A

RHODE S U N I V ER S I T Y INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

EDITION 2 20 MARCH 2012 SINCE 1947

A C T I V A T E

Jabu Stone in Gtown

Removing the black tape : Survivor speaks out

SAs Dagga Couple
GIVEAWAY TONIGHT: 2 Double tickets to SPLASHY FEN!

Photo Feature: KNOW YOUR MEAT*

*Warning: this feature is not for the faint-hearted

Edition 2 . 20 March 2012

HIGHLIGHTS

Page 7:
Editor-in-chief: Lauren Kate Rawlins Deputy Editor: Isabelle Anne Abraham Content Editor: Kayla Roux Managing Editor Palesa Mashigo Online Editor: Alexander Venturas Chief Media Supervisor: Megan Ellis Chief Sub-Editor: Matthew Kynaston Chief Designer Simone Loxton Assistant Designer: Mignon van Zyl Chief Pics Editor: Anton Scholtz Assistant Pics Editor: Niamh Walsh-Vorster Illustrator: Katja Schreiber News Editor: Sibulele Mabusela Deputy News Editor: Neo Koza Politics Editor: Marc Davies Business Editor: Njabulo Nkosi C&A Editor: Alexa Sedgwick Features Editor: Karlien van der Wielen Features Assistant Editor: Nina McFall Lifestyle Editor: Sarisha Dhaya A & E Editor: Elna Schtz Sports Editor: Bridgette Hall Science & Tech Editor: Brad de Klerk Environment Editor Shirley Erasmus Advertising Manager Lethukuthula Tembe Advertising Assistants Justine Pearce Adrienne Weidner Distribution Manager: Bulali Dyakopu Community Engagement: Victoria Hlubi Editorial Consultant: Craig Wynn Contacts: Editor: activate.editor@gmail. com Deputy Editor: activate.deputy@gmail. com

RU student forum

Page 10:
LARK interview Political correctness and power of the tongue

Page 11:

Page 15:
Know your meat

Page 18:
Singing for sex?

Page 20:
Sexual abuse and the male myth

Page 27:
Jack Parow performs live on the main stage at the 2010 Splashy Fen music festival. Splashy is held annually over the Easter weekend in the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountains and is South Africas longest running music festival. This years festival promises to be the best yet, win one of two double tickets with Activate tonight! Turn to Page 8 for more details Front Page Picture: Jabu Stone is regarded in many circles as Mr Dreads because of his dedication and vigorous pursuit of the African identity through the promotion of braids and African locks amongst African people. Stone was one of the speakers in the Sasol ChemCity Talkshop Series that were held at ScifestAfrica 2012. Stone is successful entrepreneur who started his own business developing products for dreadlocks. He is an inspiration to all South Africans and encouraged those in his Talkshop to work for themselves and not for someone else. Pics: Lauren Rawlins

Win a meal at La Trattoria

From the Editor

his edition ofActivatehas been an interesting and challenging one for our team. Challenging because we expanded the paper from 24 to 32 pages, and because some of the content we are addressing is of a sensitive nature and needed to be tackled comprehensively. On the other hand, it has been interesting because we have tried to approach our content in a new way, allowing our readers to play an active role in the creation of our paper. For this reason, we have placed particular emphasis on our Comment & Analysis section in this edition. I would likeyou to be able to engage with Activateand to join in the conversation around the topics that you care about. We want to avoid dressing our opinion up as fact, but rather explore the social situations that we all find ourselves in alongside our readers. Media producers should create and facilitate debates and provide a platform from which readers can have their say. There are a number of important events happening this week at Rhodes. Tomorrow, the SRC will be hosting a student body meeting called The people shall govern, and on Friday is Rhodes annual Silent Protest - both very important for different reasons -and we deal with both of them in the paper. Last week was Environmental Week. Our photo feature relates to this and I would like to make it clear that we did not run this story to push a vegan or vegetarian agenda (most of my team are carnivores, including the photographer!), but rather to inform our readers and to help them make responsible choices about food.

Tomorrow, 21 March, our country will be celebrating Human Rights Day. Tonight, Activatehopes to celebrate your right to freedom of expression with you. Your freedom to say want you want, to let your beat be heard this event and the concept behind it has helped me reflect, and in light of recent events I think that it rings very true that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence. Just because you have the freedom to say what you want, does not mean that someone does not have an equal freedom to respond negatively. We hope to create a reciprocal relationship with our readers one in which ideas and concepts can go back and forth and both parties never stop learning from each other. Editor-in-Chief, Lauren Kate Rawlins

Activate falls under a creative commons licence. Printed by Paarlcoldset, Port Elizabeth

04 News in [Brief]

Edition 2

DA and COSATU clash

DA Parliamentary Leader Lindiwe Mazibuko said the trade union confederation COSATU has turned down the opportunity to discuss youth unemployment with her party. According to the SABC, Mazibuko felt that Cosatu stood in opposition to rulings that could greatly relieve youth unemployment. On the one hand, they oppose corruption, and programmes such as e-tolling in Gauteng, she said. On the other hand, they continue to oppose a policy which would create an estimated 423 000 jobs for young, unemployed South Africans. Mazibuko had written to COSATUs General Secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, to request a meeting in which they could discuss such issues. Vavi allegedly declined the request. In reply, Spokesperson of COSATU Patrick Craven said they did not see any benefit in discussing such issues with the DA, for they have too many fundamental differences. The basis for these differences are rooted in the fact that while COSATU represents the working class and the poor, the DA speaks for big business, the wealthy and the privileged, he explained.

A Syrian rebel plants a makeshift explosive device to destroy a Syrian Army tank during a day of heavy fighting with Syrian Army forces in Idlib, northern Syria. Sunday 11 March, 2012. Pics: AP/Rodrigo Abd

Gaza Strip ceasefire breached

Israeli military on the Gaza Strip agreed to cease their fire after a four-day conflict across the border. However, they have targeted Palestinian militant sites in the Gaza Strip in response to continued rocket fire on southern Israel. According to various news sources, 25 Palestinian lives have already been lost during the border conflict. The conflict reportedly began when an Israeli air raid killed senior military leader Zohair al-Qaisi, the Secretary General of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC). Israel claimed to have attacked him because he was planning an attack on them. The ceasefire constituted of a simple telephone agreement, and soldiers were to stop shooting early in the morning on Tuesday 13 March, but it has not proved complete, as was the case with previous agreements. Rocket fire and air strikes have continued sporadically but there have been no reports of additional casualties.

Beagles sit in their kennels on the fourth and final day of Crufts at the Birmingham NEC Arena in Birmingham, England. Sunday 11 March, 2012. Pics: Getty Images/ Dan Kitwood

Ethiopian migrants hold their travelling numbers as they wait to be repatriated at a transit centre run by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the western Yemeni town of Haradh, at the border of Saudi Arabia on 15 March 2012. Some 12 000 migrants, mostly from the Horn of Africa, are stranded in Haradh, which they use as a stepping stone to reach Saudi Arabia, according to the International Organization for Migration. Last week, local media reported atrocities committed against migrants by trafficking gangs which kidnap migrants for ransom from their families in the Gulf Arab states. Pic: REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

March 11, 2012. The body of an Afghan child, shot by a rogue US soldier, is seen with other bodies in the back of a truck in Alkozai village of Panjwayi district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan. Pic: JANGIR / AFP / Getty Images

20 March 2012

05 News in Brief[s]

News [in briefs]

By Sibulele Mabusela and Neo Koza
The delivery tower at the Volkswagen companys headquarter in Wolfsburg, Germany. 12 March, 2012. Pic: Reuters/Fabian Bimmer

Nicholas Weidemann, a Grade 11 pupil from Beaulieu College in Midrand, takes a swab of his own DNA while his classmates inspect the task during the CSI:DNA workshop at The Monument, 14 March 2012. The workshop was run by Professor Valerie Corfield from the South African Medical Research Counsel to create awareness and is part of an advocacy group for the establishment of a national DNA database. Pic: Andrew Brukman

Red Bull offends Catholics

Energy drink producer Red Bull has recently had to drop an advertisement in South Africa after a complaint about the advertisements portrayal of Jesus walking on water. Roman Catholic church Leaders urged Catholics to boycott the drink for Lent, arguing that the advertisement was blasphemous and offensive to Christians. The advertisement depicted Jesus walking on water not because of a miracle or because of Red Bull, but because he knew where the rocks under the water were placed and could tread on them with ease. Two years ago Red Bull had to pull another advert from the air in which Moses and the Israelites fly over the Red Sea after drinking a can of Red Bull, sparking a similar outrage. In a statement, the drinks maker said its humorous advertising always looks at well-known themes with which viewers can harmlessly identify. It is never our intention to hurt anyones feelings, it said.

A masked member of the National Teachers Union gestures as he walks past a line of police officers during a protest march in Mexico City 15 March, 2012. Thousands of teachers from the state of Michoacan, Chiapas, Oaxaca, Veracruz and Mexico City took part in the protest against the mandatory evaluation tests for teachers and to demand the removal of the leader of their union, Elba Esther Gordillo, according to local media. Pic: REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

ICC finds warlord guilty

In the courts first verdict since it was set up 10 years ago, the International Criminal Court (ICC) found Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga guilty of war crimes. Lubanga headed the Union of Congolese Patriots and has been accused of forcefully recruiting child soldiers during the inter-ethnic conflict in the DRC. Lubamba, who was arrested in 2005, will be sentenced at a later hearing. According to the courts founding treaty, the Rome Statute, Lubanga faces a sentence of life in prison. According to the document, life in prison is justified by the extreme gravity of the crime and the individual circumstances of the convicted person. He still has the right to appeal against the guilty verdict on all charges. US-based Human Rights Watch says more than 60,000 people were killed in the conflict between the Hema and Lendu groups in Ituri in north-eastern DRC.

A women cries as she recovers from severe injuries, after the Syrian Army shelled her house in Idlib, northern Syria, killing her husband and two children. March 10, 2012. Pic: Rodrigo Abd/AP

Jujus public apology to the ANC

Ex-ANCYL leader Julius Malema made a public apology to the ANC on Asikhulume, a current affairs talk show on SABC, Sunday, 11 March. I want to also apologise to the leadership of the African National Congress for anything that they think I have done wrong, said Malema, according to MSN News. Malema was suspended from his position for five years but has appealed against this charge. He was given leave to present the board with evidence as to why he feels they should review his sentence. Unfortunately for Malema, the board upped his sentence from suspension to expulsion from the ANC, for bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing divisions in the partys ranks.

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06 News

Edition 2

Drugs found on buses

By Makaziwe Sopazi rahamstown police initiated two drug busts late last week, in which thousands of Rands worth of narcotics were confiscated. Members of the Grahamstown SAPS Highway patrol stopped a Translux bus carrying approximately 40 passengers on the N2 near the Settlers Monument in the early hours of the morning. On a routine search of the luggage compartment, a suspicious bag was opened. It contained 207 bundles of khat, an illegal stimulant drug derived from a shrub. While there is less awareness about khat as compared to marijuana, it is a growing problem, said Captain Mali Govender,

Communications Officer for the police. The streetvalue of the drugs has not yet been established. The second incident involved a Citiliner busat the same spot. Upon searching the luggage compartment they found four refuse bags packed between the luggage. The bags were filled with marijuana. Although the street value of the drugs is estimated at approximately R12 200, no arrests were made in either of the cases. Involved in the bust were Constables Khayalethu Hambaze, Wayne Wessels, John Dolf, Siyabonga Tunzi and Sergeant Thembinkosi Njengele. Govender commended the police officials for their vigilance.

Perlemoen syndicate exposed

By Sibulele Mabusela wo men were arrested on the N2 near the Settlers Monument in Grahamstown on the morning of Sunday, 18 March in connection with a perlmoen smuggling syndicate. Perlemoen, also known as abalone, is a seafood delicacy which is illegal to remove from the ocean in South Africa without a permit. Masixole Loqo (24) and Bongani Lunikwana (31), both from East London, were travelling in a white Mazda sedan from Fish River (where they had allegedly picked up the perlemoen) prior to being apprehended by members of the Grahamstown Highway patrol. Once the patrol team stopped and searched the vehicle, they found several bags filled with perlemoen. The suspects were taken into custody and the perlemoen was counted and weighed by members of the Marine and Coastal Environment team. According to Captain Mali Govender, the Communication Officer of the Grahamstown SAPS, there were a total of 1 173 units weighing more than 170 kgs. The street value of the perlemoen is R120 675. The suspects were detained, but they were released later as they have already appeared in court and received their trial date.

The 2011 annual Silent Protest seen from the cathedral as demonstrations move down High Street. The March has gained popularity since its inception in 2006 and over 1 000 people have signed up for the 2012 march. Pic: Ulandi Du Plessis

By Sibulele Mabusela

Empowering survivors
Grahamstown. Just the way the protest has grown over the last six years is an indication of how necessary these platforms are in South Africa. Captain Mali Govender, the Communications Officer of the Grahamstown police station, noted that quite a few incidences of rape were being reported, but could not comment on whether or not the numbers had declined since the beginning of the protest because this development was not specifically being monitored. She did, however, note that sexual violence was definitely a prevalent issue in the Grahamstown community. Govender mentioned that there were two separate incidents of rape the weekend of 10 to 11 March, and that the two suspects had been arrested. Solomon said that when it came to numbers it [was] hard to quantify, because she believes that its not just about awareness, but also about showing survivors support. The Silent Protest definitely has had an effect on campus in terms of the support, she said. There have, however, been more reports of rape at Rhodes. Solomon commented on how in her first year, which was in 2006, no issues of sexual assault had been reported prior to the Silent Protest, but on the 5th anniversary of the Silent Protest, 3 rapes had been reported to Student Services Officer Larissa Klazinga. This is not necessarily a negative trend, Solomon said. This means that women feel more empowered to report their rape, instead of remaining silent and without legal recourse against their attacker.

hodes University hosts one of the biggest protests against sexual violence in South Africa. This year Rhodes will host its sixthSilent Protest. The annual protest, a day-long demonstration that will be taking place on Friday 23, March at Rhodes, confronts the issue of sexual violence and aims to raise awareness and to encourage survivors of sexual abuse to speak out. The Silent Protest was established six years ago in association with Rhodes Universitys Dean of Students Office and the 1in9 campaign, which started in 2006 to coincide with President Jacob Zumas rape trial. It showed solidarity with the women in the trial and others who voiced their protests against rape and sexual violence. The protest has grown since then, and it will be run as an independent campaign for the first time this year. It will still be in keeping with its primary objective, which is to stand in solidarity with rape survivors as well as to allow survivors a safe space to speak about their experiences. The protest should be bringing this issue (which is on the rise in the Eastern Cape) to light, and offering support and space for residents to work through their experiences in the same way. It brings an issue that is often not spoken about, or is wrapped in a shroud of secrecy, into the open, and provides a platform where survivors and women can be empowered and make their voices heard, said Media Liaison for the Silent Protest, Michelle Solomon, upon being asked how the Silent Protest impacted

20 March 2012

07 News

Equal Education takes ministers to court

By Nikho Mageza

Fulbright deadline looming

By Craig Wynn

qual Education (EE), a movement comprised of learners, teachers, parents and community members, has filed yet another court case against the Minister of Education Angie Motshekga. They filed their court case at the High Court in Bisho on 7 March, demanding that the Department of Education provides equal education infrastructure for everyone. Further charges were laid against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and all education MECs. According to TimesLive, this is the most comprehensive outcry against the Minister of Education that democratic South Africa has ever seen.

Doron Isaacs, who is a Coordinator of the NGO, said that proper standards in the department will force the schools to spend on their budgets... to avoid massive under-spending in provinces such as the Eastern Cape Motshekga admitted that facilities, especially in rural areas, are in an appalling state, and that schools are still affected by past inequalities. This has encouraged EE in its two-year campaign and its pursuit for a settlement in the court case against the Department. Motshekga believes that standard measures should be implemented: The right to basic education cannot be seen as separate from the conditions under which pupils are taught. Nearly 3600 rural schools lack electricity. In KwaZulu-Natal, 92% of schools do not have

functioning libraries for the learners to access. This is a problem in the Eastern Cape as well, with reports saying that there are still 395 mudhut schools in the province alone. According to EE, learners at Menziwa High School in the Eastern Cape burned down their school late last week. The school had originally formed part of EEs court case that was launched last week against Motshekga and the nine provincial Educatiom MECs. However, Menziwa High School withdrew from the legal action following a promise from the Eastern Cape Government to rebuild the school. In collaboration with the court case, Equal Education has called for 10 Days of Action across the country. It seeks a court order that

Minister of Education, Angie Wotshekga, has come under fire because Equal Education claims that the Department of Education has failed to provide equal education infrastructue to all. Pic: Flickr

would force Motshekga to prescribe the minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure, as it believes the learners basic right to education is being violated.

Rhodes student budget addressed

By Sibulele Mabusela he SRC student forum, held on Tuesday, 13 March, is an event aimed at increasing the information available to students concerning their leadership body and serving as a platform on which the SRC can communicate with the students it represents. The most recent one was held at the General Lecture Theatre on Tuesday, 13 March. It was not only the first principal meeting under the SRC President Matthieu Maralack, but also served as the first of the council for 2012. In his presidential address Maralack mentioned that the SRC was committed to empower[ing] its student counterparts while disempowering the SRC. He explained that this was because

he prestigious Fulbright Program is open for applications until 20 April 2012. Aloysious Downe, Public Affairs Specialist at the US Consulate-General in Cape Town, held an information session on 15 March at Eden Grove for those interested. The programme is sponsored by the US Department of State and is an international exchange initiative between the US and other countries. Students, specialists and scholars from around the world and various fields of

study are given the opportunity to be placed in tertiary institutions in America while their US counterparts will in turn be placed at institutions in other countries. Successful applicants are awarded funding based on their academic excellence, character and intentions and are put through a stringent selection process involving written applications and interviews. Worldwide, the programme has seen 279 000 participants to date and each year between 20 and 25 students from South Africa are awarded the scholarship. This year three Rhodes

University students will be heading to America in August to begin the next phase of their tertiary education. As well as their academic pursuits, Downe says awardees will help to increase mutual understanding between the two nations. Alumni of the Fulbright exchange programme include many respected academics and professionals, including Rhodes Universitys Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat. Encouraging potential applicants to be thoughtful about which institutions they would like to attend and to ensure that their intended

curriculum is suitable, Downe emphasises that The panel can spot people who just want to go for prestige just Ivy Leauges. That application goes into the bin, he warns. Applications for the US academic year 20132014 are open until 20 April 2012. Applications and further information are available online at http://southafrica.usembassy.gov/fulbright_ program.html Rhodes Universitys Postgraduate Financial Aid Administrator, John Gillam, is also available for advice and assistance at j.p.gillam@ru.ac.za.

he believed that, in and of itself, the SRC could not fulfil all of its duties due to a lack of staff, and that the issue could only be resolved by looking at its students substructures and allowing for a more student-governed institution. Vice-President External Martin Forsyth, who acted as chairperson at the forum, stated in his introductory address that this years council had plans for how transparent communication [could] be achieved. Other important matters pertaining to the agenda included: Information on the constitution reformation, which is underway and is currently being reviewed by the SRC legal board. O-Week serenades, to which a great deal of attention was paid. Intervarsity, which was mentioned by SRC Project manager Rory Abrahams. [Although] Rhodes University is supposed to host

the sporting event this year, the university still reserved the rights to reject the notion, he said. A heated debate between a student and the council later ensued after the student added an item to the agenda: he raised his dissatisfaction with how the SRC had handled racist comments from a former SRC member. The second-year student, Carl Rigney, voiced his opinion on how he felt the SRC distanced themselves from the incident and didnt condemn racist behaviour. The item was noted by the council and moved to the agenda of a later event, the Student Body meeting, where students would have a chance to voice their feelings on the matter. This event will take place tomorrow 21 March, 2012. The People Should Govern at 14h00 in Barratt 2.

08 Event

Edition 2

TONIGHT

Let Your Be
Featuring...
Mao: No stranger to Grahamstown, Mao has been wowing or maoing students for years. 30 years of experience, arguably one of the best drum n bass DJs in the country. Who now produces insane Souf Efrican tunes under the label thingimaojiggi. We dare you to try keep still when he is performing. Griminal: Coming from roots in house and tech, hes discovered a passion for drum and breaks, the deeper sounds of rolling bass mixed up with melodies and the pure sounds and energy of reggae and dub. Expect a technical style of mixing with some jump... best break out your bass face! Genie: Prepare for a psychedelic carpet ride from this self proclaimed hippy. @nt: He is no stranger to Drum Soc events and loves playing in Grahamstown because people know how to be free and express themselves. Pass him a creme soda and let the psychedelic beats begin. MUSIC STARTS AT 8PM

Activate & African DrumSoc present

Mix n Blend have become one of South Africas most prolific DJ/producer crews and they are here to bring the noise! The double SAMA nominated musicians from Cape Town, work through a range of electronic styles including dub, funk, dubstep, drum n bass, breaks and beats. This unique style that mixes and blends a mash up of genres will transport you on a musical journey with a beginning, middle and end with a multitude of their own produced tracks in various genres. How did you come up with the name Mix n Blend? When we were all at UCT together we ended up doing a radio show on UCT radio. When thinking of the name for our show, we realised that between the three of us, we played so many different genre's of music. Then Ben Lewis came up with the name Mix n Blend. Through the radio show and other avenues, we started to play out in the Cape Town clubs and the name kind of just came along with us. How long have you guys been playing? We've been Dj'ing for around 10 years now. And producing for about five of those years.

Mix n Blend
What do you think of the South African music scene? It a great scene to be part of. There are so many different sounds and everyone from each different facet is up for collaborating and combining styles which makes for a really nice melting pot of music. How would you describe your sound? A mix mash of genres, from funk and soul and reggae all the way through to Glitch, electro, Drum n Bass and Dubstep What are your influences? Wow, too many to mention. The guys from African Dope records played a major role in helping us shape our sound and have always been there to show us new styles of music and support. What have been the highlights in your career? Playing Sakifo festival in Reunion island would definitely be one. Also going to Kenya to play a new years eve party on a tropical beach.

20 March 2012

09 Event

eat[Make Your Statement] Be Heard

We will be collaborating to bring you a space to let your BEAT BE HEARD. Make your statement, in your own way. Seeing as it is Human Rights Day the following day, we will be celebrating our right to freedom of speech and expression.
Members of Activate and/or African DrumSoc get in for free. Non-members: R20.

At 23:00 there will be a raffle for two double tickets to SPLASHY FEN over Easter. Raffle tickets are R10 and will be available at the door. You have to be there to win.

10 Competition

Edition 2

Win tickets to
A
ctivate is giving away two sets of double tickets to Splashy Fen Music Festival tonight. The 23rd Splashy Fen Music Festival is coming up over the Easter long-weekend, and is once again set to rock the southern Drakensberg mountains with an awesome line-up of more than 80 top live acts on two stages. It takes place on a farm near Underberg in KwaZulu-Natal from April 5 to 9. The giveaway is for festival entry only and includes camping. Winners will be responsible for their own transport and need to bring their own camping gear,

Splashy Fen
etc. Tickets are not transferable and may not be redeemed for cash. Persons under the age of 18 must be under parental supervision. Established in 1990, Splashy Fen is South Africas longest-running annual music festival, bringing thousands of people from around the country and abroad together for what is regarded by many as the ultimate outdoor experience. With its breathtaking mountain vistas and unique vibe and character, there is simply nothing else like it! For more information and the full programme, visit www.splashyfen.co.za.

Lark
L
ARK, a South African live electronic band, is described as having a glitch opera sound. A powerful union of live instrumentation, soaring vocals and dirty electronic beats, they are an iron fist in a velvet glove. Lead singer Inge Beckmann provides said velvet with her unparalleled ability to stun audiences with her voice and presence. The iron fist is the dark, glitchy production and sound design of producer and instrumentalist Paul Rez. Together, Paul and Inge formed LARK in 2003, later expanding the line-up to include the exceptional talents of bassist and studio engineer Simon Fuzzy Ratcliffe, and renowned drummer Sean Ou Tim, also known as Mr Sakitumi. Razbliuto, LARKs first studio album, was released in 2007. It was met with critical acclaim, earning the band a SAMA for Best Alternative Album. The band realised their vision of taking live performance further in the same year with the release of Dagger and a Feather, a live performance DVD recorded and filmed at Cape Towns BMW Pavilion featuring a string section and a number of guest artists. In 2007 and 2008, the band toured extensively, released music videos for their tracks Moonlight and Heroin Mary. They were widely regarded by the press as being one of the most competitive acts to come out of South Africa. They completed their second studio album, Mouth of Me, which contained new and reworked material from their debut EP of the same name. In late 2008, after being signed as a producer to UK agency Z Management, Paul made the decision to move to London. LARK took a temporary sabbatical, returning in 2009 and again in 2010 to headline South Africas biggest alternative music festival, RamFest. Also in 2010, LARK released V, which included the single Brave. In early 2011, Italian label Onion Records picked up and released a remix EP for Brave, featuring the talents of techno producers Haezer, Hateboss, ABCD, Karetus and Geometry. Last year LARK started a new chapter. With Inge in CT and Paul in London, they spent almost a year writing and recording their new studio album using Skype. In August 2011, Inge

Inge Beckman, vocalist of SA electronic band LARK, during a performance. LARK is one of the many bands that will be performing at Spleshy Fen 2012. Pic: Supplied and Paul briefly appeared as LARK (Electro) at OppiKoppi Music Festival and Grand West Arena, showcasing material from the new album, and were met with an overwhelming response from their fans. Band Members Inge Beckmann - vocals, vocal FX Paul Ressel - guitars, keys, production Simon Fuzzy Ratcliffe - bass, daduk Sean Ou Tim - drums, percussion, sampling Discography Mouth of Me (EP) - 2005 Razbliuto - 2006 Mouth of Me - 2007 Dagger and a Feather (Live DVD)- 2008 V (EP)- 2010 Brave Remixes - 2011 to play darkness up against light and encouraged me to push the perimeters of my vocal range. Have you done Splashy before? If so, what is your favourite Splashy memory? Yes. The year we went up with COOKED IN AFRICA we played a banging set. What are future plans and hopes for LARK? Releasing our third album Going is Struck in July this year. Feelings about the South African music scene? Some very good musicians surfacing at the moment. It excites me. What is your favourite LARK album and song? So far, it will have to Razbliuto for which we won a SAMA in 2007 - although the new material is completely different and way more mature and decisive. We have a lot of faith in the new album. It is tribal. LARKs return to the scene was welcomed by old and new fans alike. Does your gran listen to your music? She has before but she is 92 now so we mostly spend time listening to old jazz greats together. My grandfather Beckmann passed away many years ago but I see him as one of my spirit guides and I often think of him when I write and perform. How and why did LARK come about? I approached Paul Rez to produce tracks for me back in 2003 and LARK was conceived. Are your songs about your personal life? Some personal, some auto-writing, which I suppose is personal too, because it is a deeply embedded subconscious expression of my waking state. How was LARK first recognised? I cant remember. I suppose our track Tricksy (off our debut EP Mouth of Me) made people pay attention. We are also noted for doing things our way and having an explosive live performance.

Q&A with LARK

How do you feel about your music being described as experimental? That does not offend me in the slightest. Who are your musical influences? Nothing too obvious, but two sure influences will have to be Amon Tobin, which ignited producer Paul Rezs love for electronica, and Shakespeares Sister (a goth-pop duo from the 80s) inspired me

Do you feel the music industry in South Africa is benefiting from your style? Do you care? I think they are. We refuse to rest on our laurels Describe LARK in three words. and we seldom fail to create truly fresh sounds. LOVE. BLOOD. TEARS. GUTS. (4 words)

20 March 2012

11 Politics

When leaders forget

By Megan Ellis

Language can hurt and subvert

By Marc Davies

Every week I get an email from Avaaz. com asking me to sign a petition against some new injustice. This week, I watched social networks explode in support of the Kony 2012 campaign. This has become the norm people need to unite in order to get governments to act on critical issues. But my question is, why? Why do we need to pressure our leaders to do what is right? Why do we have to revive and redirect their moral compass? Why is Kony 2012 even a valid campaign? The LRA has committed mass rapes, abductions and a series of other war crimes for over two decades why does it take a few first-world people to put pressure on governments to act when the moral imperative to act has existed all along? I have to ask myself when of the people, by the people, for the people stopped being the underpinning of democracy. In 1996, the new Constitution of South Africa was supposed to be our moral compass existing outside the limitations of our prejudices and views. It gave everyone the right to life in circumstances in which many of us would have called for the death penalty. It gave equality and rights to everyone, not only the majority. It was made in a time of idealism, when people and our leaders thought things could be different - that they had to be different. Nowadays, we have to protest our government trying to change the Constitutional Courts power. A 30-minute video on Kony illicits more response from leaders than the simple fact that the LRAs crimes are a crime against humanity as a whole - in that they degrade our entire species with their cruelty and inhumanity. Wars are not waged in the public interest, but rather for profit. During WWII, people rallied to stop the Nazis, not because they were conscripted, but because they believed in their cause. And while the world still has numerous groups which commit atrocities as those seen in WWII, wars are waged for oil and commercial interest rather than to stop these atrocities. I know morals change and evolve from generation to generation, but the idea that people should not be subjected to such cruelty is one which has always prevailed as a basic rule the average human being would agree to. Why then must we force our governments to care about these issues? Arent they part of the same human race as we? I may seem idealistic regarding what I think a government should do and be, but its a sad truth that our democratic ideals are now a far-removed notion rather than a reality. Maybe we need to consider just who we are electing and if they really do represent our interests. Our leaders are in dire need of a reconnection with their sense of humanity.

cornfully criticised as communal tyranny and the scourge of our times, political correctness is also a form of social dementia according to British self-styled philosopher and online publisher, Philip Atkinson. The author of The Study of Our Decline has maintained that political correctness can be thought of as an attempt to undermine individual thought and attitudes. Professor Alan Kors of the University of Pennsylvania also has a similar view, attributing the origins of political correctness to Cultural Marxism. Kors co-established the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, an organisation that aims to defend and sustain individual rights across US universities by advocating against subjective standards of political correctness. The notion of political correctness, which is outlined as the avoidance of forms of expression that are perceived to marginalise or insult certain groups of people, has arguably become a growing phenomenon in the new South Africa since the early 1990s. The rainbow nation, as it is often named, has become world-renowned for its diversity of race groups, languages, cultures and beliefs. The legalisation of same-sex marriages in South Africa in 2006 further promoted the countrys proclaimed constitutional philosophy of equality and celebration of diversity. Political correctness, then, was soon presented by government and civil society as an important factor in generating social cohesion and remedying the harm caused by apartheid regime ideologies. Dr Sally Hunt, of the Department of English Language and Linguistics, explained that the word Bantu, for example, was originally used as a neutral term of reference for people of a particular language group. Because it was used by the apartheid government to oppress African/Black people, it quickly developed negative associations and is no longer PC at all, she explained. Dr Hunt argued that the choices of language that people make not only reflect the world as we see it, but also go some way to perpetuating those views in that their constant repetition make them seem like common sense. In this vein, she maintained that using language that

Illustration: Katje Schreiber explicitly tries to avoid sexism, racism and so on is an important social action and can actually make a difference. Whether political correctness can become excessive or detrimental to society has become a contested point of debate in recent years, as illustrated by Atkinson and Professor Kors. Dr Hunt, however, claimed that political correctness has been mocked and taken to ridiculous extremes like suggesting that advocates of PC would prefer person hole cover instead of manhole cover. This, in her opinion, undermines the entire project and implies that all attempts at using language that is respectful are excessive and silly. Professor Harry Dugmore, of the School of Journalism and Media Studies, discussed politically correct as a loaded term that has often been associated with not having a sense of humour and alignment with a left-wing agenda. On the issue of oversensitivity, Prof Dugmore said that people must take cognisance to offence and that labelling people as oversensitive is unfair. If individuals or groups are offended by the use of certain terms, then that offence is legitimate. Language can hurt and subvert to a great extent, he said. The way language is used also goes beyond group sensitivities, according to Prof Dugmore. Language can be far more subtle. Ideology is encoded in language and make things that are not okay seem that way. It has to be carefully used to as to avoid subtle subjugating and exploiting, he added. Terms such as non-white, according to Prof Dugmore, define people in terms of what they are not. Such terms should not be used. White, in that context, is made normative and other races are rendered different or deviating from this norm, he said. Prof Dugmore concluded that is extremely important to evaluate the underlying ideologies of words, emphasising that nobody should have carte blanche to say whatever they desire because of the possible implications of disempowerment. Dr Sally Hunt is a lecturer in the Department of English Language and Linguistic, whose research interests include Corpus Linguistics, Critical Discourse Analysis and Language and Gender. Professor Harry Dugmore is the Director of the Discovery Centre for Health Journalism at Rhodes Universitys School of Journalism and Media Studies. In addition to consulting to NGOs, business and institutions, Professor Dugmore is also one of the creators of the internationally-renowned satirical cartoon strip Madam&Eve.

Evolutionist teaching forces educator to quit

By Tegan Phillips

Biology educator has been forced to quit from an upmarket school in Cape Town, reportedly for attempting to teach theories of evolution and natural selection. The educator stated that while evolution forms an enormous component of the work covered in the final Life Sciences exam, it remains fiercely contested by supporters of creationism within schools, with some refusing to teach evolutionist theories or concepts that are derived from or linked to evolution (such as plate tectonics). She added that others choose to teach it in a manner that entirely undermines its scientific validity. The school in question is effectively failing to give its students a holistic education based on empirical data, ultimately discouraging the practice of critical reasoning that will prove to be essential once students enter university. Iphendule Ndzipho, a UCT student who wrote Biology in Matric in 2010, believes that Studying evolution in Biology at school is important. Viewing things from different angles is always good because it makes one think more critically. Evolution provides a more factual story as to where we come from [and]

it is human nature to get more satisfaction from facts as opposed to theories based on interpretations. A Palaeontology professor from Stellenbosch University has even suggested that the refusal to teach evolution as a part of the appropriate school subjects can be compared with the supporting of apartheid, where the youth are led to believe that racial differences in human beings are the result of a grand design, as opposed to an elaborate process of adaptation to various environmental conditions. In many countries with multicultural roots, particularly the US, legal battles have featured constantly in the evolution versus creationism argument. This often results in the questioning of

the legitimacy of the supposed secular nature of the educational system. This has led to the observation that students themselves are given very little say with regards to what they would like to be taught, which can be particularly disadvantageous for students with a particular interest in the Biological Sciences, and who feel they would benefit from learning about evolutionist theories. Ndizipho goes on to say that, regarding the conflicting beliefs of students in the class the floor was never really opened for people to bring in their religious views, although in the context of certain African traditions the theories of evolution seem to collide with ancestral beliefs. You see, now we are introducing a third belief system... It is a given that there would be conflicts when both the Bible and the evolution project [see] themselves as entirely righteous. Frank Rumboll, headmaster of a small, alternative private school in Cape Town, scorned the incident as a worrying example of small-mindedness. People burned books because they were scared of complexity, he said. The 21st century calls for a fearless exploration of as much that is complex as possible.

12 Politics

Edition 2

Furore over Kony 2012 campaign

By Marc Davies midst exponential growth in worldwide support, the Kony 2012 campaign has suffered severe criticism for its alleged ulterior motives, financial structuring and ties to anti-gay Christian funders. Invisible Children, the nonprofit organisation that created the campaign against Kony, has released a second video defending its position and refuting these accusations. The initial half-hour film, titled KONY 2012, garnered over 70 million views in its first week on YouTube, making it the fastestgrowing viral video in online history. The video documents the origins of the campaign against Joseph Kony, the leader of a Ugandan guerrilla group called the Lords Resistance Army (LRA). Kony has been accused of orchestrating the abduction of over 66000 children in Uganda as well as the displacement of about two million people since 1986. The campaign aims to make Kony famous and ultimately culminate in his trial before the International Criminal Court in the Hague for vicious crimes to humanity, among other charges. According to The Telegraph, Dr Beatrice Mpora, the director of a community health organisation in Uganda, said the short film is partly inaccurate. It can cause more problems than help us, she said. Mpora claimed that Konys LRA had not been present since 2006, adding that people are now living in peace. Rosebell Kagumire, a prominent Ugandan journalist, echoed this claim saying that the film paints a picture of Uganda seven years back, which is highly irresponsible. She further commented in her YouTube response that it simplifies the issue and implies that Africans are hopeless in times of conflict. The situation has tremendously improved in northern Uganda. People sleep at home, children are going to school the situation currently on the ground is not seen in the video, she said.

The Kony 2012 campaign poster. The campaigns central aim is to bring LRA leader Joseph Kony to justice in the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Pic: Flickr Kagumire said people should not attempt to tell the story of Africans as hopeless and voiceless because this implies that the power lies in America and furthers the narrative structures of power that place Africans in a helpless position. You should not be telling my story if you dont believe that I also have the power to change what is going on, she said. Kagumire suggested that more careful representation of Africa is necessary and that African intervention should come first. Invisible Children claimed that it does not wish to try to save Africa, but rather wants Western youths to do more than watch. It also claims that over 95% of the charitys leadership and staff are on-the-ground Ugandans and are at the forefront of programme design and implementation.

Chinese transforming economy to avoid collapse

By Cindy Archillies

The financial dealings of Invisible Children have also gained negative attention after it was revealed that only 37.14% of $8,894,360 in expenses was spent on programmes in central Africa in 2011. The remaining funds have been used to generate awareness programmes, media and advertising, as well as just under $1.5 million 16.24% of the budget on management and general expenses. This has raised concerns about the profitability of the campaign. The charity, in response to concerns about its finances, responded that it is independently audited every year and is in full compliance with its non-profit status. Financial dealings between Invisible Children and the National Christian Foundation (NCF) have also raised uncertainties about the campaign. The NCF and two prominent Californian activists that contributed to the Kony 2012 campaign have also been influential opponents of same-sex marriage in the US. The NCF has raised funds for anti-gay rights groups and opponents, including one a group named Harvest Evangelism which works with a Ugandan author in promoting the anti-homosexuality bill in Uganda. Invisible Children responded that it is not anti-gay and has attracted investors and supporters that sit on different sides of the aisle on this and many other issues. The charitys Vice President of business operations, Chris Sarette, said that Invisible Children sees people as people, adding that his core work in the organisation is one of the reasons he decided to come out as a gay man. The Kony 2012 campaign encourages Americans, and individuals worldwide, to contribute by plastering Kony 2012 posters in their cities and towns on 20 April to spur further action from the US government. Invisible Children has explicitly stated that 2012 must be the year in which Joseph Kony is brought to book. Track further developments using #StopKony and #Kony2012 on Twitter.

he World Bank and Chinese government researchers have warned that the worlds most populous country may soon face a financial meltdown if economic reforms are not instituted. Despite average annual growth rates of over 10% for the past 30 years, analysts have predicted that Chinas current export and investment-driven development model could halve the countrys growth rate in the next twenty years because of its supposed unsustainability. The Peoples Bank of China (PBC) has recommended that the countrys financial system be opened up rapidly so as to avoid an undesirable outcome for the economy. Three stages of reform have been identified by the PBC. The first stage, which is expected to be implemented in the next three years, is to increase Chinese investments in foreign nations. The contraction of Western banks and businesses would become a strategic opportunity for Chinas international expansion as space for growth increases. The second stage aims to increase foreign lending of Chinas currency, the Renminbi. The third, long-term stage hopes to encourage foreigners to invest in Chinese property, stocks and bonds to generate a surge in investment. Free convertibility of the Renminbi would also need to be taken into account. The Chinese economy has an annual gross savings rate of more than $3 trillion, which exceeds the gross savings in the United States by more than 50%, according to the United States Financial Times. Full integration of these savings is bound to have enormous effects globally. Implementation of the proposed reforms may render Chinas financial institutions the largest in the world within 10 years. Among other

policy changes, financial regulation, monetary policy and exchange rate regimes would need to be well coordinated in order for future balanced growth to take place. Economists have warned that this proposed transition will not be easy for China. Professor Arthur Webb, Dean of Commerce and Economics lecturer, believes that the ability to generate savings is in itself a virtue for the world. One has to be very careful when making predictions [about economic collapse]. People are fond of using scare tactics and there is always a lot of doom and gloom around, warned A textile worker in Chinas Jiangsu Province. The World Bank and other economic institutions have predicted that Webb. He believes there is China may experience an economic implosion if reforms are not instituted. Pic: Xu Congjun/AP cause for optimism, saying We dont know what new of a very different kind to what has been seen economists should not make hasty assumptions technologies will develop over the next twenty before. He contends that the potential difficulty is based on the occurrence of an uncertain future years which will open up investment. in fact a political one. A high growth rate is seen Gcinekile Mpanza, BA Law and Politics graduate, event as changes in technology, globalisation and other factors continue to alter expectations at ever- as a solution to poverty, he said, adding that the believes that the dilemma is that Americas freeslowing growth rate would have a lot of socioincreasing rates. market capitalist system had, for a long time, been political consequences. Similarly, Professor Gavin Keeton of the universally accepted as the best system for healthy According to the CIA World Factbook, China Economics Department says that economic crises growth, and that it has recently been challenged are very difficult to forecast, commenting that very had a real GDP growth rate of 9.5% (adjusted by an alternative Chinese approach. Communist for inflation) in 2011, placing them 6th in global few people saw the US financial crisis looming. China presently has the worlds second-strongest What I can say is that those predicting a crisis economy. This has created a debate around the rankings. China trailed behind countries such as will be in a minority-but at the same time nobody benefits of free-market models and the incidence Qatar with 18.7% and Ghana with 13.5%. South likes to predict a crisis, Keeton said. He went on of democracy as opposed to single-party, longAfrica was ranked 108th with 3.4% growth and the to say that if a crisis were to happen, it would be term rule. Mpanza, however, strongly feels that US a low 159th with 1.5%.

20 March 2012

13 Politics

Violent protests prevent opening of Maldivian parliament

By Tegan Phillips aheed Hassan, newly appointed president of the Islamic state of the Maldives, was unable to open parliament in early March due to violent protests. Supporters of the previous ruling party called for his resignation followed by snap elections. Large crowds holding flags bearing the Maldivian National Party (MDP) logo fought against riot police while attempting to block the entrance to parliament. MDP members of parliament removed Hassans seat, preventing him from making his inaugural speech inside parliament. Former Vice President Hassan was sworn in as president in early February after the resignation of Mohamed Nasheed, former president and leader of the MDP. Nasheeds decision to indefinitely detain a popular Chief Justice on a corruption charge in mid-January sparked public outrage. Nasheed is internationally recognised for ending the 30-year rule of authoritarian Maumoon Gayoom as the first democraticallyelected president of the Maldives in 2008. It is alleged that Gayoom was forced to step down after being held at gunpoint in a coup dtat organised by opposition leaders and enforced by a mutinous military. He is now calling for elections to be held at the earliest date possible to re-establish democratic governance. Hassan, however, claims that the country is not currently in a position to hold free and fair elections, and proposes instead a government of national unity until the national elections scheduled for late 2013. The new president has already appointed a new minister of foreign affairs, Dr Abdul Abdulla, who is a representative of the recently-formed Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM). The PPM, incidentally, is led by former dictator Gayoom. One of the factors that contributed to the increasing unpopularity of Nasheed before his downfall was his progressive approach to the development of the Maldives, reforming procedure

within schools and other institutions in the direction of liberalism. The shift resulted in increased concerns that the Maldivian population might turn to Gayoom for a return to conservative governance. Gayooms authoritarian government, however, is renowned for its alleged human rights abuses and corruption. There have also been concerns regarding the impact of the countrys political unrest on tourism, as tropical holiday resorts as well as cruise and dive trips generate roughly 90% of the countrys economy. Waheed Hassan, President of the Maldives. Pic: Flickr A further blow to the say that the recent political events are awful and that she was economy may be critical, considering the countrys 2010 economic crisis another issue for which Nasheed was deemed in favour of Nasheed. He did a lot of good in a short time, but he wasnt perfect. The way they went about getting him out responsible by citizens. Maldivian hotel manager Abdul Salam was wrong and I hope they do have new elections soon as they comments that he is satisfied with the political improvements, should let the people decide... it is the best way. but believes the return of economic stability will take time The United Nations, as with the United State and UK, has because now the government doesnt have funds. implored Hassan, Nasheed and their respective supporters Michelle Flake, a British travel agent who has lived in the Maldives for over a decade, believes that the impact on tourism to agree to talks so that a process of negotiation might begin. All attempts at mediation and compromise have failed thus is likely to be minimal, stating that so long as tourists dont far and President Hassan has not yet indicated plans to open need to come into Mal [the capital], they are not affected at parliament. all. The resorts are all functioning as normal. She goes on to

Masithethe Let us talk SE ON

Prof. Monty J. Roodt responded to an article published in Activate Ed. 1 28 Feb 2012

SP RE

Land and agrarian transformation in South Africa: beyond the impasse.

The argument around land reform in South Africa is characterised as much by the degree of strong emotion generated, as by the confusion around who owned what land when. The emphasis on historical rights has to a large extent hampered the development of a dynamic and coherent rural development policy that will bring about agrarian transformation with the achievement of equity and socio-economic development as its central tenet. Connie Mulders short-sighted comments in parliament and the emotive responses of his critics have only added to the hot air around the land issue. A brief comment is necessary to show not only the limitations of the who-owned-what-when historical argument, but also the lack of political insight into what is best for his followers and South Africans as a whole. If Mulders arguments that Africans have no claim to the Western and Northern Cape because white settlers occupied them first are entertained, then the corollary would be true and no whites would have any claim on the rest of South Africa as black South Africans clearly occupied them before the arrival of the settlers. Tell that to the Boere folk! As a country we would do well to take a leaf out of the German book. After the demise of East Germany and reunification, a process of restitution for land and other economic assets was put in place for losses suffered both by Jews during the Nazi period, as well as by Germans during the Communist period. In spite of the strong emotions attached to both sets of dispossessions and the persecutions suffered by the victims, a pragmatic approach towards restitution was adopted. It was agreed that in the post-reunification phase, economic growth and job creation were the prime objectives, and that restitution had to be

subordinate to this priority. South Africa, by contrast, has implemented a land reform process that has operated largely as relocation in reverse. Land reform has been primarily about financial compensation for urban restitution claims and the return of land for both restitution and redistribution without adequate state support. This lack of support is manifested in a number of ways, from the lack of a coherent rural development plan that prioritises the establishment of agro-industries and promotes rural-urban linkages, integration of land reform into municipal planning processes, to underresourced provincial agricultural departments unable to offer meaningful post-settlement support (agricultural extension, market research, credit provision, etc.). What South Africa needs is a coherent policy that addresses agrarian transformation and overcomes the bottlenecks created by the willing seller/ willing buyer approach (such as inflated land prices), a well-resourced National Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and a commitment to training young, especially black farmers in business as well as agricultural skills to spearhead the transformation of the countryside. Monty J. Roodt is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Prof. Monty J. Roodt. Pic: Supplied Rhodes University.

14 Politics

Edition 2

From controversial to just plain crazy:

By Megan Ellis

the worlds lesser-known groups

While every social movement and organisation seems to have their marketing on point - whether their strategy is Facebook or saving face - there are those which have always flown under the radar.Activatehas found some groups which you may not have been aware of, from the morally controversial to borderline science fiction.

The North American Man/Boy Love Association Despite the fact that South Park parodied the organisation, NAMBLA has gone largely unnoticed by the global community. When in the limelight, however, the group stirs up controversy and criticism for its philosophy. NAMBLA supports the idea that adult-child sexual relationships are not always harmful to children and that consensual sexual relationships between adults and children should be legalised. The organisation has been accused of being an underground paedophile network, as well as a training ground for sex offenders. Despite this, its status as an unincorporated association and laws protecting freedom of speech have prevented the groups shutdown. The group is becoming increasingly isolated from LGBTI organisations who once supported NAMBLA during the sexual revolution.

The Church of Satan Despite the common images of devil-worshippers and troubled teens that are conjured when Satanism is mentioned, the Church of Satanism is an organisation which promotes the idea of the carnal self. The group does not worship a deity or supernatural entities, but rather uses the idea of Satan as an embodiment of ideas that are oppositional and adversarial to the norm. Humans are seen as the same as any other animal and the organisation denounces the idea of sins which lead to physical, mental or emotional gratification. Despite common misconceptions of Satanism, the group outlines murder and harm to children as forbidden. However, destruction and cruelty are encouraged when members feel others are imposing themselves unwantedly.

The Alcor Life Extension Foundation Alcor is a company which advocates life extension through cryonics i.e. preserving humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death in order to restore them to life in the future, when technology has advanced enough. Cryonics differs from cryogenics, which involves the study and production of extremely low temperatures. In 2011, the company had 110 patients in cryopreservation. Alcor also preserves pets whose owners request their cryopreservation. Many patients ensure this preservation process upon their deaths by naming Alcor as a beneficiary in their life insurance. To date, the company has not revived any of its patients, with its oldest patient being 101 years old.

20 March 2012

15 Photo Feature

Know your meat

By Kayla Roux osedale Abattoir, situated on a dusty farm road outside of Grahamstown, is a typical South African abattoir. From hamburgers to the beef strips in your stir-fry, much of it comes from places like this. Cows reared on the farm go through the production process in about 15 minutes and are slaughtered, skinned and cut up into the beef you buy in shops. Rosedale sends most of its meat to Port Elizabeth, but Grahamstown is supplied by abattoirs that are much the same as this one. The meat production process is one many people arent familiar with, and some may cringe to connect the steak on their plates with the animals they see grazing in green fields on long drives through the Eastern Cape. Taking responsibility for what you eat starts with an intimate knowledge of the processes that bring that food to you. In the wake of Rhodes Environmental Week there are many considerations concerning the food we eat, how we eat it and where we get it from. The contribution cows make to greenhouse gas emissions is larger than that of all the transport we use put together. Livestock are responsible for 18% of the greenhouse gases that cause global warming, more than cars, planes and all other forms of transport put together, writes Geoffrey Lean, Environmental

Editor for The Independent. Overgrazing is depleting our natural forestation and cows also soak up vast amounts of water. Burning fuel to produce fertiliser, produce meat and transport it produces 9% of all emissions of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. Manure from cows also emits more than one third of the worlds total methane emissions, which warm the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide. Fortunately, many South African meat producers are forced to keep their meat free of hormones and antibiotics, which makes our meat healthier than that found in some other countries. Choosing food that is produced locally decreases the environmental impact of your lunch, and working out how much of what kind of food you eat can greatly lessen the burden your diet has on your natural surroundings. Eating takes place inescapably in the world, so how we eat determines how the world is used, quipped American author, farmer and cultural critic Wendall Berry. Rhodes has its very own Know Your Food project, for which an inter-disciplinary task team has researched the environmental impacts that various dietary options have. Visit http://www.ru.ac.za/ rugreen/projects/knowyourfood/ for a detailed table containing information on the carbon footprint of everything from veggies and milk, to fish and cheese.

Left: Justin le Roux, owner of Rosedale Abattoir outside Grahamstown, watches as cattle are driven forward from the crush in which they are kept to the pen where he will stun them and send them into the abattoir to be processed for commercial sale. Eastern Cape, 28 February, 2012. Below: Cow heads hang against the wall in the Rosedale Abattoir cool room after being hosed off. 28 February, 2012. Pics: Anton Scholtz

16 Photo Feature

Edition 2

1
[1] The cattle are lined up inside the crush where they are kept before being slaughtered. The animals seem to be sensing the fear which the animals ahead of them are experiencing, and resist being driven forward with all their strength, 28 February, 2012. [2] The captive bolt pistol (or bolt gun) which is used to stun cattle and render them
unconscious before being slaughtered at Rosedale Abattoir, outside Grahamstown. The bolt penetrates the skull of the animal and forces it to lose consciousness, but ensures that the brain stem remains intact, which effectively means that the heart continues to beat and so minimises the risk of damage to the meat due to internal bleeding, 28 February, 2012.

[3] Justin Le Roux prepares to stun one of the cows after it has been driven forward

from the crush where the cattle are kept. The cows are stunned using a captive bolt gun, in which a bolt is set off by a trigger pull and is propelled forward by the discharge of a blank .22 round ignited by a firing pin. The bolt is instantly withdrawn back into the gun. 28 February, 2012. Pics: Anton Scholtz

20 March 2012

17 Photo Feature

7
[4] A cow looks through a gap in the door of the crush to the place where it will be stunned and sent through a door-type mechanism straight into the abattoir. After the animals are stunned, they are immediately skinned, gutted and prepared for commercial sale. 28 February, 2012. [5] After the animals have been stunned and roll through the door from the pen outside into the abattoir, they are skinned and the heads and feet are cut off the carcasses. 28 February, 2012. [6] After the heads are cut off, they are cleaned of excess skin and hung on meat hooks against the cool room wall. 28 February, 2012. [7] The carcasses are gutted and then cut into
smaller sections using a large mechanical saw. This makes it easier for the meat to be processed further. 28 February, 2012.

[8] The internal organs of a cow hang from a hook in the Rosedale Abattoir cool room. The abattoir uses all parts of the animals which they slaughter so that nothing goes to waste. 28 February, 2012. Pics: Anton Scholtz

18 Comment & Analysis

Edition 2

The essential pain in the arse

By Brian Garman In a recent edition of Activate, an article that was intended to be a light-hearted look at how to behave in Grahamstowns clubs became the centre of a controversy around rape. How does this happen? How does an article that was to meant fulfil one task end up being understood in a completely different way? A good place to start figuring out how this happens, is to look at the idea of meaning. The first thing to be aware of is that nothing has inherent meaning. For example, the colour red is often associated with danger, even though you are no more likely to get attacked by the colour red than by the colour green. That red is associated with danger is a meaning that has been constructed as being so and is so reinforced through our education, our upbringing, etc., that we come to understand it as obvious or natural. This exemplifies how we negotiate life we manage our lives as a complex series of experiences to which we ascribe meaning and respond with what we would consider appropriate action. But the manner in which we interpret these experiences will depend on our ethnic, cultural, religious, social, educational and economic backgrounds. So, different people may interpret exactly the same experience quite differently. And in the same way, these experiences influence how we as media producers construct meaning through the texts we create which explains how different newspapers can write wildly divergent interpretations about the same event. But it gets more complicated than that. Meaning is not only constructed by those who produce media it is also constructed by those who consume (or who decode) media. This involves not just simple recognition and comprehension of what a text says but also the interpretation and evaluation of its meaning. So no matter how hard we work at it as journalists we will never create a text that has a single meaning. According to those who know these things, you get three types of readers: those who fully accept and reproduce the preferred reading and assume that the meaning is natural and transparent (your dream audience). A second is a reader who broadly accepts the preferred reading, but sometimes resists and modifies it in a way which reflects her own position in relation to the text. The third (and most interesting in the context of this column) is the reader whose social situation places them in an oppositional position in relation to the text. This is, more often than not, a position which deliberately rejects the preferred reading, bringing to bear an alternative frame of reference (radical, feminist, etc.) in order to make a point. These are the people who grow old and write letters to the editor! But joking aside, while these kinds of readers are a pain in the arse for journalists, we need them. Without them we would become too comfortable in unquestioned ideological positions. As infuriating as it is, if we are not constantly nudged out of our places of safety, we never develop.

Stabley Kidd House performs one of their songs during serenades in O-week, 2012. Pic: Robynne Peatfield By Luke Cadden

Gerhardus de Lange, BA 2 nitiations and My serenades orientations can experience is a mashbe a memorable up of positive and negative experiences. Firstly, I think that the idea of experience for some, while a nightmare for others. Rhodes encourages serenades is a good one because it builds character and it also creates new a friendly, non-discriminatory orientation for first-years in the form of friendships and fosters a sense of unity. The bad thing about serenades, serenades. Last year, serenades reached a new level of participation and especially in male residences, is the overwhelming amount of sexual evolved into the highly successful RU Jamming event which is set to become an annual tradition. However, the recent controversy surrounding connotations that I sometimes felt ashamed to utter But it opened a new an anonymous letter that was sent to the office of the Dr Vivian de Klerk, world to me for which I am grateful for. the Dean of Students, has sparked a debate about the nature of these sexy serenades. The first-year writer expressed how uncomfortable she was at Kenneth Mlambo, BJourn 1 Some people say the serenades were not fun because they had to wake up having to perform in front of male residences, and how the early morning early. Some of us were used to the holidays, where we would wake up at wake-up calls negatively impacted her first week of learning. Students 10h00 The idea of serenades was good because you got to meet the girls, with similar stories have come forward, expressing their concerns about so when you see them you can say, Hey you, I met you at serenades. So the way in which this early-morning initiation rite is conducted they basically, we can build relationships. raised questions, for example, surrounding the heteronormative nature of the serenades. Regardless of ones upbringing, it can be agreed that Zandile Ramalohlanye, LLB Masters the theme of the serenades has always followed a flirtatious format and Serenades are the introduction to a new chapter in a students life. They often involves sexual innuendos some more overt than others. Couldnt break the ice; put you in a different space and a different mind-set. In my it be argued that we see similar if not worse things in television and music? Activate sought the views of students on campus on the first-hand residence, we tried to encourage students to participate as much as possible. From what I saw they enjoyed it. Its a memory that some feel they will experience of serenades. treasure about O-Week. I feel its a great way to get the students acquainted with the environment and most importantly with their fellow resmates. I Kelsey Stewart, BA 2 personally enjoyed serenades in my first year and secretly wished we could I think that if conducted appropriately and properly supervised by the have them in the years that followed. house committee, the serenades can be a wonderful way to meet new people. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience last year. Thendo Makhuvha, BSC 3 It was a positive experience because as a first-year, it is a way of meeting Rumbidzai Mzilah , BA 1 new people around campus and meeting other first-years as well, getting I was on a bus for 48 hours and I got here on a Sunday and the first thing you to settle in and to be comfortable on campus. You might meet someone I had to do was serenade practice. I didnt have time to shower, unpack who you will be in the same class with. Some guys, however, take it too far and was being repeatedly told to practise. That was OK for while but by but generally from my view - there was not any form of sexual harassment. the next morning they were forcing people to wake up. I was so tired that The songs we were singing were fine; the attire we were wearing was fine. I slept through one and my sub-warden gave me hell for it. She told me I dont understand where this whole stigma of serenades being a form of that being tired was not a good enough reason to miss serenades. I spoke sexual harassment comes from. I think it is ridiculous to be honest and I see to my warden, though, and she said that serenades were not compulsory. I thought you werent supposed to do things you didnt want to do! I feel like it as a form of attack on tradition. It has been working for years now. serenades is one of those things that you dont have to do if you dont want Abram Rankapole, BCom 4 to. I think serenades are positive; they give first-years a great exposure to varsity life. They are given the opportunity to meet people, prior to lecture Zama Quma, BSS 3 I think [serenades] are important, not only to help you meet other people attendance. So by the time they get to lectures they already know who they can be friends with or who they want to sit with. Some might even meet but to present you with the opportunity to make friends. They break that their potential girlfriends through serenades. So serenades overall have awkwardness which always exists when people arent familiar with one positive influence as it makes new students feel welcome. It sort of bridges another. So, they are a stepping stone to making mates. that gap between high school and varsity.

Singing for sex?

20 March 2012
By Kelly Kilian

19 Comment & Analysis

s much as you love your significant other, cavorting in public places can become uncomfortable for those people around you. Most people tolerate a few kisses or lingering hugs, but when it gets to the point where they need to look away it can get pretty awkward. You are most likely to find such overzealous displays of affection in the early hours of the morning at a dance club, but copious amounts of saliva and wandering hands find their way out into the sunshine too. While passersby could find such behaviour inappropriate, certain couples believe that there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about. Its not always easy to turn a blind eye to the mating rituals of others, especially when they happen right in front of you, but how much is too much? Whether you think its cute, crass or cringe-worthy, public displays of affection (or PDAs) and their reception depend on the situation and the company. So whos big on showing the love and who prefers keeping it behind closed doors? Activate sought your views. Treasure Tshabalala, LLB Masters I feel that public displays of affection are a means through which people can express their love for one another and there

Get a room?
is nothing wrong with that. I personally support it and think everyone should be able to engage in such things without any shame. People should just tolerate the way others express their love. I am for it! Ajibola Amzat, MA Journ People have the right to express their feelings, but there should be a space for the style of those emotions or feelings. Using the public space to express that kind of intimacy may indirectly offend other people in that space who may be sensitive. Nicolain Shabangu, BCOM 3 I think people should be real and express themselves in the way they want to. However, I think that it is not moral for people to act over-affectionate and they should realise that their individual behaviour affects society. Ndumi Ndlovu, BCOM 3 When I see people who are going out and publicly displaying

affection its fine. For example, I dont mind pecks on the cheek and holding hands. If it gets too sexual, then its not acceptable. At social places on campus like the Kaif its okay, but in libraries and lecture venues its a no-no.

Silvanus Welcome, PDEM It really depends on the crowd, but I think as the couple you need to be aware of the other people around you because kissing might be okay for you but for a third party walking past it might look disgusting. Ruth Kruger, ESL 3 It depends on the context and the sensibilities of the people youre with, but in general Id say share the love. Luvuyo Leon, LLB 2 If both partners feel comfortable about it, it is their choice. For me I do not like public affection I like to keep my private life in private. Isaac Chikura, BA 1 I feel that public displays of affection are not positive things because its public indecency, polluting peoples eyes. Its something that should be done behind closed doors not outside. It makes people look cheap, if you know what I mean.

By Kate Sedgwick ets be honest Rhodes students do have a bit of a reputation when it comes to drinking. Some students claim that there really is nothing much else to do for fun in Grahamstown, other than getting a little silly at the Rat, Friars, Pirates and the rest of them. In fact, we are said to be the third-highest beer-drinking university in the world. There is no doubt that as students, we are typecast (with good reason) as people who love a night out on the town, socialising and catching up with friends over a couple of drinks. However, this is not everyones idea of fun. With many different societies and clubs on campus, drama productions, restaurants, sports, and beautiful hidden places, we found out what your favourite ways of spending free time in Grahamstown are. What else can Rhodents do for fun? How seriously are we seen to be living in a drinking hole? Activate sought your views.

Sober shenanigans

just outside of Grahamstown. Its a great way to unwind after a hard day of lectures and the dam is really picturesque. Being a first-year, I have also managed to meet a lot of new people with the same interest, which was a great introduction to Rhodes. Michelle Blankenberg, BSC 2 It really depends on who you are with. You can enjoy a day at the pool or go and visit your friends in digs. I really enjoy walking in the Botanical Gardens, going to the Dam and driving up to The Monument and watching the sun set.

Gabi Masson, BA 1 Being a Rhodes student, I would definitely say that Grahamstown has a huge drinking culture. Personally I dont enjoy going out and drinking so I joined GameSoc, as this way it gives me something to do on week nights and I can have just as much fun as those who do go out. On Wednesday nights we play war games and on Thursday nights we play board games which can go on until 22h30 or sometimes even Azola Cakata, BPharm 3 Contrary to popular belief, there are many Rhodes students who dont drink alcohol and have just as much fun 00h00. I really enjoy these evenings as I love to watch movies. Were never as those who do. Pic: Alexa Sedgwick I have met some really amazing people short of excellent films to watch on who are so genuine and just want us to enjoy ourselves in a Ndumiso Ndlow, BCom 3 Friday nights. Grahamstown also has amazing restaurants I safe environment. Personally I enjoy having picnics at the Botanical Gardens enjoy going to 137 and La Trattoria for dinner with friends on Saturday or Sunday afternoons where I can just chill with every now and then. I also sleep a lot! Those three things Synodia Katsvairo, LLB 3 friends. Alcohol does not have to be involved to have a good are working for me right now. What is also really pretty is I love hanging out with my friends and seeing what the time, and this is a great way to catch up with friends in a really driving to The Monument and chilling there and looking over Rhodes societies have to offer. I enjoy mostly church-related different environment. Grahamstown its really beautiful. things and hanging out with the church group. I belong to Christ Embassy and they organise beach trips and braais David Fuller, English Honours Pedro Fernandes, BA 3 quite often. Some societies at Rhodes, like BLW (Believers A great way for students to spend their time is at the poetry The Grey Dam is a place which is just outside of Love Word) also do really cool things, like camping and evenings at Caf Devine in New Street. These take place on Grahamstown but it is still in walking distance. This is the weekend trips out of town. We basically just like to spend time the last Friday of every month at about 18h00. I have found perfect place for escapism and my friends and I often go there together, spreading the word of God, watching DVDs, singing, these evenings to be very enriching, and the material is always to enjoy a braai and just chill. worshipping and things like that. varied. Some people prefer to recite their own poems while others enjoy the improvisation section. These evenings allow Lauren Jean Connor, BA 3 Pamela Bakasa, BA 2 for interesting discussions where one can simply read poetry I am very involved in the Drama Department and it always Even though Pirates is one of the places where everyone for the love of it. has some sort of show or production on which is open to the goes to drink and have a good time, there is the Tuesday night public, allowing students to leave the drinking scene for a 2-for-1 pizza special which my friends and I really enjoy. Being Warren Mayer, BA 1 while and focus on something more cultural. On days when the middle of the week, everyone just feels like a relaxed night, Grahamstown definitely has the whole drinking hole you just want to have some sort of entertainment and fun, it so this is the perfect place to go and enjoy a cheap meal in stereotype, but there are a lot of other activities people can is really great to just go and see a production, and this is also the company of your friends. We have made it a tradition that do to avoid this. Besides drinking, I also enjoy canoeing a a lot more intimate and cheaper than just sitting and drinking we try to go every second week or so because its something sport that Ive been doing since I was 11-years-old. Now that at a bar. different. We dont need to drink to have a good time. Ive come to Rhodes, Ive began training at the Settlers Dam

20 Comment & Analysis

Edition 2
Dr Anita Unni, Councelling Psychologist. MA Councelling Psychology, PhD (Rhodes)
Emerging evidence indicates that men in South Africa are also affected by sexual assault, though not in the same way as women. Christofides et al. (2003), in a study investigating the state of sexual assault services for women in South Africa, examined South African Police Services rape statistics for 2000 and found 52 550 women reported rape or attempted rape but 1307 adult men had also reported sexual victimisation. Jewkes, Sikweyiya, Morrell and Dunkle (2009), interviewed 1 738 men as part of a study focusing on rape perpetration by men against female intimate partners and non-partners. About 16.3% of men in the study admitted to raping a female non-partner but about 3% of men also admitted to raping other men and boys. Similar findings attesting to rape against men has been documented in popular media. Despite this, extremely few South African studies have focused on the circumstances surrounding the sexual assault of men and the experience of this type of trauma for the victim, thereby contributing to a significant gap in the knowledge base. The paucity of studies on male survivors is related to dominant rape myths including the assumption that: men cannot be forced to have sex against their will; men are less affected by sexual assault than women; men are in a constant state of readiness to accept any sexual opportunity; a man is able to defend himself against sexual assault and; only gay men are raped. These myths stem from gender-based ideologies (i.e. traditional notions of masculinity and femininity) in terms of which the traits associated with being a man include aggression, virility, dominance, power and control while the traits associated with being a woman include weakness, chastity and submissiveness. The sexual assault of men challenges these dominant constructions of gender and understandings of victimisation, thus contributing to the neglect of this category of trauma. Emerging evidence from international researchers has revealed that men become the victims of rape in a similar manner to women, in that perpetrator tactics range from violent assault, sexual coercion and deliberate intoxication using drugs or alcohol. Men who do not conform to heterosexual standards of appropriate male behavior, or who are homosexual are more likely to be victimised. In these instances, rape is used to humiliate the victim in the course of homophobic violence. As with female survivors, exposure to rape for men is associated with serious physical health and psychological consequences. This includes increased risk of STDs, depression, drug and alcohol abuse and suicide attempts. Rape is also the traumatic event most likely to lead to the development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is a particularly debilitating condition that impacts on the individuals capacity to function in daily life and exerts a significant toll on interpersonal relationships. For survivors affected by PTSD, specialist psychological treatment is often necessary for recovery.

By Alexa Sedgwick

t is sometimes assumed that when you hear of a person being taken advantage of on a drunken night on the town, that this person must be a woman. This is not always so. The Sexual Offences Amendment Bill reviewed the definition of rape in 2007 to include men, so that it was applicable to all forms of sexual penetration without consent, irrespective of gender. However, the word penetration meant that men who were raped by women were not protected by this law. The Bill has since been redrafted to ensure that it is gender neutral, and includes any act of a sexual nature that is perpetrated against someone without their consent. However, the belief that women cannot commit rape against men is still widely accepted. In 2011, Rhodes activists staged a protest called the Masithetheni Protest for males. This happened shortly after the official Silent Protest. The Masithetheni Protest was aimed at encouraging male survivors to speak out against sexual assault and giving men a voice in the issue. Is it physically possible for a man to be taken advantage of by a woman? How relevant is this to the common social stereotypes about men and masculinity? Activate sought the views of both men and women on campus.

Sexual abuse and the male myth

I cannot imagine a man being overpowered like that. Men are viewed as quite overpowering themselves and more sexually drivenmore so than girls. Perhaps it could happen if a man was incredibly drunk but I just cant imagine it. Males generally are more in control of situations like that. I have heard stories about men being taken advantage of, but I dont see how they can be forced to have sex with a girl if they dont want to. I see it more as girls manipulating them, rather than actually raping them. Girls raping guys? I cant see that. Larissa Klazinga, Student Services Officer and organiser of the Silent Protest The Sexual Offences Amendment Bill was enacted specifically to broaden the definition of rape to include non-consensual oral and anal penetration without reference to the sex of the complainant. Men and women, girls and boys can be sexually assaulted and raped. The Silent Protest specifically highlights gender-based violence against women, since this is by far the most commonly committed form of rape. Last year the Dean of Students Office worked with activists to organise a protest that specifically highlighted male rape. We chose to address the issues separately, not because we believe that one issue is more serious than another, but because we acknowledged the reality that survivors were likely to be perceived differently. The issues faced by male rape survivors deserve to be discussed in their own right.

Audrey Zwinavashe, BSS 3 Being a Law student, I know that male rape exists. There are situations where men are raped by women, but I feel that if a man does get raped it is much harder for him to come forward because many people would not believe him. At the same time, when you look at the dynamics between men and women who are taken advantage of, I feel that men are usually more forward. In the clubs for example, you dont usually see girls buying guys drinks I know I am generalising but it is usually the guys who encourage girls to drink and dance. In my experience, its always been like that. Are guys in the same position as girls, if they are taken home and potentially taken advantage of? I dont think so. Men are physically stronger, and can overpower tipsy girls much more easily than a girl could rape a guy on her own. Of the cases Ive heard, it is usually a gang-rape, with many girls in order to balance the physical power, or an older woman raping a much younger guy. It could also be a question of politeness maybe guys are scared to say no to girls because they think we are so emotional and sensitive. It might be difficult to refuse a girl without being misinterpreted as insulting her, and that could lead to false allegations against the guy. Refusing a girl is also a challenge to manhood some girls might think he was gay. Vicky Heidemann, LLB Honours Legally speaking, the definition of rape is very broad. In terms of men being pressurised to have sex with a woman, I dont know if that would ever be considered rape as far as the law is concerned as it is not penetrative on their side. Personally, I think it must be very difficult for a man to be raped in that way although I think it is possible. Peer pressure can be devastating, and especially in this country there are very dangerous stereotypes about men which they often feel they need to live up to. This perpetuates the rape problem that we have in this country. Cory Smit, BJourn 2 Its not all that rare [for men to be taken advantage of]. Guys feel this constant pressure to be beasts in the bedroom. Being surrounded by a hypersexual society means that we often only have sex because

Male protestors walk down High Street during the 2011 Slutwalk in Grahamstown. Pic: Niamh WalshVorster

Tristan de Robillard, BA 2 I think that its safe to say that men can be we feel that its what people do. I lost my virginity at taken advantage of, and I feel that people do tend a young age to someone who was older than me. We to exaggerate the helplessness of women and were both teenagers but she saw me as a conquest or domineering power of men. That is not to say a challenge that she had to win. I didnt even want to that I do not take the rape of women seriously, have sex initially, but slowly my pubescent hormones because I certainly do. I think it is one of the most took over and it happened. It meant nothing. Im sure depraved crimes out there, but I also believe that weve all had that feeling of Why the hell did I just the victims become more victimised with time, and do that?. There have been other times in which Ive the perpetrators become scapegoats. While women felt that if I dont go through with it I may actually get are the majority in rape cases, it is not only women hurt physically, emotionally or both. Guys too can who are raped and women are not only the victims find themselves waking up after a heavy night next to in these scenarios. People forget how powerful it is someone whom they dont recall. We get spiked too! to be accused of rape in the public eye, and not to Its not fun. sound callous in any way, but there are some cases in which the accusation of rape (whether false or true) Grant Goodwin, English and Classics Honours has been used as a weapon by women against men. and Co-organiser of the Masithetheni Protest Again, Im not seeking to undermine women in this, Last years protest against male rape was called but such a sensitive issue should not be simplified Masithetheni, which I think is isiXhosa for Let into a matter of men as only being evil perpetrators us Speak. Male rape tends to have a lot of silence and women as only being innocent victims. That around it rape generally is shunned and you dont would not be fair to anyone. really speak about it, but nowadays youve got this huge movement growing, encouraging us to speak Vuyo Kumalo, BCom 4 about rape. This issue will not be resolved if it I definitely think men can be raped. How I see it is: remains in silence thats true for all rape. Womens a girl could come up to you, she could flirt with you, rape has been dealing with this recently, like the buy you a few drinks, try to get physical, and perhaps 1in9 campaign [now known as the Silent Protest], you would feel uncomfortable about it. But the more but male rape is still very silent. Very few people drinks you have, the less you know whats going consider it even happens, and despite the stats being on only to be shocked when you wake up the next lower than female rape, it is still heavily prevalent. morning. Guys also regret it in the morning. I had a If you add the idea of a patriarchal society, saying friend who this happened to he woke up the next that men are strong and manly and can look after morning with his laptop open and there was a note themselves, then men being dominated has an added on Microsoft Word that a girl had left, saying that she psychological attack on everything on which they didnt want to wake him up so she let herself out. He are supposed to have constructed their masculinity was so shocked at that, and didnt find any evidence and identity. If that gets torn down, what are you left of condoms in his room, so he had to go to the San with? To whom can you come and talk? to make sure everything was alright. There is an assumption among girls that guys are always looking Nalo Gungubele, BCom 3 for sex when they go out, but my group of friends go I dont want to say that male rape doesnt happen, out just to have fun. If you do happen to meet a girl, but in my head I cant visualise it. Maybe I have its a bonus. very set ideas about how these things happen but

20 March 2012

21 Features

Removing the black tape

By Michelle Sabina Avenant In the beginning it was fine. I could think, Ive got tape over my mouth and Im doing it for a cause, its really good... but by about ten oclock, I felt like I wanted to scream. It felt like the tape was my mouth as well, and I just wanted to scream. I felt trapped in my own body.

ast year, along with hundreds of other students, Taz pulled a Sexual Violence = Silence T-shirt over her head. She had a strip of black tape placed over her mouth. She attended her lectures in silence. Unlike her peers, however, Taz was not so much protesting sexual violence against women, but becoming slowly and sickeningly more aware of her own echoing speechlessness. Taz is a rape survivor. For three years, between the age five and eight, Taz was molested and raped by her neighbours teenage son who used to babysit her

and his younger sister. I didnt know that it was rape, she says. I couldnt put it into words because nobody knew what the word for it was at our age. When I told my mom that he hurt me, the logical conclusion was that we were playing a game and he might have accidentally pushed me off the couch or something. For years, Taz suppressed her memories of being raped until they eventually resurfaced when she was in grade nine. We woke up one morning and found that someone had tried to take my window out while I was sleeping, she recalls. I got this sickening feeling, because the feeling Id had when someone had tried to get into my room was the feeling of violation Id felt when [the rape] had happened. This memory came back and I remembered everything. Arriving at Rhodes and taking part in the Sexual Violence = Silence protest in 2011 was an emotionally draining experience for Taz. There were people that Id seen on campus, friends of mine, who stood up there and wore those Rape Survivor T-shirts, and

I wasnt one of them, she recalls. It felt like Id failed them just as much as Id failed myself... I was defeating the purpose of the protest itself by not speaking about it. Taz feels that the message of Silent Protest is of great importance to South African society. The 1in9 thing: its about the eight women who are silent. They cant get help where they need to, she observes. If I decided that I was going to lay a rape charge against that guy, I dont think I would win my case. I was a child, but theres no way I could do that now, because they would probably tell me youre upset with him and you want to be malicious. We live in a patriarchal society, she concludes. Taz will wear a Rape Survivor t-shirt at this years silent protest, and this time she will not be wearing tape over her mouth. For Taz, this is a symbol of breaking her own silence. Ive kept to myself for way too long, she says. I need to speak about it because its the only way Im actually going to come to terms with it: by speaking.

When students get pets

By Nina McFall

Not your average monument

The use of old buildings for modern means is not new. One merely has to look around at the architecture of Grahamstown to realise it ts a building that looks weighted down, like a is a town filled with these living monuments. brick plonked on the ground. To a passer-by, it seems unremarkable, and its thin slits for windows People interact with history on a daily basis in Grahamstown. The Drostdy Arch, for example, and slanted roof hardly betray its rich history. used to be a guard house. Today it is used as shop Unless, that is, you stop to read the plaques on its premises from which an eclectic mix of things are walls. The House of Cocktails, as the building is now known by some, sits on High Street and is the sold. The building has a special history, says Debra oldest building in Grahamstown. Sound familiar Stein, the proprietor of Under the Arch. We were yet? Yellow House, now a cocktail bar and restaurant, very lucky to be granted access. Other buildings, is a national monument. Erected between 1812 and such as the prison across the road, were shut down. This building is a constant reminder of history. 1813, it served as a prison, then a school, then a Several buildings on campus, such as the Drostdy library and, finally, it became the home of exquisite Barracks, have a plaque that describes their status cocktails enjoyed by students and townsfolk alike. as national monuments on their walls. Today these One of the exterior walls of the building was used Barracks are used as the English Language and to plan High Street and was instrumental in the Linguistics Department. Dr Sally Hunt, a lecturer creation of the citys town centre. The building is at the department, says that: The building does nearly 200 years old and stands a few buildings contribute to our sense of self as a department. away from the picturesque Rhodes clock tower. According to Dr Hunt, knowing that they You could call this building living history. It work within a monument gives them a sense of has survived as long as the town and, rather than belonging to the Rhodes culture. becoming a static memento of times past, it has Selwyn Castle (also known as the Anthropology served various purposes throughout the years. It Department), has been the Cape Governors isnt a museum or an isolated area that you need residences, a school, a house for children in need special permission to enter. In contrast to the Observatory Museum, Yellow House has become a as well as the original Day Kaif. It is hard not to look at the gothic structure without curiousity. functional monument in its continued use. By Wynona Latham

tudents moving into digs are often tempted to mark their newfound independence by adopting a pet. Unfortunately, this well-meaning decision is sometimes done without forethought or access to sufficient funding or grounds. However, students who do thoroughly consider the commitment of pet ownership and are able to provide loving homes to their pets may end up benefiting both their pets and themselves. Animals are not the only ones that benefit from the adoption process. Eckerd College in Florida, which allows students to keep pets in their dormitories, has observed that pet ownership makes students more responsible. Megan Fick, a third-year Oppidan, agrees. I would rather spend my money on Rosie [my puppy] than on going out at night. According to Ohio State University, animals provide support and companionship while also acting as a natural stress reliever to students who live with their pets. Better dogs than drugs, quips Lady Bee, an Inventorspot blogger. Both the SPCA and the Animal Welfare Society (AWS) charge for the adoption of pets. This adoption fee includes inoculations, deworming, sterilisation, as well as ID chipping for dogs. Should you have existing pets, a compatibility test will be done to ensure

the animals get on. In line with national SPCA regulation, property checks are performed before people are allowed to adopt animals to ensure that properties are both appropriate and safe for pets. This prevents pets from being used for activities such as hunting and dog fighting. As long as the home and owner conform to the five freedoms of animals as per the SPCA, the animal should be content. These five are : Freedom from hunger and thirst - by ready access to fresh water and food to maintain full health and vigour. Freedom from discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment, including shelter and a comfortable resting area. Freedom from pain, injury and disease - by prevention, rapid diagnosis and treatment. Freedom to express normal behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animals own kind. Freedom from fear and distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment that prevent mental suffering. With the previous experience of owning her own horse, Fick knows the long-term commitment involved in pet ownership. You need to be able to provide for the pet, she says. If the necessities cannot be met then it is unfair on the animal. Owning a pet is a long-term

commitment and something that requires lots of thought. Kayla Roux, a third-year Journalism and Media Studies student, adopted her kitten Faye from the AWS in Port Elizabeth for R200. Nobody told me she was supposed to get a second inoculation at one month, though says Roux. She is busy recovering from a serious bout of pneumonia - I was very scared she would die. Pet health issues are not only distressing, but also costly. Roux, who pays her pets bills herself, says: Fayes hospital stay, which ended up being a week in total, will probably be over R2 000. Many students fly home for the holidays and are not able to take their pets with them. Juan van Dyk, a second-year Journalism and Media Studies student, adopted a dog last year which had been taken to the SPCA after being found on the side of the road in a plastic packet .Van Dyks digs mate looked after Boosh (named after the popular TV show The Mighty Boosh) during the short vacation, and over the longer holiday he stayed at the SPCA kennels. This boarding service is offered for between R27 and R38 per day depending on the size of dog. Students are discouraged from leaving their pets alone for long periods of time. In the wise words of James Herriot: If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans.

Another example is the Provost Prison, located near the Botanical Gardens, which now serves as a part of a community centre initiative. It was declared a national monument in 1937 and the cells would be rented out for accommodation during the Grahamstown National Arts Festival. Yellow House doesnt strike the average onlooker as a Yellow House Coctail bar and restaurant is the oldest building in Gtown. Pic: monument: you would Niamh Walsh-Vorster Museums act as preservatives of culture never even know the and heritage, but they also tend to be isolated building was special unless you were looking for and therefore harbour the possibility that the those plaques. A functional monument may not information will only be absorbed by a limited have the devotion to preserving history that a number of people. Functional monuments are museum does, but oddities in the architecture are by no means badly looked after: they are, after enough to remind you. all, still national monuments. They still have a These monuments also require a special kind of maintenance. Using a monument creates different sense of immersion, however, and this sets them apart. When you enter Yellow House you have a kinds of problems, says Jesko Kalinski, owner of Yellow House. Architecturally there are issues, like tactile sense of what was, and this way whether it be willing or unwilling you are involved with where the front door is placed and the size of the history. rooms.

22 Features

Edition 2

Pat Terry:
By Karlien van der Wielen

The man behind the timetable

lthough he is the Professor Emeritus of the Computer Sciences Department, Pat Terry admits to using two fingers to type. He has won multiple awards, received scholarships, written various textbooks and played a role in bringing the Internet to South Africa, but when it comes to typing, Terry still plays it old-school. Terry clearly has no problem communicating with computers: therein lies his expertise. He might not type very fast, but as an expert in computer programming, he definitely speaks the PC language. Terry came to Grahamstown with his family while he was still young. After obtaining his Masters in Science at Rhodes in 1969, he moved to England to do his PhD at Cambridge. Terrys postgraduate studies in Physics brought him into regular contact with computers. I used computers a lot when I was doing my PhD, he says. I was just the right sort of age when a computer became a very, very useful tool to solve numerical kinds of problems which they hadnt had the processing power for before. So we did a lot of computer programming... and that became quite fascinating in itself, he mused. My interest moved slowly from the sort of maths and physics aspects of it towards computing. In about 1980 I kind of changed allegiance and became a lecturer of Computer Science. After obtaining his PhD, Terry returned to Rhodes as an Applied Mathematics lecturer to get a few years of experience. He soon became a professor of Computer Science and ended up staying to the present day. On top of his academic commitments, Terry became very involved in administrative and managerial work at Rhodes. He was the Deputy Dean and the Dean of Science for 18 years in all and served on numerous committees. Although he retired at the end of 2010, Terry remains a prominent figure at the university. Since 2000, he has been responsible for improving and maintaining the Rhodes timetable. Terry

Professor Emeritus Pat Terry in his office in the Hamilton building. Terry is the person responsible for the co-ordination of the Rhodes exam and lecture timetables. Pic: Anton Scholtz. says that an increasingly important yet annoying part of the job is allocating classes to the different venues on campus. Its a real pain because although weve got enough rooms for our classes at Rhodes, we havent got enough rooms of the right sizes, he says with a chuckle. They say in the army if they issue clothing you either get a size too big or too small you never get the right one. The situation is eased by the fact that a lot of students dont bother to go to lectures, to be quite honest. Terry is also involved in processing the exam results at the end of the year and collaborating with others on texts for first-years about how to handle their start at Rhodes. At the moment, he is trying to reach a point where his projects can be taken over by others a difficult thing to do considering his immense institutional knowledge. Ive been spending quite a bit of time trying to get the systems Ive developed to the point where a programs result will be properly commented on and other people can understand them instead of just things that... have been lodged around in my mind for the last 15 years or so, says Terry. Apart from that, Terry is taking it easy. Hes teaching a several third-year classes and might attempt another textbook. In the mean time, he will continue orchestrating our classes and destinations, knowing the trends of subject choices and carefully examining the ebb and flow of grades at Rhodes.

Choosing a different road than Rhodes

By Louise Fuller

ver wonder if going to university was the right choice for you? When we are young, we dont really think about university we just think of what we want to be, and this usually ranges from everything from an astronaut to florist. As we get older, we begin to change our ideas into what society deems realistic and appropriate. As a result, the child in us who wanted to become a lion tamer now wants to become a doctor or lawyer, usually something that requires a tertiary education. What if packing your bags for university is not the best choice for you? Melinda Alvarez, a former student, came to Rhodes with the intention of majoring in Journalism and Psychology. In the end, however, Rhodes became a stepping stone which led her to her dreams. She took a gap year in 2009 during which time she completed modules 1-3 of the South African National Equestrian Federation, the national leading organisation of equestrian sports as recognised by South Africa. During this time, she discovered the joy that horses brought her. She did not, however, anticipate how strong this joy would become. I felt like I was taking another gap year, she said after arriving at Rhodes. She felt like she was wasting her time studying towards a degree that had nothing to do with her

real desire, which was to become a horse instructor. Although she loved Grahamstown and had formed lifelong friendships, it was not the place for her. She knew exactly what she wanted to do in life, and she felt her time at Rhodes had expired. She followed her heart and left Rhodes at the end of 2010, and has now completed module 4 of the South African National Equestrian Federation, which makes her a qualified national riding instructor. As hard as it was to say goodbye when I left for good, Ive never looked back or considered going back for that elusive degree, she said. She is now working towards completing module 5 to become an international level 1 instructor. I know what I want and Im going after it at full speed with all guns blazing. University can be a great choice for many, but it is not for everyone. Sometimes it feels as though society has made it a taboo to go into a profession that does not require a higher education degree. There are many examples of people who ignored what society deems the right thing to do and instead simply did what made them happy, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Steve Jobs included. These people, who stepped out of societys constraints for what is acceptable and what is not, have created successful lives for themselves in the way that they wanted to.

20 March 2012

23 Features

The I-can-get-away-with-anything delusion

By Kerstin Hall he story is a familiar one: celebrities caught shop-lifting walk free and politicians indulging in a luxurious holiday at the expense of taxpayers get off without so much as a rap on the knuckles. Lindsay Lohan, Tiger Woods, Paris Hilton for these people, the morals and rules to which ordinary people subscribe just dont seem to apply. Sure, they have their trials, their dramatic confessions and the occasional proverbial slap on the wrist, but it is impossible to pretend that these people are held to the same standards as everyone else or that they even operate under the same judicial powers. They can get away with nearly anything. This problem is nothing new: throughout history, those with enough wealth and influence are able to worm their way out of trouble. This is not even purely a question of fame. Even outside of Hollywood, it seems that those with less money suffer beneath the law far more than those with the cash. Take the concept of bail, for example: To a multi-millionaire, paying R100 000 for a Get Out of Jail Free card might be a minor irritation. For the man living from one days wages to the next, this is not an irritation so much as an impossibility. The feeling of invincibility that the powerful have and the notion that their actions have no consequences is known as megalomania.

According to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, megalomania is a delusional mental disorder that is marked by feelings of personal omnipotence and grandeur. Does this sound too extreme? Lets take a look at Tiger Woods. Following the revelations of the multiple affairs he had in married life, the worlds most famous golfer explained that he felt he was entitled. The notion was that he had worked hard and had earned the right to do whatever he pleased. And if he ran into any trouble, well, he had the resources to pay for that trouble to go away. This attitude obviously caught up with him eventually, but it begs the question: If he had not been found out, wouldnt he simply have kept on breaking the rules? How many other influential people out there, perhaps more careful and discreet, get away with whatever they want to? The problem is simply the lack of consequences. Those who abuse power in this way are not fearful of punishment, for they can usually just pay a fine. The fine often just amounts to the equivalent of the small change in their back pockets. Once they have paid, they can return to doing what they please and so the cycle continues. To a smaller and less megalomaniacal extent, this was the situation being perpetuated at Rhodes. Before the current hours policy, whereby a student is given a certain time period of community service which varies according to the severity of the

transgression they have committed, a system was in place that allowed students to simply pay a cash amount to atone. A student with wealthy parents would just ask Daddy to pay, says Ruth Jackson, who has been the Hall Warden at Hobson Hall for the last 20 years. The fine was charged to the student account, so, apart from the possibility of a loss of approbation from parents, the wealthier students never really suffered any consequences for their actions. Students who couldnt afford to pay were, of course, welcome to do community service instead. With both systems, the students exam results were not released until they had paid or finished their hours. The policy was changed about four years ago and since then, community service has been made mandatory except in exceptional circumstances. For instance, if it is the end of the year and the student will not be returning the following year, the student may pay the fine. According to Jackson, Dean of Students Dr Vivian De Klerk was particularly adamant in her support of the policy change. This system, whilst not preventing misdemeanors altogether, probably acts as a stronger deterrent. Each student is put on an equal footing, and when faced with the prospect of 40 hours of pot-scrubbing, floor cleaning or mind-numbing filing for needlessly pushing a panic button, the average student might think twice about the hilarity of that joke.

Dagga couple for the re-legalisation of weed

By Karlien van der Wielen

f Jules Stobbs and Myrtle Clarke have their way, there might soon be 3.2 million fewer criminals in South Africa. That is, if the press-dubbed Dagga Couples campaign to re-legalise cannabis in South Africa succeeds. Stobbs and Clarke, owners of multi-purpose venue Jazzfarm just north of Johannesburg, have issued a challenge to South Africas Constitutional Court against the 1992 Drugs and Drug Trafficking Act. In short, the prohibition of dagga is unscientific, racist, irrational and wrong, the couple states on their website. According to most sources, cannabis sativa (or merely cannabis) originated in Central Asia, and its first recorded use was in 2700 BC, when it was mentioned by one of the fathers of Chinese medicine. Cannabis use has grown over the centuries Jules Stobbs and Myrtle Clarke, or the Dagga Couple as they have come to be known, are actively challenging in varying forms and with varying amounts of support. Ancient Egyptians used SAs legislation on Marijuana laws. Pic: Mahala it as a remedy for various ailments. Difficulties arose when Egyptian medicine that it is a victimless crime (if, they assert, it is indeed a crime). effectively became Islamic medicine, and cannabis psychoactive effects saw it classified it under This sentiment is echoed by various articles circulating the online cannabis support intoxicants according to the Muslim Sharia law. Prohibition was ineffectively enacted in the 13th community, with statements that deny the validity of studies which show any detrimental effects century. Napoleon also tried his hand at criminalising the drug. Pope Innocent VIII of the 15th century dagga might have. An article published on MyNews24 by Buzz reads: Just as apartheid and similar establishments drilled the White is right mindset into its citizens, we are still drilled considered it an unholy sacrament of the Satanic mass. However, there were times when cannabis was vastly popular, and advocated by such figures as President George Washington and with the misconception that dagga is gaga. Among the reasons they list various detrimental side-effects, the threat of developing schizophrenia and the idea that dagga is a soft drug Queen Victoria. Some states and countries made cannabis production mandatory, and hemp which leads to the use of drugs such as cocaine and heroin. There seems to be no critical which is related to the cannabis plant was a major industry throughout the world. In the 1900s things started to look bad for dagga. Various countries outlawed the possession and use of response to the Dagga Couple other than disapproving comments from church groups and queasy parents. The call for empirical evidence as to daggas negative effects on their website cannabis and South Africa officially made it illegal in 1928. has gone unanswered (except for support messages from fellow cannabis consumers). The The Dagga Couple claims that its criminalisation and continued status as an illegal drug is information most base their aversion to dagga on is labelled as outdated, misinformed, due to racist and colonial laws, which are sustained today through US propaganda. The couple propaganda, hearsay and unscientific baloney. also claims that their constitutional and human right to ingest anything they please is being Whichever side of the debate youre on, you will find evidence among the myriad studies violated by the prohibition of dagga. Isnt it your right to self medicate, to ingest whatever you surrounding cannabis with which to stake your claim. The illegal status of cannabis makes it feel helps your situation? They point to countless cancer, leukemia, glycoma, and multiple hard to conduct research openly, and thus most people can only base their opinion on hearsay. sclerosis patients across the world who experience relief from pain and other symptoms with the use of marijuana. There are several ways to consume dagga, the most popular being smoking Judging by their support in South Africa and abroad, though, Dagga Couple does seem to have veritable points. Cannabis does, however, remain South Africas drug of choice. It is estimated joints or bongs, and oral ingestion via food. Studies have shown that the active ingredient in that over 3.2 million citizens used cannabis in 2008, and this number steadily rose (although cannabis THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol, if you insist on the long version) is three times more recent censuses have not been completed as of yet). If the Dagga Couples campaign succeeds, potent if orally ingested, since the smoking of cannabis inhibits some of the transmission of this there will be at least 3.2 million fewer criminals in South Africa. Their success will mean that constituent. A large part of the Dagga Couples campaign is based on their claim that there is no the choice to use dagga or not will be in the hands of individuals and not in those of the state. empirical and scientific proof that cannabis is detrimental to anyone. Furthermore, they suggest

Edition 2

By Elna Schtz For such a small place, Grahamstown is pretty darn cool when it comes to art and entertainment. Our nightlife is famous for some and infamous with others (usually those wearing suits and living somewhere called the real world). But, when I look around our little party-paradise this year, I cant shake the feeling that something is amiss After the long vac, returning Rhodents found this town reshuffled EQ is now Prime, Champs has sprung out of the old Scotts Spot, and what has happened to good old Slipstream? At one point I was sure Grahamstown club owners had wagered their locales in a communal poker game. Sure, these changes all have good reasons and contexts, and the towns avid partyers will always find a way to have a good time (or ten). Yet a part of me wishes we had a nightlife suggestion box in this town, where the voice of the party people could be heard. We want a place to chill at night for those not keen on maring shamelessly every day. Maybe we want places that are friendlier to different sexual orientations, certain music tastes or just our pet unicorns, for goodness sake! I know were just the ones buying cheap beer and being very raucous, but when the balance is off, why cant we have a say?

Punch and parched lips

By Hancu Louw An ode to Hunter S. Thompson... Lets give this Gonzo thing a try. have an air of expectation as I stand, half smoked cigarette in one hand while the other holds a plastic bottle filled with a cocktail of whatever booze I could lay my hands on after noticing the invite at 19h30 while casually trawling the endless walls of Facebook. After numerous missed calls, loud shouting and even the occasional profanity from my severely intoxicated mate slopping about behind me, someone approaches the gate and fumbles with some keys. Presumably this is the host or hostess, but due to a century of finely-practiced and socially-perfected drinking culture, this might just be some poor sod sent to open the gates to an expected night of debauchery. After the usual round of slurred greetings and occasional screams to familiar faces over the thundering din of voices and some playlist long forgotten (along with most inhibitions), its time to get down to business. The fridge already stacked to the brim, the counters and tables covered in halfdrunk glasses of punch and overflowing ashtrays. I venture deeper into the throbbing hive of activity. Depending on my proximity to dodgy-looking okes, who would most definitely re-appropriate my drink, I find the best tactic is to find a secluded spot or cupboard and stash whatever might be missed the following morning. Drink in hand, I venture outside. Theres no space to sit, so I stand in the corner and roll another smoke while I watch a scene unfold:

EVENTS GUIDE
Let Your BEAT be Heard
20 March Fort Selwyn

By Dumisa Lengwati

Innovations 2012 - theres a fear in us all

resonate in some way with the audience members. The fear of falling asleep because you are afraid of what you might see in your dreams; the fear of falling in love because you might be rejected; the fear of fire, for even though it brings heat and life, it can still burn and destroy these are the themes of a few of the spectacular pieces being put on show this year. A surprise appearance by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company promises to be a highlight as they preview a sneak peek of an upcoming production. An exciting new project has surfaced out of this years production. A Facebook group called Innovations 2012 process has been created, and it invites the public to engage with the material that has been posted to the group by the performers

raucous laughter bouncing off walls as wide-eyed first-years try to traverse this landscape of utterly uninhibited pleasure. There are distinct people and periods at these gatherings, and as each hour rolls by the lead character changes as the music gets louder and tables start straining under the weight of empty Black Label quarts. A familiar scene at a Grahamstown digswarming. Pic: Bjorn Krietsch Unexpectedly the music takes a turn spot the actual person Im talking about. for the better and the crowd starts to move The night progresses and before long the dance inside onto the makeshift dance floor (if in doubt floor is packed to the brim, the stoep crowded about the levels of intelligence of the particular with groups of four or five huddled around a pipe inhabitants of the house you find yourself at, judge or joint rolled in advance for the celebrations. the one who volunteered his or her room as dance Naturally by this time the bathroom has turned area as the biggest failure since the Neanderthals). into a despicable mess of muddy footprints, Writhing to the hard and fast base lines of some empties and piss. underground DJ, drenched in sweat, submerged The exodus usually starts around 23h30 when in a milling mass of glazed faces, numbed by the general lack of booze to steal, beg or borrow the prospect of another year spent binging the becomes a problem to the heavy drinkers and those weekend away, I am suddenly confronted by a who want to avoid the infamous Friars queue or skinny blonde girl. Shit, this music is crazy! she the packed bars around town. Stumbling down a shouts in my ear as I try and light another smoke. road that looked far more familiar three hours ago Ja, its pretty kiff, I reply in a plume of Original with new-found comrades and fire in my veins, Shag-flavoured smoke. So, how do you know the I light up another rocket fuel cancer-propeller place? She continues. I know one of the people and brace myself for a Saturday morning only a who live here, I reply, words staggering over my digswarming can guarantee. parched lips as I take another drag while I try to

1in9 Silent protest

23 March

A Youtube video promoting the annual feast of theatrical delights that is Innovations has gone viral at Rhodes and has set tongues wagging and garnering anticipation for the feast of talent with its creepy overture. Innovations is quite different from other shows that are performed at the Drama department, and all students on campus were encouraged to audition and given the chance to flaunt their creative and theatrical sides. This year, applicants were asked to create pieces along the theme of Phobophobia the fear of fear. Since fear is something that is innate in all of us, the committee hopes that each piece will

themselves. This will allow for the audience to find the pieces more accessible and familiar when it comes to performance time. The front of house show also looks to be an interesting feature, as audience members will be taken on a journey to confront some of their fears head-on. The tagline for Innovations this year is WHAT.ARE.YOU.AFRAID.OF? and the audience will definitely leave with a sense of tackling exactly what it is that invokes certain fears in us all. The video can be seen on YouTube under the title innovations 2012 official promo video. Performance nights are Friday 23 March and Saturday 24 March. Tickets are on sale at the Drama department and at the door.

MYOWNMUSIC
23 March SSS

By Gemma Barkhuizen

The silent film that everyones talking about

Singing for Soup

24 March Grotto Mojito

Innovations
23 & 24 March Rhodes Drama Department

cheesy music score, which is pivotal not only to the atmosphere but also to the development of the plot. These cinematic techniques, coupled with Title: The Artist the phenomenal acting, lend authenticity to the Writer and Director: Michel Hazanavicius film. This ensures that every aspect of the movie Cast: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John serves to engage the audience by giving them an Goodman experience to connect to. Duration: 100 mins It is not the type of film that most people would Critical acclaim: won 5 Academy Awards watch unless they are told to but luckily, due (including Best Picture 2011), 7 BAFTAs, 3 to the impressive accolades it has collected, Golden Globes they have been told to. It is also highly unlikely Rating: cool enough to give new meaning to the A still from the silent film, The Artist. Pic: Supplied that they will regret obeying this instruction! wonder that is the silent film. undertones dont always foster labyrinthine Passionate film enthusiasts will experience it as inaccessibility. If these reasons arent enough: an opportunity for gratifying dissection, whereas he Artist is a French film set in the 1920s in showing the film to any endearingly intellectual, indiscriminate movie-watchers will deem it a America. It was made in accordance with the art-loving, excitedly-barefoot, stereotypical Rhodent prevailing cinematic norms of that time; it is a black- refreshing contrast with whichever chick-flick or is likely to mark you as an object of his or her vulgar comedy they will watch next. Humanities and-white silent melodrama which incorporates adoration. Just a tip. students could even find proof that postmodernist humorously dramatic intertitles and a typically

20 March 2012

25 Arts & Entertainment

When talent meets friendship

different instruments on the album, such as Guys sitar and Nibs twelve-string Puerto Rican instrument, the cuatro. Anyone Deciphering the unwritten language of musicians Nibs van der listening to his intricate picking on its Spuy and Guy Buttery. strings cant help but smile in appreciation. Guys mbira brought a sweet and soothing eep, lifelong friendships can be as rare as pure musical African sound to the tracks, combining talent, but when the two meet, the outcome is something wonderfully with the cuatro. I get my fantastic. inspiration from the indigenous people. Long-time friends and internationally-renowned musicians, Van The instrument is just a vehicle for streams der Spuy and Buttery have finally collaborated on an album. The of thought, says Nibs. beautiful, spontaneous In the Shade of the Wild Fig is a testament Both musicians have been busy with not only to the mens unique connection, but also to their immense constant touring lately, but once they talent. had played a set together after some time, The two describe their relationship as an unwritten language they realised that it was the right time a sort of telepathy. When on stage, there is a strong personal to record an album. The two have been energy between them, adapting to each others playing without a premeditated cue. They often make up a set list on the spot, making together on tour for the past four weeks, each show unique and keeping the audience on their toes. Guy and promoting their album all across South I just connect. Were on the same page, the same mission, says Nibs. Africa. Their audiences, which range from Nibs van der Spuy and Guy Buttery perform together at the Lowlander. They kicked off their 50 to 300 people, are always diverse, with Eastern Cape tour in Grahamstown with a launch for their new debut album, In the Shade of The way they are together has not wavered in the slightest since the Wild Fury, on 7 March 2012. Pic: Lauren Rawlins young and old fans and people from all they met a decade ago two good friends getting together and its from the heart. A positive response makes us produce positive walks of life. The two said that the shows have been great and that jamming almost effortlessly. Guy describes a fresh, spontaneous, music, the two agree. the good response from the crowds feeds them and their music. organic vibe during recording. They say the new album gave them The tour has been a bigger success than they expected thus far and Their shows at Grahamstowns Lowlander were intimate, with an the opportunity to take various chances they normally would not is nowhere close to finished. We love playing together, says Guy. audience of about 65 people. have been able to take in their separate solo careers. We wouldnt Its effortless. Its easy to see that this easy, natural connection Throughout the tour, Nibs would start off the show by playing do it if it wasnt fun, Nibs says simply. between Nibs and Guy is what gives their music so much heart. about 3 or 4 of his songs, and followed by Guy who would do the Their debut album was recorded over the space of only two days same. Finally, they would come together and play a fantastic set and was described by them as something that came together Their fluid sound creates a warm, relaxed atmosphere that leaves you consisting of both old and new tracks. The crowds response would beautifully. Not wanting to bring out a typical guitar duo album, awestruck. The pair plans to continue touring together till the end of they made sure that their tracks were very diverse with a sound they more often than not be an enthusiastic one, with loud applause and the year, and will be in Grahamstown for the National Arts Festival. cheering. Its nice when people love what you do. It shows that described as world music folk. The two also experimented with By David Mann, Leah Solomon and Elna Schtz

Q&A with Nibs and Guy: Nibs: What does South African mean to you? Its my inspirational playground for who I am. Whats your favourite sound excluding musical instruments? Bird calls. What would be your dream place to write/record? In a 13th century monastery in Italy. Guy: What are your top 3 artists to see before you die? Zeppelin, Sun Kil Moon and Van Morrison. If you could only hear one album over and over for the rest of your life, what would it be? Joanna Newsoms Ys What does South African mean to you? Landscape. Culture. Music.

Nibs has helped various musicians onto the South African scene. Rhodes student and musician Elizabeth Gaisford chatted to Activate about Nibs and the experience of recording some songs with him. Tell us about Nibs as a musician and mentor. Nibs is a fantastic artist. He has honed his skill to perfection and performs his intricate pieces with total dexterity. His passion for his work and his creativity is obvious when he performs and I find this inspiring. He is also a totally humble, kind and a lekker human and I cant explain how grateful I am for his support. What is your history with Nibs? How did you come to work with him? I got to know Nibs through his performances and workshops. I opened for him in my hometown, Eshowe, in July and afterwards he offered to do the recording. But he and I go further back in a sense. My aunt, Jane Gaisford, is a muso. She has been my main influence and I have learnt the most from her. She and Nibs became

friends through the Durban folk scene in the early 90s. So this was all bound to happen music works like that! What is it like collaborating with such an iconic South African musician? Its the hugest honour to work with him! This sounds clichd but its true. We have a common KZN background so our music is inspired by a similar environment. His own work is as close to perfect as possible. Because of this and above-mentioned similarities I trust him completely with my music. What are your future plans? Musically there is an infinity of stuff to learn, which is flippen exciting. I would like to come to grips with other instruments and sounds and Id like to jam with more people. Seeing people like Nibs and Guy at work and loving it shakes me up and gets me buzzing. None of us have to leave Rhodes and follow careers we hate!

Tuning in to local creativity

By Caitlin Stobie

The Dyslexic Equation

By Caitlin Stobie (courtesy of Aerial/ISEA)

ts late on a Thursday night. Youre desperately trying to think of a conclusion to the essay that is due at 9am the next day. Suddenly, inspiration strikes. You furiously smash out what you hope is a brilliant sentence, listen to the soothing clicks of your printer, and then cradle the document in your hands like its your first-born child. This was exactly the kind of feeling I had when I held my copy of Aerial 2011 at its launch at Caf dVine last Friday. Aerial is an anthology of prose and poetry that is published every year by the organisers of a creative writing course run by the Institute for the Study of English in Africa (ISEA). According to Robert Berold, the main founder of the course, Aerials name was partly inspired by Ezra Pounds statement that the artist is the antennae of the race. The word refers both to flight and the process of tuning in, which the organisers found to be a satisfying combination. ISEAs course aims to provide participants with

the opportunity to explore new forms of writing and gain confidence in their abilities. It runs for 15 weekly evening sessions from February to July each year. By the end of the course, the students will have done at least two poems, short stories, autobiographies, creative non-fiction (journalism) and performance poetry, said Carol Leff, one of the course organisers. The students spend the first half of the course working on their pieces during weekly evening meetings. Towards the end of the course, they are encouraged to submit their writing to an editorial team, composing of course organisers and participants. Once the pieces are edited, the anthology is published. I found the weekly classes to be of enormous help with my writing last year. Due to the exercises in free-writing and other techniques that we dabbled with, I found that my inner editors voice became a lot less cynical. I no longer felt like I had to be in the right mood to write. Another participant from last years course,

second-year Journalism student Louisa Feiter, expressed similar feelings after the book launch. I enjoyed every session - even if at times I felt uninspired and didnt want to go, by the end of the evening I would be happy that I had, she said. There are some amazing pieces in Aerial, and I will treasure it very much. I benefited from last years course so much that I have decided to do it again this year and not just because returning students get a half-price discount off the R850 registration fee. I signed up because there is nothing better than seeing your name printed alongside some of Grahamstowns most talented writers. Not even printing that Psychology essay you should probably be writing right now.

Lying on the burnt grass, we must have looked like a dyslexic equation. I couldnt tell where I ended and you began. It was just a flurry of fingers, legs and illiterate lips Too many of them but only two of us.

Even our thoughts were identical puzzle pieces. All Yang and no Yin. I liked it best when you kissed me upsidedown; that way you thought I was smiling too.

Caitlin Stobie 2012

26 Life Style

Edition 2

faced with every single day because you didnt own a single pair of shoes? Shoes for a Better Tomorrow, or TOMS, as it is more ou cant call yourself a true Rhodent unless the high popularly known, is a non-profit charity that specifically addresses streets and hill rises of Grahamstown have claimed a pair that need. The founder, Blake Mycoskie, came up with the One or ten of your shoes. Youll have found yourself limping, for One concept while on a trip in Argentina. In many developing awkwardly supporting a torn strap or a non-existent sole, more than once. What if it wasnt a choice? What if hookworm, a disease countries, shoes are mandatory for school acceptance, but the lack of structure and economic support means some students miss out that causes anaemia and heart failure, and infects one-fifth of the worlds population, or potentially fatal tetanus were risks you were on those fundamental opportunities. Other issues include having to walk extremely long distances in dangerous terrains to get clean water, and often, soil-based diseases that are contracted through walking barefoot not only cause physical symptoms but can lead to cognitive impairment too. Blake Mycoskie and his team reach out to other international humanitarian organisations, forming partnerships. With these partners, TOMS gives aid By Inga Sibiya

Its all in the shoe

Y

Journey to Machu Picchu

By Rhea MacDonald

to underprivileged communities through food and other resources, as well as gifting them with a basic pair of black canvas slip-on shoes. The comfortable Argentinean-inspired shoe can be ordered straight from the TOMS.com website and delivered to you from their factory in Santa Monica, USA. Prices range from the basic R360 shoe all the way up to a specially designed creation for R615. If you cant feed one thousand, feed at least one, said Mother Teresa. This quote is the epitome of TOMSs One for One mission statement. The organisation works on the principle that for every pair of shoes they are able to sell, they match it and donate a twin pair to a child in need. For Mycoskie, the shoe is symbolic of something much more profound than the clothing itself. He believes shoes lead to health, which allows and encourages education, which in turn boosts opportunities. So, the next time youre thinking of hitting the streets of Grahamstown in your bares, consider TOMS. Its a good deed done every time you wear them.

eclared one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, Machu Picchu is an ancient city situated between two mountain peaks near Cusco, Peru. It was built by the Inca people around the year 1400 and abandoned a year later, not to be discovered by the world until 1911. It boasts remarkably high-tech architecture and demonstrates a supreme level of knowledge of astronomy for the time period in which it was built. One of the challenges and beauties along the way of our four-day trek includes a climb to heights of 4 200m to scale Dead Womens Pass. This days activities saw us clambering up huge man-made stone stairs. The kind of exertion it takes raise each foot higher than the previous one while breathing in less and less oxygen is indescribable. It felt like I had run a 10 km marathon after a few steps! Fortunately for me, the hardest part was now over with. The temperature had dropped to around zero degrees, so we didnt stay there for long.

On a trek of this scale, bathrooms are important: I was not prepared for the ones on this trip. They are squatters, with two-foot trays on either side of a hole you have to hang your behind over. I plugged my nose and braved the swamp, tiptoeing my way around the foul hole. The final day required us to wake up when the sun rose at 03h30 to see the Sun Gate, a fortress located above the city, thought to be a lookout point for enemies. After a short two-hour hike of 5 km, we rushed around the last bend with excitement and there it was! The serene, beautiful city of Machu Picchu could be seen far below us. The feeling of accomplishment at finally arriving at our destination and my disbelief at the splendour of the lost city overwhelmed me. The sun was just beginning to rise, so we sat and took pictures of the spectacular view. We had been lucky with weather and the skies were perfectly clear. Slowly, the rays of sunshine made their way directly onto the city and it sparkled in the sunlight. All the difficult hiking made me appreciate the breathtaking sight even more. A great feeling of contentment came over me. A moment to be treaured forever.

Machu Picchu in Peru is hailed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Pic: Flickr

Topless Baby Rangie

By Ruan Cronje Scheepers

aving recently talked my potential future in-laws into acquiring one, it has become abundantly clear how I have entrusted my soul to the success of the Range Rover Evoque. I am pleased to report that three months down the line, they still adore it. I can assume that the wedding is still on. Land Rover has managed to create a nearperfect vehicle, which serves all purposes flawlessly. It is a seriously capable off-roader, a small and nimble city runabout, a comfortable long-distance tourer and quite possibly the best The Range Rover Evoque Cabriolet. This picture was released as a looking fashion accessory currently on sale. prelude to the Geneva Motorshow. Pic: Auto Motor und Sport Someone at Land Rover must obviously have taken their vitamins, since the new Evoque is said to be South would look good in an Evoque. With its tinted glass and high window line you are relatively obscured from the admiring Africas most desirable car of 2012 and is currently the topglances of the outside world. Without the roof, all that bliss is selling Land Rover product. gone and all you are now is a bald, middle-aged man with a However, when it comes to those who decided to take the beer gut and ear hair singing along to Justin Bieber in Barbies roof off the Rangie, I am afraid they went incredibly awry. car. Whether it is because they did not like that fantastic sloping I guess if you are Posh Beckham you would like it. If the roofline, a definitive design element of the standard car, original Range Rover Evoque is an Armani suit, creating or they just liked the idea of a Range Rover for Barbie, the the Evoque Cabriolet is analogous to cutting that suit up to result is, to state it mildly, an incredible flop. That, ladies and make a cheerleaders skirt. Some things should just be left gentlemen is the premise behind the Range Rover Evoque alone! Im afraid to say that this is a huge mistake the person Cabriolet concept. responsible should be banished from automotive design as The party trick of the standard Evoque was that it could well as society in general. Then sent to the naughty corner compliment drivers of both sexes. In fact, it did more of the world to contemplate their fate for disemboweling the than just compliment: it placed you in the league of the Range Rover brand and all it stands for: class, understated extraordinarily beautiful, regardless of what you actually looked like: man or woman, fat, thin, bald even Mick Jagger style and sophistication the ultimate in luxury off-roading.

Women with tequila!

By Amber Leigh Davies romotions are what make Grahamstown go round, or so it seems on your average Friday night at the Rat and Parrot. Pretty young women in short shorts and low-cut tops seem to be the draw card that gets customers to buy that extra little drink or three. The idea is simple sex sells. Many are simply more likely to buy a drink from a good-looking man with no shirt or a pretty woman with long bare legs. Science proves the theory a Stanford study showed that men in particular were far more likely to take higher financial risks following exposure to erotic images. On the side of promo people, there is a significant incentive. Its good cash for easy work and I would do it again any day, explains shooter promo girl Chelsea Brasher. She says that some promotion jobs pay over R100 per hour and while the hours are late and spent in heels, she earns well above the minimum wage one might make waiting tables. On the other hand, the job can come with a downside. Tash van Blerk, a second-year BSS student, says that some individuals cross the line. Money was shoved down my shirt and I was told to strip, she says. While this behavior is not appropriate or condoned, it can be a reality of the job for many. Emma Vosloo, a former promo girl, says that revealing outfits are the norm. We were made to wear shorts and a tiny T-shirt, she says. I was quite uncomfortable, but if I had a little more confidence I would have been fine. While some may view this as inviting objectification, most employers are firmly against the harassment of their promotion teams and customers are expected to treat them with respect.

20 March 2012

27 Lifestyle
the love checkbook. My girlfriend says I look like a skinny pimp on crack. Do you think she knows that I deal in some contraband on the side? Sup Gemini So can you hook me up? Just kidding. Your girlfriend is an idiot she doesnt know. Shes just really into fashion and style! Mix up your wardrobe: try out the preppy look, but dont go too far, or your clients wont recognise you. I kissed a random and then I didnt shower until the next evening. I feel really bad about it, and every time I think about it, I eat Steers. Im pathetic. Help me feel better, please! Dear Naughty Cancer I think you need to accept that you have a problem. This is the first step. You are usually such a control freak! You have to stop this behaviour. Also, showering is really important last year you were practically a hygiene freak, and now youre getting cozy with strangers, skipping showers and eating take-out. Oh Cancer, its all downhill from here unless you get your act together. So this guy Ive been stalking and talking to is really cute. I think I have feelings for him! When will he be mine? Dear Longing Leo Firstly, stalking is just weird (unless were talking Facebook stalking - which is fine). He will be yours when he takes you out on a real date watching movies in his room is not a date and neither is meeting up at a club. But it is a leap-year, so you can ask him out first if you want. Also, I foresee him having a technical difficulty, nothing too major when this happens you should just trust that by the third time he will be an expert. I love her more than I have ever loved anyone but she wants me to give up weed. My pot! Doesnt she get it, why would she ask such a thing? How do I keep her and my pot? Dear Stoner Virgo What an ultimatum! She loves you too. You always knew that this day would come, though you didnt expect it to come so soon. She doesnt understand your stoner vibes, but at least she loves your soul. Pot is a huge part of your life and this is why the decision is hard. Dont listen to your friends listen to yourself. Only you can make the decision. Unfortunately, I foresee that only one of the two will remain in your life. The choice is yours, but you can only have one. Having a tattoo of her name and cannabis leaves on your arm does not make it any easier. Good luck! I cheated on my boyfriend a couple of times, I dont really know why. Do I have to tell him, or can I just say that his best friend and I were studying a lot this week? Also, can I wait to tell him until after our Ginos date? Dear Lascivious Libra, Because of your indecisive nature, this is a familiar situation for you. You should probably tell him. No matter what I tell you to do, however, I know youll tell him once hes paid the bill and youll probably have a date lined up with a handsome hunk from Hani house for the next day. No one knows how you get away with all your cheating its probably because youre so pretty. But be warned: no matter how rich you marry, you cant buy karma offsets! I have a recurring dream that Im going to die after I murder my lover. I am not a violent person and I really care for him. Whats wrong with me? Dear Scary Scorpio I foresee a long stay in prison if you go through with your dream. Your recent intake of non-prescription medicine is messing with your head! Lay off the meds and book yourself into some therapy youre way too obsessed with death and have some freaky ideas. Maybe you should take up a hobby stamp collecting sounds nice and normal. Its been a considerable amount of weeks since I have had someone in my bed to make passionate love to. Will the drought last forever? Dear Unsatisfied Sagittarius The drought will not last forever. That being said, randoms from Rat and Friars will not fill the hole in your heart, and of the next few lovers you will take, only the third will fully satisfy your bedroom appetite. Youre gorgeous ride out the drought and you will find the person of your dreams without having to do anything more strenuous than fall asleep in your Latin lecture. My tutor doesnt smile at me anymore help! I really, really like him. Like, a lot. Our kids are going to be beautiful genii. Dear Creepy Capricorn Boy, do you need to lay off scrapbooking your future plans sure, its great that you no longer plan on marrying Bill Gates but your tutor probably has a girlfriend, or at least a problem with dating someone in his tut. Emailing him that you really appreciate his help and the way he touched your arm and that you think he is super duper smart and totally snoglishish will really freak him out. You will be moved to a new tut group if you act on your feelings, and then hes not going to smile at you anytime soon. I suggest you get a pet or try online dating. My girl friend hates my mullet - how do I change her mind? Dear Silly Aquarius Your mullet is a not something that should be accepted its nasty. Chances are she doesnt think its very sexy! My only advice to you is to take an emergency trip to the hairdresser as DIY has never worked too well for you. Try scheduling an appointment before the 27th, because after then, the only one loving your mullet will be three species of head lice. Needless to say, your girlfriend really wont want anything to do with you.

THE ORACLE

ach sign of the horoscope has its own love troubles the mystical Activate oracle is here to give the signs some advice. My boyfriend wont take me to romantic movies or anything that looks moving. I really want to watch The Vow. What should I do? Dear Romanic Pisces Your over-sensitive nature can be a bit over-whelming. You cry too much and too easily. Try really hard to remember that movies are not real life! This is hard for you because you truly believe that your life is a movie talk about self-centred. Your tears are your secret weapon if he says hes not taking you to watch a romantic movie, drop a few tears and youll be seated with popcorn at Roxbury Theatre in less than ten minutes. Im really bored - when I see my boyfriend I feel like I need to throw up and Im not pregnant. What does this mean? Is it over? Dear Bored Aries Its OVER! Your boyfriend has been suppressing you. Your body is rejecting him. You want freedom and excitement: something totally new. A new, rather short man with the new iPhone will surprise you - he will bring many things into your life - such as chains, outfits, red go-go boots, maple syrup and candle wax. He will also get you to switch your BlackBerry to an iPhone... talk about exciting! I really want someone to love me I feel like an ugly island that no-one wants to visit. Dear Teary Taurus Its been a rough month for you youre even getting metaphorical. You are beautiful and love will sweep you off your feet in an Accounting lecture. If you were an island then youd be a beautiful, inviting Greek island. Love is around the corner and will knock on your door soon. Remember, your friends love you no matter what and will find you a better man if that Accounting guy doesnt add up and balance

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28 Business

Edition 2

Banks for students to use

By Ziyanda Magazi hat do you look for in a bank? Is it convenience, out-of-this-world-service, quick and easy access? Is it the status that the bank offers you, or is it making your money work for you? A familiar sight at Rhodes during O-Week involves major banks in Grahamstown coming out to serenade first-years with their banking products, student benefits and freebies. A number of O-Week specials including free airtime when opening a new account, have seen queues expand over the years and students finding a new home for their student budgets. This, however, has not come cheaply: bank charges such as cash deposit costs and debit card purchase charges plague every student. Mbali Sebaeng Lesang, an Honours student, points out: Faster online banking and good services are important, especially to students who lead a fast-paced life and who dont like waiting [in] queues. While we know that these qualitative features of banking are important and in some cases are well worth the charges, looking at how much you are paying for banking products and how much you can save is also important. Have a look at the different cost from each bank and save cash by choosing a bank that suits your lifestyle. Zezenkosi Hloomani, a 1st year student, is adamant that what

she definitely does not want from a bank is excessive transaction charges. Its hard enough surviving on a students budget imagine a whole lot of your cash being chowed off by bank charges! Samantha Wilhelmi, a Grahamstown attorney, doesnt hold allegiances. She says that good customer service, communication and efficient and fast service in the bank are valued highly. Im not loyal to a particular bank I use three different banks [Absa, FNB and Nedbank], she says. However, I would change to whichever bank my customer is working with. The main banks are fighting each other on all fronts for their market share. Some methods are social networking and marketing innovations such as FNBs Does your bank do that? campaign. However, the most important tools now are non-banking services, benefits and rewards. Standard Bank, for example, has a Value Choices programme for discounts with four categories: trends, family, home and travel. This costs nothing, but for more deals, customers have to join the Value Choices Club at R20 per month. FNBs cash-back points programme called eBucks attracts many customers. Their range of benefits for using a cheque card includes up to 15% back on fuel purchases in the form of eBucks, up to 2.5% back on qualifying spending a month, reduced prices and instalment options on smartphones and tablets for qualifying

cheque accounts and certain amounts of free ADSL data. FNBs credit card benefits include the same fuel rewards, 10 eBucks earned for every R100 spent, travel insurance with every air ticket purchased, AA emergency roadside assistance to linked Petro cards and personalised interest rates. ABSAs silver and gold cheque account packages, which span individual incomes of R5000 to R25000 a month, typically get you R10,000 life cover, certain rebates on vehicle or asset finance or home loans, interest-free overdrafts up to R500 (silver) and R 1000 (gold), credit interest on positive balances and access to Absa Rewards. Nedbank, the green bank, has made a reward programme available to all cheque and credit card holders at an annual fee of R169. Up to 10 cards can be linked to a Greenbacks account at no extra cost, and a percentage of income generated from these cards is donated to various environmental causes. The choice of which bank to use rests with you: ask yourself what you need from your bank and what you are willing to pay for that service. Does your bank care about the things you care about? Visit banking websites, talk to their advisors and question their customers. Learn how to save and use money wisely and invest in your future whether it be a green future, one in which you can move forward, or one in which you and your bank are together today and tomorrow.

Guide to the stock market

By Ziyanda Magazi tocks, bonds, price indexes, common stock, liquidity and dividends. These are terms that many do not even attempt to understand. Even more confusing is the stock market and how it works. However, with the benefits and interests inherent in the stock market, a basic knowledge of the subject would be beneficial to any profit-oriented individual. The stock market is all about the buying and selling of shares (a portion of the company) that are available to the public. The acquisition of these shares is based on multiple factors which include the reputation of the company, its financial position and its financial performance. These factors influence the perceived value of the companys shares and thus influence the buying and selling decision of the trader. A share of stock is the smallest unit of ownership in a company. If you own a share of a companys stock, you are a part owner of the company. This entitles you to a proportion of distributed profits and of residual value if the company goes into liquidation. The basic types of shares available are ordinary shares and preference shares. Ordinary shares entitle the owners thereof to all distributed profits. Preference shares entitle the owners thereof to a fixed rate of dividends; they contain limited voting rights are sometimes redeemable. Liquidity means easily convertable into cash which allows buyers to easily buy and sell shares on the stock market. People normally buy stocks to make profits out of the stock market, so the concept of dividends are important.

Zimbabwe open for business

By Njabulo Nkosi imbabwes Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangarai, petitions, Come home and invest in Zimbabwe, as the opportunities are there now. This is the troubled countrys latest call for increased and rapid Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in its struggling economy. This comes after the Zimbabwean economy has recently seen high economic growth rates, which should be an indication that it is open and ready for FDI. Dr Sibanda, the Zimbabwean Permanent Secretary for Economic Planning and Investment Promotion, says that the Zimbabwean economy grew by 9.3% in 2011 and is expected to expand by 9.4% in 2012 after growing by 5.9% in 2009 and 8.1% in 2008. Zimbabwean Finance Minister, Tendai Biti, pointed out that the move to a system of multiple currencies, rather than printing its own, has allowed a marked turnaround in countrys economic fortunes. These achievements included reducing inflation from hyper-inflation in 2008 to only 3.5% in 2001 with an expected 5% in 2012. However several factors are still repelling FDI. The United Nations World Investment Report 2011 reported that FDI flows into Zimbabwe were only US$105 million in 2010, while neighbouring Zambia attracted almost ten times that amount at $1.041 billion. Investor confidence in the country is very low, owing to a poor track record relating to private property rights. The biggest challenge facing Zimbabwe is a 90% unemployment rate, said Prime Minister Tsvangarai. We need an environment that encourages job creation. We cannot have policies that are

A dividend is the amount of a companys profit distributed to each ordinary shareholder, usually expressed either as a percentage of the nominal value (the stated value) of the ordinary share capital or as an absolute amount per share. Traders make money depending on the dividend yield and share price. The share price, which is the value of the share, is determined purely by supply and demand. When more people are buying shares of a particular company (influenced by the various factors such as the perceived value of the stock), the share price increases because of the demand and lowered availability. Similarly, when more people are selling a stock rather than buying the stock, the price of the share tends to fall because there are more shares available in the market. When people decide to sell shares, it could mean that it is too risky to hold on to the share because the anticipated returns by the holder of the share may not be met, due to conditions such as poor performance of the company during its financial year. An increase in the share price as people buy more shares is a good thing, particularly for a long-term investor who is interested in watching their investment grow. For shortterm investors, the trick is to buy low and sell high. Traders who are the real money-makers in Securities Exchange do not buy shares as a form of capital investment but rather buy shares in order to resell them at a higher price. Daily, a traders life is marked by a close watch in the business news to see how shares of different companies are performing. They keep tight checks on the companies in which they hold shares in order to calculate the effect or the risk of, say, a decision to fire the CEO.

inconsistent and unpredictable. The Zimplats issue, regarding its nationalisation and negotiations with SA platinum miner IMP, is a work in progress. These political, social and economic issues are very real, and make the above-average economic growth figures of Zimbabwe unimpressive, causing investors to be weary of investing. I can understand a wait-and-see attitude said Tsvangarai. But the question is wait-and-see until when? The time is uncertain. The choice of whether or not to invest rests with the investors. There are a lot of uncertainties in Zimbabwe that ward off investment, says Lona Sibanda, an honours student in Economics. With regards to the constitution, one side believes that [Zimbabwe] should [not] proceed with the elections; the other side [believes that] nothing is wrong with the constitution and elections should commence. These political uncertainties are not attractive to investors. Dr. Doreen Bekker, an International Trade Theory lecturer at Rhodes, said that Huge uncertainties [in Zimbabwe] are not going to attract investors. Maybe altruistic organisations like the World Bank may invest, but profit-oriented multinational organisations would not be prepared to do so. There are those who share the positive outlook of Tsvangarai and believe now is the time to invest in Zimbabwe and Africa. Chief economist at Standard Bank, Goolam Ballim, believes that Africa has never been in a better position for high growth rates and large amounts of [FDI]. He believes this is true due to the recent increased African growth rate, stabilising political climate and inter-Africa trade.

30 Environment

Edition 2

Envrionmental Apathy
By Shirley Erasmus The annual Rhodes University Environmental Week was launched on Monday, 12 March. The unfortunate fact of the matter is there for all to see, however: the majority of the student body had no idea. The event was surrounded by a particular lack of lustre and seemed badly organised and executed, and poorly received. The themes for this years events relate to the different metaphorical hats that we each wear on a daily basis. These include our academic hats, social hats and our drinking hats. This year, Ruth Kruger encouraged students to put on their green hats and begin a green hat revolution. While the concept is sincere, it was met with confusion from many students who had no idea what a green hat revolution referred to. Perhaps the concept could have been explained on the mural painted behind the library. Instead, this was covered in a hastily painted advertisement where readers could guess the topic through picking out phrases such as global warming and COP17. The mural stood in stark contrast to the beautiful mural painted during Animal Rights Week last year. Indeed, organising and managing an event of this magnitude in a university, whose environmental awareness constitutes at most a pathetic shrug of the shoulders, can be no small feat. However, one cannot help but wonder: if the week were merely a handful of events which were better organised, advertised and more student-friendly, would the week have been better received? On a personal level, I felt that the week highlighted the severe lack of unity between the university and the environment. Numerous academic departments deal with the environment on a daily basis. None of these departments seemed interested in the week or in attending or hosting any events. Clearly, the university has a huge task ahead of it in making the campus more environmentallyfriendly and aware. The anti-fracking demonstrations and tree planting exercises did their part in achieving this goal. The alternative, towards which our apathy is pushing us at an alarming rate, sees us walking head first into disasters such as climate change, rising sea levels, overpopulation and pollution. Even if only one person is making a difference, it is better than nothing. Perhaps what is most disturbing is that the only green which would have been celebrated last week was the crazed excitement of St Patricks Day an event which actually has nothing to do with South Africa. Am I the only one who finds this ironic?

Environmental group not enemies of economic growth

By Marc Davies

National Water Act debated

By Gorata Chenget

here is good reason to doubt Shells claims of honesty and transparency, Treasure Karoo Action Group (TKAG) Chairperson, Jonathan Deal, said during a Rhodes Skype conference. This environmental watchdog group claimed that the international oil giant has made all those opposed to fracking in the Karoo appear as enemies of economic growth. A forerunner for the protection of the Karoo, Deal emphasised his groups activism. Until there has been a proper investigation into technology and a scientific consensus that this is the right and sustainable choice to provide energy and employment, we will remain opposed, he said. Shells public relations machine, according to Deal, has gone into overdrive in their attempts to convince South Africans of the substantial economic benefits of fracking while downplaying the possible negative side-effects. Pro-environmental groups are not opposed to job creation. The problem is that jobs and revenue are not the only concern, he claimed. Deal said that the company has lost ground with informed and thinking persons in the public. Shell nevertheless claimed substantial public favour for its proposal to initiate hydraulic fracturing in the Karoo. We want to see the actual position of South Africans on this matter, Deal said, doubtful of this assertion. Shells international reputation for

changing facts is not working in their favour here. He added that the economic growth and job creation the company proposes could take up to 15 years a clause he said has been omitted, raising false prospects for many who are currently unemployed. Hydraulic fracturing has already been banned or faced moratoriums in over 110 locations Anti-fracking demonstrations chant Frack you, leave the karoo as they worldwide according walk down High Street on Friday 16 March 2012. Pic: Niamh Walsh-Vorster to the watchdog group. Christopher Harris. It is particularly concerning Deal argued that the incidence of health problems for us in Grahamstown that the water discharge in in many cities, towns and hamlets near fracking the Karoo is likely to reach our rivers and, hence, sites has risen noticeably. The discharged water our local water supply, he noted. He asked if there from the fracturing process is usually contaminated, is anything more disrespectful that could be done and the surrounding air polluted through chemical to the beautiful water of South Africa, stressing the evaporation allegedly creates numerous health importance of protecting this resource. hazards. Deal asserted that the TKAG will not necessarily The process of extracting gas from shale rock be opposed to fracking indefinitely, but wants more requires about 20 million litres of water per well, intensive research and public opinion surveys to be of which many millions will become contaminated carried out in the interest of the environment and and released into rivers or injected back into the public. ground, according to Rhodes environmentalist

wo Rhodes societies joined forces to educate students about the right to water as part of Environmental Week. Galela Amanzi, a society devoted to installing water tanks in and around Grahamstown, collaborated with Legal Activism and hosted a discussion on Tuesday 13 March 2012. Representatives of Legal Activism began by establishing that unlike other Constitutions around the world, South Africas Constitution is admirable because it recognises the right to have access to water and has protected this right in Section 27 under the Bill of Rights. There are two main acts which deal with this right: the National Services Act and the National Water Act. The purpose of these is to ensure that water is easily accessible and that it meets the required quality standard. In the forum it was noted that in reality, there is a disparity between what is in the constitution and the reality for citizens. In this light, Professor Denis Hughes, a hydrologist and Director of the Institute for Water Research, commented that the legislation in place was ambitious and difficult to implement. He said that one of the main issues preventing the fulfilment of the legislations principle to

Ethical environmentalism
By Jane Berg hodes Environmental Week was kicked off with the theme Environment and the Law. The environment is intricately connected to all faculties of life, and as such the judicial system offers an interesting perspective from which to explore the ethics behind protecting the environment and the rights and responsibilities we have towards it. This is a particularly interesting topic in light of the international embarrassments faced by the movement in recent times, such as the Fakegate affair. In this scandal, eminent global warming activist and scientist Peter Gleick admitted to having committed identity fraud in order to obtain incriminating files from the Heartland Institute. We may recognise his good intentions, but can we go so far as to say, as The Guardian UK journalist James Garvey did, that perhaps more climate scientists should play dirty? As for how this issue affects us on a local level, it may be that there has been too much focus on the law, to the neglect of the environment. Our Constitution gives everyone the right to have their environment protected. Environmental Education lecturer Lausanne Olvitt feels that this aspect is sorely amiss in reality.

allocate water sustainably was that of addressing the existing backlogs in equity. He asserted that municipalities were not, at present, capable of implementing the National Water Act and noted that Grahamstowns water shortages were not due to a lack of resources but instead a lack of management. The complexity of the water crisis in Grahamstown and surrounding areas was examined throughout the discussion. One contributor highlighted that in some areas, residents had to walk long distances to get water and this had sometimes resulted in instances of rape and murder. Additionally, numerous children suffered from illnesses such as diarrhoea. It was suggested that in order to improve this situation, the community - especially those sectors which enjoy the privilege of water access - needed to be better informed about the implications of Grahamstowns water shortages for the less fortunate community members. The fruitful discussion also highlighted the role and value of legal activists in this situation. Representatives from Legal Activism pointed out that members of the legal community could make great contributions in helping citizens, who often do not have adequate resources, to fight for their violated right to have access to water. Professor Hughes summed it up by saying that the ways to defeat these obstacles are often too expensive for ordinary people.

Right and wrong used to be based on what the community believed but now it is all about what the law says. We defer responsibility to these external bodies and its not really entirely up to them, she says. What is needed is a re-personalizing of ethics. If I see litter on the floor I dont say Its the municipalitys job to make sure that doesnt happen, and just ignore it. Olvitt argues that it is partially caused by an artificial separation between our different objectives. Its important to see all the other things as inter-related. Its not the economy versus sustainability because we wont have an economy if we dont look after our resources, she says. Part of what we do at the Sustainability Commons is to try and work educationally with people like high school teachers, municipal workers and curriculum planners to try and help them engage with those ideas. In his essay Sustainable Development Is It Achievable Under Our Current Legal Framework?, Cormac Cullinan calls for governmental systems to ensure that humans act in accordance with this new worldview. We can either wait for this kind of government to make our environmental rights a reality, or we can as the saying goes, take the law into our own hands, and take responsibility for our own futures without needing to be told to from above.

20 March 2012

31 Sport

CSA scandal again

By Bridgette Hall The South African cricket team has many things to boast about as the Proteas slog it out on tour in New Zealand. We are ranked second in the world in all formats of the game, and with the likes of Jacques Kallis, Vernon Philander and skipper AB de Villiers, we have one of the most talented squads around. These are high honours for a team whose administration at home is falling apart! The Nicholson inquiry released last week looked into a number of troubling aspects concerning the administration of South African cricket. The major concern is Cricket South Africa (CSA) CEO Gerald Majola, who according to the report was paid over R1.7 million in bonuses following the Indian Premier League tournament and Champions Trophy competition held in South Africa in 2009. The inquiry was appointed by Sports Minister Fikile Mbalua in November 2011 to investigate the CSAs failure to implement financial recommendations made by auditing firm KPMG. An internal investigation was conducted in 2010 under AK Khan, the then-acting president of CSA. Majola received a slap on the wrist and had his bonuses repaid with interest. The committee believes the Commission was set up to protect Majola from any enquiry, said Nicholson in his report. However, CSA maintains that it never took sides during the saga. The board has always backed cricket and not any individual, said Khan. In the latest twist, three CSA employees have resigned in the last week. AK Khan and John Blair (Chairman of the Risk and Auditing Committee) left just three days before the CSA board was set to decide Majolas fate, and Kass Naidoo (Brand and Corporate Relations Manager) tendered her resignation on 17 March. All this while the boys in green and gold attempt to keep their eye on the prize. Fikile Mbalula put it aptly: The fight is about money. As a minister, I spend time mediating greediness in sport. I would want to spend more time mediating transformation and development in sport. In his report, Nicholson made several recommendations for the complete refurbishment of the CSA administration advice that could be well-applied to other sporting federations and that they might do well to heed. Athletics South Africa, for example, could be facing liquidation if they do not meet their obligation to pay the R7 million debt they owe to Accelerate. Swimming South Africa is considering retrenching staff just a few months before the London Olympics, to meet financial obligations. South Africa Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee President Gideon Sam has repeatedly made statements about the dire situation of funding for this years Olympics. The latest development at the time of going to print was the suspension of Gerlad Majola, pending an inquiry.

Calling all tough guys

By Morgan Collins ronman. What comes to mind? Robert Downey Junior acting hard-core in an armoured suit, letting technology be the tough guy? Well, why do that, when you can be the tough guy yourself? Much more authentic. Much more hard-core. Unbeknownst to many, real life Ironmen do exist and are put to the test annually to ensure a constant stream of bona fide tough guys. 3.8 km of swimming, 180,2 km of cycling, and a mere 42.2 km of running. No armoured suits permitted. Just good old sweat. With less than six weeks to go, Chairman of Athletics Club, Sean Swanepoel has been mentally and physically getting ready to be put through one of the ultimate endurance tests. He is hoping that he too will be able to join the ranks of real life Ironmen and be able to call [himself] an ironman. Having said that, the modest athlete explained that it is essentially just about finishing, although completing it sub 12 hours would see him breaking the Athletics Clubs current record. I really wasnt anyone to expect anything from, Swanepoel explains as he relates his humble beginnings in the Athletics club, which involved arriving for his first runs in shoes too big for him, which were affectionately christened hiking boots by his fellow runners. Since then Swanpoel has completed two half Ironmans and countless triathlons and duathlons, but he feels that its time for an upgrade, and that completing this race will be a test to [himself] to see what else [he] is capable of. While most students can relate to moaning about the dreaded hilltop residents, Swanepoel casually explains that a typical training week will see him clocking 50 to 80 km of running, 150-300 km of cycling a week and throwing in the occasional 3.8 km swim. With the addition of Honours to worry about, Swanepoel has not backed down from the challenge of continually pushing his passion for a sport to new boundaries. This is testament of his own philosophy that any one is capable of doing anything, you just need to get up and do it, an inspiration for anyone toying with the idea of greatness.

Sean Swanepoel, Chairman of the Rhodes Athletics Club, in action during the 2009 half Ironman challenge. Swanepoel is currently preparing to participate in his first full Ironman this year. Pic: Supplied

By Matthew Hirsch

Tendulkar makes it 100 centuries

every full ICC member country in both tests and ODIs. There were no over-the-top celebrations from Tendulkar after he reached one of the highlights of his career. He simply took his helmet off, waved the bat towards the crowds and dressing room and looked up above, as he normally does. The Little Master proved once again that he is the perfect role model for the gentlemens game. Several of the Bangladesh players also came to congratulate

achin Tendulkar became the first batsman in history to make 100 international centuries on Friday in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla Stadium. Tendulkar had to be patient for this milestone, as he had been stuck on 99 centuries for almost a year. On top of this, it was also his first ODI hundred against Bangladesh, completing his set of centuries against

Tendulkar on his remarkable achievement. It was a game that India would ultimately lose after Bangladesh put in a terrific effort to chase down a challenging total, but this game was all about Tendulkar. The man idolised by cricket fans in India and across the world further sealed his legacy as one of the greatest ever to play the game. Tendulkar, who has the most runs and has played the most matches, will definitely go down in the history books as a true sporting legend.

Been there, done that, broke the record

By Morgan Collins

full day of continuous pool-playing is challenging for most people. 72 hours is even tougher - and 72 hours and 34 minutes is record-breaking. Rhodes Pool Club (RUPC) Chairman Kevin McMenamin and Entertainment Representative Shaun Gordon undertook this feat earlier this month, successfully breaking the world record for the longest pool session ever. They started at 9am on Thursday 8 March and played right through until Sunday morning. Over and above using the event to publicise the RUPC and its facilities, McMenamin said that it was about the challenge to them. We wanted to see exactly how far we can push ourselves in comparison to our traditional 24-hour event. Despite having several of these 24-hour challenges under their belts, this particular one took its toll, especially when sleep deprivation set in with about 12 hours to go, said McMenamin.

Nevertheless, they soldiered on with the overwhelming support they received from each other, RUPC members, friends, family and sponsors. It cant be stressed enough how important their support was for us, McMenamin said. Some of this support came in the form of fellow pool players Dylan Jansen, Robin Jackson and Gali Hartuv, who played the traditional 24 hours. Ntsikelelo Que Qoyo and Delon Tarantaal attempted 72 hours, but dropped out after 28 hours and 45 minutes. The event saw a constant stream of supporters throughout the weekend, some of whom took the opportunity to play a few games and compete for the numerous spot prizes on offer. Now the proud holder of a Guinness world record, McMenamin feels that he personally found a whole new level of determination and willpower that [he] never knew [he] had. After catching up on some well-deserved sleep, Gordon and McMenmin will no doubt return to the pool tables to set new records.

Lets get ballin

By Tommie Gilbert

A sport

Changing the face of inter-res

By Kendra Dykman ven if you dont believe that the world is truly going to end in 2012, you have no choice but to accept that a change is coming about in the model for inter-res events. In the past, inter-res events occurred on weekends and in the middle of the week throughout the year, incorporating around 30 different sports nearly all that are offered by Rhodes Sport. According to Swantje Zschernack, the warden of Margaret Smith, a new model has been introduced and has posed quite a controversial topic of discussion at Board of Residences meetings. She says that the change of the model did not go through the right channels before it was approved for implementation. The new model claims to reduce the workload placed on the

he squeak of the sneakers on wood resounds in the hall, and the silent anticipation of the crowd is palpable. The Rhodes basketball season has begun! Its an exciting time on the hardwood courts of Rhodes as the internal league and university teams get to start their season off almost simultaneously. Both the mens and womens Rhodes basketball teams are showing signs of promise that this could be a very successful year. The first term saw the Rhodes mens and womens basketball teams taking part in the Eastern Cape league which has already commenced. The Rhodes womens teams have won all their games and have made it to the final, beating the Zwide Panthers 61 23 in their semi-final game last weekend. They will be playing against the Comets in the final, who they have already beaten this season. Last week Friday saw the internal league get underway in the form of 3-on-3 Street Fridays. The competition pits opponents against each other on a half-court surface in a fast-paced, exhausting game of basketball that is sure to keep the crowd on its feet.

The Ratz face off against PHD during the 3-on-3 half court internal league basketball on Friday 16 March 2012. PHD won the game 5-3. Pic: Matthew Hirsch

This series of 10-minute half-court games played by teams of three are held every Friday evening from 6pm to about 8pm at Alec Mullins Hall. We hope to sign up enough teams to be able to run the competition over all of next

term, the team said. For those spectators interested in other entertainment, the event will also host performances from the Rhodes cheerleaders, and music from the Hip Hop society.

sports representatives of each residence by having fewer events throughout the year. These will take the form of one inter-res weekend per term, with a lot fewer sports being incorporated into the plan. Sports Admin aims to transform inter-res, turning the focus to res-bonding and spirit. They hope that one event a term will encourage people to come and support their houses. I dont think that the new inter-res model is an improvement. I think its an easy way to avoid having to organise a lot of events, says Vicky Gross, Margaret Smith sub-warden and former sports representative for the same house. The number of events is not the problem, but the organisation of them. I think its unfair to remove a vast majority of the sporting codes without consulting the students. As inter-res is largely student-run, Gross feels that the students involved with organising the inter-res events should have been

allowed more of a say in the new model. There has been some contention from the Board of Residences regarding the manner in which sporting codes have been included or excluded in the inter-res calendar. Certain codes were dropped from the calendar without being told, even though they were wellattended in the previous years events. Sports Admin says that it has chosen sports with a greater spectator value or capacity, such as the athletics that took place during Live Smart week. Sports Admin says that this new model is still under scrutiny and is going through a trial phase. The Live Smart athletics meeting showed them which areas needed improvement, such as alcohol monitoring and improvement of the PA system. They ask that people remain open to trying out this new model, and hope that it increases participation from athletes and supporters.

20 March 2012

29 Science & Technology

Stellenbosch plans for free Wi-Fi

for academic purposes and generally a greater availability of internet access to the public, says David Miller, Chairperson of tellenbosch University, working in collaboration with MXit the Rhodes University Computer User Society (RUCUS). According to Miller, the implementation of a similar service and the surrounding community, intends to provide the town with free Wi-Fi internet access by the middle of 2012. in Grahamstown would be welcomed. Grahamstown is a small town with expensive internet because of its location, he says. The initiative hopes to make Stellenbosch a Wi-Fi town. Many students struggle with organising internet access off of Internet access will be free to anyone within the Stellenbosch campus. area with no registration being required. Currently, Rhodes cannot offer this because we dont have the There will, however, be some limits imposed. The services hardware infrastructure, he said. The hardware required would speed will be limited to 1Mbps and there will be a data cap of 500MB per 24-hour period. Due to these limitations, this service be expensive and the network infrastructure would take a lot to set up and get working. will not be viable for people planning on large downloads but Rhodes currently provides internet access to some student rather general internet usage such as social networking, surfing, accommodations in Grahamstown, but the majority of this VoIP and some online gaming. service is based on cable technologies and is not free of charge. The service looks promising for students that are living in the This has led to many students turning to conventional internet area or to anyone who was unable to access the Internet before. It will provide the students with the ability to access the Internet access methods such as ADSL and 3G technologies provided by By Brad de Klerk

various ISPs. Miller says that free Wi-Fi internet access would not only benefit students but also the community of Grahamstown. Free access to internet for communities is a step towards the future. He adds that this service would allow the Grahamstown community to learn about technology and provide them with better access to educational materials. At present however, Stellenbosch is at the forefront of increasing community internet acces, with no other universities announcing such plans.

Anonymous threatens internet shutdown

By Megan Ellis n a recent surge of hacktivism, the notorious hacking collective, Anonymous, has announced its biggest undertaking yet to shut down the Internet all over the world. The group is known for its hacking in protest against regulation on the web, and more recently, against certain governments and banks. However, some have doubted whether the threat is actually from Anonymous or just an elaborate April Fools hoax. The date which has been set aside for Operation Blackout 31 March. Regardless of whether or not it is sincere, some critics have said that the undertaking is not possible. According to Charlie Fripp from Bizcommunity.com, this is not the first reference to an Operation Blackout, and previous threats to shut down major websites such as Facebook have gone unfulfilled. In his article, Fripp also notes that a collective such as Anonymous has no leader, and therefore some decisions are unsupported or even refuted later by its members. While Anonymous laid out the details of their plan to target 13 specific DNS servers and shoot down the Internet indefinitely its effects would only be temporary. Devlin Smith, a Computer Science Honours student, says that while it is possible to disrupt the Internet, a true shutdown is not possible. He adds that if it were possible, the repercussions for online business and banks would be significant.

Anonymous has cited government censorship and bills such as SOPA (the Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (the Protect IP Act) as the reasons for Operation Blackout. The threat has come at a time when governments are pushing for internet regulation and the crackdown on piracy and hackers. This crackdown has not left the group unaffected, with several of its prominent members being taken into custody in recent weeks. For too long, we have been idle as our brothers and sisters were arrested, stated an automated voice in a Youtube video posted by TheAnonMessage. During this time, the government has been scheming, plotting ways to increase censorship through means of ISP blockades, DNS blockings, search engine censorship, website censorship, and a variety of other methods that directly oppose the values and ideas of both Anonymous as well as the founding fathers of this country, who believed in free speech and press! Smith says that while hacktivism can be positive, it is important that collectives such as Anonymous dont go too far. Hacktivism can be a good for freedom of speech, and a way to get information out there, says Smith. But hacktivists are sometimes rather malicious... which gives them an unfortunate name. He adds that the collective has his support in terms of its fight against internet regulation. Personally Im for them when theyre fighting against SOPA and ACTA (the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement), says Smith. But not when they are stalking some kid that called [them] names.

SciTech round-up
By Megan Ellis A Japanese company has unveiled plans to build the worlds first space elevator. Obayashi Corporation plans to make this concept a reality by 2050. The elevator will be able to take 30 passengers 36 000km above the earths surface a quarter of the way to the moon. The elevators cable will stretch from Earth to a space-borne counterweight. Even though the elevator will move 125 mph, it will take them a week to reach the space waystation. Bioware has seen a wave of criticism from gamers across the world for what has been called a disappointing ending to its latest release, Mass Effect 3. While the trilogy is over, developers have promised a large array of downloadable content to be released. However, many fans have said that they are not interested in this content because of what some have called the most disappointing ending ever. The recent study of fossils found in China 20 years ago has led to the potential discovery of a new human species. The remains, which are between 11 500 and 14 500 years old, include skulls and teeth. The fossils include features of both ancient and modern humans, but also some new features. For the time being, they are being called the Red Deer Cave people, as this is where they were found.

People sit on a street in front of an Apple store as they wait for the release of the new iPad in Tokyo 16 March, 2012. Apples new iPad uses chips made by Qualcomm , Broadcom, Samsung Electronics and other semiconductor makers, according to repair firm iFixit, which cracked open one of the devices. In a great show of unoriginality, Apple has announced that the new iPad is called just that the iPad. However, despite sharing the name of its 2010 predecessor, the device boasts new features such as 9.7 display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536, which makes it the first HD tablet ever. To accompany this display it now includes a camera capable of 1080p recording. Pic: REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoo