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>>The Dopeness
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Budget tips to save your social life

Edition 3, 17 March 2011

RU removes portraits of white Chancellors

Plans for diversity also result in res name refusal
Morgan Collins Name Changing Committee had made a decision to add more black names to Kimberly Hall and to campus. The University Registrar, Dr Stephen teps have been taken recently in a bid to diversify the Rhodes Universi- Fourie, said that students are represented at ty campus. Portraits of former Chan- Senate where recommendations for another name will be made by the Names Commitcellors, mainly white males, have been tee. I wrote to the Warden who was going removed from the Universitys Council to keep the students informed. The next step Chamber, and New Residence Twos (NR2) is the approval of a list of names at Senate at name choice has been initially refused. the beginning of next month, Fourie said. The Dean of Students (DoS), Dr Vivian Although a meeting chaired by Dr Mabide Klerk, said that the Gender Action Forum zela, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of RU, was made the initial proposal to remove the portraits. The fact that they were in the Council held with the house representatives of NR2, the sub-warden interviewed declined to Chamber had a rather overbearing effect, comment on whether or not the residents of possibly and unintentionally making those NR2 had been informed of the Committees people who belong to other groups (espedecision. Many of the students of NR2 feel cially women) feel somewhat excluded when the way Mokgadi Phiyega does, a third-year they sit in meetings there, Dr de Klerk said. BCom student who has The Senate and Council made the final The Name Changing been a resident of the house since her first decision to remove Committee had made year. The whole naming the portraits from the Council Chamber, and a decision to add more process was exciting [at it is just a decision was made to black names to campus. first], but now [because disappointing put up a tapestry in its of] the whole uproar its place. causing, she said. Of the new tapestry to be hung Dr de Phiyega, who voted for Miriam Makeba Klerk said, [It] will bring a fresh new in both rounds of elections, said that transsymbolism in which the rich heritage of the formation is important and necessary in University and of the Eastern Cape will be South Africa. I think that it is important to celebrated in all its diversity. According to choose people that are well accomplished Dr de Klerk, the decision was made only and that students will look up to, she continafter discussions were held at all levels of the ued. But not all students agree with Phiyega. Universitys leadership. Some students said that it would be more apA similar process was undertaken when propriate for the house to be named for Jean NR2s name selection was rejected. The resiSinclair regardless of her race, because of the dences original name choice, Jean Sinclair, role she played during Apartheid. an instrumental member of the Black Sash Natalie Nyamutumbu, the SRC Activism during Apartheid, was not approved by the and Transformation Officer, said that the Names Committee, and instead the name debate should not be about whether names Miriam Makeba was suggested to them. The are black or not, but rather about what house had been waiting for approval since value they add to RU.She went on to say that 2009. she believes that names carry certain values The NR2 students had voted Miriam that can reflect positively or negatively on an Makeba as fourth on the list of possible institution, and that this should be the focus choices for their renaming. However the when naming a residence. name was suggested to them because the Camilla Wigmore and Relebone Myambo

Above and below: Students walk in and out of New Res 2, which voted to be renamed Jean Sinclair - a suggestion that was refused by the Name Changing Committee. Morgan Collins

What students have to say about transformation at Rhodes

According to a survey conducted by The Oppidan Press last week, most students are opposed to the recent decisions regarding transformation on campus. A sample of 300 Rhodes University students were asked to answer whether they thought the Universitys decisions regarding the following two transformation issues were justified. 1. New Residence Two had applied to be renamed Jean Sinclair but was refused by the Name-Changing Committee in line with the committees decision to have more black names represented on campus. 2. The removal of portraits of the previous Chancellors, who are predominately white males, in line with the diversification plans. Of the 300 surveyed, 65 answered yes, 145 answered no, 86 said they would like more information about the matter, and 4 answered yes to having more black names on campus but no to the removal of portraits of the Chancellors. Many of the students surveyed felt that diversifying the names on campus is a good idea, but they would have liked to have more information concerning the process.

Regarding transformation on campus: The RU Naming Committee has made a decision to add more black names to campus. They have also removed the portraits of previous Vice Chancellors (predominately white males) to put up a tapestry in their place. Do you think these are justified decisions?

22%

No. Yes. I need more information to form a justified opinion. Yes and no.

48% 29% 1%

2 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

News

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 3

SA Campus News
Compiled by Senior Reporter Khangelani Dziba

Students plan to form organisation for social justice

Student resident raped and robbed

A 25-year-old female at Stellenbosch University was recently raped and robbed of her possessions in her residence. She was reportedly on front door duty at Irene House when a male suspect came into their residence claiming he was looking for his girlfriend. The victim let the male figure in, who proceeded to assault, rape and rob her while threatening her with a weapon. We learned of this incident with shock. The student immediately reported [it] to the head of the residence who in turn called the [University of Stellenbosch] crisis service, said Mohamed Sheikh, spokesperson of the university. Sheikh said the university had already started its own investigation and were looking into getting cameras installed, particularly at female residences.

Xabiso Vili

group of concerned Rhodes University students met in the Eden Grove Seminar Rooms on 8 March to stand in solidarity with the unemployed and struggling people of Grahamstown. The gathering was a student organised initiative and was done in conjunction with the Unemployed Peoples Movement (UPM) and the Womens Social Forum (WSF). The discussion focused on initiating an organisation of RU students interested in taking action and alleviating the extent of the struggles of South Africans,

beginning with the greater Grahamstown community. The organisers decided that this will be done through collaboration with UPM and WSF. Ben Fogel, one of the organisers of the event, said, We are not speaking for UPM but speaking with UPM. Ayanda Kota, the chairperson of UPM, was in attendance and gave a brief history of the organisation. We are from different backgrounds and we espouse different ideologies but we must try mobilize and conscientise students, he said when asked what UPM was expecting from Rhodes students. Sgqibo Soxujua, the representative of WSF, also expressed support for, and solidarity with, UPM and the students of Rhodes.

Kota explained that UPM is a grassroots, social movement that aims to build networks of people deprived of access to land and service delivery, and to fight against obstacles that exacerbate the extent and reach of poverty in South Africa. Soxujua also let the students know that the WSF branched from a UPM conference in August 2010, in order to create a platform that can be used to voice the opinions of women in Grahamstown, and to formalise their public discussions. The student movement will be meeting every Tuesday to solidify their plan of action, and can be contacted via e-mail on students-for-social-justice-@ googlegroups.com.

Silent protest in session

703 currently registered for the rape survivor solidarity campaign
Senior reporter Khangelani Dziba he annual 1 in 9 Silent Protest had already registered 703 people at the time of going to print and is currently still open for interested students and staff. The campaign is attended by hundreds of people eager to show their solidarity with rape survivors. The protest is known for female participants placing tape over their mouths, refraining from eating or speaking for the entire day. The protest this year will begin at the Great Hall at 06:00 on 15 April, and the breaking of the fast is scheduled to take place at 20:30, after the days final events. Larissa Klazinga, who leads the campaign, said, [The aim for this annual protest] is to create more awareness about the issue [of rape].

News

Nina Bekink

Hannah McDonald

Thieves targeting cars on RU campus

Megan Burton A white VW Golf parked outside Atherstone House, belonging to a Second Year BSc student, was stolen on 18 February . Police have said they receive several cases of car thefts every week. A week later, commotion was stirred outside Adamson and New House residences as thieves reportedly attempted to steal two cars from students before being chased up towards the Hill residences by campus security. A third theft occurred on 27 February when a Volkswagen Chico was stolen outside the Africa Media Matrix Building. Captain Mali Govender, spokesperson for the Grahamstown SAPS division, said, Recently we have made several arrests. She was however unable to give specific statistics. The VW Golf belonged to Jess Joyner, who said it was not the first attempt on her car. A week before the theft thieves attempted to steal her vehicle by breaking through the back window. She reported the theft to the police and then to Campus Protection Unit (CPU). According to Joyner, the police were very helpful. They quickly circulated my license plate and immediately issued a case number, she said. Joyner added that when she spoke to CPU she was told that older car models are more prone to becoming targets. Govender explained that cases that are reported to CPU or Hi-Tec are then directed to the police where a formal complaint is then registered. Have all documents handy when making the report, namely registration number, identity document, log book, a full description [of the car] including colour, make, model, and any dents or scratches that will assist in the identification, Govender said. She acknowledged that many thieves do go undetected, but advised ways in which students can protect their vehicles and reduce the chances of their cars being targeted: Park your car in a safe place that is well lit. Ensure that all doors and windows are locked. An alarm system and gear lock are recommended. Do not leave valuables lying visibly in the car (cell phones, cameras, jewellery). Do not leave spare keys lying around. Govender added that students should remember where their cars are parked: Know where you park your vehicle - we have received reports where people have misplaced their cars and reported it as a theft, she said.

Cream of crop students awarded honourable scholarships

UCT recently awarded the ViceChancellors and Achievement Scholarships to 70 of its First Year students who excelled in last years matric exams. The students from all provinces, who werent required to apply for the scholarships, were surprised when they learnt of the awards. The scholarship and the prestige associated with it mean that I will have to continue to work hard to justify me receiving the award, said Tariq Allie-ebrahim, a First Year Engineering student. The scholarships ran across all faculties and were awarded in four categories: top 10 registered through the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), top 10 students falling under the former Department of Education and Training, top 15 registered from the Department of Education (other than the WCED), and the top 5 who did the Independent Examination Board exams. Oppidan Committee Seminar at Eden Grove From left to right: John-Rob Pool (Chairman of Oppidan Committee), Captain Mali Govender (Grahamstown SAPS+ Guest speaker) and Sinal Govender (Sub-warden of the Oppidan Committee) at the Security and Safety Seminar.

Through this campaign there has been an increase in services for rape survivors, both staff and students. Rhodes [now provides] post-exposure prophylaxis (used to lower the chance of HIV infection) at the health care centre. The protest has undergone various changes since its inception in 2007. These changes include the addition of men who can now choose to partake as men who stand in solidarity with women who speak out. The campaign has also seen rape survivors speak out about their experiences. The idea of using silent protesters is to make the effect of sexual violence visible, because women generally dont disclose [their experience] and their world is made smaller, Klazinga said. She said that the victims silencing is a result of patriarchy. I think rape is an end result of dominant social views that women exist

Larissa Klazinga speaks to the participants in one of the 1 in 9 protests held previously at Rhodes. solely for the use of men. [The silencing of protestors] shows people what that violence does to the world, Klazinga said. Manosa Nthunya, a Second Year BA student and participant in the 2010 campaign said, Last year the protest challenged me to have more empathy towards survivors of rape. I will definitely join again this year because much still needs to be done, said Nthunya.

SAPS addresses Oppidans about safety precautions

Digs register a safety option for away students
Joshua Oates The spokesperson of the local Grahamstown police station spoke at a safety precautions workshop for Oppidan students, held on Thursday 10 March, where she highlighted the existence of a safety precaution for Oppidans, a vacant house register. According to Captain Mali Govender, if a student leaves Grahamstown they are able to book their digs onto this list. The SAPS will keep this register anonymous and they will provide patrols free of charge. Each of us has to take responsibility for what is happening, said Govender (referring to the prevalence of theft in Grahamstown) before addressing those in attendance about crime and security in Grahamstown. She said the most common forms of crime include: Theft (of cellphones, laptops and cameras). Break-ins (town and Worcester street were regarded as high risk areas). Car break-ins. Washing-line theft. Govender gave advice on how students can prevent themselves from becoming victims of such crimes: Place latches on doors, burglar bars on windows and install alarm systems in your digs. Ensure that car windows are closed, doors are locked and that no valuable items are left visible. Do not leave clothes on the washing-line when you are not around. Find out who your neighbours are. Do not leave drinks unattended (several cases of drinks being drugged have been reported). Give thieves what they want, rather than confronting them. Furthermore, Govender recommended that Oppidan students keep a record of the serial numbers of all electronic devices. This way, if they are stolen you can report the serial numbers to the SAPS and they can be traced back to you, she said. Likewise, she suggested keeping a record of a vehicles log book, chassis number and engine number, as these will be needed when identifying a stolen car. In cases where students are on the wrong side of the law, Govender explained that students will be allowed to post bail for drunk charges, but only four hours after being arrested. However, she said no bail would be granted for charges of possession of drugs. Furthermore, a R500 bail will be posted for charges of petty theft. [The workshop] was very informative and very helpful for all of us, said John-Rob Pool, Chairperson of The Oppidan Committee.

2011 societies sign-up successful Community Engagement

Shannon Dell It might have been hot and sweaty inside the Great Hall, but the societies sign-up evening held recently was considered a success by the SRC Societies Councillor Jean-Michel Gaud. The turnout on the evening was better than expected, he said. The Great Hall on the evening was pushed to maximum capacity as students arrived in their masses. While some students said they were bothered by the stuffy conditions inside the hall, Gaud explained the choice of venue was due to weather issues. It would have been nice to have the event outdoors on the Great Field for example. Unfortunately, if it were to rain, the event itself would no doubt [have been] a failure. The right amount of publicity had been laid out for the event, said Chayse Kriel, Vice-President of Rhodes Toastmasters society, adding that posters in dining halls and the like are very effective ways for attracting [the first years] attention. Traditionally societies sign-up places emphasis on new first year students.

The truth is societies like Toastmasters, Debating, Law Society, RMR and others give students the head start they need to get their foot in the door.
However, Gaud said he thinks most First Years tend to over commit themselves. Some students sign up for five or more societies. Not only is it impossible for students to actively participate in this many societies, it is also a financial hit on their student account, he said. With regard to Gauds concern, the SRC have decided to give students the

Wits make a difference in ICT development

The Joburg Centre For Software Engineering (JCSE) at Wits has partnered with UniForum SA, the co.za domain registrar, to work on improving ICT (Information and Communication Technology) skills in South Africa. The JCSE is partnered in a threeway stream consisting of government, academia and industry, who will provide bursaries for three post-graduate IT students. The organisation also aims to improve the supply of software to local industry. The aim of the union is to instil business principles and encourage entrepreneurial thinking amongst participating post-graduate students through sponsored mentorship.

option of deregistering from societies. To do so, students are required to sign a Society unsubscribe form that can be found at the SRC offices. Students who deregister before 25 March will receive a full refund from the SRC, and those who deregister after that date will be re-credited with half of the cost. Kriel said he thinks there is a distinction between some societies, some of which are purely for enjoyment while others have more serious motives .The truth is societies like Toastmasters, Debating, Law Society, RMR and others give students the head start they need to get their foot in the door, he said. In this respect, the societies sign up can potentially be very important, Kriel commented. Gone are the days when merely having a degree got us a job, we need to accept that employers today want something special from their prospective employees, he added.

Week postponed

Kyla Hazell A decision to postpone the scheduled Community Engagement week has been made in the hopes that the move will result in greater student and staff participation. The event will now be taking place from 15 to 19 August. According to Boipelo Bonokwane, the SRC Community Engagement representative for 2011, attendance of the lectures and events arranged for last years Community Engagement week was poor.

Cameron Stewart, who held Bonokwanes office last year, agreed that although the event ran according to plan, support and overall participation are areas he would like to see improved upon in 2011. Diana Hornby, Director of Community Engagement, said :Societies only sign up late in February and we were not going to get their full participation so early in the year. The organisers said they hope that the postponement will allow more time for those within the Rhodes community to prepare for the week and therefore be more involved in the events.

Acclaimed author launches book in Grahamstown

Leigh Hermon Critically acclaimed political writer and journalist, Hein Marais, launched his new book, South Africa Pushed to the Limit at Rhodes University recently. The book launch took place at Eden Groves blue lecture theatre on Friday 4 March. The event was attended by the Vice Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat, as well as a number of professors from the Universitys Department of Politics. Marais second book looks at the progress of the country since the democratisation of South Africa in 1994. Marais spent time discussing his book and engaging with the audience about some of the pressing issues in South Africa. South Africa Pushed to the Limit has received worldwide praise from academics at universities such as the University of Cambridge, University of London and the University of California. The book has been utilised in the curriculum of a number of South African universities. * To find out more read the full article on page six in the Politics section

Features Small town bookstore has big city prices

Ashleigh Brown rahamstowns local branch of the Van Schaik bookstore franchise is a small store with a big reputation. Arriving in Grahamstown this year, Van Schaik has been in the business countrywide for over 95 years and now have 52 stores. Although students may be admiring the shiny new bookstore - there are also a few raised eyebrows about the prices. The main question that comes to most peoples lips when mentioning our branch of Van Schaik is: why is it so expensive? We seem to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a set of books that, in most instances, we only need for the year. The Oppidan Press investigated, and as it turns out, costs are beyond the control of the branch. The fact that Van Schaik is located in a small town plays no role in their prices. The individual stores in the Van

4 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Features
THE DOPENESS
Binwe Adebayo

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 5

Neurocinematics, neuromarketing and consumer freedom

Pic supplied Bakhulule Maluleka

regard the stores prices as steep. Schaik chain do not set their own prices To aid students, Van Schaik offers a for the books that they sell. The head office in Cape Town determines the prices student account where no initial deposit has to be paid. The Van Schaik account of the books and distributes them to all offers students a chance to purchase the stores. all required textbooks at once, but pay When asked whether Van Schaik the actual fee could negotiate discounts with importVan Schaik has [set] a afterwards. easThis is an ers on book prices, priority to negotiate the ier way of paying Senior Production for your books Manager Ermien best possible prices. as a student, Loww, answered, than having to Yes, Van Schaik pay cash. Your parents, or the account has [set] a priority to negotiate the best holder, then have to settle the account possible prices with its student market within 30 days. This, however, does not in mind. work out any cheaper than paying cash Another factor which determines for your books - so it only seems to the prices of the books is that a good help in the short run. Van Schaik does number of the academic books come have an annual sale on selected books, from overseas, and imported books though. Pity it comes too late in the incur shipping costs. Loww insisted year for most students. that this is taken into consideration as There are alternatives to the relativeVan Schaik also looks to negotiate the ly steep prices at Van Schaik. Kalahari. best possible prices with the shippers. net, Loot.com or other such websites Even so, most students and parents still

are great ways to buy books. Driving to Port Elizabeth, or any other city near Grahamstown, is also a way to get cheaper books. However, this method may not appeal to many students unless books are bought in bulk. Students can also find a wealth of second hand books if they care to read the notice boards around campus or visit Fables Bookshop, also on High Street. The truth is that for many, Van Schaiks convenience is what wins them over. Even though they are so expensive, in terms of accessibility for a student, Van Schaik has the monopoly. The fact that we are in such a small town does play to our disadvantage. There are not many options when it comes to buying academic books but as students we endure. Knowing that book prices are cheaper elsewhere doesnt change the fact that they still need to be bought. Theres also the small matter that, unfortunately, we still have to read them.

A
Un moyen de voir des bonnes choses de la vie
Bakhulule Maluleka If youre wondering what the subheading for this column is, it reads: a way of looking at the good things in life. Thats the epitomic definition of the dopeness. For the rest of this semester (and hopefully, beyond) The Oppidan Press Features team hopes to take you on a ride through the phantasmagoria that is life in our ever-complex, ever-evolving world. Be it preapocalyptic; post-post apartheid to steal a notion from Rhodes own Dr Ashraf Jamal; fictional; non-fictional; scientific or abstract this is the world we live in. If something inhabits the space between Wow! and you being speechless because it simply floods your mind with coolness be sure that we will cover it. In this column, pretty much anything that is too cool to be hoarded or so infinitely dope that it must be shared will be touched. Dopeness must thrive because dopeness is contagious... Most linguistic and grammatical conventions will be maintained, but dont be too shocked when you see formatting thats not-so-ordinary: the insertion of different languages here and there, the use of hashtags and other web phenomena as stylistic devices, or the inclusion of slang. All these things are extensions of a concept that is all-encompassing. Were here to appreciate and propagate, not to hate. But its only through consensus. If something is deemed wack by enough people, the unfortunate conclusion has to be faced. Whether you think heavy metal or hip-hop is dope, film noir or box-office blockbusters, Disney movies or anim we make no distinction. Dopeness, as Ive said, is a way of looking at the good things in life and all of those things are #moredopeness in my books. So, this issues dopeness? A littleknown interdisciplinary artist by the name of Donald Glover. Some may know him as a writer for NBCs 30 Rock (for which he won an Emmy), the character Troy in NBCs Community, as the stylish rapper Childish Gambino, as a DJ or even as a standup comedian. This guy is #moredopeness because he does it all and exceedingly well. He is being touted as one of the few artists who may be able to fulfil the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) criteria. All I say is: watch this space! Well be seeing great things from this guy. Other than that: welcome to The Dopeness. It can only get better.

Extraordinary jobs: uniqueness for the masses

Tukiya Mwanza The job world out there can get too real too soon, especially if you have a job that is out of the ordinary. Im not talking about herding sheep or cleaning windows, but more along the lines of digging graves, collecting vomit, sniffing cows digestive gases and sweeping chimneys. The brief descriptions in the names might already make you want to cringe! These are some bizarre jobs that are definitely not considered first when you think about what you would like to do. However, these jobs are alive and provide a living for some people. takes a substantial amount of labour. They also have two jobs (digging and covering) for the price of one grave: the job has to be done before and after the burial. Pic supplied

Neurocinematics is changing film production. Are we heading towards forced subliminal viewing?

s technology continues to advance, we usually look at it in awe and appreciation, with statements like: It will make our lives so much better, being the norm. We forget that in this consumer-driven world of ours, where businesses have a Gross Dometic Product higher than those of some countries, and profit-margins rule, technology also adds to those business dealings. The newest technology being kept on the hush is neuromarketing, and its subset neurocinematics. Both involve companies testing people using fMRI, EEG, galvanic skin response, eye-tracking and other biometric tests. The main idea is to see how a persons brain reacts to certain stimuli found in movies and advertisements. The aim is to improve this media so that the companies involved can sell more of their products. Neurocinematics is a term coined by Uri Hasson of Princeton University who was among the first to investigate how the brain responds to movies using an fMRI brain

scanner. His team tested peoples responses to Alfred Hitchcocks Bang! Youre Dead and the sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. They found that Hitchcocks production activated 50% more of the area of the brain associated with attention and perception. Phil Carlsen, of San Diego neuromarketing firm Mindsign, says that his company is already in the business of improving movie scenes and trailers using neurocinematics. He even believes that knowing which areas are activated when you see your leading actor or actress could inform future casting decisions. Movies are just the tip of the iceberg for Carlsen. He adds that they are trying to identify the specific area related to the buying-impulse and he thinks theyre close. To many this may seem quite unethical and futuristically amoral. Cant these companies let people reject or accept products of their own accord, without tinkering with biometrics? So many other things are already tinkered with in our modern life. For now, it seems, were still pretty safe. Whats ominous is that many of the movie studios and companies are remaining tightlipped about neuromarketing or else acting like theyve never heard a thing...

Preserving your online reputation

Buyisiwe Joy Dlamini Reputation is eerily like trust. As Lady Gaga said: Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you can still see the crack in that reflection." Mind you, many boys are quick to say once a girls reputation is tarnished in her teenage years - it can never be salvaged. The ruin of this asset has in years progressed to be misogynistic in its nature: the objectification of women in society has led to sexism being displayed through malicious rumours. These are mostly aimed at reducing the efforts women have made towards equality. In an unforgiving world, reputation is everything. And then like the big bang, awoke the Internet and completely shattered what could have initially been recovered. Disgust floods the mouths of so many people when discussing the supposed wrongs of others, simply because with the freedom bestowed by the net, so is the proof (images, names and statements) required to back it up. The darker side of the net questions our right to privacy, identity, free speech, reputation and the accompanying digital baggage. Saul Levmore in The Offensive Internet equates the Internet to a high schools bathroom stalls. The analogy is best depicted in social networks on which cyber bullying reigns and is protected by anonymity. Social networks are by far the most dangerous guns that can be brought to a war. With groups such as Joburgs most notorious hoes on Facebook detailing (with photographs, mind you, in case their name did not ring a bell) girls from Johannesburg known to have reputations for being sexually emancipated. Who could question the power of the net? Who would dare defend themselves in public when millions of people can prove otherwise on screen? constantly flowing: Paris Hiltons sex tape was available on the net for weeks before it was removed and is unsurprisingly still available. Although damage is caused to all those involved, it is usually family and friends who feel the brunt of it. Aspects of a religion can even come into disrepute, such as what happened to the highest Shia religious body Marjaya. Footage discovered on the top level clerics cell phone memory card, of sexual acts with his wife and other women, was the first public scandal to hit a senior religious representative in Iraq. Before the national media had reported on it, it was splurged all over the net. In a country founded on strict religious beliefs such as Iraq, this ignited debate about the personal conduct of religious representatives and the religion they represent. As things spiral out of control, it is clearer now more than ever that indeed we should watch what we say and do for it can come back to bite us in the behind, or for lack of a better term, on screen. The naivety employed in updating Facebook statuses, taking photographs on a Saturday night plastered out of our minds and throwing up in the toilet (with our peers laughing in the background), the footage captured during a moment of intimacy between lovers, and the seemingly neutral but extremely biting words said to another all these things have the power to completely shatter what can never be fixed: our reputations.

Or try the vomit-coaster...

Heading to an amusement park can be heaps of fun, but one can sometimes have motion sickness during the hefty twists and turns of the rides - resulting in pools of vomit all around the park. There is a person who receives the privilege of cleaning this revolting mess! This job is not any ordinary cleaning and involves walking around the Park and looking for messes to clean up. Would you have the stamina to get through several cleanings of puke daily?

G-Town water: overflowing bills?

Thulisa Ngewana For many senior Rhodes students, this is the year that they leave the stifling comfort of residence and move into the independent world of digs. Theyre on their own, they have more space and they can practically do whatever they want, whenever they want. Nothing could possibly go wrong. Then they get hit in the face with the water and electricity bill. There is no doubt that Grahamstown continues to have serious water problems. The Makana Municipalitys report in 2010 showed that Grahamstowns surrounding dams (such as Settlers dam and Milner dam) were at an average capacity of only 10% due to the drought in the Eastern Cape. In fact, the report stated that the Municipality would no longer be able to supply high-lying or industrial areas with water. A further study in January 2011 showed that even though Howiesons Poort water levels had increased to 99.92% in December, Milner dam was at a capacity of only 29.27% and Settlers dam, amongst others, still remained close to empty. It certainly makes you thirsty just thinking about it. Its no wonder the common perception is that students may be struggling to pay their water bills when water has become such a limited resource. Even the local municipalitys Chief Financial Officer Jackson Ngcelwane was considering implementing water tariffs to control the demand for water. The shortage of water would seem to be relevant to Oppidans. They pay for services, so how is it affecting them? We interviewed a few and their reactions show a mixture of emotions. For some, the more pressing issue is that of electricity. First Year digs student Bonny Khumalo said that she found that she would pay R50 for a substantial amount of electricity and within a couple of days the electricity would reach its limit. She then has to keep buying more and more electricity, with the reality of less and less money. Now to some, R50 may seem like nothing but to an unemployed student who only gets paid between R500R1000 a month, R50 seems like gold. However, when interviewing other Oppidan students we found that there were more students who find that they have no issue with the water and electricity bill. In fact, most of the people interviewed said that they saw the tariffs as fair and that it was seldom that any of them complained, or heard complaints from their friends. To prove that this is not an isolated incident, we interviewed SRC Oppidan Relations Officer, Silvanus Welcome, and he said that he had not received any complaints from any students, although he was aware that there was an issue concerning water and electricity. It turns out that students who cope well have just been adopting green strategies. Many of the students that were interviewed said that in order to preserve their electricity, they learnt to save money by switching off the geyser and turning the lights off when not being used. It seems the rumours about students paying upwards of R8000 were unfounded. Grahamstown may be going through an H2O slump, but most things, like the tap water are still flowing.

Who wants a hole in one?

Many people would get offended if they were called a gold-digger. It is a term which has become slang for someone who loves money and exploits others to get it. How about being called a grave-digger instead? Digging graves has to be done by someone and so someone gets paid to dig deep into the earth. Hanging around a graveyard all day can be a rather gloomy affair, being paid to do so may be motivation enough. The gravediggers use heavy machinery to move the earth and this

An alternative to the daily grind, beer-tasting is one of the most interesting jobs around

How about becoming a master of scents?

Distributing your business card with something along the lines of attendant to animals as they pass wind as your profession could be quite an embarrassing moment! Smelling nauseating odours is in fact an actual profession for some. This job entails sniffing the gases emitted from cows in order to determine their diet, hormonal balance and their health in general. It may seem like

an absurd job but it must be done!

And the award for best student job goes to:

Many of you may find this job rather exciting as it involves beer testing. Moreover, the person doing this tastes beer all day long and gets paid for it! The catch to this job would be the fact that the beer has to be tasted and spat out straight after, thus the tester is not in actual fact drinking the beer. So, sorry for those who thought this means a free pass to a hangover. The aim of

this job is to approve of new flavours and tweaks to present flavours, so its not that easy. The taster has to be discerning and sober at all times in order for the test results to be valid. I repeat: sober at all times. These are only few, of many examples of the diverse types of professions out there. Hopefully it has opened your eyes to the alternative side of employment! Go ahead, get your degree and maybe afterwards...

Social networks are by far the most dangerous guns that can be brought to a war
Without a consideration for hearsay, we pursue these thoughts about others and allow them to define the way we interact with them in future. Our actions most often result in detrimental outcomes such as the suicide of 15-yearold Massachusetts pupil, Phoebe Prince, as a result of cyber bullying. Even with the removal of these malicious groups, a lack of regulation means that their information is easily accessible for those willing to look. Scandals upon scandals have surfaced in the last decade on the net. And possibly due to some comedic relief, more damage is caused by trying to remove the information as opposed to leaving it there: a dual loss. Public sex scandals, like water from a tap, are

The Rat Pack by Stephen Mina

Do you have something to say? Email your thoughts and opinions on our articles to

letters@theoppidanpress.com

6 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Politics
Ananda Paver

Bob the blind?

Tarryn de Kock One of Africas longest-serving statesmen is reported to be going blind. This according to news that Robert Mugabe had been rushed to Singapore for vital eye surgery. Mugabes spokesperson, George Charamba, has denied claims that Mugabe is fully blind, saying that it was a minor cataract which needed to be attended to. A cataract creates opacity over the lens of the eye and can often lead to blindness in people over the age of 50 and Mugabe edges closer to 90 every day. Rumours have been circulating for months about the Zimbabwean presidents failing health. There is talk that Mugabe could be suffering from prostate cancer. This would present an explanation for his recent absence from the public eye and his slightly more humanist approach to his dealings with Morgan Tsvangirai and the unity government of Zimbabwe. One wonders whether Mugabes current health status serves as retribution for the wool that was pulled over the eyes of countless Zimbabweans, many of whom put their faith in a man who claimed to be their one true saviour. African politicians seem to have a strange habit of likening themselves to religious figures. Humour aside, his failing health does not seem to have had any effect on his shrewd mind. Many people are asking when he will retire from office or expire. But Mugabe remains locked in a battle with his opponents over his decision to hold elections this year. This is a really smart move on his part, ensuring that his Zanu-PF successor will follow his specific mandate. And if elected to office, Mugabe will ensure that, for the next few years at least, Zimbabwe will still follow a proMugabe policy. There seem to be fewer faction fights within the Zanu-PF party due to members rallying around their common interest: Mugabe. However, can he afford to place heavy burdens on his health by engaging in political campaigning and rallies in the run-up to these elections? While it is not respectful to wish ill upon the already ill, it has to be said that Mugabes impending departure from politics could signify a refreshing change in the lives of all Zimbabweans. The country with one of the best education systems on the continent could once again become a rallying point for other countries to look to. It would be no small feat for a Middle Eastern-style revolution to take place now, at an opportune moment where the elder statesman has his own well-being to consider. The only question is: why hasnt it already happened?

From four wheels to two feet?

Price of fuel will rise another 60c next month. And what about student life?
Leigh Hermon et ready to smell the plastic burn as your petrol card gets swiped at your nearest petrol station, because fuel is set to rise by a whopping 60c. Students should be prepared to invest in a good pair of walking shoes as the price of fuel gets ready to go up again. However, this time it wont be your usual 10c here or 17c there. Analysts are saying that the price will rise another 60c next month. This means that for every litre of petrol you put in your car, you will be paying over R10 per litre. The recent increase is due to other increases that are in season at this time of year. After Pravin Gordhans annual Budget speech, weve seen a further rise in the general fuel levy by 10c and the Road Accident Fund levy by 8c a litre. This next increase is due to a number of events, plans and regulations. The most devastating and well known factor to make our wallets cry these days is the crisis in the Middle East. The recent uprisings in northern Africa have had a dramatic effect on oil production in the past few weeks. It is feared that such disturbances and political instability will hamper oil production in neighbouring countries like Saudi-Arabia the worlds largest oil producing nation. This means that the supply of oil is decreased due to plant closures or the inhibited transport of this valuable resource. This leads to countries beginning to stock pile oil in case of a potential shortage. So in the quest for democracy, many countries and motorists are paying a heavy price. What does not help our cause is the Dollar/Rand exchange rate at the moment. South Africa imports its oil and pays for it in Dollars. Therefore, even if the price of oil does not change and the Rand grows weaker against the Dollar, South Africans will end up paying more for the oil. Despite this, we are not the only country feeling the need to dust off our bicycle helmets and cycle to work. Americans appear to have little confidence in their countrys future. This is partly because of the sharp increase in fuel in the past two weeks, with a 10% increase in the price. A sanctioned Libya will see more and more Americans feeling the fuel crunch over the next couple of weeks. But how will we cope? The Rhodes University campus is already flooded with student cars. For many students a car is their means of getting home to see their families during the holidays. Others jump on the Greyhound bus to Bloemfontein and Cape Town whilst many pile onto Rhodes Transport buses to Port Elizabeth. Will the recent rise have an impact, preventing many students getting home for the holidays? How will the petrol price affect the lives of many students in Grahamstown? The cost of living is already so high for the average South African. So a rise in the petrol price is another of the many financial stresses we have to worry about. I really hope that the issues in the Middle East and Africa can be sorted out swiftly, says Martin Hare, a Third Year BSocSci student. I feel that the recent price increase was extremely rushed and without warning, says Matthew David Watson, a Second Year BA student, The fact is that its going to lead to higher levels of stress in motorists with regard to buying fuel. But we South Africans have felt the effects of such an increase before. In 2008 the petrol price was just over R10 a litre and we survived such an event. Increasing fuel prices are a fact of life that we have dealt with comfortably in the past. There is nothing we can do as these high prices have been brought on by the instability in the Middle East and North Africa in countries like Libya, says Brad Gehring, a Third Year BCom student. So as mighty South Africans we soldier on in our newly purchased comfortable shoes and maxed out petrol cards.

Politics

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 7

Pic supplied

A crash course in the Jasmine revolution

With all the uprisings in the Middle East over the past month, it is easy to get lost with dates and names. Matthew Kynaston provides a simple timeline from start to finish.
The Jasmine Revolution is the name given to a series of pro-democratic uprisings in several Middle Eastern countries, starting in December 2010 and continuing to the present day. It started in Tunisia, a small country in the north of Africa. On 17 December 2010, a young man, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire in protest against the inhumane conditions the government forced him to live in. Soon, thousands of people who felt the same began to protest across the country. Tunisias ruler, President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali sought to restore order by doing what all dictators do: threaten the people with violence. As the protests gathered support he attempted to calm the people by promising reforms, but it does nothing to quell the masses. They know they have Ben Ali with his back against the wall. By 13 January there are at least 66 people dead due to police brutality, and Ben Ali promises not to stand for election again in 2014. However, this is not enough for the people, who have seen him rule their country for 23 years. They continue to protest and eventually force Ben Ali to flee the country on 14 January 2011. The surprising thing about the Tunisian Revolution is that, for the first time, people used social media to organise protests and rallies. Twitter and Facebook were the most popular, and people found ways of getting around restrictions the government had put in place to try and stop the instant spread of information. Similar things happened in the next wave of the Jasmine RevoluPic supplied tion: the uprisings in Egypt. As fears of uprisings spread across the Middle Eastern governments, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak shut down the Internet in Egypt. This was done to cease communication between protestors, but it forced the people onto the streets nonetheless. On 25 January, protests began in major Egyptian cities such as Cairo and Alexandria. Millions of people from various backgrounds came together to remove Mubarak from power. Initially, Mubarak threatened with army violence, but an astounding thing happened: the army refused to get involved, choosing rather to sit back and watch proceedings unfold. This left Mubarak with no choice but to resign on 11 February. Then on 15 February protests began in Libya, ruled by Muammar Gaddafi for 41 years. Libya is nestled between Tunisia and Egypt, and the uprising was, unsurprisingly, inspired by those in the neighbouring countries. Fighting has continued to this day and the country is on the brink of civil war. Gaddafi has used military force in a shocking way, but despite this he has lost control of much of Libya. Similar protests have sprung up in many countries including Algeria, Morocco and even China. The revolution seems to have been contained in those countries (China has completely censored their media in a way that prevents the common man from knowing anything about the Jasmine Revolution) but that may change in as short a time as it took for the uprisings to start in Egypt and Tunisia.

Hein Marais with Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr. Saleem Badat at Marais recent book launch.

Hein Marais launches book in Grahamstown

Leigh Hermon ournalist, published author, political analyst and writer for the Joint United Nations Programme on Aids. Hein Marais list of achievements seem to be longer than the Freedom Charter. Hein Marias recently visited the Rhodes University campus to launch his latest book South Africa Pushed to the Limit. The book recounts a number of stages in South Africas political and economic progression after the fall of apartheid. Marais attempts to grapple with the steps that have been taken by the post1994 government in order to reach the stage that South Africa has arrived at today. By analysing policies and tackling the types of legislation that are currently in place, Marais forms an investigation and study that deals with South Africas status as a country. He takes a look at all areas of South African life such as: poverty, our growing population, the lack of jobs available, race, our economy, the Mbeki vs. Zuma fiasco and so much more. This would, of course, appear to be all doom and gloom with little hope on the horizon. However, Marais does not spend an entire books worth of space detailing what went wrong in South Africa. He also takes time to see what our Government has done to achieve something of notable good in the past 17 years. But how these good and bad actions have impacted us is exactly what Marais discusses at length in his new book. The popularity of Marais works has to be based on the fact that he has spent a great deal of time and effort researching every aspect of South African life. This enables him to provide his readers with a well documented and extensively explored argument about our countrys well-being. This has aided in Marais popularity among leftist political analysts and academic scholars around the world. His previous book, South Africa: Ananda Paver

What happened to Copes hope?

Tarryn de Kock They entered the South African political scene with a whirlwind of promises and calls for change. They stood up against the African National Congress. They nearly dissolved in their first year of operation. They are the Congress of the People (Cope). Within three years, the dynamic party that fashioned itself behind a sentimental (and skilfully chosen) reminder of the Freedom Charter, has become little more than cannon fodder for gossip columns. Cope is constantly surrounded by rumours of infighting, financial slip-ups and a healthy dose of power struggles between the two dominant leaders of the party: its founder and current President, Mosiuoa Terror Lekota, and Deputy President Mbhazima Shilowa. From the beginning, representatives of the party claimed that South Africa was in need of a significant shift in its politics. The party would not serve as an opposition party, but as a movement that would lead the way in introducing South Africans to a new ideology. So what of this new ideology? Where does Cope stand as far as this years municipal elections are concerned? The relevance of Cope to South Africas political landscape cannot go unnoticed. Cope was seen as a herald for change in a dominant party state where a large number of the adult population are illiterate, unemployed or living in poverty. It promised to call the ANC to account for its shortcomings, as both a political party and a service delivery watchdog, yet fell short on its promises not long after the 2009 general elections (in which it won 7.4% of votes). The South African public can ill-afford to support parties which do not remain true to their promises, or support parties out of loyalty to what they have done in the past. There is a clear indication that something is missing in the political puzzle that has encompassed our countrys politics could it be education? It is no exaggeration to say that not everyone has a university-level education and can completely understand what is presented in the media, and as many of us know, the media rarely tells the full story. What choice do South Africans have in the political party they support other than to follow the popular and obvious option? In short, the only place for Cope in the current South African landscape is as part of a coalition with other major opposition parties. Its leaders lack neither enthusiasm nor experience; however, all indications are that there needs to be a careful redirection of their energies if they intend to make any impact on the future of the country. Several political parties raising their voices whenever the ANC steps out of line will gain little credibility, whereas one united party could take the needs of all South Africans into account and make a meaningful contribution to creating a better life for all.

Ivory Coast: International community disparities

Johnmark Kajese Following the presidential election of 28 November 2010, the dispute over who won the election continues to this day. Alassane Ouattara is the internationally recognised candidate, whereas Laurent Gbagbo insists he is the winner of the election. It is crucial that the situation be handled with care, considering that Ivory Coast is a country that has experienced civil war for a long time. With this background in mind, the international community has taken various conflicting positions that can be said to add more confusion to the whole impasse. The Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), in the initial stages, backed Alassane Ouattara and threatened legitimate force as a last resort measure to oust Laurent Gbagbo. However, this threat has not been acted upon yet, and on the basis of humanitarian grounds- violence, legitimate or otherwise, will only lead to more people losing their lives, and has a negative impact on the ECOWAS region. The United Nations can be said to have taken a bold and positive move when it did not give in to the demands of the Gbagbo government to leave the country, for this ensures that the level of violence remains at minimum levels. In as much as the United Nations stands for human rights, promotion of justice and democracy, the mere fact that it recognised Alassane Ouattara outright does not make matters easier for the people on the ground who experience violence, emanating from Gbagbo supporters who accuse the United Nations of not being impartial. The real crisis in Ivory Coast revolves around the question of institutional authority: Alassane Ouattara was recognised winner by the electoral commission, whereas Gbagbo was recognised by the highest constitutional authority-leading to the dispute. The African Union has stepped in with a panel of African presidents to solve the impasse. On humanitarian grounds, would it not be better to nullify the November elections - followed by fresh elections monitored by Ecowas, United Nations and the African Union to ensure that innocent people do not continue to suffer?

South Africa Pushed to the Limit book signing at Eden Grove Limits to Change, has received worldwide acclaim and has been included in the curriculum of a number of South African universities as well as others across the globe. In and amongst publishing two books, Marais has also spent a great deal of time researching and writing about the HIV/Aids epidemic that is present in South Africa. He has written two papers on the subject which describes and assesses our Aids policy and the impact the disease has on South Africa as a whole. Marais was also a chief writer for the Joint UN Programme on Aids and was once a producer on SABC Radios AM Live. With all these achievements under his belt, Marais maintains a busy schedule. After leaving Grahamstown, Marais continued south to launch his book in the Mother City.

He takes a look at all areas of South African life such as: poverty, our growing population, the lack of jobs available, race, our economy, the Mbeki vs. Zuma fiasco and so much more.

Revolutionary fever has recently swept over North Africa and the Middle East

8 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Arts & Entertainment

Senior Reporter Ananda Paver Ananda Paver

A round of applause for Vivs Variety Show

Prevecs unrequited love song to an astonishing beat-boxing performance by Siphelo Mtembu. Ubom! joined in the action with an impressive physiivs Variety Show marked the cal theatre interlude while Professor end of Drink Smart Week, Andrew Buckland and Lauren Vankeiand the half-empty auditorsbilck provided well-timed comic relief rium at Monument suggested that in the form of racy monologues. most students couldnt wait to start One of the highlights of the evening celebrating. was Rhodes Got Talent! winner One Ill admit that I was cynical as I took my seat memories of high school tal- Shu Shu Day, whose lead singers powerful voice and soulful lyrics won ent shows ran through my mind. But over an ecstatic audience. as the first Beatles Equally enchanting was chord rang through The Deans and Life of Riley, a duo due the theatre, I began to think that perhaps Directors trouped to play at Splashy Fen in April. A personal faI hadnt made a onto the stage vourite was Lucy Kruger mistake in trekking in wigs and 60s and Madele Vermaaks up to the Monument beautiful harmony in the that Friday evening. headbands to self-penned song Four Dr. Vivian de belt out popular White Walls. Klerks confession Ironically, audience that it was the only Beatles numbers. members overwhelming time of year she agreed that there was too much variety got to wear [her] bling started off and too many acts from the previous the giggles, which soon erupted into years show. It could have been a bit unrestrained chuckles as the Deans and Directors trouped onto the stage in wigs more innovative, admits audience and 60s headbands. Soon they were giv- member and 2nd year student Karlien van der Wielen. They should have ing Dr. de Klerk cheeky answers in the done something to surprise the audiform of popular Beatles numbers and, ence, she said. after some revealing lyrics, the medley Was it a show worthy of a countrydrew to a close with an energetic (albeit wide tour? Not exactly, but it never poorly lip-synched) rendition of All claimed to be anything more than what Together Now. it was a platform to show off some of Thats when the talent section of the the Universitys sparkling talent, and show launched into full swing, with that it did very well. musical acts ranging from Dr. Steve

Shackles & Bones take to the studio

Senior Reporter David Williams Local band Shackles and Bones is opening ears across town with a selftitled unsigned demo, packed with authentic hard rock. Released just before their opening performance at last months SRC Carnival, its an album that shows striking diversity and passion. The Oppidan Press sat down with the group, comprised of guitarist/vocalists Dave Glover and Luke Clayton, drummer Alex Williamson and bassist Neil Van Zuydam, to get some commentary on their first release. Even though we regard our influences from Queens of the Stone Age and Led Zeppelin, we try not to follow that sound, because the creation process would be limited, commented Clayton. Nevertheless, the bands influences are apparent right from start, embodied in the blistering guitar riffs of the openPic supplied ing track Get Down. The song Zombie World appears to sample disaster sound clips and incorporates distorted wah-wah guitar, reminiscent of Sonic Mayhems soundtrack to the video game Quake 2. There are also chilled tracks on the CD, said Williamson, referring to the track Lost Rockn Roll, which opens with the sound of rain and a tinkling acoustic rhythm before introducing a slide guitar, soaring guitar solos, and rolling drum fills. Even the eccentric album artwork opens the mind, which features a rabbit sporting reflective aviator shades and a ginger mustache. Glover claims that it pays homage to Jesse Hughes, the guitarist of Eagles of Death Metal. We were on a journey on a rare Brazilian orchid when the idea of the album came to us, joked Williamson when asked about the albums origins. After coming second in the Live Music Societys Battle of the Bands competition last year, the band began recording tracks in late November at Geetarz studios. Clayton admits experiencing some challenges during their first recording sessions, After a break of about three to four weeks we went back to the material and made changes. We thought it would be good for the production process, coming back to it with a new approach. The drumming was recorded separately over three days at Corrine Coopers Sonic Art Studios. Alex the machine... after day two of the drumming, we just saw Alex curled up, cracked Glover. Fans of the band will recognise many of the tracks from their live performances, though anyone wanting to get their hands of a CD will have to either go to one of Shackles and Bones performances or request one from their Facebook page. The song Dirt is set to be featured on the Live Music Society CD released later this year, part of an attempt to get their name out there. Certainly Shackles and Bones is garnering Pic supplied

Arts & Entertainment

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 9

Shackles & Bones plans to make ripples in the South African music industry some attention; theyre now prospected to play a gig sometime in April to promote South African band Southern Gypsy Queens new album launch. If youre looking for a unique musical style that fuses sounds in a way that will blow your purple overalls off, you dont need to look much further than Grahamstown. Shackles and Bones demo is right around the corner and on par with some of best music in the South African music scene.

One Shu Shu Day were one of the performances at the recent Vivs Variety show organised by the Dean of Students.

Adult dance classes for women: students let loose

Fundi Ndlovu POLE DANCING LESSONS Weve all noticed the bold posters around campus, offering classes at the Slipstream Sportsbar this year. What started as a novelty at local bars like Pirates has shaped into a new sport in this small town. The pole dancing instructors, who strictly adhere to their stage names, Sita and Juliette, described their classes as teaching people how to perform when taking off their clothes - it is about dance, gesture, character, and of course the pole tricks. Sita prefers to refer to them as Adult Dance Classes for Women. Pole dancing has a somewhat sleazy image, though its proponents would argue otherwise. According to Sita, A lot of people are interested in pole dancing lessons for the workouts. You would not believe what a full body fitness trip it is. Pole dancing lessons can offer a toned body and muscle definition in areas such as the arms, thighs, buttocks and stomach, something that might appeal to students wary of hitting the gym. If nothing else, its certainly an exhausting aerobic workout. Pole dancing is a safe, fun and healthy platform, said Sita, further noting that it can improve confidence, flexibility, power and posture. Students offered various opinions on the classes. Carissa Govender, a First Year BJourn student, attended one of the pole dancing lessons saying, Pole dancing improved my self-confidence and provided selfdiscovery. 3rd year student Lucille Moleko was rather sceptical: Dancing up and down poles would totally clash with my cultural beliefs. Sita assures everyone that their performances are a sexualised act, not sex. When asked if she thinks their pole dancing school will be accepted by the community, Sita replied: After the whole debacle around Adult

Filmfest: still keeping it reel

Carissa Govender The lights dim, the chatter dies down and the 21st Century Fox music starts playing as you ease into your chair and get ready for that movie youve been itching to watch. Sound familiar? Film is a powerful medium that connects people, which is why Rhodes University's International Office and School of Languages have teamed up to host Filmfest 2011. Building on last years success, Filmfest continues this year with a free film screening every Tuesday evening (7pm) in Eden Grove Red. Filmfest aims to expand students awareness of the world and the variety of cultures with which we dont have a chance to interact. Naturally, the selection is inclusive of foreign films and multiple genres, including, thus far, movies and documentaries from Germany, Spain, and Mexico. Filmfest 2011 opened with a screening of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, a film about a child in Nazi Germany who is forced to confront the horrific realities of the Holocaust through interactions with a Jewish boy. Filmfests theme for the first term is Growing Up. The focus on youth issues is intended to relate to Rhodes students, especially first years, who are having their first taste of independence and the dark realities of the world. Tammy Mountjoy, a Second Year BA student, has enjoyed the selection thus far, noting that, They really make you

A lot of people are interested in pole dancing lessons for the workouts. You would not believe what a fully body fitness trip it is.
World, I think the community just needs to respect that there is demand for it. There are people who think differently about such things and for whom it is not a lecherous, exploitative or debasing experience. For students interested in joining pole dancing classes, contact Sita at 082 321 1304 or email her at sita_ danceinstuctor@yahoo.com . Advanced lessons will be offered at a later point for those interested in dancing professionally.

think. The highlight of the first terms line-up will be the screening of a South African documentary on the xenophobic attacks of 2008 and the reaction of the youth, called Where Do I Stand? Director Molly Blank will be attending the screening on March 29 to speak about her documentary, which took the title of Best Documentary at the Reel Independent Film Festival. I think as students, its great to be able to watch films that we wouldnt necessarily have access to, commented 4th year BJourn student Lisa Bluett. Her opinion was echoed by Daniel Vorster, a 3rd year BA student, who noted that you wouldnt find such movies at the Roxbury Theatre. The full programme is available on www.ru.ac.za/filmfest. Consider the Filmfest if youre looking for something deeper and more thought-provoking than a slapstick comedy, but still want to be entertained.

Coming soon: chilled vibes at Monastery

David Williams & Sarika Singh Grahamstowns latest club, Monastery, is an alternative take on the typical student watering hole that promises a relaxing and care-free social scene. 37 New Street is undergoing renovations, transforming from a spacious former digs into a hip and relaxed hangout spot. Recent Rhodes graduate Daniel Long is putting his entrepreneurial skills to the test by designing a club that stands apart from the crowd. With the closures of popular student hangouts Cow Moon Theory and Old Gaol, there certainly is a niche market demand for alternative student clubs. Thats what this town has lost, echoed Long. Monastery hopes to emulate the successes of other student-start-ups like Caf Blanca and Pirates while establishing itself as a less mainstream club. Where can you go on a Friday night when its just packed and it takes 20 minutes to get a drink? Its cooked, said Long. I want to bring an underground vibe so that people can come here and chill. As a part of that vibe, Long intends on playing tunes that will appeal to electronic music lovers, including minimal, glitch, downtempo, dubstep and even some old school vinyls. Monastery also promises to host travelling artists from around the country. Why are they in Joburg, Durban, and Cape Town when its pumping in Grahamstown? said Long. Long envisions his establishment as an all-day hangout, a place where patrons can grab brunch, access wireless Internet, and play Xbox games (not to mention an old school Atari). The food selection so far includes student staples such as toasted sandwiches, shawarmas and wraps. The most important aspect is the communal vibe. Thats what I want. The Monasterys motto is Come Together, said Long. Renovations are still taking place and its unsure when Monastery will be opening, but until then, were all holding our breath.

Pic supplied

Director Molly Blank will be attending the screening on 29 March to speak about her documentary Where do I Stand?

Letters
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Pole dancing has gathered international popularity as an alternative form of exercise.

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10 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Opinion Streetkids versus saved pets The Blackberry cult

Matthew de Klerk

Opinion
Risqu is the name of the game
thereafter is undeniably disturbing: many would rather drool over a picture of a model than read about President Jacob Zuma and the state of affairs (unless you are talking about who his next wife is going to be). or many of us, the 21st century signifies that the Other examples litter history. John Lennon and Yoko Ono rules of the media game have changed- dramatically. were on the cover of the legendary Rolling Stones Magazine There is no longer a need for you to turn to shock on 22 January 1981 with John encapsulating his wife in an and gossip columns of the glorified Perez Hilton or the almost foetal position, completely naked. This was voted Sunday Worlds Shwashwi to keep yourself entertained. the most popular magazine cover of the past 40 years by the Instead, shocking images have become almost blas, to the American Society of Magazine Publishers. Often the same point where we now expect to see them. shock tactics are used to shed light on sexual or environmenFor years, innumerable celebrities have adorned the cover tal issues. PETA (People for the pages of magazines and Pic supplied Ethical Treatment of Animals) newspapers, which are has a strong anti-fur stance, in turn rife with images, and to increase awareness adverts and captions that they launched a campaign in are undoubtedly controver1991 with the rock band The sial. Take for example Kelly Go-Gos. The band members Khumalo (whose risqu posed naked, accompanied publicity stunts no longer by the tagline: I would rather surprise me), who was on go naked than wear fur. This the cover of Notorious campaign has been going on SA magazine, with molever since, with the likes of ten chocolate cascading Khloe Kardashian and Eva down her body. Would we Mendes having posed nude consider that sexy, or purely as well. in bad taste? How far can A lot closer to home, we publications take it? As seen in many an advert, sex is used to lure consumers. had the questionable publication This brings me to the Should there be a line? of a completely nude photograph notorious phrase sex sells. of a student streaking at the Tri-Varsity tournament last year, This advertising strategy seems to be the principal reasonand three questionable O-week AIDS awareness adverts in ing behind many risqu and experimental works. Many another local publication. The adverts quite plainly showed media today are largely focused on sensationalism: the act of three penises with the pubic hair styled into haircuts. over-hyping events or being deliberately controversial to gain Whether award-winning or tacky, we have to agree when attention. There are numerous publications that are synonyit comes to all things risqu, you have to carefully consider mous with the above-mentioned content, such as magazines if it is really the responsible way to go. Is the inclusion really FHM and GQ. This could be attributed to the fact that these beneficial to the public sphere, or is it just a tool to shock or publications are more interested in economic sales and inpersuade readers into buying? There needs to be a line drawn creased circulation than their moral compass. Their editorial that clearly separates the two, for the sake of clarity, and, team surely doesnt care what your mother thinks of their perhaps more importantly, decency. work, as long as they have a large readership. The suggestion Thobile Dlamini Pic supplied

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 11

friend and I recently had a very heated argument. We were discussing a digsmates new puppy, and my friend (shell remain anonymous) ranted heavily about the cruel treatment that the street kids had shown the poor animal, and how admirable her friends were for saving the puppy. This has become quite a hot topic locally, it seems, and it is one that causes me considerable frustration. I recently heard about two administrative officials who bought two puppies whilst here on a sports tournament, and Ive heard numerous accounts of animals that have been saved from the clutches of the nefarious street kids. There are those (my friend included) who argue that without their valiant efforts to save the poor animals from their cruel owners, the animals in question would have suffered a life of sheer misery. You mean like the street kids themselves? I retort. Love, compassion, and kindness: these are all virtues that we learn from someone who cares for us or from someone whom we idolise. Just like learning to talk, we copy our parents to develop moral values. Street kids

possibly have no one to look up to, and are subjected on a daily basis to indifference and neglect: they are shunned by students and residents who turn a blind eye and a deaf ear towards their pleas. How are they meant to show any kindness or love at all to a mere animal if they can barely even conceive what the words love and kindness mean? The major problem is that the street kids learn that cruelty and maliciousness elicit an emotional response in passing students and residents- an emotional response usually accompanied by several hundred rand to save the animal. The street kid therefore learns that the crueler he or she is to an animal, the more of a fortune he can make from its liberation. In this way, the street kid directly associates animals with a strong source of income. Every animal saved only exacerbates the problem, and there are only so many students that can responsibly care for animals. What happens when every person has saved an animal and cannot possibly save another? Let us look at how much one spends on a beloved pet. There are the basics: food and veterinary care productsthese will cost anything north of a few hundred rand a month. Also- since you are a loving owner- there are toys and

treats, which keep adding up the ones and zeroes. Each Rand and cent spent adds up to a sum total that could have possibly been spent saving a street kid from a life of destitution and misery. If there were no street kids, there wouldnt be anyone to treat these animals so terribly- two birds with one stone, as they say. For me, these rescues are a strong indicator of disordered priorities. I cannot imagine having my life, my university work, and the cumulative total of stress that I have to deal with every day, and then put the responsibilities of having a pet on top of that. In fact, to be perfectly frank, I consider it possibly one of the most counterproductive, selfish, pointless acts that one can possibly do. It isnt your job to save animals on the street- we have the SPCA for that. The act of saving a street animal is totally thoughtless, if not uncaring, in comparison to the act of helping a street kid. Instead of seeing him as a cruel little bastard that deserves a good beating, see him as the product of his broken upbringing. Any love and kindness that you could give the animal would, in my and many others opinion, be far better given to a living, suffering human being instead of a silly (even if it is unbelievably cute) puppy.

Amy Davidson It appears that Rhodes has a cult one that idolizes a little device we know all too well: the Blackberry. Youll find them in every palm, pocket, cleavage and handbag. You see them in lectures, sitting face-up next to someone who seems to be nonchalantly taking notes, but is really waiting for that Ping! alerting them that they have a friend who thought it was necessary to say, This lecture is lame. LOL. You see them as a permanent extension of some girls arm...you know that girl. We all know that girl: the one who is always talking either about or to her boyfriend. Always meaning literally non-stop, because those damn Blackberry Messenger (BBM) messages are free. You even see them in social gatherings, having mastered the art of being able to talk to around five people at once - on their Blackberry. At a restaurant the other evening, I happened to glance at the table next to me, where I saw a rather silent group of about six girls. As I looked more closely I came to the shocking realisation that four of them were constantly tapping away at their Blackberrys, whilst the other two (although attempting to make small conversation) constantly glanced almost subconsciously at their Blackberrys, anxiously waiting for a

Ananda Paver

The revival of the undead Stress and suicide at

Pic supplied Her breath quickened when she saw him: the new kid. He was tall and pale with dark eyes; mysterious; dangerous. He told her that they couldnt be together, but she knew that their love was just too strong... Sound familiar? Thats because its the plot of practically every vampire romance novel ever written. Its impossible to walk into a bookstore today without being visually assaulted by a few hundred pseudoTwilight paperbacks designed specifically to leech off Stephenie Meyers international success. Its clear to see why, considering that the first Twilight film grossed $35.7 million (approx. R 246.2 million) on its opening day. I honestly find myself wondering what on earth people wrote about before Edward and Bella took over the world of fiction. Im sure Im not the only one who remembers when the word Twilight meant nothing more than that dusky time of day just before it gets dark. Now the only thing trumping it in a Google search of tw is Twitter. A prime example of this coattailriding is Vampire Diaries, a series of books written by a certain LJ Smith in the early 90s. The books had a mild following when they were first released, but nothing like the vampire craze we are experiencing today. So, some sixteen years after they were first penned, publishers decided to reintroduce the books into the world of young adult fiction and, well, the rest is history. The first season of Vampire Diaries (a television adaption of the book) attracted a record 3.6 million viewers.

BBM alert, like a crack junkie awaits his or her next hit. Is this really what dinner with friends has turned into? Sure, we all had the same thing with cellphones: MXit spawned a whole generation of teens who sadly preferred electronic texting to real conversation. But it seems that this has now been replaced by people who type on rather unattractive phones with ridiculously small keys, just because it is sort of all for free. Oh wait, scratch that last bit: we cannot forget the added bonus of the Blackberrys eye-popping price tag, those phones are pretty expensive. However, it seems that the majority of Blackberry owners quite enjoy showing that off as a symbol of wealth. As a newcomer to Rhodes, I was taken aback when I saw the sheer number of Blackberrys that surrounded me. Like a silent plague, they have dug themselves deep into peoples hearts and daily routines, where they have grown and become so permanent a fixture that they cant possibly be removed for fear of death and normal conversation. However, I suddenly realised that it isnt a phenomenon restricted to Rhodes: I went to Stellenbosch and saw innumerable Blackberrys there too, and every time I log onto Facebook I just know that I will,without a doubt, see a status on my newsfeed happily proclaiming someones new BBM pin. Honestly, Blackberrys were so much better when they were just fruit.

The demise of the dictator

Khutso Tsikene Oppressive regimes and dictators are now faced with a feeling of uneasiness following the successful protests in Egypt. North Africa has been hit with a wave of mass protests, as the proletariat have decided to go to lengths to demand rulers who will uphold the law and give them a choice in the way their country is governed. Could the era of the dictator be coming to an end? A massive uprising in the now Tunisian Republic has successfully ended former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Alis 23-year reign, and Egypts Hossini Mubarak has been successfully removed from power following thousands of dissatisfied citizens refusing to back down in their demonstrations. From all of this, it is clear to see that oppressive regimes have every reason to feel uneasy. When Libyan diplomats resigned and isolated Muammar Muhammad al-Gadaffi from his support base, leaving him clinging desperately by the fingernails to what is left of his 32-year rule, it was a wake up call for other dictators. These feelings of accountability are clearly fanning the flames of discontentment, as even Robert Mugabe is feeling the effects of the massive protests. Mugabe has recently resorted to a new strategy of keeping his people blindsided so Pic supplied that they do not dare catch the protest bug. He has introduced a campaign persuading Zimbabweans that all their economic problems are a result of the sanctions, and he has forced citizens to sign a so-called Anti-Sanctions petition. All of these and other dictators have had unbelievably long rules: Gadaffi has been in power since 1969, and Zimbabwe has not known any other leader since its independence in 1980. As accusations of past atrocities and crimes surface, there is a clear feeling of tension building for these, Africas strong men. As these leaders fall out, there are many below them in the ranks, just waiting to grab a hold of the reins and experience the sheer power that their old masters wielded for so long. The intoxicating effect of power has brought forward fears that oppressive regimes are now so desperate to stay in power that they will do any and everything to stay in their palaces and positions of authority. The typical products of dictators iron fists, mass killings and civil war, could be imminent. However, the peoples fierce solidarity and mass demonstrations are a force to be reckoned with. As they keep their zero-tolerance mindset, there is a distinct hope that these one-man governments will slowly topple in a domino effect, leaving only fairness and equality standing.

Rhodes

Ananda Paver and Thobile Dlamani According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), one in five teens have thought about suicide. Girls consider and attempt suicide twice as often as boys, but four times more boys die by suicide than girls. While the frequency of suicide has decreased in the past 25 years, the rate for youth between the ages of 15 and 24 has tripled. Suicide is now the 3rd highest cause of death amongst South African youth, with South Africa now holding the title of the worlds eighth highest suicide rate. It isnt, however, a problem restricted to South Africa: the UN reports that global annual suicidal fatalities could rise up to 1.5 million by the year 2020. We all know that the teenage years are a difficult and sensitive passage for everyone, but why are more and more young adults ending their own lives? Has the world changed, or have we perhaps? Could it be that we are simply no longer equipped to deal with what we demand of ourselves? Are we taking on more than we can handle? A students first year at university is supposed to be a time of freedom and excitement: an opportunity to meet new people, as well as learn more about themselves and what theyre capable of doing alone. However, there are many cases where this stressful lifestyle change is just too much to handle. We

A scene from True Blood, one of the many vampire genre media productions which have become popular recently. stake could put a stop to the boom in all What I find most interesting about things vampiric. the Twilight obsession was that it wasnt restricted to teenage girls: its fascination bypassed holy water and crept through almost every conceivable demographic. Eventually people even started reading the books just to prove their claims that they wouldnt like them. What is it about love and vampires that really captured the worlds imagination? An academic might suggest that a vampires inability to fit in with society speaks to that loneliness in every human being who has ever struggled to feel normal. Maybe its a call to anyone who has always wanted magic to exist, or maybe its simply because vampires are so ridiculously attractive. Either way, it seems to me that not even a well-placed Pic supplied

all feel the pressure to excel academically and to fit into society in spite of our seemingly tremendous differences. Many feel pressured to change themselves because they feel that they differ from everyone else. Some cant cope with their subject choices or with being away from their homes and familiar surroundings. Often when you feel alone, you tend to believe strong substances like alcohol will make you feel better yet it exacerbates your pain. Away from family and friends, loneliness and apathy kick in increasing a students propensity for depression. The strangers around them are unable to pick up the subtle change in personality, allowing this fatal illness to go unnoticed. Sufferers of depression are likely to drop hints about suicide. Dont simply write this off as manipulative or attention-seeking behaviour, there have been many cases in which a victims suicidal threats were not taken seriously by the friends and family who could have helped. Pay attention to what the people around you are saying: it could save a life. Rhodes University offers professional counselling from qualified professionals at the Student Counselling Centre located on campus on the top floor of the Steve Biko building. The counselling centre is open daily during normal business hours, and can be reached on either 046 603 7070, or on their emergency crisis line, 082 802 0177.

Is bad news the only news?

Jessica Trappe Imagine picking up a newspaper and finding that all the articles describe how wonderful everything is: how life is simply perfect and that our utopian society, governments and other institutions are all faultless and fine. My guess is that you would be extremely shocked; after all, we all know that that is not even close to what we see in the news. Some may claim that all we ever hear or read about is death, destruction, who was murdered, who got robbed and so on, ad infinitum. For centuries, the news has been this way: painting a dark and dismal view of the world, scaring us with the thought that whatever we have just read could actually happen to us at any given moment. This is the way it has been for as long as we can remember, meaning that by now, you can almost predict what kind of news will be reported next. Consequently, you either brace yourself for another tragic story, or perhaps you just skim over it with the knowledge that you arent missing anything new. The main question is, do we as readers in general suffer from the so-called tragedy fatigue that results from being constantly bombarded by negative, depressing news? Perhaps it is time for some good news: some inspiring and positive articles written by optimistic and content journalists. Or perhaps not. Consider this: would you ever buy a newspaper knowing that all you will read about is normal everyday things that make the world seem like a nice comfortable place? The answer is no,you probably wouldnt. Let us first of all consider the more realistic view of media and what it reports on a daily basis: we hear about wars between countries where thousand of soldiers never make it home; we read about clashes and protests against governments that no longer cater to the people needs; we see heartrending images of women abused by their husbands, and of little children abandoned. If news were to be rather about the millions of buses that arrived safely at their destinations than the single bus that ended up as a twisted pile of metal at the bottom of a ravine, it would just end up being a massive compendium of all the normal things that are not only boring, but also raise no questions nor resolve any issues. In a manner of speaking, by picking up a newspaper full of good news we would be trying to fool ourselves. We most certainly would not be satisfied with such a buoyant view of the world: it is simply human nature. We know what the world is like and we have an intense desire to know more about the things that actually matter in the world, even if they are arent all rainbows and sunshine. Pic supplied

Pic supplied

Accidents are an example of incidents that are found extremely newsworthy even though they are usually tragic stories

Leader of Libya, Muhammar Gaddafi, is one example of a countrys leader who is under pressure to resign

12 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Sci-tech

Do you CAIR?
Cancer awareness society get started at Rhodes
Jo-Anne de la Mare and Kyle O Hagen Jason Sterrenberg

WolframAlpha: an alternative to Google?

Geoff Ruddock Every student knows that they can go to Wikipedia for a basic overview of a subject; Google for a wide variety of perspectives and popular media, Google Scholar for academic journal references and Google Books for searching within books, both current and obscure. The new Google Squared even organises output into a table of key concepts to help you organise your research. But there is a key weakness to all of these resources: they are designed to point you to documents that might have the answer.

Budgeting for hope

n 23 February 2011, South Africas Minister of Finance Pravin Gordhan delivered the Nations second budget speech of President Jacob Zumas administration. During the State of the Nation Address, President Zuma stated a strategically clear vision that he has for the country: We want to have a country where millions more South Africans have decent employment opportunities, which has a modern infrastructure and vibrant economy and where the quality of life is high. This vision encompasses all the objectives that the budget aims to achieve. The budget is a financial mission statement for the South African economic and social environment, because it outlines a financial skeleton that will be employed to implement this vision. The focus of this article is on the expenditure side of the budget, to conduct a critical analysis on the financial allocations set on four different areas of the South African economy: education, employment, health care and trade and industry. The government allocates the largest share of its spending to education, it accounts for 21% of fiscal expenditure. To improve the poor infrastructure of education facilities, R8.3 billion has been budgeted. The poorest provinces, including the Eastern Cape, filled with schools with the most appalling learning conditions, are counting on provincial government officials to use these finances efficiently. The most motivating allocation for the creation of jobs is a youth employment subsidy of R5 billion. Many youths struggle to find work after they

Business
Will the Cricket World Cup hit Indias economy for a six?
Lee Crisp Cricket, like any other sport, is no longer just a game to be played. India is one of the three host nations for the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup and there are questions about the legacy this tournament will leave and the mark it will make on the Indian economy. This business of sport creates opportunities for millions of dollars to be earned in ticket sales, advertising, broadcasting rights and player sponsorships annually. Every four years, all this culminates in the two month extravaganza that is the ICC Cricket World Pic supplied Cup the third largest sporting event in the world. The questions which arose were largely as a result of last years Commonwealth Games scandal where the organisers were accused of corruption and illicit activities. Many feared a repeat of this when a number of the cricket grounds that would host games were still under construction, two months before the World Cup was scheduled to begin. Fortunately, the host nation was able to pull itself together and gear up for the influx of visitors to their country. The World Cup presents a number of possibilities for India in terms of an injection into their economy. Upon bidding for the rights to the ICC, chairman of the Monitoring Committee of the Asian bid I S Bindra, promised profits in the region of US$ 400 million. The broadcasting and sponsorship rights alone for this event were sold for an amount in excess of US$1.5 billion dollars. However, this is not money which is appropriated to the host nation but rather to the ICC. Retailers are expecting to rake in around US$1 million dollars from the sale of World Cup related merchandise. These are just the formal ways in which to profit, and just as vendors in South

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 13

Zinathi Gquma

eres a shocking statistic: cancer is said to cause more deaths annually than those related to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, making it the leading cause of mortality worldwide. Closer to home, research conducted by the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) reports that the disease is responsible for the death of over 80 000 South Africans each year. What this means in the context of the Rhodes community is that a significant proportion of our student body will have been directly impacted by the disease. Despite this, there is as yet no society at the University focused on creating awareness about cancer. Following the example of the widely supported HIV/AIDS awareness society, SHARC, members of the Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit (BioBRU) are starting up CAIR, the Cancer Awareness Initiative at Rhodes. The founders are all post-graduate students working in the field of cancer research, with a focus on breast cancer in particular. According to their vision statement, the society aims to provide a means for Rhodes University students and the Grahamstown community to support the many people affected by the disease through creating awareness and raising funds for cancer research.

An alternative to your normal searches

WolframAlpha is different- very different. The goal of WolframAlpha is to give you the answer, no matter what your question might be. More interesting to the computer scientists is how does it gives you the answer? All WolframAlpha does is to compute it, based upon models of different fields of knowledge that have been built into the engine. Interesting theory, but what does it mean in practice? Well, if you are studying science, technology, engineering or mathematics the engine can help you with your homework or verify your answers. For example, I asked it, What is Calcite and was given the chemical formula and properties, structural diagram and even safety/ toxicity. More interesting, it made the assumption that I was interested in the chemical calcite, but was also offered, right at the top, the possibility that I wanted a material or a mineral or a word instead. Clicking on any of those alternatives changes the search and therefore the results. Clicking on a mineral changes the display to include different properties that are more appropriate for geology than chemistry. When it comes to mathematics and statistics, the engine will calculate complex formulas, graph equations and even, for some types of equations, show you the steps. Social Science students can quickly find details about geography and socioeconomic statistics and about the people who live there. This data is available in many other places, but WolframAlpha puts it all into a single place and allows you to find the answer you need without searching through hundreds of unrelated facts

The CAIR founders begin a new legacy of awareness within the University The CAIR calendar will include a variety of fundraising events to afford students the opportunity to contribute financially towards the fight against cancer. Some of these events will follow those promoted nationwide by CANSA including the Cuppa for Cancer and Shavathon, but will be tailored to fit the student calendar taking examinations and vacations into account. The funds generated by these events and other means such as raffles, will be split between donations to families affected by the disease and contributions towards institutes working in cancer research. Aside from raising money, the society is committed to educating the community. Despite the prevalence of cancer-related stories in the media, there is still a lack of knowledge about aspects of cancer. For instance, breast cancer in men or the apparent predisposition of women of African descent to a biologically unique and more aggressive form of breast cancer. Through this column, the founding members will shed light on these and other cancer taboos as well as provide up-to-date, relevant and scientifically accurate information regarding current breakthroughs in cancer research.

Whats the catch?

There are always limitations to any tool, and WolframAlpha is no different. Its subject areas are limited, although growing. Since it is computing the answers, it needs a model and those take time to build. Because the engine is calculating the answers, it works best for fields with definitive answers. Philosophy, literature, religion and historical interpretation are not the search engines strong point, through no fault of the designers. If you want to know the author, publication date and any awards for To Kill a Mocking Bird, WolframAlpha can help. If you want a plot summary, you are better off looking elsewhere. Formulating your question can be tricky. The examples page is your friend - it can both help you correctly state your question and perhaps lead you to questions you had not thought of yet.

SA heroes of science & technology

Jonathan Smith South African heroes of science are numerous and include renowned surgeons, physicists, geneticists, mathematicians and even an IT genius turned astronaut. The country has also produced an endless list of inventors whose innovative products have made it on to the international stage. South African heroes of science have made some of the world's greatest contributions to the scientific fraternity, breaking down barriers, setting historic milestones and paving the way for future scientists to follow. One of the most famous South African heroes of science was Dr Christiaan Barnard. A renowned surgeon, Barnard performed the country's first kidney transplant and the world's first successful human heart transplant. Professor Himla Soodyall is regarded for her groundbreaking research into the genetic affinities and histories of Southern Africa's people. Her studies have opened new doors of understanding into the early history of man. Sydney Brenner, Aaron Klug, Max Theiler and Alan MacLeod Cormack were either born or raised in South Africa. All four won Nobel Prizes Brenner for his molecular research and discovery of programmed cell death; Klug for his macro-molecule research; Theiler for his yellow fever research and vaccine development and Cormack for his CAT research which led to the development of the CAT scanner. Brilliant mathematician Joseph Albert Mokoena, was another local genius, acclaimed for his efforts to promote maths in Africa. And how can one fail to mention Mark Shuttleworth? A South African IT entrepreneur who made history by becoming the first African in space and only the second private citizen to selffund his journey into orbit. Shuttleworth inspired the nation and now promotes science, maths and technology among South African learners. The country has also seen its fair share of inventors: George Pratley, the inventor of Pratley Putty used on a mission to the moon in 1969; EM Merrifield, the breakwater dolos designer; Henri Johnson, the sports tracking technology developer and Ken Hall who designed the indoor Cobb barbecue. There is no doubt that out country has the potential of producing innovative originators worthy of international accolades and who pave the way for more scientific successes.

have studied, because of inexperience. Since wages in South Africa are relatively high, employers are reluctant to hire inexperienced workers. Therefore, in order to counteract this imbalance between low experience and high wages, the government has introduced this subsidy to create a mutually beneficial situation for employers and new employees. 49% of the population between the ages of 18 and 29 is unemployed, and implementation of this policy will surely spark a great deal of hope amongst communities struggling with unemployment. Minister Motsoaledi has introduced a ten-point plan to improve the quality of health services. An estimate of R113 billion will be allocated to heath care services in 2012, this is a large increase from the R63 billion allocated in 2007/2008. R26.9 billion will be spent on fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This allocation is based on the estimated increase in the number of people on treatment. In terms of trade and industry development, R10 billion will be spent on the Industrial Policy Action Plan investment promotion, including the automotive and development programme, clothing and textiles production incentives, the film and television production incentive and support for small manufacturing and tourism enterprises. A special mention needs to be made to the South African Reserve Bank (SARB). The SARB is one of the most effective institutions in our economy and a big round of applause is in order for constantly striving to reach macroeconomic stability.

The most motivating allocation for the creation of jobs is a youth employment subsidy of R5 billion... An estimate of R113 billion will be allocated to heath care services in 2012, this is a large increase from the R63 billion allocated in 2007/2008.
In order to reverse the detrimental effects of the appreciation of the Rand in 2010, the SARB purchased foreign exchange reserves and increased capital outflows which arise from investment by South African institutions. These monetary policy actions resulted in 10% depreciation of the Rand against the Dollar in order to reverse the overvaluation of the Rand. The SARB has also managed to keep the inflation rate between the targeted range of 3% 6%. These actions have a positive effect on the competitiveness of South African industry. The South African budget looks promising, immense strategic planning has been engaged in allocating finances to the different sectors of the South African economy. As a country, we can only hope that these policies and processes will be effectively and efficiently implemented.

Africa capitalised during the Soccer World Cup, it is likely that their Indian counterparts will do the same. However, on the flip side of the coin, it is predicted that the World Cup will hit Indian industry hard in terms of the levels of productivity. Commercial enterprises are estimating that if an average of 10-12 million people watch a match each day, the result will be the loss of 768 million labour hours daily. Although the World Cup is an economic gold mine, India being a cricket-crazed country that relies heavily on manual labour, could lose more than it gains in this respect. Only time will tell if this is the case.

WolframAlpha in an academic setting

I would advise students to be careful when using the site for assignments and tutorials. If you use the engine to calculate all of your statistics problems, you wont understand the material and will likely fail exams where you have to do your own calculations. Faculties are aware of the tool and will likely change their courses in response. If, on the other hand, you use the engine to check your answers, you can verify your own understanding of the material and help yourself when you get something wrong. Another issue with using this tool for homework problems is that there are often several ways to solve a problem, and the way used by the Wolfram engine may not be the same as the way taught in your book or by your lecturer. Worse, if you ask the question wrong on the Wolfram engine, you may not get the actual answer. In the end, WolframAlpha is worth adding to your tool kit (one of many) but not a get out of school free card. You still have to know how to ask the right questions and understand the answers it gives you. Pic supplied

Budgeting for students

Neo Khanyile University is supposed to be fun. This is a fact. It cant be much fun however, if youre broke. Being a student is a full time job with no pay. So as long as we have unlimited wants and needs and limited resources, there will forever be a discrepancy, resulting in days of eating bread and drinking water. Enter: the budget, a method for going broke methodically. A successful budget grows wealth and manages debt within a planned structure that easily manipulates and divides up money for maximum financial benefit. The first port of call is obviously income. You have to determine your level of income before attempting to work out a budget. This is called capitalising the budget. Once a budget has been capitalised, the financial parameters within which the budget can operate are established. From here you can get on with what is called prioritising. That is, providing for basic short term needs while simultaneously looking out for longer term financial prospects. Some expenditures and allocation of money may be more important than others, prioritising helps in this regard.

Steps in managing a successful student budget:

Determine and write down all your sources of income. These can include cash from your parents, scholarships, jobs or any other money you can count on receiving on a regular basis. Determine and write down all your expenses on a monthly basis. Expenses include: rent, groceries, tuition, textbooks, utilities such as electricity and water bills, toiletries, eating out, entertainment (movies, bar night, etc.), clothing, haircuts, regular bills such as cell phone and internet bills, transportation, and anything else you might spend money on. Determine where youre overspending. A good trick is to determine what percent of your monthly income each expense category represents. There are no hard and

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fast rules about how much of your money should go to each category, but if one category seems to gobble up a significant amount of your cash, this may be a good place to start cutting back. Cut back on textbook expenses. Often we view textbooks as a necessity for students, but do you really need a shiny brand new copy? Save money by buying used copies of your textbook. Cut back on food expenses. This is for the kids living in digs. Cook as many of your own meals as possible. While its sometimes tempting to avoid doing dishes by eating out, its not cost effective. Prepared foods such as frozen pizzas and microwave dinners are often costly as well. Stick to fresh foods, as much as possible, and learn some quick easy recipes. Cash in on student discounts. Look for student discounts anywhere you can. Often local businesses will offer a discount when you show a student card. Roxbury cinema has a student night on Mondays and stores like Buddys Liquor, Spur, Albany Stationers and Woolworths offer student discounts.

A beginners guide to: the recession that changed our lives

Sisa Matabiswana There is nothing a Rhodes student loves more, than to go home on vac and partake in those niceties withheld from us due to our current geographical location. Nothing says Welcome Home quite like your favourite Woolies cake paid for by mommy dearest. But on these last visits home youve found that slowly Woolies is being replaced by No-Name brand and finally this last vac, you found a note on the cake tin: Closed due to recession: Love Mom. A recession, to those that have managed to make it to Ecos 2, is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. A recession is defined as the period when jobs are scarce, prices are high, and the words not this month are uttered by your parents far too often. The recession is a result of the financial crisis that rocked the US in 2008. US banks gave home loans to everybody, even those who couldnt afford to pay them back, renamed the loans, and sold them to companies as investments which they believed would be making them a return every month. The bubble burst when people couldnt pay their loans and companies were now holding worthless investments, and so they began to lay off workers. The rest of the world got involved when more than 100 million Americans couldnt afford to buy our goods and hence the world and its factories began to shut down. Its 2011 and sadly the recession is still not over. Fear not, for I promise you, if you just close your eyes when you bite into a PicknPay cake, its so close to being as if the baker at Woolies made it himself. Just that close.

14 The Oppidan Press 17.03.11

Environment Green Eggs and Ham White lions: ethics and genetics
Kate Janse van Rensburg Kate Jansen van Rensberg he thought of touching a lion in the wild is scary- and impossible to comprehend. However, the Rhodes Zoology Society recently took a trip down to the Seaview Lion Park in Port Elizabeth to see if they could cuddle some cubs. Some may argue that humans are interfering with nature by hand rearing these lions from the time they were born. Concerned parties will be pleased to know that this is all done in the name of a white lion breeding programme specifically designed to create a larger Kate Janse van Rensburg Carina Truyts

Kate Janse van Rensburg

24 hr challenge accepted
Morgan Collins hree brave men accepted a challenge. A challenge that would deprive them of sleep. A challenge that would make them feel as though they had strutted in stilettos . A challenge to play pool for 24 hours. This year, Suuyile Stix Mhlekwa, Ntsikelelo Que Qoyo and Kevin McMenamin accepted that challenge. They played a total of 467 games, winning 295 of those. Starting off eager and ready, these men made their way to the Purple Horse, donned their pool gloves, chalked their cues and embarked on one of the longest 24 hours of their lives. Held annually, the 24hr pool challenge begins only at 12:00 on Friday and ends 12:00 on Saturday. No sleep, and only five minute breaks, every 55 minutes. Luckily for them, they could save these breaks and take one longer break. It is not only a test on endurance but also of skill. Their games, wins, losses, white washes, winning and losing streaks are all strictly kept track of. Challenger after challenger these men faced. Energy drink after energy drink these men drank. All the while putting on a brave face despite their aching feet and desperate need for Michelle Cunliffe

Sports
Michelle Cunliffe

The Oppidan Press 17.03.11 15

Herb tripping
In this lame cooking movie I was once watched, the Head Chef (played by Catherine Zeta- Jones), confessed that the three secrets to good food are 1. butter 2. butter and 3. butter. As a professional cook turned pseudo- academic, I would call that theory essentialist, reductionist and grossly over- simplified. Theres a lot to be said for butter, but theres a whole lot more to good cooking, too. In these modern, click-of-a-button times, people want things boiled down to one, two, three. They want a magic ingredient that miraculously transforms every dish into an orgasmic eating experience. If, at knifes edge, I had to boil things down to one essential food that has the power to transform a meal by itself, my answer would be: Fresh herbs. This said, I packed two friends into my trusty Tazzmanian Devil and headed off to the Elizabeth herb nursery in Bathurst. It was my first visit and it was love. The owner David emerged from his little house on the property. He saw me eyeing out his bountiful lemon verbena bush and before we knew it, wed been there for two hours. He waltzed around his garden with us like he was Willy Wonka and we were special golden- ticket holders. He plucked leaves and offered them in our direction: Several types of basil, tell me which is stronger? He kept the surprises coming, from natural leaves that are 30 000 times sweeter than sugar to salad Burnet, a leafy herb that tastes oddly, but precisely, like cucumbers and walnuts mixed together. I drove back satisfied to my core, with a bit of lemon grass poking me in the neck and the sweet sticky scent of geranium on my fingers. On Sunday, my digsmate and I turned our faces to the sun. We brandished shovel and forked to turned the tired soil. We watered and fed and potted until our nails were dirt- encrusted.We proudly stashed our tall basil seedlings on the stoep for passers- by to perve over. I planted lucerne to try and fix the gross soil that our previous tenants left us. Its peppered with glass, buttons, the odd tissue and apparent attempts at growing a cigarette- tree. Every morning I enter the garden hoping to see little sproutlings. Today wasnt the day, but my seeds will show face soon. As will the rewards for growing my own garden: fresh basil for my tomato sauce, sage for my chicken, fennel for my fish and lemongrass for my tea. Butter? Psshhhht.

gene pool for this rare species. The publics handling of the lions is making money that will be used to fund the breeding programme. The lions being used in the handling programme now are sacrificing their freedom in the wild for the freedom of the future generations of their species. The controversial question still remains: Is the practice of allowing people to touch these cubs ethical? The white lion has been under environmental speculation for many years and it has already been extinct in the wild for twelve years. Previously, they were captured for circuses and zoos or hunted down for their rare white fur, while presently they

sleep. Even more impressive was that their skill levels stayed constant, winning 63% of all their games. For Mhlekwa his hundredth win was against Roger Adams, head of Rhodes University sport. The only thing that did not seem to stay constant, was their appearance. By the 12 hour mark they looked less like eager First Years and more like post-graduate veterans. Sitting down had become a luxury that, according to McMenamin, made their toes turn into a choir and sing Hallelujah. This year was marked to be different from previous years with the promise of a Redbull sponsor. Unfortunately this fell through due to the trucking strike which saw their merchandise stuck in Durban with no way of getting to Grahamstown. This minor setback did little to deter the enthusiasm of the players and the Pool Clubs Chairperson, Shaun Gordon. Speaking to Gordon outside the Purple Horse, he expressed his hopes for the event and the year ahead. His aim for the event was for people to enjoy themselves and to try gain more members for the club. And judging by the sign ups that occurred on the night, it proved to be an excellent start. For the year ahead, Gordon has his sights set on upholding their success.

A closer look at the face of a rare species can only be viewed in captivity. These white lions will be freed into the wild as a result of this breeding programme if it is successful. Very few lions have the recessive gene needed to create the white lion. The concept only works when both mother and father have the recessive gene. The Seaview breeding programme involves the cubs being taken from their mothers soon after they are born. They are transferred to a small enclosure where they are hand-reared by volunteer workers who are very serious about their jobs. From the age of six weeks, the public are allowed to pay to touch them. Some may think it stressful for the cubs to be subjected to human contact from such a young age, but the cubs only know this way of life. If these lions are healthy and successful they will potentially be released into the wild. This will help in creating a larger gene pool and hopefully assist in saving the white lion from extinction. Above, below and left: The 24 hour pool challenge had everyone grabbing a cue and getting in on the action Michelle Cunliffe

Members of the RU Zoology Society indulge in some cub cuddling

Riaan Manser: The spoils of adventure

Senior Reporter Abigail McDougall and Candace Gawler As mentioned in the last issue of this paper, Riaan Manser, South African explorer and travel writer, is currently preparing for his 3rd epic expedition. Mansers latest book Around Madagascar on my Kayak has sold 20 000 copies. He has 866 followers on Twitter, 1167 followers on Facebook, and a very popular blog. This publicity has the potential to increase travel, tourism and the development of hotels, resorts, and accompanying adventure industries, all of which have high environmental impacts. In a country like Madagascar, this could lead to further devastation of the natural environment. Madagascar has severe problems with deforestation, erosion and poor soil quality due to slash-and-burn farming, according to a National Geographic report. Ongoing political instability has resulted in mismanagement of the countrys natural resources. Most of its species of lemur are endangered or extinct. Increased tourism in this context could be disastrous for biodiversity and sustainable development. Although his personal determination is inspiring, Mansers relationship with nature is not entirely reciprocal. Mansers popular chronicles of his explorations have generated a wave of wannabes, yet he shows no visible concern that his work might impact on the natural environment of his destinations, although he shows a vague discomfort at the idea: When I was in Madagascar I would say, should I be writing how beautiful this place is? Ive got a big following now with my travel writing and books and I write for the Cape Times and The Star. Those people would take my opinions seriously. What a conundrum - Im now wanting to tell people that Im seeing the most beautiful place Ive ever seen and theres nobody here; but it wouldnt be that if everybody was coming. Mansers writings could potentially be an effective platform to raise awareness of the need to conserve natural wonders. He understands that his work may lead to increased commercialisation: Places like that need to be discovered by chance and also by people who make an effort, not by travel agencies and cruise ships taking hundreds and thousands of people in there. Manser has a charity, No Food For Lazy Man, which provides sporting equipment for underprivileged children. However, considering that much of Mansers success stems from the novelty of reading about exploration of the natural environment, it seems odd that he does not act to conserve it. The ethical questions around the large-scale publicity created by his books could possibly be balanced out if Manser used his public persona to create awareness and promote conservation of remote and fragile environments such as Madagascar.

Meeting Kiarin Gillies

I dont expect or even want everyone to turn into bungies
Kirsten Templar Upon meeting Kiarin Gillies, one would not immediately be aware that she is an environment and community engagement enthusiast. Appearing as your average Rhodes student, Kiarin openly talks to us about her motivations and projects for this year. First impressions aside, meet your ambitious Student Representative Council Environmental Representative for 2011. Kiarins job is to act as a link between students, the Universitys societies and the Rhodes University Environmental Committee. She is here to communicate with the Environmental Committee as representative of the student body, and to hold them accountable for their actions and projects that are planned to go into effect. Kiarin excitedly talks about her plans for the SRC centenary this year: Well, it was actually last year, but were celebrating it this year the environmental committee and I are planning on planting 101 trees around campus and in the surrounding areas. It should be fun! Kiarin Gillies is a Johannesburg local, and she has a guilty pleasure for TV series. Her interest and involvement in the environmental community developed at a young age. She has always been a nature lover, although she was initially involved with community engagement at Rhodes. She is a firm believer that every little proactive action helps, from picking up your cigarette stompies, to recycling. This year Kiarin, who is a part of the Green Revolutions and Social Solutions Committee (GRASS), plans on pushing for, above all, sustainability issues: My focus is on the practical, sustainable and action-orientated ways of working with the environment, and not against it. She aims at continuing with last years SRC Environmental Representative, David Knowles projects removing alien species from the area, as well as working with Artworks, a society aimed at creating beautiful sculptures and artworks out of recyclable goods. I dont expect or even want everyone to turn into bungies, laughs Kiarin, you are allowed to wear shoes and still enjoy and care about the environment! She explains her annoyance at the stereotype of the environmentallyaware by the public, and she plans to bust this image and change common viewpoints. Kiarin claims that the exclusivity surrounding environmental initiatives prevents the public from taking action. People are allowed to be who they are and want to be, do what they want, and yet still make an active effort to appreciate and take care of the environment.

The sport on the tips of everyones fists

Sean Black The problem with todays pop-culture is its frilliness. All the latest artists, movie-makers and celebrities are only in it for one thing: the money (and looking good while doing it). There is, however, an exception. A new-age phenomenon which tolerates no nonsense and would probably put you in your place in four seconds. Its known as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The new, no frills fighting sport which has literally booted its stamp onto the scene, has everyone begging the question: What in the world? Mixed Martial Arts is a full-contact combat sport which, as the name suggests, allows fighters from different backgrounds and specialisations to compete in competition using their diverse techniques and skills. Two competitors are pitted against one another in a fight to submission or knockout. As a result, and because Rhodes is as forward thinking as it gets, MMA has hit Rhodes in 2011. Dont worry though, there wont be any knockouts during your time with Rhodes MMA. The club is oriented at training, not finding yourself out cold on the floor. Officially in its first year of inception, Rhodes MMA is being headed (in all committee positions) by Matthew Funcke. After speaking with Funcke, MMA was described as a fun and effective way to learn to fight and defend oneself. Funke assured his belief that MMA is about having fun while you train and not just a tool to toughen yourself up. In heated response to all those who say that MMA is a barbaric sport, Warren Theesson a newly signed member of Rhodes MMA says that MMA is not a pointless, thoughtless thrashing of one person to the other, it requires quick calculations, many gruelling years to gain the skills necessary and, of course, dedication. Furthermore, Theesson encourages Rhodents to join MMA because it is exciting and a great way to stay in shape and learn how to defend oneself . No prior experience is needed to join MMA classes and women are welcome to join in an effort to remain fit. The classes are flexible enough so that if you are uncomfortable with anything, you may sit out, if you so wish. Practices are currently on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 19:00 until 20:30 there is an optional half hour afterwards for those wishing to continue training by themselves.

Mixed Martial Arts is not a barbaric sport, because it is not a pointless, thoughtless thrashing of one person to the other.
Ponder this for a second: next time you have a run in with a thug on your way back to digs after a big night out, youll be grateful youve been to Mixed Martial Arts and learnt how a 12-6 elbow works.

Michelle Cunliffe Walther Dieckmann and Thapelo Monareng of the MMA society in action.

Sports
Madien van der Merwe

IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE...

Extraordinary jobs Page 4

Rhodes U21s prepare to lock heads with the SAPS Brumbies U21 side from Port Elizabeth. Despite only having held two practices prior to this encounter, Rhodes went on to dominate proceedings, running out 61-0 victors, with Jade Bowles, James Hitchcock and Graham Iellamo each dotting down with two tries apiece. The season looks promising for Rhodes rugby, with the Internal League commencing on 25 March.

Unnecessary panic over possible Intervarsity cancellation

Emma-Kate Rowley ates for Intervarsity 2011 have not been included in this years Rhodes University desk calendar, resulting in unnecessary panic and confusion among students. This confusion stems from last years threats by the University to withdraw Rhodes from the competition. Intervarsity (previously known as Tri-varsity), held in the third term, sees four Eastern Cape universities competing in various sports at a different institution each year. Poor conduct by Rhodes students at 2009s Intervarsity held at Rhodes, led the University Council to consider removing the University from

the competition. Excessive drunkenness, violence and allegations of racism by students were among the reasons for this decision. Most students were against this decision, at a debate held months before Intervarsity in 2010. The debate was attended by various members of the Grahamstown community, including a spokesperson from the Police Department. It was the general consensus among students that the majority of problems experienced at Intervarsity were caused by the minority of people. An emphasis was also placed on the importance of the competition in uniting the University, and in giving its sports teams a chance to compete with other institutions. I think its a good sporting event, as its one of those occasions when we can support or play against local-based rivals. What I find is friendly

rivalry, says Duncan Stodart, an under-21 Rhodes rugby player who hopes to compete in Intervarsity this year. Flyers were handed out, and students were encouraged to Help Save Intervarsity by showing their solidarity wearing purple on Purple Tuesdays. When it was decided that the University was to participate in 2010s Intervarsity at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) as a trial case, this unity and solidarity continued to show. Kimberly Millard, a Second Year student who attended last years Intervarsity said, It was a good feeling knowing that we were all supporting the same thing. It promoted unity and comradeship amongst people that dont usually interact. In the Deputy Vice-Chancellors Intervarsity Communiqu of 21 September 2010, it was said

that the Intervarsity held in August saw no incidents of bad behaviour by Rhodes students. I trust that we at Rhodes have set new standards which, if maintained, will ensure our continued participation in future Intervarsity and Boat Race competitions, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor said. The calendar distributed to students at the beginning of the year is usually printed well in advance. According to Rhodes Sports Administration, Intervarsity dates were not included in this years calendar because, at the time of printing, this years host university, Fort Hare, had not yet released the dates. The date of Intervarsity is the weekend of 12 and 13 August, and can be found in the 2011 Rhodes University Diary at http://www. ru.ac.za/381.

Intervarsity Shield controversy

Debbie Potgieter Rhodes University Rugby has been under scrutiny after the University allegedly rejected an invitation to the Intervarsity Shield tournament. Andrew Edwards, a player from the Heathens rugby side, explains that it is not the Intervarsity Cup that the Rhodes rugby squad is invited to, but the second league. He explained that the issue does not reside in the fact that the invitation was rejected by the University, but that the rugby committee was not approached first. When asked about the nature of the rejection, Bradley Bense explained that other university students are there to play rugby where as Rhodents are here to study. He was a part of a rugby club last year, and claimed that rugby is not taken seriously at Rhodes. With low practice attendance, he believed that it was only right that the invitation to the Shield was rejected. Bense said that bigger universities make provisions for sportsmen, where as academics is of the main focus at Rhodes. With a similar view, Duncan Patrick Stodart of the Smuts rugby team explains that its a good idea to stay out of the league at the moment to enable the first team to strengthen their infrastructure. He claimed that there arent enough players who are committed to playing every game for the team to succeed in the tournament. He believes that it is due to the fact that [Rhodes] University is more academic than anything else, that the invitation to the Intervarsity Shield was declined. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Monde Coto believes that Rhodes deserve to play in the Intervarsity Shield. He believes that this will be a huge moral boost for the rugby players as well as the Rhodes supporters. He claimed that the Rhodes first team are not out of their league, as it is the very same Fort Hare rugby team that was invited to the Shield that Rhodes first team beat last year.

The Oppidan Press