2 VUVUZELA, October 5, 2007 NE WS Diagnosing your best friend’s pain

MELISSA DOUMAN friend” attitude. Th ey stopped eating ever brave enough to touch a horse’s LOOK, don’t go out and get your cat or drinking water for days on end. hind legs, you may also experience a a Panado each time you think it has Reptiles may burn themselves nasty pain in the head. a headache. According to Dr Lynette very badly if they come into contact Domestic animals, like cats, won’t Bester from the School of Physiology, with fi re. Because they are cold- express their pain to just anybody. the Panados will kill it. blooded and can withstand very high So they might make “hot tin roof” But yes, of course animals do feel temperatures, they may not feel their noises at home, but pretend to be just pain. In her presentation at the scales are burning. fi ne at the vet. Th is is because they School of Physiology on Tuesday, Th ey probably won’t show their feel vulnerable in foreign territory. Dr Bester said animals did feel pain, discomfort. But if you’re silly enough
Chemical Engineering student, although the extent and nature were to try to touch them, they’ll become Kaveeren Naidu, is trying to get 2- not certain. violent. million signatures for a Stop Innocent Th is is because there is no way of Th ey are very sensitive to touch, Animals From Suff ering campaign. asking an animal: “On a scale of one- so just coming near them can cause Naidu belongs to a group that wants to-ten, how sore are you?” a vibration that could get them the government to assess the laws to Human medication was designed for striking. prevent cruelty to animals. human bodies, she said. In proportion Birds mask their pain until they If there were stricter laws in place, to most domestic animals, humans are on their death nest. Parrots may they feel people would be more aware could withstand higher doses. squawk to express their discomfort. of an animal’s rights and be less Human painkillers couldn’t be used Lovebirds are assumed to feel a very inclined to hurt it. by animals because they don’t have diff erent kind of pain - an emotional Naidu cited the much-publicised the digestive enzymes to break down one - when they lose their better half. case of the man who severed a husky’s and absorb them. Th ey stop eating, drinking or chirping head with a chainsaw and only She explained that some animals until their organs fail and they die a received a fi ne. “More severe laws were able to communicate their pain lonely death. Th is type of pain, no should be implemented to stop these more expressively than others. Cats amount of medication can cure. people from acting like animals, such made loud caterwauls and become Horses can experience severe as imprisonment,” said Naidu. CAT-ANKEROUS: The author examines her cat Ziggy for signs of pains or discom- aggressive and violent. Dogs could abdominal pain and show this by Th e man who killed the dog died in fort, and is pleased to discover that he seems fi ne! slip into a droopy-eyed depression, looking at their abdomens and a car crash shortly after. “Now that’s Photo by: Melissa Douman with an “I don’t want to be your best contorting their faces. And if you’re karma for you,” said Naidu. Saving the planet from invasion, one plant at a time VOW GREEN PARADISE IN afternoon on Invasives Th e lantana, a tropical invader, has about 240 DANGER OF INVASION: and Biocontrol. He hybrids and spreads greatly because it has no Invasive plants are a explained how invasive natural enemies in its hybrid form. It is among the critical environmental plants are imported most invasive plants in Africa, and it is poisonous. still silent issue, according to Prof. into the country, “Th e American Acacia was introduced deliberately Marcus Byrne. what they mean for into South Africa by the government as a ‘miracle JUMA FORD AND SEBABATSO the country and how tree’,” said Byrne. It has been used for shade and MOSAMO Photo courtesy of www. to stop them from fodder. Th e Australian Acacia has been used for THE OUTSTANDING transmission dk.com spreading further than wood and charcoal and was also deliberately fees that will allow Voice of Wits to go they already have. introduced to the country. back on air have still not been paid, Invasive plants However, both these Acacias drink up a huge a week after the student radio station endanger the water percentage of the country’s water. South Africa has was closed down. supply. Th ese are plants that are not indigenous to about 180 alien plant species which cover about 10- Station manager Ike Rakoto the areas they invade. million hectares of the country. In 2002 they had told Vuvuzela the money was Th ey are imported through diff erent means. caused 7% water loss. It is predicted that in 30 years, “waiting somewhere” in the fi nance Sometimes this is plant trade. But sometimes it’s the water loss in the country, due to these invaders, department, which was something he inadvertent. Some ships take in water as ballast. will be 23 to 95%. had no control over. When they pump it out again in foreign waters, A number of potential solutions have been He added: “Going off the air has they can deposit invasive seeds. Rapid transport put into place, one of which encourages social not aff ected the relationship with like jets suck in seeds from the air and drop them upliftment. It is a programme called Working for management…I don’t think there was in other places. Water. It generates money in poor communities by a relationship in the fi rst place.” Th e point of this exhibition is to develop a employing members to chop down weeds. It aims Anton Harber, head of the media consciousness in young people to keep their world to educate people about nature, while teaching board and Journalism and Media alive. Byrne ignited in his audience the need to some level of botanical skills. Studies said: “Wits’ system for making VUVU VENA worry, because climate change should be seen as a Th e second solution is classic biological control. payments can be maddeningly slow. JOHN F. KENNEDY, the 35th President of the social issue. Scientists fi nd natural enemies from the countries We have done what we can and now United States said in 1963: “Th e Supreme reality of He listed plants like the cactus, the hyacinth, the of origin and transport them to South Africa. Th e we wait for the rusty wheels to turn.” our time is…the vulnerability of our planet.” acacia and the lantana as common invaders. He said natural enemies do not go on to become a new issue Th e next issue VOW will have to Wits hosted an environmental exhibition called these plants were able to invade such large areas in since, as the plant dies, so too do its enemies. Th ey deal with is how to compensate their Roots and Shoots, from Tuesday to Th ursday this South Africa because removing them from their have nothing else to feed on. advertisers. week. Th e programme included speakers with place of origin had rescued them from their natural People are encouraged to read about Th is is a concern, especially diff erent messages about the world we live in. enemies. In areas where they were not threatened, environmental issues and threats. Issues have even considering Absa’s recent investment Professor Marcus Byrne spoke on Tuesday they could fl ourish. been woven into a new high school curriculum. in VOW’s online site. 4 VUVUZELA, October 5, 2007

SLICE OF LIFE

A JOURNALISM AND MEDIA STUDIES PROJECT PRODUCED WITH THE SUPPORT OF MEDIA24. The good times of our lives BEING the private person that I am, I found than scheduled. We were so pumped up it a bit testing to write this Slice of Life. So I about the whole thing, if even the smallest The evolution of struggle... thought to myself: let me tell them something thing went wrong, we worried that the trip exciting that happened in my life this year. would be put on hold again. THERE is this amazing story about a gentle creature that lived in the muddy I am from the North West province and am We fi nally arrived sixteen hours later, tired waters of China’s Yangtze River. An endangered dolphin with bad eyesight, it had studying in Gauteng. Up until March, I had but happy at the same time. We were met a highly-evolved radar to compensate. never been anywhere outside of these two by another friend, who is studying at the I heard this story about 10 years ago. Since then, due to over-fi shing and noise provinces. University of Cape Town. She gave us the bad from too many ships, China’s Baijii dolphin has been declared extinct. Its story, My best friend and I decided to pack up and news that the place she had arranged for us like the dodo, will become the stuff of legends. go Cape Town for a trip of nothing but fun. A to stay was no longer available. I never thought about “extinction” as something that happened to a species in chance to visit new province – yay, how very But so determined were we to have fun that my lifetime. “Endangered” is today’s catchphrase. “Extinct” applies to dinosaurs exciting. it hardly mattered that we now had to share a and dodos, surely not dolphins? It also reminded me of another endangered - We had been planning on doing this since small fl at with two beds between six people. some would say - extinct creature. high school, but every time we considered it, Nondlela Maponya All it meant was that, with the limited Th e adage that students nowadays are lazy, complacent and “don’t have a something would intervene and we’d have to sleeping space, we’d just have to stay out cause” got me thinking about this creature: the feisty, determined student whose cancel. Th is year we decided: enough was enough. We and party for longer. activities once were a hotbed of committed struggle, heated debate and protest. have to it or it’s never going to happen. I mean, who needs proper sleep in a new city with plenty Voter apathy in the recent SRC elections appeared to show that this creature is We scraped together all the money we had to buy two of beautiful things (and people) to see. extinct. return bus tickets to Cape Town. Bad weather conditions We did everything there was to do, from site-seeing to But this theory was recently disproved as, instead of politics, social justice and nearly, but didn’t quite, ruin our excitement.. It was club hopping. It took us a long time to get there, but it environmental concerns played out at Wits. Some Witsies showed concern over raining so hard, the bus arrived an hour and a half later sure was worth the wait. the HIV/Aids epidemic at the recent “Democratising Science” forum, and others involved themselves in eff orts to save the planet at this week’s Roots and Shoots environmental exhibition at Wits. But most obvious were the scores of chanting and toyi-toying students in Kids walk on the wild side protest over fee increases, rumours of privatisation of student residences and an incongruous hike in fees for international students. In a show of solidarity, even ERICA DREIJER from arachnophobia,” Crumb said. students who were unaff ected by the changes joined in. LEARN how to live in peace with A big part of the event is “myth But things went wrong. Stories of rubber bullets, arrests, injuries and vandalised your six-legged neighbours is the busting”. bins started to pour in. Th is is not the fi rst time this has happened either. message that this year’s Yebo Gogga Visitors will have the opportunity It begs the question: did university management foresee the fallout? Surely event will be drumming home. to interact and learn more about by now (since the early days of student struggle) management of a learning Yebo Gogga is an annual event myriad insects, arachnids and institution would have “learnt” and evolved an eff ective method of dialogue with hosted at Wits. Th is year’s event reptiles. And brave hearts will have students. is titled Ubuntu in Nature and an opportunity to nibble (or is that But perhaps I have it all wrong. Perhaps, like the dodo, an eff ective and attentive will be focused on showing “how crunch?) on some insects, drape a management has always been the stuff of legends. plants interact with each other boa constrictor like a feather boa and how people interact with around their shoulders or make plants”, explained Caroline Crumb, friends with spiders, scorpions or VUVUZELA is produced by Wits Journalism students and is dedicated to Zoological Curator at Wits. chameleons. serving the entire campus community with journalism that is independent, Crumb describes it as a community Other activities include lectures accurate and fair. event that sets out to embrace and and talks over the weekend, a race To access Vuvuzela’s Code of Ethics, go to www.vuvuzelaonline.com. If you create a sense of ubuntu – by helping using crickets and an insect braai. feel the code has been breached, please bring this to the attention of the co- everyone live peacefully with their Th e event will be hosted at the Life ordinator by emailing [email protected]. If the co-ordinator cannot surroundings as well as establishing Sciences Museum and Oppenheimer resolve the matter, it may be referred to the Board of Media Trustees for a sense of community. Life Sciences Building and will run adjudication. “People living in the city have often from Wednesday until Sunday. Co-ordinator: Barbara Ludman become fearful of all fl ora and fauna. Times: weekdays from 9am to 4pm Design team: Jackie Bischof, Sean Ritchie, Farhana Ismail, Lenyaro Sello, Th is will help them to remove the fear and weekend from 10am to 4pam. Sebabatso Mosamo, Erica Dreijer, Nondlela Maponya and replace it with interest. During Free access. TRUST IN ME:: Scholars at Yebo Gogga Editor: Farhana Ismail past events, we have even managed For more information, contact get acquainted with an African Python Production Editor: Juma Ford to cure a couple of people suff ering Cheryl or Nelly at 011 717 6470. Photo: Caroline Crumb Journalism Practice lecturer: Jo-Anne Richards Contact Vuvuzela at 011-717-4088/2 or e-mail [email protected] CAMPUS CELEB To advertise in Vuvuzela: Call James Archibald on (011)499-1497 or 084- 600-5069, or email him at advertise@wildfi remedia.co.za For classifi ed advertising: Bring your classifi ed ad and R20 to Room 506, Richard Ward Building, East Campus. WITSIE Senzo Phungula, a “second fi rst year student” studying politics, is also the Bidvest soccer team’s mascot. Melissa Douman caught up with him this week to fi nd out why this “wanabe a politician when I grow up” has undertaken this role.

How did you get chosen to be the Bidvest mascot? I am a big supporter of the Wits team. I used to attend every How long have you been Mascot? game, home and away. I cheered and commented and they must I have been mascot for about four months now and hope to be have noticed that I was an active and dedicated supporter. mascot for as long as my stay in Jo’burg lasts. I am from Durban originally. What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done? I have done a lot of crazy things. Th e craziest thing that I have Why do you support Wits then? done as mascot, though, has to be when I got noticed as a possible I like Wits. It’s away from where I grew up and it has a great mascot. Wits were playing against Black Leopard and I stood up reputation. I also like the way that the team plays. I feel that, to speak to the fourth offi cial. I indicated that I wanted to play although they have been winning their matches, they have not too and that he should put me in as a player. He played along been playing really well. It may be because they have a new and held up his number board to signal me onto the grounds. coach. Th e crowd went wild and I think that it was at that particular moment that I stood out. Do you have a girlfriend and what does she think about your being a mascot? Yes I do have a girlfriend. She is very supportive and says that she is very proud of me. She believes in me.

What do you want to be when you grow up? I would like to become a famous politician.

Why? No valid reason, I just like politics. I think that Zuma should become president also because he is a great politician and worked really hard to get to where he is. He has never been found guilty of anything and therefore I do not think that he should be excluded from potential presidency. I think that he will be great at running the country.

What are the perks of being a mascot and what does it entail? I get to travel with the team and attend all the games for free. Th ey ask for my input and I am not afraid to give it to them. I wear the outfi t. I sing and, though I am not such a great dancer. I dance too, I know all the steps to the routines.

What is your favorite food? (Laughing) Rice and chicken and my favourite colour is black. VUVUZELA, October 5, 2007 7 ARTS An un-poetic thing to say... ERICA DREIJER agree with what they say, we are moving meant to make a living from this art form if EGOS were bruised when Julius “Makweru” backwards,” said Mphutlane Wa Bofelo, they did not focus on an audience. Moeletsi from Yfm commented that there well-known slam-poet and one of the Younger poets in the audience stated they was a lot of bad poetry out there today, and panel members. were still committed to the art form which that it needed to be vetted before he would In his opening address, Alan Hobitz, helped artists to speak out against social consider putting it on his radio show. another panel member, said that during wrongs, but they struggled to accept that Moeletsi was speaking out at Arts the struggle there was “no phenomenon one could not really make a living from it. Alive’s Tradition through Rendition poetry of a mass audience. Poetry was an isolated “Art or poetry has never been a reliable workshop last weekend on the topic: “How and marginalised art form.” It wasn’t just source of income, but a way of living,” poetry has been used in the past as the “art for art’s sake”, but rather a case of poets Bofelo replied. voice of the people” which mainly focused being “socially committed to art”. To be sustainable, artists needed to create on the struggle years. “Underground poetry helps to question a community through “solidarity of other Moeletsi went on: “If you want to be on society. But today it often happens that the artists”. Th is “association I belong to will Yfm, you need to be good. When you want point becomes the mic, to take the stage,” buy my new book”, visiting shows and “a to compete, you are opening yourself to Bofelo said. collaboration of eff orts, skills and expertise” judgment.” He warned: “Don’t be hungry for the will be used to help each other. An audience member retorted: “We are stage or for the mic – you will be exploited Th e workshop was facilitated by ex- on a learning curve, we are all learning, it’s by capitalism. Write for an audience and Skeem kwaito artist Teba Shumba. POETRY IN MOTION: Samm Farai Monro aka Comrade Fasto making fun a spiritual journey. Who are you to judge you will no longer question society.” Th andeka “Nkqo” Vabaza – aka “Knock, of the situation in Zimbabwe and Gcina Mhlope entertaining audiences at us?” He was challenged by an audience knock” - a well-known poet who raps in the Market Theatre. Photo courtesy: Sydelle Smith “By shooting people down when we don’t member wanting to know how poets were Xhosa was also on the panel. Romeo wherefor art thou? ERICA DREIJER WITH family murders on the increase, Romeo and Juliet could read like just another day in Jozi. Students at Wits School of Arts are currently hosting this classic with a modern-day twist at the Wits Amphitheatre. It takes a look at: What are the circumstances that divide us as Mzansizens today? Th e scene is set by a backstreet fl oozie – fi shnet stockings, scarlet lips and boobs popping out of her clothes - and goes on to depict modern-day issues: absent parents, gangster life, mixed relationships and illiteracy. Romeo is a modern-day lover in combat pants, tattoos and dreads. Th e play also tries to show us the confl ict teenagers face. It looks at “identity, family and social bonds to the legacies of the past, which ring very true in today’s Mzansi,” the brochure explained. Timeless evils like envy, forbidden love and long-standing bad blood continue to bring about tragedy. “Never was there a tale of more woe than that of Juliet and her Romeo.” Th e play was directed by part-time Wits tutor, Warona Sean - known for her performances in TV programmes like 90 Plein Street, Justice for All and Home Aff airs (recently nominated for an Emmy) – and choreographed by Khathala Knomo. Th e play runs from October 2 to 13 begins at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.computicket.com or www. KNOCK, KNOCK: Thandeka “Nkqo” Vabaza, begged audiences to allow him to stay strictlyticktets.com. Th ey cost R56.50 (full price) and R35.50 (for Wits staff , pensioners, students and block bookings of at the Poetry Session, Friday night at the Market Theatre. ten or more). For more details, contact Catherine Pisanti at [email protected] or 011 717 1376. Photo courtesy: Sydelle Smith WHAT’S ON

ARTS EXHIBITIONS

ROMEO AND JULIET. A ARCHITECTS DRAWINGS. A classic with a modern spin. Wits range of drawings undertaken by Dirk Amphitheatre. October 2 to 13 Bahmann, Th orsten Deckler, Peta de at 7.30pm. Tickets R56.50 and Jager, Heather Dodd, Leon Krige, Silvio R35.50. Rech and Colin Savage, curated by Sally Gaule. School of Architecture & IN-BE-TWEEN. An Planning. Fassler Gallery-John Moff at interdisciplinary production that Building. Running until October 30 explores literal and metaphorical from 9am to 4.30pm. spaces of transition and the potential they hold for change. At Wits West UBUNTU. Discover a world in a Campus. October 8 to 20 at 7.30pm. compost heap, plants with a taste for Tickets R56.50 and R35.50. meat, animals that have algal symbionts that allow them to use the suns energy TOUCH. A Physical Th eatre work more directly. Oppenheimer Life which explores a nexus of issues Sciences Buildings October 10 to 14 around ‘touch’ in contemporary city from 9am to 4pm on weekdays and life. At Wits Th eatre. October 9 to 10am to 4pm weekends. 20 at 7.30pm. WORD FORMS AND LANGUAGE INJE JUST US. A musical revue. SHAPES. An exhibition by Willem Wits amphitheatre. 0ctober 11 to 20 Boshoff . Standard Bank Gallery, cnr at 7.30pm. Tickets R10. Simmonds and Frederick streets. Every weekday from 8am to 4.30pm and EVENTS Saturdays 9am to 1pm.

MANDELA SCIENCE LECTURE. PARTIES “Why Viruses Continue to Th reaten our Lives” by Nobel Laureate David Baltimore. Wits Great Hall. Today CHRISTOS ALBUM LAUNCH. Deep at 12pm. Soul Sessions present the Channel O House Explosion 2- DJ Christos, MASKED DANCES AND SECRET Dj Vinny da Vinci will be playing. SOCIETIES IN CENTRAL Zambezi Lounge, Louise Botha AFRICA seminar by Ben Smith. Avenue. October 6. Tickets R60 Origins Centre October 9 at 6pm. before midnight and R80 after. Dress code: smart (no sports wear) NIGHT UNDER THE STARS. CAF brings you the closing function. THE BEST OF LEVIS VINTAGE Hotel Devonshire, Jorissen street SUNDAYS. Perfomances by Zubs, next to Debonairs. October 12 at Lira, Arno Carstens & Albert Frost, 6pm. Cost R50 CAF members and Tidal Waves and DJ Kenzhero. non members R70. Contact Athi on Bassline, Newtown. Doors open at 072 651 8200 8pm. Tickets R50. DDAY VUVUZELA Th e Clever Boys are set to take on Jomo Cosmos in South Africa’s richest Knockout competition, the Telkom Challenge. Th e must win encounter will be held at BidVest Wits stadium today, Friday at 8pm in what promises to be an entertaining encounter. SportFriday, Octobers 5, 2007 Smart Wits athletes shine Rugby season LENYARO SELLO Matshikwe WITS athletes swapped their for cricket; tracksuits for smart evening wear Allerdyce Fulton and showed that they could rock off and Natasha the fi eld as well as on at the Sports Glassford for woes Awards Dinner 2007 at Sturock Hall gymnastics; Ryan on Wednesday evening. King for karate; JUMA FORD Th e most prestigious awards of Emma Boyd for THE RUGBY season came to an end the evening, Sportswoman and mountain: and on Th ursday night with the regional Sportsman of the Year, went to Odette Jeremy Holcroft, competition fi nals. Richard for gymnastics and Andrew Brennan Th e regional competition was Polasek for rowing. Robinson and created after the league ended. Th e Richard has been ranked number Derrick Robinson fi nals were between the Pirates and one in Africa and South Africa. She for yachting. Southern Warriors, which is made won fi ve gold medals at the SASSU Oteng Tlapeng up of Wits, union rugby club and Gymnastics Tournament and was from table tennis the police rugby club. Pirates won selected to represent South Africa won the Sports 28-18. at the World Student Games in Administrators Southern Warriors was given a Th ailand. Award. Th e diffi cult game. Th ere was a lot of foul Polasek was fi rst in the South African Meritorious play and they wasted opportunities and Gauteng Senior Lightweight Service Awards with poor ball-handling. However, Sculls event and in the Victoria Lake saw boat athletes one positive for the Southern Senior Lightweight Sculls event. He Bronwyn Jackson Warriors was the excellent was also selected to represent South and Sean Kerr performance by both their fl anks, Africa at the Rowing World Cup in shine, as well as captain Grant Mitchell and Charlie Austria. Irene Mansour Hodgson. Th ere were only fi ve Wits Th e awards were presented by ex- and Conan Olivier players in the senior squad. Witsie and former midfi elder for (administration), Charles Kirsten, head of the rugby the South Africa National Women’s Kelly-Anne department, was not impressed with Football Team (Banyana Banyana), Robertson the regional competition. He said Lydia Monyepao. Monyepao chairs (mountain), that it was extremely unorganized the Soweto Ladies Football Club and Oteng Tlapeng and cut the session short for the is currently an accountant for the 2010 (table tennis) lower division teams because of all World Cup Organising Committee. and Doug Wood the confusion. Full Blue Awards - recognition (golf). Sports man and Sportswoman of the year Andrew Polasek and Odette Richard with Lydia Monyepao “(Th e regional competition) for exceptional achievement, Th e Mel Siff Photograph by Lenyaro Sello was just irritating for most of the performance and commitment in Sportsmanship clubs. No one knew what was going Wits sports - were presented to Gisella Trophy went to Zain Fredericks in of the Wits Sports Council Kathryn harder and keep the passion.” on. Hopefully next year it will be Bascelli, Katie Lambert, Claudia cricket. Robison gave the athletes words to Th e honoured guests were treated fi xed,” he said. Hazelwood and Andrew Polasek for Th e Boat Club scooped the Sports live by in their quest to be the best to a night of glitz and glamour and Next year’s pre-season begins on boat; Wayne Josselsohn and Pumelela Club of the Year Award. Chairperson in what they do: “Train hard, party they truly know how to get down. January 15. Stumped by rain

ERICA DREIJER Russel Tindale and Kirkland almost WITS’ league cricket match against got a partnership going, but an Old Parktonians ended in a draw last expansive shot by Kirkland made him Sunday, when the game was called off pay for it with his wicket. due to bad light. Captain Neil Whinspear and Tindale A practice came to a halt the got a good partnership going before Th ursday prior to the match, as a Tindale was bowled out for 42. result of heavy rain. And when players Whinspear and coach-player Aldo arrived at Old Parktonians for the van den Berg were at the wicket with match, they were met with a green only 22 overs to go and needing 120 wicket and wet outfi eld. runs. Whinspear played a match- Croxley Wits won the toss and had winning inning before he was bowled to bowl fi rst. Inconsistency in our out for 72. play and fi ve drop catches allowed Th e umpires called the game off Old Parktonians to reach 228 before with only seven overs to go. being bowled out. Upcoming fi xtures: Just as Wits came in to bat, the rain Croxley Wits Saturday four against came down, forcing players to wait 35 Old Maristonians at JCE Educational minutes for it to clear. Th is resulted in Campus, from 1pm. the loss of seven valuable overs. Croxley Wits will be playing Soweto Matt Benton and Andrew Kirkland at the Elkah stadium in Soweto on got Croxley Wits’ innings underway, Sunday at 9am. but three overs in, Benton fell to a Wits’ second team against Randburg poor shot. in Randburg on Sunday at 9am.

IF you can’t get Chuck Norris to walk you home, a self-defence seminar might be useful. You won’t be taught the Norris round-house kick, but self defense expert, Pierre Jordaan, will introduce you to many useful karate techniques to help you feel safer in Jozi.The Wits karate club will be hosting a self defence seminar in the Old Mutual Sports Hall on Thursday, October 11 from 6pm to 8pm. Tickets are available during lunch hours at the Sports Hall. For more information contact Ryan at 083 245 4237 or Tasha 083 411 4014. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY STUDENTS OF THE Friday, October 12, 2007 WITSVUVJOURNALISM UAND MEDIA STUDIESZ PROGRAMMEELA

STRIP TEASE AT KNOCKANDO 2 PROTEST VICTIM SPEAKS OUT 4 CONQUER YOUR FEARS 5 THE DARK SIDE OF SOCCER 8 Wits changes ERICA DREIJER plans have been submitted to complete WITS’ campus is set to undergo a large the fourth quadrant of the Chamber of metamorphosis in the next three years when Mines building. management is planning to spend R351 million Th e total budget allocated to create to upgrade university facilities, mainly for science, the new undergraduate science facility is engineering and technology. R178 million. It “is the biggest initiative” Part of the money comes from a R205 million that Wits will be attempting, and it grant that the Department of Education (DoE) has will help to increase capacity for SET agreed to give to Wits. students, Ballim explained. Th e grant forms part of the DoE’s drive to “We haven’t quite thought where we improve education in the country by ensuring that will be putting this building. One of the more people will have an opportunity to receive a ideas, which I happen to like, is to put up university education. a building up on Jorissen street [where Professor Yunus Ballim, Vice Chancellor of the parking lot currently is] with a walk- Education, explained to Vuvuzela that the money way across to Senate House. Science was earmarked to help Wits “grow the Wits needs to stay on the main campus student population to 28 000 by 2010”. Currently, – the cluster and facilities are here,” he around 25 000 students enrol at Wits each year, continued. Th e new building would but in order to grow, additional facilities were include four levels of parking space below ZEAL-OUS AFTER BEING SACKED: Suspended SRC member Zandile Dladla. See full story on page 3. required. four levels of classrooms and laboratories. Photo: Phakamisa Ndzamela Wits had an obligation to “produce graduates By completing the Chamber of Mines that can bring about change in the world they work building, and upgrading teaching in, by seeing things in new ways. Students must facilities, Ballim aims to create “the best imperative on us to improve throughputs [i.e. circumstances will we receive this money and leave here with values and a positive infl uence on undergraduate facility for engineering available pass rates], and this will help to address this issue. spend it on other things”. the world they live in,” Ballim said. in South Africa.” R70 million has been budgeted Th e money may be spent on tutors or lecturers In due time, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Loyiso Focus areas for management are the current for this project, of which R42 million will be for or on software to help teach better, but it’s about Nongxa, will also be announcing two other skills shortages in science, engineering and adding the new wing and the remainder will be improved teaching and learning support,” Ballim initiatives that Wits is planning, that will help technology (SET) disciplines. Improving the spent on improving the facilities. explained. the university with this step-up, Ballim said. facilities available to teach subjects in these fi elds In addition, management has proposed to extend In order to qualify for the grant from the DoE, “What this means is that governance and will allow management to meet the criteria set by the FNB building on West Campus – which is management needed to agree to strict criteria senior project management is going to government for addressing these shortages. currently used as lecture halls for undergraduate by the minister relating to the university’s become important for these initiatives; this As part of the DoE’s mandate, Wits needs to make engineering – by building two extra lecture halls undergraduate and post-graduate breakdown (i.e. is not a task that we can do here. We are sure that a healthy balance is maintained between that will be able to seat 450 and 350 students, 70% of students need to be at an undergraduate going to employ a high level position for a the enrolment of business and management and upgrading existing lecture halls and creating more level), growing the student population, the “shape” capital programme manager that will get total humanities students in relation to SET fi elds. seminar and tutorial rooms. of the university with regard to the numbers of oversight on all our new projects and make Th e main thrust that the money will be used for “Our plans are already approved, and we can students enrolled into diff erent disciplines and sure the fi nancial governance is hygienic and includes upgrading and building new teaching start immediately; in fact, we will start turning soil improving pass rates. All these factors have been everything is properly reported to donors, to venues to allow more students into lecture in November,” Ballim said. taken into consideration in allocating resources. the Department of Education, to council and halls, improving teaching facilities by upgrading Other plans include improving teaching support Th e remainder of the funds will be coming from our senior executive team. laboratories and computer facilities and creating by spending R16 million over the next three years, donations and other money available to Wits. “Th e proper procedures are in place. We are additional teaching support. to help students deal with academic demands for Ballim told Vuvuzela that the university “will not giving work to our family members or to Structural changes planned include building post-graduate studies. ring-fence every cent of the interest we earn on our friends with good connections. a new undergraduate science building to help “We also want to increase the teaching facilities, this money [from the DoE] so that the interest “All that has to be above board,” he increase capacity for SET students. In addition, the minister [Naledi Pandor] has put an important is also spent on these projects, so under no concluded.

VISIT US AT WWW.VUVUZELAONLINE.COM 2 VUVUZELA, October 12, 2007 NE WS Debaters return to World Champs

SEAN RITCHIE Th e team is also planning to have some fun during their stay in Th ailand. Once the competition is over WITS DEBATERS will be jetting off this December to several members of the team intend to spend some time compete in the World University Debating Championships backpacking around Asia before they return to South after being absent from the competition for several years. Africa. From December 26 to January 5 the team will be competing Zweli says he is looking forward to the experience of against universities from across the planet. “Worlds” as well as travelling to Lagos and Cambodia. “I Joe Roussos, president of the Wits Debating Union, says need to look up where those places are,” he quips. that the trip will be a debating and personal highlight for the Traditionally the world championship is dominated eight Witsies who will be travelling to Assumption University by universities like Oxford and Cambridge. “Oxford in Bangkok. Debating has a building as big as Wartenweiler Library,” “We are very excited now that it’s actually happening. It Roussos comments. seemed for a while that we might not get there, but now we He continues, “You can’t really compete with them; have our plane tickets and registration numbers.” debating is an institution up there.” Th e Debating Union will be sending three teams of two Th e team’s personal aims are to make it through the people and two adjudicators to the world championships. knockout rounds and be the highest placed South According to Roussos “you need a good balance” in the team NO ASSUMPTIONS: These eight people will be representing the Wits Debating Union African team, for which Roussos rates their chances as so there is a mix of younger and older students with one fi rst at the World University Debating Championships in December. Photo: Sean Ritchie“promising”. year and three second year students. competition. Locally, although they didn’t make it into the fi nals last Th e team heading to Bangkok are debators Richard Stupart, He says they fi rst attempted to get private funding through year, Wits is usually one of the top four universities competing in Johnathan Haenen, Joe Roussos, Philip Williams, Alexander companies but ended up having to cover most of the R90 000 bill the national debating competition. Sloan, Zweli Makgalemele and adjudicators Samantha Rothbart themselves. Rothbart says, “Th ere is a friendly rivalry amongst the and Gergana Givanova.Roussos speaks warily of the trouble the Th e fi nal part of the bill was covered with a donation from a universities. We push each other to do better.” Debating Union had securing the funds needed to get to the source who wished to remain anonymous. Researchers chairing for Wits Knockando reveals all research level, as it correlates with “Chairs are given to the best FARHANA ISMAIL controlled and campus control and ERICA DREIJER fi nancial growth in the economy.” proposals. And it is up to us to make Melsan security (an outside security Most funding from government sure that we put in exciting and viable Residence life does have its perks - company based at the education WITH a minimum annual boost of at is generated from two sources, chairs. Th e best university wins,” or its drawbacks, depending on how campus) is there to oversee least R30 million for research for the she explained. Th e Department of Bozzoli said. you look at it. everything.” next fi ve years, Wits is set to remain Education is the biggest source of To win a chair, it helps to have an Th e girls who live at the Highfi eld Molefe stressed that even the top of its game.Wits has been awarded income; in addition, universities get already strong research component. Cluster residences on Wits education Assistant Registrars of Knockando 12 research chairs out of a total of their funding from the Department “Quality attracts quality,” she said. campus couldn’t help but look, as a and Highfi eld Cluster, Nazeem 51 released by the government to of Science and Technology (DST), Th e eight new chairs awarded to Wits bunch of dancing and singing male Randera and Lydia Sekati put in an encourage local economic growth. which mainly focuses on research in include: Professor Bruce A Bassett students did a strip show for them appearance to ensure nothing went “I think it is actually a very good developing countries. (Research Chair in Th eoretical on Tuesday night. wrong. initiative. It will help us to train Each chair is worth R2.5 million Particle Cosmology); Professor After a few drinks, approximately “Th ere have been no reports of people at the highest level and gives a year for fi ve years. Th is period is Maureen Coetzee (Research Chair 100 young men from Knockando assault and there are no incidents us access to knowledge to allow us renewable for an additional 10 or 15 in Medical Entomology and Vector residence in Parktown walked the except that the students are having to participate as global players. It years.“By government investing in Control); Professor Robert de Mello short distance to the education fun,” he stressed. allows us to get access to the highest universities by giving out research Koch (Research Chair in Fundamental campus and stripped, in what He admitted that seeing the technologies and an understanding of chairs, [it] gives universities enough Physics and String Th eory); Professor has become known as the annual students in their birthday suits was how they work at a worldwide level,” time and money to do the research, and Heinrich W Dirr (Research Chair in “knock-strip”. funny. “Some are half dressed and said Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, the research also gives the university Protein Biochemistry and Structural “Th e guys usually wear lab some strip right down. Many wear who holds the chair for Intelligent a big advantage,” Bozzoli said.Th e Biology); Professor Christopher coats and aprons with nothing on masks so you can see everything Systems at Wits. government is planning to extend the S Henshilwood (Research Chair underneath,” said a Knockando except their faces. Th is way the girls “Th ere’s a saying that if you want to number of research chairs available in in the Origins of Modern Human resident who refused to be named. don’t recognise them in lectures the look at a country’s potential to grow, the country to 210 by 2010. Th e next Behaviour); Dr Shabir Ahmed “When they get there they strip next day,” he said. you need to look at the number of round for applications will start in the Madhi (Research Chair in Vaccine outside the residences. Th e girls lock While Vuvuzela was going to masters and PhD students … coming next couple of months. Preventable Diseases); Professor themselves in, peep out through the print, reporters received an email through,” Marwala said. Currently, To date two rounds of applications Helder Marques (Research Chair windows and take photos.” exhorting them not to use any Wits’ composition of post-graduate for research chairs have taken place. in Bio-Inorganic Chemistry) and He said the “knock-strip” was photographs they might have students is at 30%, but the long-term During the fi rst round, the government Professor Viness Pillay (Research organised between the respective received of their butt-naked selves. plan is to increase it to 50% of the agreed to fund 20 chairs and during Chair in Pharmaceutical Biomaterials house committees of Knockando “If you received any photographs, total student population. the next round an additional 31 and Polymer-Engineered Drug and the three Highfi eld Cluster please may you kindly blur the faces It’s not unheard of in other parts chairs were established.Marwala was Delivery Technologies). residences - Girton, Medhurst and of our resident students in respect of the world, said Professor Belinda one of four researchers at Wits who And the previous four chairs include: Reith. of their privacy as this is a secret Bozzoli, Vice Chancellor for Research. qualifi ed during the fi rst round, and Professor Phil Bonner (Local Histories “Th e girl’s res’s are well aware of Knockando tradition that takes “Canada is one of the other countries an additional eight researchers from and Present Realities); Professor RJ what is going to be happening. Th ey place every year.” that also have a chairs programme. Wits were awarded chairs during the Durrheim (Exploration, Earthquakes don’t have a problem with it,” he We’ve got news for Knockando. It’s It gives universities a big injection of second round. and Mining Seismology); Professor said. not so secret. And sadly, Vuvuzela research money.” Th e main focus is on engineering Diane Hildebrandt (Sustainable Lewis Molefe, accommodation didn’t receive any pictures. But “Universities need a fi nancial boost, and the health sciences, but Wits was Process Engineering) and Professor offi cer of Highfi eld Cluster, said: please note, we’ll gratefully receive as the government is not funding also awarded a chair in history and Tshilidzi Marwala (Intelligent “It’s a tradition that has gone on for any private Knockando privates, us properly. Th ey want to fund at a humanities. Systems). over 30 years. Th e students are well captured on cell phone camera. 6 VUVUZELA, October 12, 2007 FEA TU RE S Creepy crawly get-together Rocking to a good cause SEBABATSO MOSAMO ERICA DREIJER them to move from one stall to TWO Witsies are members of a 14-week- SIMULATING a mini-earthquake the next. old band that is already making waves. was only one of the “cool” At most stalls, visitors had the Saving Jessica (SJ) performed at Tanz Café experiences that those visiting opportunity to interact with the in Bryanston on Tuesday night. this year’s Yebo Gogga exhibition displays. Th e fi ve-man band was formed three and could experience. For the brave Melissa Hier, a half months ago for a cause, to save a 15- Th e exhibition, called Ubuntu in it was a delightful experience month-old girl called Jessica suff ering from Nature, is all about how humans, overcoming her fear of scorpions, neuroblastoma, a cancer that forms on the animals and plants “should when she held one and learned nerve tissue and can aff ect the kidneys, the learn to live in partnership with that not all scorpions are neck, the chest or the spinal cord. each other”, explained Professor dangerous. “It started off as a benefi t concert to Marcus Byrne of the School of “I was so scared. I thought it raise money for the Childhood Cancer Animal, Plants and Environmental was going to sting me. It’s the Foundation (CHOC) and Jessica,” said Peter Sciences (APES). fi rst time I ever held a scorpion. Klein, bass guitarist for the band – and the Organisers estimate that I didn’t even feel afraid,” she rest, as they say, is history. between 6 000 and 8 000 people boasted. Th ey have been working with CHOC to SAVING JESSICA: Viwe Ngubegusha, Jason will be coming to see the Children were told about the raise awareness and support for cancer. Beck, Siphiwe Sax, Peter Klein, Cue Bogatsu. exhibition this year. value of a dung ball –that it does Th is unique band is made up of fi ve young Photo: Sebabatso Mosamo On the fi rst day, about 650 not only serve as food or a place men with diff erent musical backgrounds children from 12 schools all for dung beetles to lay their eggs, to form a dynamic sound. Band members by what we call rock. around Johannesburg came to see but that male beetles also use are Jason Beck on lead guitar and vocals, “It is a fusion, it’s got diff erent elements the exhibition. it as a courtship gift (much like TRUSSSST ME: A Scared Summit Siphiwe Sax on drums and vocals, Viwe that aren’t absorbed by the other elements,” “Some schools made a day of it humans use roses or chocolates!). S-College Student S-hold-S a Slimy Ngubegusha, acoustic and vocals, Cue said Bogatsu. by visiting the exhibition, Origins Bronwyn and Bridgette da Snake. Photo : Erica Dreijer Bogatsu the producer and of course our very Th e band has been enjoying the fruits of Centre and the planetarium,” said Costa “loved the baby owl. It’s so own in-house bass guitarist Peter Klein. their labour since they hit the music scene Alistair Hay, a second year APES cute and fl uff y. We love it most,” “I also like snakes. I just wish Klein is a third year Mechanical in July. student. they said. they would rather be vegetarians,” Engineering student at Wits and has been After seeing SJ for the fi rst time, Kids enjoyed each exhibition so Unfortunately the cockroach said Hay. playing the bass guitar for eight years. He businessman Chris Boberk donated R2 000 much that it was diffi cult to get race didn’t take place on Vuvuzela also learned that also dabbles in “a very, very little bit of the to the band and CHOC. “Th ere is a cause Wednesday, as “they are people tend to confuse violin piano. It’s always nice to be part of a cause,” that needs help and I am prepared to help,” Madagascar Hissing cockroaches, and sac spiders, but that they are he said. he said. which are extremely laid back. equally dangerous as “both release Gareth Russell, who calls himself the Th e band’s most popular song, the CHOC I will see if I can persuade my cytotoxic venom that attack skin “operations director” for SJ, takes care of song, will be hitting the airwaves soon, said roaches to race or alternatively I cells and tissue, whilst button the band’s technical needs, such as ensuring Klein. “We all got together in Sax’s garage will need to use crickets,” exhibitor spiders release neurotoxic venom that all the equipment is ready and in tune. one day to write a song for CHOC and it all Donald McCallum explained. which is easier to treat,” exhibitor He is doing his fi fth year in architecture just came together,” he said. “It is defi nitely Jason Damerel loved the snake Ruan Lambrecht explained. at Wits and was featured for the fi rst time our most popular song by far. It is our main exhibition. He even dragged all For those interested in attending on set with the band on acoustic guitar. He song and it is what we are about.” his friends along to come and see the exhibition, it is hosted at blended in very well on stage, and despite a “It is a message that needs to be conveyed them. the Life Sciences Museum and few blunders, the band recovered like from the child and the parent’s point of view “Th ey’re just cool creatures. I Oppenheimer Life Sciences professionals and the crowd agreed. as they are the most aff ected,” said Sax. guess they are misunderstood, Building and will be running until Asked to describe their sound, Beck and For more information on the Saving EATING OUT OF YOUR HAND: Feel that’s what they are,” he said. But 4pm on Sunday. Access is free. Sax responded: “It is a South African fusion Jessica Project log on to www.facebook. the fear and do it anyway. then again, he keeps them as For more information contact of hip-hop and R&B while still infl uenced com and join the group. Photo: Erica Dreijer pets. Cheryl or Nelly at 011 717 6470. Full steam ahead MELISSA DOUMAN JCE RES students who spent three months in the dark and had to take cold showers throughout winter are back in hot water. It was reported in the 17th August edition of Vuvuzela that JCE was experiencing a three month long, hot water shortage. But now, according to an email sent by Emmanuel Prinsloo, Director of Property, Infrastructure and Management Division (PIMD) at Wits, four of eight backup gas boilers are up and running. Th e additional four backup gas boilers are anticipated to be up and running by the end of October. Th ese will in future provide a hot water supply to the residences in the event of a steam supply failure from the Johannesburg General Hospital boiler system. A failure of the system at the Joburg Gen was the root of the hot water shortage at JCE. As for the electricity shortage, students say that they still suff er blackouts from time to time, but these blackouts have been controlled to the fl oor where electricity use is unacceptably high. Th is control has ensured that the three residences do not spend nights in the dark. “I am so glad that it has been sorted out. I don’t think that I can handle studying by candlelight for my fi nal exams,” said a JCE res student. Th e June exams proved to be a very diffi cult period for these students who had to study in the cold and dark. Fashion doesn’t melt VUVU VENA garments together from scratch. BARNATO Residence enjoyed their Due to the short notice of the Barnato third annual fashion show on Saturday, fashion show, Mashile said, “We used despite the rain. items that we had already made, some With free entrance, Barnato residents from the Wits Fashion Society and and other students came out for the others from customers.” night, even though the venue had to be Mashile said that the fashion show moved indoors due to the weather. served to expose them to the Wits Th e models were dressed by G10 in community, especially West Campus, men’s suits, by Callaghan in cocktail but she doubts it went beyond Wits. dresses, and by other fashion houses, Due to time constraints, trying to including Studio 88, Hip Hop and juggle their passion for fashion with Cameroon. their fi nal year studies, they do not Th e Barnato house committee advertise their designs. People fi nd out approached fellow residents to put about them by word of mouth. together this year’s fashion show. However for Mashile, if an opportunity Th is organising committee was made to study fashion designing arose, she up of Babhekile Khusi, Babalwa would grab it with her ambitions of Xego, Rorisang Lebethe and Portia becoming the best designer in South Malemane. Africa. “We invited up and coming designers,” Th e catwalk was paraded by 15 said Khusi, “three from Pretoria, two models, male and female, from from Gandhi Square and two from Barnato, Sunnyside and Men’s Res. Wits.” Th ey underwent serious training from Th e two Wits designers were Brigette a Barnato resident before the event. Mashile and Lindelwa Mbebe, who are “It started off badly with the rain and both studying for a BCom. With hardly everything was delayed. But it was a any training, they both design and put success,” said Khusi. PLAYING WITH WATER VUVUZELA Come splash out and support fellow Witsies as they participate in the Water Polo League at the pool on East Campus by the Matrix on Saturday October 13 at 1pm.

SporFriday,t Octobers 12, 2007 The fighting spirit of Wits soccer JUMA FORD “It was not soccer related,” said was suspended because they thought SELLO SELEBI AND JUMA FORD Bidvest Wits Sports Offi cer for DON’T bother to wait for the next Mr Cruz. “It was a culmination of the fi ght was over soccer issues. YOU could have sworn it was 1975 Football Dennis Tshabalala said season of Footballer’s Wives to see personal things that had fi nally reached After a meeting with Mr Cruz, when Jomo Sono dashed across the normally the players would be soccer players fi ghting on the pitch escalation.” Tshabalala said “his suspension was sidelines of the Milpark Stadium as if escorted by security guards, but this over issues totally unrelated to the Mr Cruz said he wished to remain upheld till we decide otherwise”. He to score one of his legendary goals. time there was only one guard. game. anonymous since the players were also said that the other player involved Only it was last Friday night and “Bra “But surely they overpowered [the Emotions boiled over right here at Wits currently involved in a court battle. in the incident was not suspended J”, as he is aff ectionately known, was guard],” said Tshabalala. last Monday night, after the semi-fi nal But he refused to comment on what because “he was the victim.” rushing to rescue his heir apparent, He was expecting the Premier of the Wits internal soccer league game it involved. Mr Cruz had hoped to overturn his who was involved in a scuffl e in the Soccer League to hand down its between FC Cruzeiro and Ron Burgundy, Both play in the midfi eld, which suspension because he also plays in the stadium tunnel. decision today after a disciplinary a team primarily made up of Wits cricket meant they were running at each student league. Th ey are not only in His son, Bamuza, who is Jomo hearing which was scheduled for players. other throughout the game. the provincial fi nals vs Tuts, but have Cosmos midfi elder, was on his way to yesterday. Th e Ron Burgundy team ended up Mr Cruz said his issue with Mr Burg qualifi ed for the nationals. He said he the change rooms after an off the ball Th e incident was the only blemish winning, but the real action, which was a source of inspiration at fi rst hated to miss out on those games for an incident with Bidvest Wits player Phil in an eff ective 2-1 victory for Cosmos had been simmering during the game, but, as the game wore on, it became issue unrelated to soccer. Evans. Th e referee Th abo Nkosi, after in the Telkom Knockout. Cosmos fi nally spilt over when play ended. more of a distraction. By the end of “Th e reason I was on the FC consulting with his assistants, gave opened the scoring after 62 minutes A fi rst year law student from the FC the game, all he could think about Cruzeiro team was because my both players their marching orders. with a deft header from the star Cruzeiro team, who wished to remain was the off -fi eld problems he had friends asked me to join the internal “Don’t fucken touch me,” young of the night, Anthony Laff or, who anonymous (Let’s call him Mr Cruz), with Mr Burg. However, he did say it league for the last few games.” Sono was seen uttering, in television netted twice. got into a fi ght with a player from Ron didn’t eff ect his physical play - just his He said the suspension had only reruns of the incident. Sono has been Ashraf Hendricks equalised for the Burgundy (Mr Burg). Mr Cruz would not concentration. compounded “the frustration that was included by Bafana Head Coach students a minute later. Laff or sealed reveal the other player’s name either. Mr Cruz was suspended after the already building up because of the legal Carlos Alberto Parreira for the the victory for Cosmos when he netted But unlike the Clever Boys fi ght, fi ght. But he met with Wits Sports battle and family issues”. showdown with Italy. from a Dikgang Mabalane pass. which originated in on-fi eld antics, Offi cer for Football Dennis Tshabalala, Asked who won the fi ght, he replied Th is was after several apparent Bidvest Wits next league home the issue between the two players was who witnessed the fi ght, on Wednesday with a “no comment”. attempts by Evans to reconcile, on game will be against Santos on personal. to plead his case. He said he was sure he their way to their early shower. Saturday the 27th.

Here come the bookies! JACKIE BISCHOF WOMEN are generally fi ckle sporting Kirsten believes France stands a creatures. Most of us (and I am grossly good chance of winning because they generalising here) would rather sit by are on home ground and have a point the bar in huddled (generally naughty) to prove. Th ey were also in the last conversation over gin and tonics while three semi-fi nals. “our men” scream their lungs out at So far, so good – I think I know what’s other men screaming their lungs out. going on. But then Kirsten lapses into rugby It’s not often that sporting competitions boy jargon. “To win the cup the Boks need bring groups of women away from to keep the ball with the forwards, and set intense discussion of profound topics up the fazes, or in order for the back line - religion, politics, sex, Desperate to score tries. We can’t have guys trying to Housewives. run it all by themselves (Francois Steyn). But as the rugby semi-finals approach this Th e Boks need just to do the basics weekend, it brings a tear to my eye to see the right and will be victorious.” integration of the sexes in front of the TV. Wow, looks like the boys are going to Beer cans cluster with gin bottles, Dunhill have to do a lot of explaining to me this Infinite Lights and Marlboro mix like happy weekend. members of a 60s communal family. Kirsten predicts that the Springboks As we sat around the TV last will beat Argentina in the semi-finals by a Saturday, watching New Zealand get margin of about 10 points, and will end up taken by France, I felt a satisfi ed glow playing in the final against France. as the women were happily accepted Mike Rowley, Wits’ Rugby Player of the into the fold (of the couch) and the Year is slightly less optimistic. He initially men beamed as they answered a bet on New Zealand to win the Cup, and variety of questions. feels that during the quarter-fi nal against UP THE BOKKE: Percy Montomery in SA vs Somoa, June 2007. Photo: Michel Bera, wkipedia.com As I’m a curious girl by nature, I learnt France “they were robbed... the referee a lot about the game on Saturday. For was shocking”. example, why the coaches all wear Rowley feels that Argentina have matching shirts when they watch a had a great World Cup, and stand Cricket cancelled game. What the “sinbin” is (I love that a chance to be in the fi nal. He adds ERICA DREIJER word), and what an up and under that most of the Argentinian players ONLY Croxley Wits’ third team managed kick is. I learnt that rugby is played play for French clubs, and so are to play cricket last weekend, when the other backwards, not forwards, and that technically on home ground. France scheduled matches were rained out. France has this huge Viking who would has been “temperamental” and he Croxley Wits came up against Old Eds in be better placed on a battlefi eld then a doubts they will be able to put on three a Sunday 1 League match that took place at rugby fi eld. consecutively good performances Wits. I have watched the World Cup – from quarters through to the fi nal. Old Eds batted fi rst and was bowled out for betting pools with interest (I have As for the Springboks, Mike sighs: 123 in 50 overs and Croxley Wits made 264/4 no money to part with, thankfully), “Th ey’ve been playing well, but they’ve when they batted. Good performances came and have found out it’s better to be also been lucky.” He agrees with Kirsten from Peter Vonya (35), Peter Bendixon (50), educated than, well, ignorant when that the Boks have not been playing as Michael Chilvers (70) and Bheki Ngulube (68). gambling. well as they could have. Th e opposition was sent in again but ran out If you haven’t caught onto the Rowley has put his money (figuratively of time and the Students could only manage a rugby mania, or haven’t placed of course - he probably lost it all in his New fi rst innings win. your bets yet, there’s still a chance. Zealand bet) on a France – South Africa Best bowlers for Wits were Brent Clark who I sought out the two main rugby final, with South Africa winning with took 4/23/10 and Chris Chilvers who took men on campus and asked them less then five points over the French. But 2/10/6. their opinions on the Springboks’ he warns: “The French are dangerous if Upcoming fi xtures for this weekend: performance so far, and who they they’re having a good day.” Saturday: predicted to win. While I’m not really a betting woman, Croxley Wits against Roodepoort City at Charles Kirsten, head of the Wits there is one thing that I’ll bet my money on Sturrock Park in a Saturday 4 League match. Rugby Club, believes the Springboks for this weekend and the next. That the last Sunday: could be doing better, and have “not thing the girls will be doing is engaging in Croxley Wits against Azad Swaraj Sporting shown their true potential as yet. intellectual conversation over a martini at at Progress Grounds in a Sunday 1 League We almost gave the game away to the sports bar. Instead, they’ll be right next to match. Fiji who were more motivated and their boys, showing their mettle as educated Croxley Wits against Jeppe at Sturrock hungrier to win.” rugby supporters. I certainly will be! Park in a Presidents League match. 2 VUVUZELA, October 19, 2007 NE WS Maths literacy eases SA Wits set to lose head educator shortage ERICA DREIJER wanted to do this.” research space for social sciences and SEBABATSO MOSAMO WITS will be losing Professor Price had applied for the deputy vice “wanted to do something diff erent”. THE UNIVERSITY-BASED Marang and Radmaste Centres are working Deborah Posel in two years’ time since chancellor position at Wits, which Th e vision was for it not to only be a together to provide educators with an Advanced Certifi cate in Education her husband has been appointed vice Professor Yunus Ballim got. space that did research, but one for (ACE) through math literacy classes.Th is initiative is aimed at addressing the chancellor at the University of Cape Price left Wits in July 2006 after intellectual debate and exchange, for shortage of maths and science teachers - a worldwide phenomenon. Town. his second term as dean came to research to become more “energised”. Th e ACE programme provides educators who are not qualifi ed in mathematics Posel’s husband, Dr Max Price, was an end, and has been working as an “It’s very sad in a way. WISER is my but received good marks in the subject with “re-skilling” in teaching the previous dean at the Faculty of independent consultant with the baby, it’s been very rewarding. mathematics.By giving these classes, the centre is fi nding a new and creative Health Sciences at Wits and will be Department of Education “I have had very exciting times here. way of dealing with the crisis. taking over as vice chancellor at UCT He served as dean for 10 years. I was privileged to start something “Th is is exciting. Anywhere where there is a problem, there is an opportunity,” when Professor Njabulo Ndebele’s And in his period as dean, “he and build it up,” she said. said Professor Jill Adler from the Marang Centre. “We think it has great term comes to an end in July 2008. oversaw a series of innovations” and WISER is well known on campus for potential to work.” Posel is the director of WISER changes in the Wits Health Sciences hosting discussions and conferences Adler and her colleagues Dr Mellony Graven and Dr Hamsa Venkat told and told Vuvuzela that she will Faculty that have allowed Wits’ on topical issues like crime, the eff ect Vuvuzela that there are only about seven students applying for an undergraduate only be leaving Wits after her son medical centre to maintain its position of HIV/Aids on society and political maths teaching degree. On the science front, there are also about the same matriculates. as one of the best in the country. and gender issues. number of students applying for a degree to teach the subject, said Dale Gundry, “I will stay at WISER until the end of Some of the projects spearheaded Posel describes it as a “space where from the science division of the Marang Centre. 2009, which gives us plenty of time to by Price include a major restructuring academics and practitioners can When applying for a Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, students have a plan for a new director,” she said of the medical curriculum, including engage”, that “brings the university choice of two subjects. Th e major subject is taken for four years and the other “I am very proud of him, it’s a great the introduction of a new Bachelor more forcefully into the public subject for two years.For those who take the math and science route, a majority achievement. of Health Sciences degree, a graduate sphere”. choose maths as their fi rst subject ahead of science. “People think math is “He’s an outsider to Cape Town and entry medical programme, the WISER attracts international easier,” she said.Th e low numbers are a result of various reasons, such as a lack UCT; the other two candidates were inauguration of the Wits Donald audiences as well as local audiences of fi nancial aid for students who want to become teachers, a lack of monetary both insiders… Gordon Medical Centre, and new and is open to the public as well as incentives for teachers and the heavy workload that teachers have to carry. “According to UCT they appointed academic programmes in rural health, students. “Th e payment scheme is not progressive even for those at the highest levels,” the best candidate. emergency medicine and others. “I often get asked by students if they said Gundry. “His deanship turned him on to Posel started WISER (Wits Institute are allowed to attend, and I want to “Salaries are not competitive. Student teachers go overseas to get a better senior management.” for Social and Economic Research) in extend an open invitation. salary,” said Meg Doidge, a biology and science education lecturer. And “on the strength of his July 2000. Every single WISER event is open to Adler and her colleagues say that the lowering of entrance requirements into experience as dean, he realised he Wits had identifi ed a gap to create a anyone that is interested,” she said. the profession will encourage more students to apply. “Th ere are fl exible ways of working with entrance requirements,” she said. Th rough the provision of good bursaries for those going into these professions more students will apply.Th ere is a recruitment drive to market teaching as a profession,” said Adler. “Th e BEd programme is excellent and we can produce more teachers than we currently are doing,” said Gundry. Th e School of Engineers hit the road Education unanimously believes that the country has the capacity to produce good quality teachers and solve the shortage. MELISSA DOUMAN “Of course we do, but it won’t happen without investment of resources and A TEAM of eight Mechanical Engineering students had the time of their lives this past weekend, when they patience. It will take some time,” said Adler. showed off and raced their model car. Th is is an annual competition that has been running for the past 12 years. Wits have taken part in the last eight. Th e aim of the competition is “basically, to put theoretical knowledge into practice, as well as learning how to work in a team,” said 2nd year and team captain, Adam Rossman. Th e guys said that the project was independent from their coursework and as a result they did not get funding from the university. “A car like this costs a minimum of R20 000 to build,” said Rossman. Th is year, they were sponsored by Th e Yellow Pages. It took a whole year to build. Mechanical Engineering lecturer, John Stires, and team leader Gerard Hamilton guided the team in building their model car. Th e race was held at the Geratek Testing Facilities which is close to Hartebeespoort. Universities and technikons from all over the country took part. Th ree teams from India came down to take part and in previous years, there were students from Delhi and Iran also taking part. Th e two day competition was divided into sections that gave points for design detail, breaks, manoeuverability, top speed and acceleration, traction pull and hill climb. It also included a four - hour race, around the track. Th e top cars managed something like 60 or so laps around the track in four hours. Th ey had to brave a tough terrain of muddy ditches, rocky slopes and lots of dirt. Chris De Saxe, also in 2nd year, was responsible for ergonomics (driver comfort and acceleration). He ensured that the rocky drive was as comfortable as possible. Th e car took poll position for having the top speed and quickest acceleration of 44 km/h. “It has been higher in previous years, where top speed reached 56km/h,” said Tim Hall who was responsible for steering, design and suspension. In the early part of the race, the Wits team managed to hold 2nd place but then started to experience steering problems and a bending plate. Th is caused them to have a pit stop every half hour. Th e result was that they only completed 20 laps. Top teams in the race completed around 60 laps in four hours. Rossman and David Berman worked on transmission and drive train of the car and Dylan Hemer, Nick Sim MEAN SPEED MACHINE: 4th year engineering student Gerard Hamilton driving Wits Car and John Hancock who also formed part of the team, worked on various aspects that had to do with building 29. Photo: courtesy John Stires VUVUZELA , October 19, 2007 3 NEWS

Mandela and Wits unite for kids

ERICA DREIJER million people, 19 children’s hospitals exist and since it is the economic and transportation hub for THE NELSON Mandela Children’s Fund is in Germany with a population of 82 million people South Africa and the SADC region and is the most discussions with Wits to build a children’s hospital has 20 children’s hospital, while the SADC region, densely populated province the country. in Gauteng. which is home to 283 million people, only has one In addition, Wits might also be involved as a In 2006 Nelson Mandela announced that based children’s hospital. landowner, since it “owns two of the four sites on the need for a dedicated children’s hospital, the Currently, there are only three children’s hospitals that have been identifi ed to build the hospital on”, children’s fund will be building a hospital that will in Africa: the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Ngwenya told Vuvuzela. be able to serve countries in the Southern African Cape Town and Th e Cairo University Specialized Th e sites owned by Wits include JCE in Parktown Development Community (SADC). Pediatric Hospital and Moniera Children’s and Frankenweld, which is next to the Marlboro Th e children’s fund is considering partnering with Hospital, both in Egypt. off -ramp on the N3. Other sites identifi ed include Wits, based on the university’s strength of being A need for a specialised children’s hospital is Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto “one of the leading assets in research, teaching and also driven by the fact that there is a diff erence and TMI adjacent to the Constitutional Court in capacity building for Africa’s development”, said between children’s health care needs and those of Parktown. Oupa Ngwenya, spokesperson for the fund. adults. According to Ngwenya, children require Pre-feasibility studies were completed at the end “Th ere’s a synergy between Wits’ medical health care that is responsive to and supportive of of 2006 and feasibility studies will be completed by school and the children’s hospital, especially in their physical and socio-psychological needs. December 2007. Th ese will provide direction on paediatrics,” said Professor Loyiso Nongxa, Vice A second children’s hospital in South Africa will the range of services provided, the size and location Chancellor and Principal of Wits. help to ease the burden of providing specialised of the hospital, the legal persona of the hospital “We see the academic value of a referral children’s child health care on the Red Cross and serve as a and issues regarding fi nancing the hospital. hospital and will be exploring with [the fund] what complementary service to the paediatric services At the moment, paediatric services under their needs are and what it would mean for the WORKING WITH WITS: Nelson Mandela off ered at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, consideration include: oncology, cardiothoracic, institution. But we are very keen to enter into a announced in 2006 that a children’s hospital is Coronation and the Johannesburg Academic pulmonary, endocrine, craniofacial, orthopaedic discussion,” said Nongxa. required in Gauteng. hospitals. and a transplant unit. In recent years, South Africa’s child health care Photo courtesy www.anc.org.za At the moment, discussions are still at a “feasibility Construction will start in 2010, Ngwenya demands have increased greatly due to an infl ux of level” but indications from the children’s fund are said. children from neighbouring countries. in South Africa but for children in SADC,” said that Wits is considered the “desired partner” from In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Our bodies A need was identifi ed for “a dedicated children’s Ngwenya. a training, education and research perspective. may give in to the force of age, but the dreams specialist referral hospital, not just for children In Australia, with a population of about 20 Gauteng was identifi ed as an appropriate area, that lie in our hearts may not retire.” HIV support on campus FARHANA ISMAIL counts the number of immune cells Minor side eff ects can include shown that having the HI virus need smoking. An unhealthy lifestyle speeds “HOW do I go about getting an HIV (lymphocytes) that help fi ght infection. dizziness, vomiting and pins and not be a death sentence. “It may not up the process of the virus,” she says. test,” asks the curly-haired Witsie as A normal CD4 count ranges from 1 100 needles. be easy when a person just fi nds out, Th e compromised immune system she approaches the assistant seated to about 800. Th e HI virus targets this “Despite those side eff ects, you need but it is possible to live with HIV,” says means that, each time a person feels sick, behind the desk at Campus Health in cell. Once the CD4 count reaches 200 or to adhere to the drug regimen,” she says. Sithole. they should “come in for a consultation the Matrix. less, a person has full blown Aids. “It is “After some time, these side eff ects may Students are advised to do everything and not ignore the illness. Counsellors and nurses at Campus then that ARV [Antiretroval] treatment gradually disappear.” possible to keep themselves healthy. “Being HIV positive also doesn’t mean Health are used to this question and is introduced,” says Sithole. During the counselling sessions at “I tell clients to cut out on junk food, that you cannot have sex. But always they are also happy to help. She says many students also return Campus Health, students are also drink lots of water, exercise, and no use protection.” “Most students who come for testing to Campus Health after the CD4 count to Campus Health are not positive - test for further counselling and support. only a small fraction is,” says Campus It is then that they receive information Health HIV/Aids counsellor Sister around treatment options and healthy Bongiwe Sithole. living.Th ey learn that ARV treatment is Sithole says Witsies are counselled not without its snags. from the moment they present for an Th e sign on the wall adjacent to the HIV test. door of Sithole’s offi ce lists diff erent During the pre-test counselling ARV drug regimens. Th e sign itself session, she asks her clients: “If you are highlights the complexities of ARV found to be positive, how will you deal treatment and diff erent regimens. with it? Who will you tell?” It states: “Anti-retroviral treatment Th e response is usually: “I’ll tell my guideline…. SA HAART regimens …. mother, I’ll tell my family” or “I’ll tell my ARV categories…..” partner”. Even in deciding which drug to use, “But others need to accept it fi rst the medical practitioner is faced with a and deal with it. Only then do they feel whole range of questions, says Dr MG strong enough to tell someone,” she Lamola,Resident Medical Offi ce. says. “We have to consider the side-eff ects, But once the test is done at Campus disease profi le, pregnancy status, access Health, Sithole may say to her client: to resources and other medication the “You are now positive. We need to person may be on. It has to be a well establish how far you have gone with thought out process.” this infection.” Once on an ARV regimen, there It is then that the student is referred to are still further considerations. Non- the Th embalethu Clinic at Helen Joseph compliance and non-adherence to Hospital for “further management” the drug regimen can result in drug if they are not on medical aid. “If a resistance and the patient no longer student has medical aid he or she can benefi ts from the medication, says see the private doctor practising at Sithole. “Th e problem is that, because Campus Health.” of the side eff ects, some people think: Th is “further management” involves ‘let me give myself a break’. Th is is when a cd4 count test. Th is is a test that drug resistance sets in.”

A VARIETY OF ANTI-RETROVIRALS: Treatment literacy is needed in ARV use. Photo courtesy www.whitehouse.gov 4 VUVUZELA, October 19, 2007

SLICE OF LIFE

A JOURNALISM AND MEDIA STUDIES PROJECT Driving me up the wall PRODUCED WITH THE SUPPORT OF MEDIA24. MY HUSBAND and I belong to a generation that is not scared to use Mbali is not Manto our mental powers, but shirk at the implications of having to use our IN LIGHT of the Mondli Makhanya, Jocelyn Maker and Manto Tshabalala hands. Msimang brouhaha, many comrades at Wits University have been saying that Do-It-Yourself is something you the Vuvuzela article on SRC president Mbali Hlophe is not diff erent from the watch other people do or, as is the Manto Tshabalala Msimang article published by the Sunday Times. case in James’ family, attempted with Some share the sentiment that just like Makhanya, who faces prosecution, a butter knife, cellotape and a piece of equally the two Vuvuzela journalists and whoever else is responsible should be string. arrested. Th is view stems from the comparison between Tshabalala’s medical Th us, things that normally help to records and Hlophe’s academic records, the common denominator being that turn a house into a home and give the former and the latter are personal. people the idea that someone actually For the record unlike the allegations of theft against the Sunday Times editor “lives” here, in our house gave the and its journalist, the two journalists from Vuvuzela never stole any academic impression that we had newly moved records. Not to mean that Makhanya and Maker stole the minister’s records. in, were moving out, or running some Further the two Vuvuzela journalists never handled any academic records of kind of “at home decorating store”. Hlophe. Th ey were given a convincing brief by a source in an inner circle. Th e We would wait for opportunities to Erica Dreijer next step was to confi rm with all the stakeholders aff ected and that’s how the turn unsuspecting house guests into story was cracked, fi nish and klaar. “handy-friends” by performing small - would overcome or collectively it Hilti (yes, we even have one of those!), What will always remain a mystery among many journalists is that the same tasks or, when things got out of hand, would overcome us. measuring tape, plaster (a handy hint people who attack the media are often our very close sources of information. James would resort to his favourite On Sunday morning early, I sowed from my mom that will apparently Th e very same people that attack the Mail and Guardian and Vuvuzela in the modus operandi: throwing money at my fi rst seed of “let’s just get on ensure that the walls won’t crack), context of Wits University are the same people that rush to newspaper stands on the problem - we would hire “Dial-a- with this” and by mid-morning had nails, ruler and stepladder. Friday to read what’s making headlines. Handyman” to create some order. motivated James into action with And so our journey across the Maybe it’s just because of eagerness to know and see whether the stories they Recently, after weeks of feeling as if “okay, let’s do this”. He was going to be mountain started. have leaked have made it to the front page. we were walking into a store and too the driver of nails into walls, after all. We jumped into the deep end by embarrassed to abuse another friend, One might be surprised to fi nd trying to align a set of three pictures, we decided that the time had come to out that a couple so averse to handy which except for being too high came To access Vuvuzela’s Code of Ethics, go to www.vuvuzelaonline.com. If you feel the code has been breached, please slay the DIY monster ourselves. work actually owns a perfectly “well- out perfectly. Gaining momentum, we bring this to the attention of the co-ordinator by emailing [email protected]. If the co-ordinator cannot Th e task of mounting pictures and rounded” and fully stocked toolbox moved on to simpler tasks requiring resolve the matter, it may be referred to the Board of Media Trustees for adjudication. mirrors that have been decorating the – but in our defence, that’s more for only a single nail procedure. Co-ordinator: Barbara Ludman fl oor for months lay like a mountain pretences and… to ensure we have House-proud and perfectly happy Editor: Phakamisa Ndzamela ahead of us. the right tools when calling on our that the task was behind us, we looked Production Editor: Lenyaro Sello Being procrastinators by nature, friends. around… It was over, and so easy… Contact Vuvuzela at 011-717-4088/2 or e-mail it was either something that we We hauled out the tools we have We have learned a valuable lesson: eat [email protected] collectively – as a newly wed couple seen others using before: a hammer, that monster, before it eats you! To advertise in Vuvuzela: Call James Archibald on (011)499-1497 or 084-600-5069, or email him at advertise@wildfi remedia.co.za For classifi ed advertising: Bring your classifi ed ad and R20 to Room 506, Richard Ward Building, East Campus. CAMPUS CELEB

MARY Tennat, a kick-ass violinist, is a fi rst-year BMus not appreciating what they have, what they love – ‘cause Zandile reinstated student. She made her way to the Dulcé in Senate House my friend is doing classes that she hates and every second to tell us why she became a musician, what she thinks you do that is a second wasted. PHAKAMISA NDZAMELA about music and the world and what all of you future ZANDILE Dladla has been reinstated as the outgoing media and publicity offi cer musicians need to do in order to make it in the business. What direction do you think South Africa is going of the Students’ Representative Council (SRC). And now Juma Ford presents the interview: in? She was removed from the SRC last week after sending a press release to I’m not sure, but I don’t think it’s going in the same way management, lecturers, students, media personalities and institutions. Why did you choose to play the violin? as Zim, and some other African countries. Th ings could SRC secretary-general Th embi Mabuza said Dladla had been reinstated on I don’t know. I was so young so I really can’t remember. be a lot worse. We’ve come so far, so we shouldn’t throw condition that she make a public apology through Vuvuzela, print posters on I don’t know, it just felt right. what we have achieved away and we can always achieve campus and write back to the people she had sent e-mails to. more. Mabuza said Dean of Students Prem Coopoo and the legal offi ce had questioned Why did you choose to go to Wits? whether the meeting that removed Dladla from offi ce constituted a quorum. SRC Because I got a scholarship and I’m from Joburg so it was What do you think about the recent protest at clubs and society offi cer Selaelo Modiba alleged she believed she was signing convenient – and Pretoria University accommodations school? an attendance register but discovered her signature was used in a campaign to are too expensive. I’m glad I came to Wits ‘cause Tuks is Protesting is fi ne. I don’t want fees to go up either, I pay remove Dladla. much more classical and I’ve learned so much here [at my own fees, but you should go about it in a positive way. Mabuza said in addition the meeting that removed Dladla had not been called Wits]. To go into the lectures and disrupt them is really selfi sh. I on three days’ advance notice, according to SRC procedures. think a lot of it was based on people being uninformed … Quizzed on why Dladla was removed she said “she was not clued up on things, What’s the best thing you like about classical music? I mean everything is going up. she said that negotiations were continuing but they had stopped and she said How no matter how many times you play a certain piece that the strike was over but it wasn’t.” [of music], you’ll never play it in the exact same way. Also, What would you tell new, young talent about music? Dladla said she had never been expelled. “It’s a shame that I had to be the Vusi there’s so much that you can play. Be passionate about it, if you’re passionate it will get Pikoli of the SRC. We are now re-united and I apologise to the student population, you far. Talent can only help you so much, it’s passion and sincere apologies for this whole issue. We had greater matters to deal with such What’s your favourite type of music? perseverance that will get you through the rough times. If as fee increments and the students must not worry, the SRC remains intact. You can never choose, but obviously I love classical. And you don’t have passion and perseverance then maybe you “We respect them [students] for voting us into power. It’s a shame that we recently I’ve started to love jazz and I really love ska. should do something else. Oh yah, if you want a place to allowed mini politics to get in the way. I apologise for all my wrongs and all my go to fi nd about all music events and anything else about rights if they were wrongs to other people. What do your friends think about you playing the music then you should go to www.impresarioevents. “Some of the SRC members admitted to throwing my stuff into the trash. I violin? co.za. forgive them as we forgive those who trespass against us. I love all the members Many of my friends are student musicians here at who supported me and the ones who didn’t support me I love them more.” Wits so most of my friends understand. Th ey also have an understanding of the love of any music, and the rest, well, maybe they think I’m silly, but it doesn’t really matter to me. And it’s good to have the support of your parents.

What do you think you’ll do after school? Well, one of the interesting things about music is that you never know where you will go with it. I’d love to go overseas but there’s so many new avenues to explore here in South Africa.

What’s your number one concern about the world? People not appreciating what is there in front of them, VUVUZELANEW , OctoberS 19, 2007 5

The blind can lead the blind YOUR VOICE VUVU VENA are positioned. NQF level one is equivalent to grade nine, WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT ? THE Wits School of Education in partnership with Media this will provide them with the basis from which to access Works has begun testing innovative training materials for further education. deaf, blind and partially sighted adults. Head of the Wits School of Education, Mary Metcalfe, About two million South Africans live with conditions said “Once people are literate, they can proceed to higher that aff ect their hearing or eyesight. Frequently, their education. Some universities off er support for blind and careers and lifestyle are limited because of their inability deaf students.” to acquire basic skills. Metcalfe said that the motivation for this programme Media Works, which is accredited by the Education came about through a group of staff dedicated to adult and Training Sector Education and Training Authority literacy and social justice. Th ey became aware of the (SETA), specialises in Adult Basic Education and Training need. (ABET). As the developers, Media Works is running this “Adult literacy is an urgent matter of social justice and programme as a pilot at Wits University. redress and access to literacy for deaf and blind learners “Government is currently one of the main employers even more so. Th e Wits School of Education is pleased to of deaf and blind adults. Our hope is that these training be part of this groundbreaking initiative,” said Metcalfe. solutions will signifi cantly increase employment opportunities Learners currently on the course are in their early 30s to in other sectors. late 40s. Th ey are all working adults who attend four hours “Th e development of these materials went hand-in-hand of lessons every week at Wits. with the objective to create employment opportunities “Th e English literacy and language programme for deaf and we are thrilled that the courses can be taught and adults has proved to be a phenomenal success, with the An infrigment of a constitutional right. A light way of saying “possible rape.” facilitated by deaf and blind adults,” said Jackie Carroll, learners making real progress with every lesson,” said Andrew Van Zyl, 19, 2nd year Chemical Zulaika Halifa, 18, 2nd year Metal- managing director at Media Works. Heidi Bresler, who is heading up the facilitation process. Engineering. lorgical Engineering. Th e course materials are being put to the test by a group Th is programme is endorsed by the Deaf Federation of of deaf, blind and partially sighted adult learners under South Africa (DeafSA). the facilitation of Wits students. Th ese students have Th e Braille course material for blind or partially sighted registered for a BA Adult Education Service Learning learners is the fi rst such material to be launched anywhere course, and they do this as a practical part of their course. in the world. European and North American countries are Th is programme was developed over a two-year period set to follow suit next year. at a cost of more than R2 million. Th e design came about Nita Lawton-Misra, Head of the Disability Unit, said in consultation with community groups and organisations she stumbled across information on the programme in representing deaf and blind people around the country. the Wits Intranet. However she said that because their Th e main point of the programme is to enable deaf department already has equipment that might assist the and blind adults to progress to National Qualifi cations programme, they would be more than willing to. Framework (NQF) level one (basic education). Th is falls “We are quite happy to assist them in this process,” said under a broader framework on which all education levels Lawton-Misra.

I don’t want it to happen to me. An invasion of personal space. Mzansi Millionaire will keep on Rizing Diana Tong, 19, 1st year BA General. Samer Ram, 19, 1st year Chemical Engineering. Mangole, a fourth-year Quantity and thought to enter, trying their Surveying student, and his business luck. “I did not think we would win,” partner and good friend Cleopas Mangole quipped. Dube have done it their way. Having Th ough the partners of what is now won the reality show Rize Mzansi called Ekasi Graphics are laughing all which rewarded them with R1 million, the way to the bank and enjoying the Mangole says the next step to success fruits of their labour, it has not been is to “keep the millionaire status and an easy ride; they were eliminated in grow the business”. episode ten. “We got a second chance Mangole and Dube’s business was to get back into the game, using our competing against 11 other companies ubuntu points.” for the prize. On June 3, this year Ubuntu points were points South Africans were taken into the accumulated by the contestants lives of entrepreneurs as they tried to throughout the show. Th e points complete their tasks every week. Th e were calculated on how many jobs show depicted the highs and lows of they created. Ekasi Graphics had the small businesses and was aimed at highest points and was back in the Anything that involves my body or When someone does something to you motivating small businesses. game. personal space, an invasion to that that you don’t like and it’s sort of sexually Wits’ new millionaire: Stima Mongale Th e winning company was a Th e winners were judged on their space. related. winner of the reality tv show Rize Mzansi collaboration between Mangole’s BEE status and how they will use the Cherae halley, 20, 2nd year BA Dramatic Ororiseng Godwin Mokoka, 19, 1st Photo: Lenyaro Sello Th wantsa Company and Dube’s money to expand business among Arts. year Mechanical Engineering. Ekasi Graphics. “We had the same other things. LENYARO SELLO target market, and diff erent talents “Because we outsource printing, Ever wondered what it takes to be a that could work together. I did the we will buy machinery and millionaire? Could it be “creativity advertising and he did the graphics,” improve infrastructure. We will and team work”? said Mongole. also grow our staff and give back Whatever the recipe, Witsie Stima Th e partners heard about the show to the community.”

We have a riskier attitude – of just jumping in and Over in a Blink doing things, because it might be fun,” she explained. ERICA DREIJER For Loveday, it was an honour when the head of the CLARE Loveday blinked and her trip to Austria was Schönberg Centre told her that her piece “was so fresh. over. He had never heard anything like it.” For her, it is more It took Loveday six months to compose Blink, which important how musicians react to her music than was performed by some of the top saxophonists in audiences since they have a better sense of the music as the world at the opening of the Arnold Schönberg opposed to audiences that “only listen to it once”. symposium earlier this month. Blink was inspired by “I loved working with such professionals. Th ey are the changes and restless energy that are part of life in so committed to what they are doing instead of just Johannesburg. hacking out music,” she said. For Loveday, a lecturer in Music Th eory and She is of the opinion that musicians in South Africa Composition at Wits, it was all worth it, especially focus too much on Europe and America for inspiration when “all these terribly serious musicians” called her in their compositions. composition “cool”, she said. Loveday thinks that South Africans have a lot of Having her piece performed in Vienna made Loveday imagination, which they should explore to fi nd their realise “there are people that want to hear what I want voice. “I think our students really have something to say in my music. You [as a South African] go to valuable to off er the world. What worries me is that we these things all apologetic… but we have something are not encouraging them. We focus too much on the to give.” And the experience has given her much more Western style. confi dence in her own ability, and the abilities of other “We [as South African composers] have something local musicians. very valuable to off er in a European context,” she said. Loveday was part of a group of fi ve composers, of whom Loveday explained “art music by defi nition should three were from Africa, whose music was performed by always be seeking out new areas, and not capture the past. the Ensemble Reconcil. Th e other African composers We might be developing in some ways, but man, in terms were Michael Blake (South Africa), with whom Loveday of ideas and imagination, we’re good, worked closely, and Justinian Tamasuza from Uganda. “You can always tell honesty in music. It’s so clear and “What was common about the African work is that we it’s so fabulous,” she concluded. are less afraid of convention. FOOTBALL CELEBRATION VUVUZELA THE Clever Boys will play against Santos Football Club tomorrow at the Bidvest stadium. Th e match will kick off at 15:45. Organisers of the match are trying to incorporate the match as part of University’s 85th birthday celebration, and in good spirit the Vuvuzela will be giving away ten tickets to the match on a fi rst come fi rst serve basis. Get to SportFriday, Octobers 19, 2007 Richard Ward 507 fbetween 1 and 2 to get your ticket. Forgotten: Wits student soccer team

JUMA FORD although Wits has the biggest soccer of the fi rst team but there’s no direct year, we had a lot of plans but then we up winning on penalties. According THE CLEVER BOYS are not the programme in Gauteng they get link”. He believes the situation may found ourselves fi ghting relegation. to Mbhele, “We started off slow but as only clever soccer players at Wits the least support from students and come back to bite Wits when former Unfortunately we need to fi rst fi x the the game progressed we were all over University. Th e student soccer team faculty. “I think it’s time that we get Wits students come back playing for in-house problems before creating a them…and that’s not being biased”. (No nickname as of yet, maybe just some support from anyone.” another team, and score a winning structure between the students and Th e fi nal was played on Friday the Th e Students?), after a tough week, Th andanani Mbhele, a 3rd year goal. the fi rst team.” 12th between Wits and Tshwane have come out in the top three in the Wits student and team captain, said However, according to Denis Wits brought in a new coach to help University of Technology (TUT). Wits Gauteng Provincial League. that the problems with the student Tshabalala, Wits Sports Offi cer for in avoiding relegation. Kgabo “Mr. Fix- lost 2-1. Mbhele claimed that both Despite the students’ fantastic fi nish, soccer programme go beyond a lack Football, there is a very good reason It” Ditsebe has been successful since goals, one in each half, TUT scored all is not roses. A few of the players of support. for the current apparent lack of the student team is not only in the should have easily been avoided. Th e are not happy with the support, or He believes there needs to be a structure between the student team top three but they have also qualifi ed fi rst goal was “Because the defensive lack of it, they receive at Wits. Th is system to help students get into the and the fi rst team. According to him for the nationals. Th ey are one of was caught napping”, and the second unhappiness also includes an apparent fi rst team. “We wish they gave us a it has nothing to due with a lack of three teams representing Gauteng, also came from a back pass mistake. lack of a structural programme to help space for us (Students) to get into support for the students. excluding UJ, who are the host. Wits did score from a penalty but students break into the professional the team (Clever Boys). Th ere isn’t a Last year the student team did not Last week was a busy week for the were unable to break through TUT’s team. structure to help us get in.” qualify for the provincial tournament students. On Tuesday the 9th they defensives as they spent most of the Tshifhiwa “Chief” Maphala, an MSc Mbhele also said that “Some young and were on the brink of being played Tuks in the semi-fi nal game. second half defending their lead. student in Engineering, claims that students come here [to Wits] because relegated. “Unfortunately for this Th e game ended 0-0 and Wits ended Wits sets rules of the game

ERICA DREIJER (3 wickets). playing when the rain came down.” WITS ruled when we beat “Th e Roodepoort City guys were Jeppe scored 100/4 when it started Roodepoort City in a cricket league really friendly. Th ere was none to rain. According to Fredericks, match played last Sunday. of normal competitiveness and Jonathan Speller and Mark Th omas Croxley Wits’ third team scored snobbishness found at other cricket bowled really well. 239/9 and bowled Roodepoort City matches,” Fredericks said. Upcoming fi xtures for this weekend out for 80 runs. On Sunday, Wits’ second team are: Player-coach Zain Fredericks told played against Jeppe in the Presidents Croxley Wits will be playing Norbak Vuvuzela: “We gave them a bit of League and the fi rst team took on Alberton at the Lindeque Oval in a a batting lesson, even though they Azad Swaraj Sporting. Premier league match. weren’t bad bowlers.” Azad Swaraj Sporting scored 220 all Croxley Wits will be playing Phillips He attributes Wits’ victory to out and Croxley Wits got 65/3 when Glenvista at the MBCG Oval in a “putting into play what we had it started to rain. Presidents match. learned in the last month. We were And in the match against Jeppe, On Saturday Croxley Wits’ second disciplined in the shots that we played Croxley Wits assessed the wicket and team will be playing Roodepoort City and our shot selection. decided to bat. at Sturrock Park “Practice has improved our game “We had a positive approach, but On Saturday Croxley Wits’ in the last month. Our batting were bowled out for 211 all out,” said fourth team will be playing against and bowling skills have defi nitely Fredericks. Heidelberg at WEC improved.” “We had a really good start, but On Sunday Croxley Wits’ fi rst team Top scorers were Fredericks (73) and in the last 10 overs, lost all of our will be playing Old Parks at Walter Kurt McBain-Charles (41) and the wickets. We were really doing well Milton B. best bowlers were Brian Ndouvhada from a bowling side and found some (4 wickets), and Matthew Mashabela of their weaknesses but had to stop Underdogs triumph

JUMA FORD THE WITS Football Internal League’s (WIFL) Stewart Baxter Cup was contested last Friday between premier division team David Webster and fi rst division team Ron Burgundy. Th e game was eventually decided through penalties. When the fi nal whistle for full-time was blown the two teams were levelled at 2-2. Extra-time saw David Webster score fi rst. Th ey were unable to hold on for the win as Ron Burgundy struck back before extra-time was over. Ron Burgundy then completed the come-back by winning the penalty shoot-out. Th is was the second football game involving Wits that had to be decided through a penalty shoot-out. Th e other game was the semi-fi nals of the Gauteng Provincial semi-fi nals. Wits beat Tuks but went on to lose the fi nal to Tshwane University of Technology 2-1. Th andanani Mbhele, the Wits student football team captain, had the misfortune of playing in both fi nals. As a member of the David Webster team, he was now on the losing end of a penalty shoot-out. He may have been feeling the pain of a second loss in a row but this was not the only reason he was hurting on Saturday. “Ja, it sucked that we [David Webster] lost, but it really hurts because Burgundy has cricket players on the team and we have players from the student soccer team.” Patrick Smith, a third-year accounting student and centre forward for Ron Burgundy, was much happier on Saturday. He said, “I thought we performed well in the fi rst half, but in the second half our lack of fi tness started to show and they started to dominate the midfi eld.” He said that the team does not train and is just a group of mates “that go out there and play with our hearts and then go out for a few laughs and the occasional drink”. No matter what Smith says about his team’s lack of fi tness, Ron Burgundy is a very good team. Last year they won the second division. Winning the division promoted them to the fi rst division. Th is year they won the fi rst division and the Stewart Baxter Cup which is played between teams from both the fi rst division Man of the moment: Six-packed Brian Habana is faster than Marion Jones on drugs. and the premier division. Not bad for a bunch of cricket players and buddies keeping themselves busy during the winter. The Springbok’s rugby jerseys may be sold out countrywide. That does not stop Wits University has the biggest internal league in the country, comprised of 36 teams and three divisions. national fever from being as hot as Minki van der Westhuizen in a tasteful bathing If any registered students want to participate they can go to the open try-outs in the beginning of the year. suit. Go bokke, we’ll be eating bilton and drinking beer in your support. Teams are also allowed to have up to two students that are not offi cial students such as exchange students, alumni and HIER KOM DIE BOKKE!!!! Photo courtesy of www.sandtoncentral.co.za good friends of students. 8 VUVUZELA, October 26, 2007 NE WS Women have to do more than men ERICA DREIJER women, negotiate our position at university, – that’s where it gets tricky, which is evident in the accurate sense of their worth at the university. GENDER does still make a diff erence to people’s because of the fact that women don’t promote numbers,” Harris said. It seems to be a gender culture: I am not doing lives, even at a privileged institution like Wits. themselves as easily as men do. Th at’s an issue. While Orr believes: “It’s 10 times worse for black enough, I am not doing it well enough.” “South Africa is a very patriarchal society Women are judged more harshly than men women. Th ey have the double whammy.” “It’s quite a dilemma,” ventured Orr. “Do you fi x and Wits is not exempt from the results of this,” around performance, especially when trying to Harris thought it “telling” that, since academics the women? Is it the women that are the problem said Professor Belinda Bozzoli, Deputy Vice- balance a family life. And I think that women are are expected to produce research at an incredible or do you fi x the environment, their husbands? Chancellor: Research. “But in broad terms, we have still in fact in charge of the home in many ways,” rate, “most women – except for [Professor] Do you go into Wits and say your criteria for managed to escape many of the worst features of said Meintjes. Deborah Posel and Professor Bozzoli – that have recognising or emphasising one kind of academic a system which condemns many women outside Th e diff erences that exist appear to vary across managed to do a lot of research either have much work needs to change? You are not valuing privileged environments.” disciplines and are aff ected by seniority and race. older children or don’t have children at all.” the type of work, like counselling students and Vuvuzela set out to explore how women “It’s diff erent in diff erent faculties,” said Dr Orr explained: “It seems that women are doing a academic support, and as a university you should perceived gender issues at Wits, which as an Ashleigh Harris, senior lecturer in English. “I know lot of the low profi le ‘housework’ in the institution be noticing all the contributions.” intellectual institution, is expected to be a from colleagues in Science and Health Sciences, just like they do at home. Th ey are doing fi rst year However, Harris said that “a lot of the complexities progressive force within society. that those faculties are extremely patronising. It’s teaching, they are doing academic support, a lot of institutions are that it might look perfect on According to Bozzoli, it’s a general fact that a male domain. In the Humanities there’s ways of of counselling with students, committee work and paper, but it comes down to the individuals in women have to do more than men to get to the resisting those kinds of assumptions.” doing a lot of admin. So it’s way more complicated certain roles. In black and white it looks fi ne, but same posts. “However nice and kind people may On the issue of age, she added: “Th ere are than: they are not doing research papers.” when you are engaged in the everyday life of an be, we do live in a highly patriarchal society and instances where I have seen other women being “Th e public message is: it’s a struggle, but it’s institution you do hit all kinds of complexities.” this is one of the results of that fact. All oppressive accepting of being patronised. Often around the possible and fulfi lling, especially since a job in So have gender issues changed? systems make it diffi cult for individuals from the notion of being a young scholar, so: you’re a young academia has a degree of fl exibility,” said Professor For Bozzoli, “it’s a mixed picture”. Gender disadvantaged groups [in this case women] to scholar - that’s sweet. Deborah Posel, Director of the Wits Institute for inequalities are highly dependent on “where you achieve within them. Often this is more a result of “In some instances, it’s not just family-related, it’s Social and Economic Research (WISER). are in society. For poor women in violent families structural rather than personal restrictions.” also an insecurity bred of an institutional culture “I don’t think that the balance is particularly and communities, things seem to be deteriorating According to Professor Margaret Orr, Director that makes more young women than young men about academia,” said Cathi Albertyn, Director rather than improving.” for the Centre for Learning, Teaching and perhaps feel that they are not doing enough. It’s a of the Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). While, “on the other hand middle class women Development (CLTD), “People have their own complex set of facts,” she off ered. “Yes, there’s a struggle. I was raised with a stay- from all racial backgrounds seem to have made view on the gender issues on campus. Men tend Meintjes thinks society is “still very male-centric. at-home mother – for me it’s a lot about your gains in recent years, in terms of the jobs they to think it’s all fi ne, we’re all equal now, everything I think that it’s still very diffi cult for a large number expectations.” have access to, and the general acceptance of their is sorted and women don’t quite feel that. Th ere of young women students. It’s still very diffi cult for Orr added: “We are trying to be like our fathers rights to occupy signifi cant positions in society”. are still a lot of gender issues,” explained Orr. younger women to be promoted as well.” and have a career and success and like our mothers For Meintjes “things have changed a lot in the “Th e acid test for transformation is you want to Bozzoli said she did experience a “sense of unease” by having the perfect house. We are killing last 20 years”. get a reaction. among some men “at the presence of a woman ourselves with this Superwomen syndrome. You But Harris pointed to “sexual harassment claims “Embarking on a transformation initiative and - in a position of authority”. “Competitiveness in feel like a failure on all fronts because you are just being lost or not followed through. You do kind this is so cool, and this is so nice - you are probably academia is notorious and it is no surprise that barely hanging on at home and barely hanging on of wonder. It’s about certain people, but it’s also not doing enough. Transformation is painful and this sometimes takes the form of tensions between at work and you have these terrible decisions.” about an institutional disregard for what sexual people don’t like pain and you are going to get the genders. “On the one hand it’s necessary to self-invest harassment is. Th ose things symptomatically show negative and positive reactions.” “Young women then don’t challenge the in the process of promotion,” said Harris. “But where those glitches in the institutional culture For Dr Sheila Meintjes, who lectures in feminist structures. I don’t think that you can easily lay because of the culture of guilt, of not doing around gender lie.” politics and Gender Studies, it’s not simply a blame either way, but I also think there is the enough, women’s own internalisation of that guilt Bozzolli concluded: “Since we are the society gender issue. “I think there are disparities between glass ceiling problem – it might be easier for has resulted in them accepting that they should with the highest rate of rape in the world, I do not academics and the administration that are unjust young women to go from lecturer to senior not be the ones promoted, and where you tend think we have any room for complacency on the and unfair. It’s more an issue of the way we, as lecturer, but up to associate professor or professor to see younger male colleagues having a far more gender front.” ANC media battle PHAKAMISA NDZAMELA said “in this … capitalist mode of society, the reality HEAD of the Presidency in the African National is that as long as it is the shareholders’ money that is Congress, Smuts Ngonyama, told an audience at Wits used to create and to run the media, institutions will University this week “the notion that the media was have certain shareholder [expectations]”. He said it ideologically neutral and non-partisan was not true”. was not possible to have a commercial media without Speaking at a Wits University public colloquium on a shareholder expectation of profi t. Th is was called the ANC’s draft media policy, Ngonyama said the ANC’s “fund manager capitalism”. He added that “if we don’t interpretation of media and ideology stemmed from an pay attention to the recruitment and training of media analysis of various reports in the media. people across diverse backgrounds we are not going to He said in the run-up to the 2006 local government get diversity. We may get multiplicity of channels”. elections, some in the media said the ANC would have a Macozoma said that diversity was not only decline in the number of votes because of lack of delivery, creating institutions such as the Media Diversity and DISCUSSING THE ROLE OF THE SABC: Minister of Communications, Dr Ivy Matsepe-Cassaburri but the ANC in the end won convincingly. “We drew the Development Agency (MDDA). “I also think that if and Group CEO of SABC, Dali Mpofu Photo by Phakamisa Ndzamela conclusion that we were punished by the media.” we are going to make a diff erence, the Department of In response, the ANC believed that it was faced by Education needs to embark on a programme to have an ideological battle and the question that arose was media skills taught at schools, establish media centres whether the media was pursuing a certain agenda, said for people to develop.” Ngonyama. Media researcher Kate Skinner, one of the panellists He added that another concern was that journalists said: “You may have a plethora of diff erent media but made decisions on what stories to be covered but there if you don’t have …a whole lot of competing views you was nothing said about journalists’ personal preferences don’t have media diversity”. that might infl uence them in taking decisions. Also, Libby Young, a former CEO of the MDDA, said “people drawn as beetroots, or with showers grafted on diversity was also about ownership, content and content to their heads” and the question of cartoon characters producers, but ownership alone did not lead to content “without any back-up analysis or fact” was the other diversity. She added that giving the MDDA more gripe the ANC had. funding would not necessarily make the media diverse. Editor of the Mail and Guardian Ferial Haff ajee said “It cannot alone achieve diversity because it only funds “anywhere in the world and especially in a robust African small and micro media.” Th e MDDA could not assist democracy” a health minister with an alcohol problem small players in bringing a competition case against would be a story, because a health minister embodied the big players because the big players were the major the principles of health and a personal responsibility for funders, she said. one’s own health. She argued this would be a fair and Speaking on the role and the mandate of the public leading story for coverage in Nigeria, Kenya Zambia broadcaster and editorial independence, Minister of Senegal, Malawi and other countries, “yet here, this is Communications Dr Ivy Matsepe Cassaburi said the now held up as a symbol of a media that is in essence on public broadcaster had to try and engage all the people an ideological off ensive”. in South Africa. Jane Duncan of the Freedom of Expression Institute Group Executive CEO of the SABC Dali Mpofu said said government advertising should not be used to universal access, plurality of views, and servicing under- punish the media and that advertising in the media serviced communities were very important. He said the should not be used as a potential censorship device. issue was not only about geographic access but about On the question of self regulation, Ngonyama said there class, language, gender and many other issues. was a fundamental issue that had not been addressed.He Dean of Humanities at Wits University, Professor said there was little space given to the public and “that’s Tawana Kupe said the SABC reached more members where the issue of tribunal comes to the fore”. of the public than any media because of its language Th e thinking of the society was that self regulation was accessing - the SABC was unbeatable on that level. favouring the media, he said. Duncan said there was concern about the lack of a Haff ajee said the Press Council did have public direct working class voice on the SABC board. representatives and that veteran journalist She said appointments were turning out a fi rst Joe Th loloe was there as an ombudsman to address the economy board. concerns of the public around media. She added that if the SABC was going to represent Talking to the issue of diversity and funding models everyone, then the constitution of the board needed to in the media, businessman Sakhumzi “Saki” Macozoma be taken seriously. VUVUZELA , October 19, 2007 9 NEWS

Education SRC in rooms dispute FARHANA ISHMAIL current SRC. could “have been more transparent THE outgoing Students’ Represen- “Whilst we do not deny that those and followed protocol.” tative Council (SRC) is embroiled in clubs could be justly entitled to He said: “Th ey didn’t inform the a dispute concerning its clubroom the rooms, it is in the absence of executive that they reallocated us. Th ey allocations. an accountable and fair report that basically walked in and started taking Th e Wits chapter of the Palestine we have interpreted their actions measurements . Th ey were planning to ‘wrong way Solidarity Committee (PSC) and as biased and highly irregular,” said divide the room and allocate it to two War and Card Gaming, Anime, Role Desai. other clubs.” Playing and PC Gaming (WARP) have He accused the SRC of using its But both Modiba and Maya say both raised objections, saying the SRC administrative muscle to railroad this they cannot comment on the WARP did not follow the correct procedures. decision. “Th e SRC is telling us they complaint because the SRC has not Nineteen clubs have been allocated are the ultimate decision makers and received such a complaint. space by SRC clubs and societies offi cer, we just have to deal with it. Th ey are Responding to the PSC complaints, Selaelo Modiba. Th e most sought-after using administrative power to silence Maya said that the SRC was in no round’ space, said Modiba, is in the Matrix, but our questioning of their decisions. position to compare the relevance of it was not possible to accommodate all “Zakes [SRC Treasurer, Zakhele one club over another. He said that ERICA DREIJER Universities also had a responsibility applicants there. Maya] told us in a meeting, ‘You have while other aspects like the history TEACHING, even if it is sitting under to involve themselves in their According to the SRC clubroom no right to appeal these decisions. We and activism of a club were considered, a tree, is the business that universities communities. allocation report, the main criteria are the authority on this matter.’ ” the clubs with the most membership are essentially in, according to “Th e challenge is for the university to used in deciding were “the membership In a complaint sent to Lamese were given preference in allocation of Professor Yunus Ballim, Deputy Vice- recognise its place in its community,” numbers, proof for the need to occupy Abrahams of the Student Development space at the Matrix because “we want Chancellor: Academic. he said. Universities needed to an offi ce, and the amount of activities and Leadership Unit (SDLU), to maximise accessibility of clubs and Ballim spoke to Vuvuzela about recognise the contribution they could by clubs on the specifi c campus”. which Abrahams forwarded to SRC societies by students. Th e Matrix is a the responsibilities and the issues make in creating a more civilised view After negotiations between the PSC administrator Jabu Sebeko and Dean central place and you would expect tertiary education institutions faced, of ourselves as a human society. (which had been allocated a room in of Students Prem Coopoo, WARP that clubs with high membership especially in light of the recent “It’s about critical engagement with the DJ du Plessis building on West raised its objections to a proposed SRC numbers will have to be as central as strikes at Wits and the University of the important matters of the human Campus) and the SRC deadlocked, reallocation of its clubroom which is possible. Johannesburg. condition. Th at’s what universities the PSC decided to take its grievances currently in the Matrix. “Numbers tell a story. If a particular Funding was extremely important must do and what they must to the Offi ce of the Vice-Chancellor. “Th e Executive Committee and all of club is active on campus that should in redressing the past and helping represent. Chairperson of the PSC, Muhammad WARP’s members fi nd this completely automatically translate into the South Africa’s economic development, “We don’t teach because we think Desai, said the PSC was appealing a unacceptable as WARP’s current number of students who participate in he said. But focusing only on this that we are the custodians of the case of “unfair administrative action”. clubroom was assigned to WARP after that club.” would mean missing the challenges truth. We teach because we think that He said there was “undue reliance” two years of applying and waiting for a Maya stressed that members of the institutions like Wits had to weigh up. to intellectually engage with citizens is by the SRC on only one of the three clubroom. Th e current clubroom was SRC will always be members of other Ballim felt universities essentially good for this country and for human criteria (membership numbers) and assigned to WARP by the previous clubs too, and “this does not mean had three core responsibilities in views of the self. that scant mention was made in the SRC in accordance with the SRC that the process is not transparent, society. Th ese were research and “We live our lives next to some really allocation report of the other criteria. constitution…. WARP will not be justifi able, free and fair”. learning, teaching and scholarship serious deprivation. I don’t believe Th ere was also inadequate explanation relocated and any SRC member who Dean of Sudents Prem Coopoo said, and engagement with its community. that society can comfortably call itself on how the criteria are used. wishes to enter the clubroom from now “Given that the current SRC’s term of Of these, education was, in itself, civilised if we are able to let these two Of the fi ve clubrooms that were on, will have to ask for permission to offi ce comes to an end on 31 October a problematic area, fraught with worlds live right next to each other. allocated space at the Matrix, four enter from the chairperson of WARP.” 2007, I have asked Selaelo [Modiba] to challenges. “Universities must be reminded had been allocated to clubs whose Current chairperson of WARP, fi nalise this matter by Th ursday of this According to Ballim, “disproportio- about the two-world problem that chairpersons are members of the Th eodore Wonderlik, said the process week.” nate numbers of students are registered South Africa and Africa face. Th at’s in degree-awarding qualifi cations at why it’s so important to create university, as opposed to technikon and structures and facilities to make sure artisan training”. poor people can come to university. “We’re the wrong way around. It “If someone is really deserving should be the other way around, of a place for our education, their especially in developing countries.” fi nancial conditions must not be a In addition, universities are also barrier. Students are right that we “carrying a load of a very fragile need resources. secondary education system, which “I’m embarrassed about the wastage they are expected to address”. that happens in this country. Fine “For me, a range of areas or minds get lost by the wayside. battlefi elds exists. Th e one thing is, we Inadequate advice, no money - that must get the high school system right. type of thing. Where you get students It’s a problem, and it’s a problem that with As in high school and then see needs to be addressed. them as a night-watch three months “It’s the quality of the teaching that later, that’s really unacceptable.” goes on in the school systems, the way But the “relationship between fees they are managed and how they are and government is a far more complex resourced. I think that we have a lot issue than simply saying the government to learn from the rest of Africa. Th ere needs to regulate fees,” he said. are a lot of countries in Africa that do Funding should be a strategic tool. well in their school systems. Both politically and academically, “I think that there is an enormous it was an issue that needed to be responsibility on universities them- addressed with sensitivity. selves … there are unacceptable “Th e case to be made for higher failure rates, especially in third and education is not an easy one. Th ere is a fourth year, for which you cannot discourse in this country where there blame high schools entirely. We is a focus on science, engineering for have unacceptable failure rates and example. unacceptable rates in postgraduate “If you take a utilitarian view of studies. education, then you focus on science “Leading institutions throughout and engineering and technology, the world have the mentality that if we because they feed into industry, admit someone, it’s our responsibility and of course, it’s really scientifi c to allow them to pass.” achievement that makes the most Th ese complexities aff ect institu- visible progress. And society bows tions fi nancially. down to that.” “Th e question is raised: if universities But “the humanising benefi ts of a are expected to address these issues, degree in English or history are not then the universities need to be that obvious to society. Its ability funded properly. to create a humanising eff ect is not “You can’t expect people who obvious. You need to maintain a teach at universities that have a lot balance between humanities and of research expectations, to also be science, engineering and technology.” the people that are concerned about Ballim felt one should ask if it pedagogy and the cultural issues that was healthy for an institution that make good teachers.” presented itself as a “social good” to According to Ballim, universities be entirely dependent on government don’t necessarily employ people “with funding, or very strongly dependent good teaching skills, but rather to be on government funding. competent at a certain level”. “So the relationship with govern- “So the nuances of dealing with ment will always be one of attention a diffi cult learning history are not to governance and relationship,” he always obvious to academics.” said.