watch it, enjoy it, try
to appreciate the spectacle. However, your
attempts will most likely be foiled by a fight
breaking out in the stands behind you or
someone spilling their vodka, lime and water
on you.
What’s the score again?
Evidence stacking up against Armstrong
Page 15
Results &Fixtures
2014 FIFA World Cup QualifiersSelected Results
England 5 - 0 San MarinoLuxembourg 0 - 6 Israel
Republic of Ireland 1 - 6 GermanyGreece 0 - 0 Bosnia-Herzegovina
Slovenia 2 -1 CyprusSerbia 0 - 3 Belgium
Macedonia 1 - 3 CroatiaNetherlands 3 - 0 AndorraSwitzerland 1 - 1 Norway
Belarus 0 - 4 SpainRussia 1 - 0 PortugalArmenia 1 - 3 Italy
Currie CupResults
DHL Western Province 36 - 15 FS Cheetahs
The Sharks 42 - 3 GWK Griquas
MTN Golden Lions 29 - 50 Vodacom Blue Bulls
Fixtures20 October
The Sharks vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
MTN Golden Lions vs DHL Western Province
Barclays Premier LeagueResults
Newcastle 0 - 3 Man United
Liverpool 0 - 0 Stoke
Tottenham 2 - 0 Aston Villa
West Ham 1 - 3 Arsenal
Swansea 2 - 2 Reading
Southampton 2 - 2 Fulham
Wigan 2 - 2 Everton
West Brom 3 - 2 QPR
Chelsea 4 - 1 Norwich
Man City 3 - 0 Sunderland
Fixtures 20 October
Tottenham vs Chelsea
West Brom vs Man City
West Ham vs Southampton
Fulham vs Aston Villa
Swansea vs Wigan
Liverpool vs Reading
Man United vs Stoke
Norwich vs Arsenal
21 OctoberSunderland vs Newcastle
QPR vs Everton
Who let Die Honds out?A player from Die Honds takes on a player from Cullen Bowles in last Tuesday’s futsal Final. Pic: Brigdette Hall
By Ashleigh Morris
On Tuesday night Die Honds took on Cullen
Bowles in the much-awaited futsal cup
finals. Despite the wet weather, the match
was definitely worth watching, ending in a close
game with the final score of 3-2 to Die Honds.
The game started slowly as players clearly struggled
to come to grips with the slippery surface. There was
a definite lack of challenges in the early part of the
game as players frequently slipped. The game soon
got going and picked up pace despite the constant
stop and start as Cullen Bowles had a stretch of
consecutive corners.
At half time the score was one all. Cullen Bowles’
goal had to be the highlight of the first half. Some
great footwork around the defence of Die Honds and
a shot which was made to look effortless rocketed
into the back of the net.
The second half saw both teams fiercely battling
it out as Die Honds scored an early goal. Not to be
outdone, Cullen Bowels shocked the crowd with
a goal that many thought the keeper had covered.
However, the ball seemed to just slip through his
fingers and the ball snuck in, tightly against the pole.
This goal clearly lifted Cullen Bowels and put them
back in the game.
Although Die Honds struggled to break through
the solid Cullen Bowels defence, their perseverance
paid off and they managed to score the winning goal
in the last two minutes of the game.
Captain of Die Honds and third year Bcomm
student, Kevin Cho, said “The game was too close
for my liking”. He went on to say that “The team has
been playing great and always bringing the gees”.
This much is true as, despite the miserable condi-
tions, a few die-hard supporters still showed up to
support the team.
Die Honds finish their outstanding season with what
Cho terms as “a thirty something” goal difference.
The team and the supporters are undoubtedly look-
ing forward to next years competition.
By Matthew Kynaston
As a country with some of the world’s most enthu-
siastic sports supporters, South Africa entered
2012 with high expectations for their various teams.
The biggest sports event of any year is the Olympics.
Minister of Sport and Recreation, Fikile Mbalula had
encouraged the athletes to aim for 12 medals at the
Games. Cameron van der Burgh won the men’s 100
metre breaststroke, breaking the world record in the
process, which was swiftly followed by Chad le Clos’
gold medal in the men’s 200 metre butterfly. In this
race he beat Michael Phelps, widely regarded as the
greatest swimmer and one of the greatest Olympians
of all time, by just five milliseconds. South Africa’s
final medal count read three golds, two silvers and a
bronze.
South African golf has been on the upswing of late.
Louis Oosthuizen came within a whisker of winning the
Masters in April, lo sing out to Bubba Watson after a
thrilling play-off. Then in July, Ernie Els won the British
Open after coming from six strokes behind to win
on the last hole. It was Els’ second British Open and
fourth major title in a career spanning 23 years.
There was a lot of expectation as the Proteas headed
off to England to try to wrest the no.1 test ranking away
from their long-standing rivals. Hashim Amla was in
glorious form, batting for two full days to score 311
runs in the first test – the highest by any South African
player. Captain Graeme Smith scored a century in his
100th test and Vernon Philander bowled superbly to
earn a test series win and the top ranking spot. They
drew the ODI and T20 series to round of a successful
tour.
Bafana Bafana have played eight matches this year,
winning two, drawing four and losing two. They
recently played Brazil and acquitted themselves
splendidly, going down 1-0 to a goal by Hulk. On 16
October they play Kenya, and all eyes will be on new
coach Gordon Igesund as he tries to end the year well.
The recent Castle Rugby Championship saw South
Africa finish second behind the unconquerable All
Blacks – but this may flatter the Springboks, who
were criticised for some of their performances. It was
Heyneke Meyer’s first such tournament, and he will
be looking for improved performances in the future.
All-in-all it was a good year for South African sport and
2013 promises to be even better.
SA’s year in sport - a retrospective
Internal League Futsal comes to its conclusion with Die Honds coming out on top