Professional Documents
Culture Documents
News
Feeling festive: Rhodents donned their overalls and packed the stands on Great Field while passionately supporting the first team rugby match between Rhodes and WSU. Picture: MICHelle CUNlIFFe
arlier last week, Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk, announced that Inter-Varsity will most likely not be cancelled due to the scarce number of complaints filed and incidents reported against Rhodes students. She confirmed that this still needs to be officially approved by the Inter-Varsity task force, but expressed her confidence in the likelihood of the events continuation. Extra precautions were taken this year in an attempt to control the unruly behavior that is associated with the annual Inter-Varsity event, hosted this year in Grahamstown. According to various parties concerned with security and behaviour, it seems these additional measures were mostly successful. I believe all of the measures certainly had the desired effect, said De Klerk, who received fewer complaints following the event this year than previous Inter-Varsity weekends. De Klerk believed the success can be credited to the many warnings distributed by the university administration. They [the warnings] dampened the madness, she said. Dave Charteris, Manager of the Campus Protection Unit (CPU), agreed with De Klerk that the precautions taken were effective. Although Charteris said CPU guards did have their hands full with assaults, drunkenness, fighting and vandalism, De Klerk said she does not regard any of the incidents that were reported to her as serious. Captain Mali Govender, media spokesperson for the Grahamstown South African Police Service (SAPS), echoed the sentiment that the weekend went well overall. We realise that these are young people, they are students, some of them are a bit inebriated, but overall they were not so unruly, she said. Govender said she believed that the additional officers on duty over the weekend helped to control the crowds, as Grahamstown was flooded with thousands of visitors. She confirmed that a few cases of damage to property, drunken and disorderly behaviour, and shoplifting were reported, but said that there were no serious or life-threatening cases.
The conduct was definitely improved if the number of emergency visits to the healthcare centre are anything to go by
- Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk
Deon Strydom, Manager of local petrol station BP, however, disagreed, saying that his experience of the students conduct was upsetting. Six instances of shoplifting took place over the weekend at the BP 24-hour Quickspar. Strydom does not believe students can blame drunkenness for their behaviour in this regard. Whether or not you are drunk, when you walk into a shop you know that you have to pay, he said. Strydom did say that less fighting took place outside of BP this year than in previous years. Elsewhere in town, however, it seems that fighting was still a problem. Charteris confirmed that there were a number of fights between students on campus and that the prevalence of fighting was significantly greater than on an ordinary weekend. He was unable to say how the fighting compared to Inter-Varsity in previous years. According to Charteris, the names of those involved were recorded and have been sent to the visiting universities administrations and are to be dealt with internally. Although Strydom and Govender both agreed that no university was particularly responsible for bad behaviour, De Klerk said that many of the incidents reported did not involve Rhodes students. Those that did involve our students were not serious. They will be dealt with in due course, she said. Maurishia Jewell, cashier at the Vineyard Bottle Store, said she found Rhodes students to be far more disciplined than others, both in the shop and in town. The conduct was definitely improved if the low number of complaints and the number of emergency visits to the Health Care Centre are anything to go by, said De Klerk.
SRC budgeted well for the 2012 Inter-Varsity after-party. Picture: Holly SNell team consisted of Forsyth, Rory Abrahams, SRC projects manager, Bradley Bense, SRC media councillor, and other student volunteers with experience in events organising. Forsyth said the SRC felt it was necessary to provide an event for students from the four participating universities, that was on-campus, safe, and in a controlled environment. Rhodes student, Lesego Moshikaro, said she thought the event was a success. I thoroughly enjoyed the after-party, the SRC did a great job but I feel they could have asked different artists. Lulo Caf and DJ Milkshake are regulars. [With the] SRC hosting the after party, we created a safe environment for all the students to celebrate and party together, commented Silvanus Welcome, vice-president external.
News
he election for the 2013 Student Representative Council (SRC), held last Monday 20 August, failed to reach quorum, despite high hopes that participation this year would be better than ever. Polling stations on the day were situated in every dining hall and in the library quad. These were monitored by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the same body that runs the South African national, provincial and local elections. SRC vice-president internal Martin Forsyth expressed his hopes on the morning of the election that these arrangements would make voting convenient for students and lead to the election being taken more seriously. These hopes, however, proved to be misguided, as it was announced the day after the election that quorum had not been reached. The SRC Student Governance Constitution requires that a minimum of one third of registered, full-time students must participate in an election for quorum to be declared. The constitution also demands that, if quorum is not met, another election must be held. This election must happen before the third last day of the third term. By way of announcement on the Rhodes SRC Facebook group, SRC liaison and electoral officer Eric Ofei released the new election schedule. Nominations opened on 21 August and closed on 28 August. The Grazzle will take place at the General Lecture Theatre on Monday 3 September and the Presidential Debate will be at Eden Grove Blue on Tuesday 4 September. Both will begin at 18:30. The election itself will be held from 7:00 on Wednesday 5 September until 12:00 the following day. Those elected will be inducted in a ceremony that evening, which will be followed by a cocktail event. Ofei confirmed that employing and paying for the accommodation of the IEC officials, who ran the first election, cost
the Rhodes SRC R15 000. However, Ofei explained that during their stay, the IEC trained electoral volunteers who will be used to run the upcoming elections, avoiding another expense. The lack of participation in the election came as a surprise to many on the SRC, as the Grazzle and Presidential Debate this term were better attended than previous years and both events trended nationally on Twitter. Many students, however, seem to have expected this result. The inability to reach quorum has been blamed on the short election period, apathy amongst students regarding the SRC and the calibre of candidates, specifically those running for President. The heated online debate about these issues has been waged across numerous social networks. I dont think we can point to any one decisive reason for quorum not being reached, said Forsyth, indicating that a number of factors were likely to have contributed to the lack of participation in the last election. Among these is a general lack of communication. Although the SRC did conduct dining hall visits leading up to the election, Forsyth believes that these failed to engage students and thinks that more hype needed to be created through posters and e-mails. Forsyth continued to note that the substantial changes made to the election process might have been a contributing factor. This year we moved from the online system that has been used for years, to ballot, reduced the voting period from a week to one day and required students to have their student card to vote, Forsyth explained. He believes that these changes were not properly communicated to the student body. SRC media councillor Bradley Bense agreed that publicity was a problem in the last election. He said that with Inter-Varsity immediately preceding the election, the SRC had been unable to focus their attention on creating hype around the vote. He hopes to improve upon this for next weeks election. Finally, Forsyth said that an open letter to the Dean of Students Dr Vivian de Klerk, written by the chair of the Presidential Debate
I dont think we can point to any one decisive reason for quorum not being reached
- Martin Forsyth, SRC vice-president internal
Dylan Smith and published on The Oppidan Press Online, led many students to boycott the election. In the letter, Smith expressed his opinion that the candidates running were not ready to assume the responsibilities of office. This was after many had left the debate feeling disheartened by the candidates apparent lack of knowledge and preparation. In light of the negative response to the Presidential Debate, Ofei has suggested that the event be restructured. Candidates will be informed of the topics to be debated in advance and so will be better prepared. Ofei believes candidates in the last debate were blindsided and that this opened them up to a criticism that was perhaps undue. Forsyth, however, said that the candidates had received information about the topics to be discussed prior to the debate. Nominations have already started to come in. On Thursday of last week, Ofei noted that five of the 10 forms received were from candidates that had not run in the previous election. According to Bense, a post-nomination seminar will be held at which nominees will be given assistance and advice on how best to campaign up until the election next week. To read the letter from Smith, visit www.oppidanpress.com
Store, ciplined
number By Kyla Hazell to the Klerk. A group of local Grahamstown public schools have recently taken on the Department of Basic Education in the High Court over issues related to the Eastern Cape teaching crisis and won. A few weeks ago, passers-by were surprised to see disgruntled parents and teachers vocally expressing their concerns in a demonstration outside the Eastern Cape High Court. Inside, judgment was being heard in a matter between several schools, represented by the Legal Resources Centre (LRC), and the Minister of Basic Education as first respondent. According to Philip Isaacs, a parent in the group of demonstrators, the minister was considered responsible for denying Grahamstown children their right to basic education, considering that many teaching posts in public schools have stood vacant for much of the year and that temporary er-party. teachers employed have not been paid. Judge Clive Plaskett, who presided in the case, emphasised in his judgment the rojects nd other nising. vide an versities, ronment. ught the r-party, sked difulars. ted a nd party sident
Concerned parents and teachers protest outside the High Court, against the alleged failures of the Minister of Basic education. Picture: Kyla Hazell
>>TEDx
Missed out? you can now share the positive thinking and ideas of africa with the TeDx speakers
>>SRC 2012
Who did what, and how did they do? We conduct reviews on your 2012 SRC
>>Mi Casa
The three talented musicians Dr Duda, JSomething and T-Mo, back in Grahamstown
28 August 2012
News
The thing is that you get a criminal record for the rest of your life and when you are applying for jobs and stuff it just says theft and it doesnt look good
- Anonymous
since, with my job, I will need to travel a lot. Pick n Pay deals with more extreme versions of student theft and for more varied reasons. Their representative says that in some cases, students cant afford groceries and toiletries and in one case they caught a student who was at Rhodes with the help of bursaries, but had no way to feed himself and was desperate. More often than not, when students are caught, they will find them with a wallet filled with money and an arrogant attitude, said Gavin Stobbs of Hi Tec Security. He said that its mostly first and second year students that he has to deal with. Moreover, this is apparent in frequent cases of vindictive vandalism. Earlier in the year he had caught two different students vandalising cars and in both cases he was told, Do you know who my parents are? He responded that he did not, nor did he care. Some might argue that its just a bit of innocent fun, but as one fifth-year law student found out last year, it can be the end of a promising career. Stobbs noted how BP called out his team when they noticed a pie eaten and its packaging left behind, on the surveillance footage. The culprit identified, he was found in Pick n Pay, about to repeat the offense. He was reportedly found with over R500 in his wallet. Charges where pressed. That law student now has a criminal record.
illions of people worldwide have been captured by TED Talk videos online and on Sunday 12 August 100 lucky people were able to attend a TED conference of their own at the Rhodes University Theatre. TEDx, in which x stands for an independently organised TED event, is a program that allows individuals and organisations around the world to set up and run their own conference in keeping with the TED motto: Ideas worth spreading. Rhodes student Tyron Louw, after finding out about this program, decided to bring the big three, Technology, Education, Design, to Grahamstown and create TEDxRhodesU. The result, exactly a year later, was a diverse and engaging event centred on the theme Africa Inspired an idea which Louw described as broad enough to encompass ideas from any discipline, but focused enough to have a core message. With discussion topics ranging from theatre to technology to entrepreneurship presented by a variety of speakers, TEDxRhodesU painted a picture of an Africa worth living in. Talks were split up into four
sections: Think, Know, Feel and Do. In between sessions, attendees and speakers were able to meet and converse with one another. Louw was pleased with the level of participation. From the conversations I have had I really do think that they [the audience] bought into it, he said. Each persons name tag had a space for its wearer to record what inspires them and attendees were offered an opportunity to share their musings on boards placed around the room entitled What if? and I wonder A huge amount of work was put in by Louw and the TEDxRhodesU team to ensure the event ran smoothly. The organising committee met once a week from early February, and we set up a project plan with objectives and time frames. There was a great deal of effort spent meticulously planning every aspect of the event, Louw said. The biggest challenge, according to Louw, was getting financial backing and organisers were forced to continuously restructure their budget to account for this. As a student committee, it was sometimes difficult to get outside companies to take what we were doing seriously. I hope that this years event will show that we were capable, Louw said. The overwhelmingly positive response to TEDxRhodesU from speakers and attendees alike has convinced Louw that the event must happen again next year. Once the dust
Participants in this years TedxRhodesU found it a resounding success. Picture: meliTe vivieR has settled on this years event, I will sit and outline the plans for next year. There is no reason why this should not be an annual event and my vision is that it becomes the flagship university TEDx event in South Africa. It was really great to see a project like this grow from a simple idea to a full vision and then to see that vision realised in the form of a successful event, he added. I think my favourite part of this process was being able to work closely with speakers in developing their ideas you get to understand so much more about these inspiring people. Louw said that the most important part of organising TEDxRhodesU was collaboration. Anyone hoping to organise a successful TEDx event needs to get buy-in from as many parties as possible, he added. Applications for those who would like to be part of next years team will be up online soon. The event ended with a reception at The Highlander, where arguments and conversations continued well into the night.
28 August 2012
Features
By Emily Corke
mid the festivities of InterVarsity, Saturday 18 August turned out to be a bad night for the animals and employees of the SPCA, as they were robbed and their premises vandalised. Wow, who trashes the SPCA, man? said a shocked student Fred Gatari, upon hearing the news. It is reported that despite damage made to the premises, the animals were fortunately left unharmed. Trainee inspector Maloli Dingang,
who lives on the premises, first noticed something was amiss on Sunday morning. He noticed that the lock for the main office had been hammered from the wall. They really came prepared, said Karen Kouari, a committee member for the Grahamstown SPCA and a member of the Humanities faculty. The suspects managed to walk off with an entire safe with R6000 in it, a devastating loss for the NGO. They had literally unbolted it from the wall and walked out the door, said Kouari. They were at least polite enough to put the bolts back on the wall.
This is a devastating loss for the Grahamstown SPCA who is heavily relied on to solve various issues, such as the large amount of stray dogs. The SPCA speculated that this was purely a vindictive case of vandalism. The walls and store room door were spray painted with the words why do you hate us? It has been suggested that the perpetrators may have had prior experience inside the SPCA, as they knew what equipment they were dealing with. I can only speculate, said Kouari, We have a feeling that it could have been the act of an angry stock owner, that had to pay to get their cattle back
from the SPCA when they are caught roaming the town. Kouari went on to note that these same people have been aggressive before. The public have really been great in coming forward to help us out of the mess, said Kouari. We have had so many donations in all forms, from monetary donations to paint to cover the spray paint. The Rhodes IT department have agreed to donate computers to replace those that were smashed. Telkom also made a contribution. They reconnected the office phones by the Monday morning. The SRC, together with 5fm DJ
Roger Goode, are also working to make a contribution. The SRC is approaching various university departments and asking for donations to pay for the Rhodes University mascots ransom. All proceeds are reportedly to go towards replacing the R6000 that was stolen. We are just very glad that the animals were safe, said Kouari, we left puppies in the surgery who were untouched. The office cat, Puty, is quite shaken up but he will be okay.
n investigation is currently under way following extraordinarily low June examination pass rates in both Accounting 2 and 3 this year. With only a 6% pass rate among the third years and a 28% pass rate in the second year class, Associate professor of Accounting John Williams said the results are cause for concern. Williams believes that the shocking results cannot simply be pinned on students not studying or even on administrative hiccups. There are a number of complex and interrelated reasons for the results, he said. The Accounting 3 results, which are significantly lower than previous years, have given rise to a full evaluation with the assistance of the Centre for Higher Education, Research, Teaching and Learning (CHERTL). This investigation into the results is aimed at obtaining a complete understanding of the reasons behind the poor performance. Until the investigation is complete and these reasons have been
Flames: Accounting 2 and 3 June exam results packed more of a punch than students had expected. Picture: HOLLY SNELL and pass come the next tests and exam, Grinham said. If you know the principles, you can break down any seemingly complex question into simple parts and answer those, she said. According to Williams, in an attempt to fix the problem, the Department has reinstated the Accounting 201 summer school programme. Williams believes that the pass rate is a problem at many other universities, too. Yes I am aware of other universities having very poor pass rates, particularly at accounting 3. But I am not aware of such poor results occurring at Rhodes before, although Accounting 201 has often had low pass rates, he said.
Features
By Jordan du Toit Environment
professor Alfredo Terzoli, Head of Telkom Centre of excellence at rhodes. He is the face behind iCT4d, information and Communication Technology picture: dAvid HArdiNG
s communication technology is becoming more prevalent in todays society, some communities are being left behind in its wake. That is where the Information and Communication Technology for ging tha Development - better known as ICT4D - comes into play. In thi ICT4D is an initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide blindsid students between the have and have-nots. However, that is not its only aim: it also looks at aiding economic development by were mu The q ensuring access to communication technologies, especially evening in rural areas where access to the technology is not easy. ICTs include any communication device - radio, TVs, cell- campus phones, computers, etc. The man behind the ICT4D project is Professor Alfredo Terzoli. Terzoli is head of the Telkom Centre of Excellence at Rhodes and was recently awarded the vice chancellors distinguished community engagement award. Through ICT4D, Terzoli believes that the number of people with ideas and aspirations could be increased. Through this, employment can be created for the people, boosting the rural communities of not only Grahamstown, but the wider Eastern Cape too. Terzoli was born in Italy, and studied Physics at university, graduating Laurea Cum Laude. He became fascinated with computers in the early 1980s and, after immigrating to South Africa, joined the academic staff of Rhodes University in 1989. Terzoli has always been passionate about the development of the Grahamstown community. As a result of his passion, he used to host street children in his home. As an academic, Terzoli began to extend his research into the townships surrounding Grahamstown. Later, he extended his research even further into other rural areas of the Eastern Cape, which eventually resulted in the Siyakhula Living Lab. The Siyakhula Living Labs (SLL), in Dwesa on the wild coast, are places where telecommunications networks are set up for the publics use. Mostly SLL are set up in schools, allowing school children to have access to the internet. Terzoli defines a living lab as, a place in which to develop concepts, services and products in a systemic way, co-opting the users as co-creators. Terzoli describes the Lab as an eco-system, the focus of which is community orientated. He speaks of his hope for a future where marginalised and disadvantaged communities are re-connected through practical, co-created ICT software applications. Terzoli anticipates that many more projects, like the Siyakhula Living Labs, will join up with ICTs across the country.
Top leFT: Cape delegates arriving at conference. Middle leFT: Archie Gumede being congratulated by Natal delegates on being elected first vice-president of the UdF. BoTToM leFT: Curtis Nkondo, Transvaal delegate, chatting to Joe Marx and a Western Cape delegate. Top: Helen Joseph at conference. picture: SoUTH AFriCAN HiSTory oNliNe
28 August 2012
Features
By Canny Maphanga
n the morning of 30 July, St Marys Hall students were woken by another saddening e-mail in connection with crime off-campus. The e-mail alerted students to a mugging that had occurred the previous Sunday night. In this particular case it seemed the students involved were blindsided by criminals posing as car guards. The two St Mary Hall students were walking back from an evening church service and were mugged at knife point. The question of safety for religious students looking to attend evening services is unfortunately not a new one. The walk between campus and church has become an easy preying ground for people
looking to take advantage of students passing by late at night. In response to a suggestion for CPU guards to help escort students to religious services, or otherwise arranging transport options for safe travel to town, Dean of Students Dr Vivian De Klerk said, That is not an option. We do not even have enough guards to cope on campus. Employing more would be costly and will impact directly on student fees. CPU must focus on our own campus. BA student Tamani Chitambo, as a result of crime no longer finds it as easy to walk to church. I guess it would be easier if there was a car-pooling system, she said. I know that the route I used to take to get to the River of Life Church was not desirable for any vulnerable student, unfortunately I cannot attend church as much as I would like to due to security issues.
Amy Harkess, also a BA student at St. Marys Hall shared similar sentiments: I had to simply adjust from evening services to daytime services in order to avoid crime in the Grahamstown area. These security issues have been debated at senior management levels. De Klerk added: The institutions view is that the police must take responsibility, and we must put pressure on them to do so. We have held a few high-level meetings with them recently, and will continue to work with them. Some churches have moved student services to campus making use of university lecture and seminar venues. Emphasis has also been placed on encouraging students to report all suspected crimes in town and on campus to the SAPS and CPU respectively in order to help curb criminal intentions.
arents worry about it. Students joke about it. Middle-aged businesspeople reminisce about it. But the truth is: cooking your own food at university sucks. First off, you have to buy the food. You are on a student budget and would much rather spend that money on beer. Then you have to give up some of your work and studying time (you know, that time of the day where you check the latest post on 9gag but tell everybody that youre working really hard) to cook the food. Once you have wasted at least an hour of cooking time, you wolf down your meal in 30 seconds flat. Then, of course, comes the worst part, what all students (and most adults) hate doing: washing up. Besides being messy and hard-todo, this chore also takes up a significant portion of all that time that you would normally spend working. Do not forget either that within the next hour, your students appetite will kick in and youll be on your way for take-aways. Below well attempt to show you how much easier that entire process can become.
Monthly fees:
The cheapest of the pack is Standard Bank with no monthly fee, followed by Capitec with R4.50. Absa charges R16.00, Nedbank costs R16.50 and FNB is the most expensive at R22.30.
s an 18 to 25 year-old, choosing the right people to keep your cash can be a daunting task. Our quick guide aims to make it a lot easier to find the cheapest student account available the various South African banks. South Africas Big Four (Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank) and the smaller and newer, Capitec Bank, all offer basic current account packages designed for students. An issue that adds to the strife of students at Rhodes is the proximity of banks from campus. You can get away with using ATMs at the Union and Kaif for simple transactions such as airtime transfer and cash withdrawal, but when it comes to the more complex ones, a banker is required. The Union has FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank ATMs, while the Kaif has an Absa ATM. Capitec doesnt have any ATMs on campus so getting your cash from them could mean a bit of travel. To get to the actual branches, head down High Street. In order of distance from the Arch: FNB, Capitec, Absa, Standard then all the way past Bathurst Street is Nedbank. Looking purely at price and assuming that students live by the philosophy that cheaper is better this is how they fair up in different categories:
Withdrawal fees:
In terms of how much it costs to get your cash out of the banks mitts and into your wallet, fees vary from bank to bank. Also note that you should expect to be charged one fee to use your own banks ATMs and a different fee (usually higher) to use another banks ATM. In terms of own-bank ATM withdrawals, the cheapest are FNB, Nedbank and Absa, which are all free. Capitec charges R4.00 to get your money out. Standard Bank is a little more complicated as they have scaled withdrawal changes. The first five are free, then between 6 and 15 transactions are charged at R20.00, and more than that costs another R20.00. Sometimes its difficult to find an ATM that belongs to or is supported by your own bank. This usually means you have to withdraw from another banks ATM. FNB is the cheapest in this regard with a charge of R6.50 and an additional R6.00 per R500 (or 1.2%
of the amount, with a maximum fee of R24.00). Capitec is the next cheapest at a fixed rate of R7.00. However if you chose the Standard Bank option the fixed charge is only R6.70 but the additional charges that come with the scaled ATM cash withdrawal charges (as above) kick in. Nedbank charges R9.50 for your disloyalty with an additional 1.2% of the total withdrawn. Absa seems to take the cake when it comes to using non-Absa ATMs. When using an SA-Switch ATM they charge R9.85 and 1.1% but when using an Absa supported ATM they charge R6.85 and 1.1% of the total withdrawal. That's not the end of the story. When using an Absa supported ATM theres a convenience fee of R3.00 and when using an SA-Switch ATM it's R6.00.
moral here is to not get caught short because you end up paying a ransom for your own money.
Mobile apps:
Being a student means that its difficult to schedule time out of your academic life to pay bills. This means that students need a way of doing banking on the go. Tech savvy lads and ladies will appreciate that this is where banking applications and online and mobile banking comes in handy. They save time and effort and in the long run, money. All five of the banks have cellphone banking but what sets them apart are their app services. FNB and Standard Bank have already got apps which are both available for Android, iPhone and Blackberry devices, but FNBs is also available for Nokia Symbian devices. Nedbank have launched their app suite to their staff, a promising sign that it could soon be available to the public. Absa has an app that allows users to open accounts remotely using Android based devices but Capitec hasnt quite got there yet. In the end cost is only one part of deciding which bank is best for keeping your money safe. This guide is only the tip of the iceberg but it should give you some idea of what type of service you need.
International charges:
As a sprightly young adult, you might find yourself abroad and quite possibly deeply out of pocket in said abroad place. One hefty source of bank charges comes from withdrawing cash from an international ATM. If this is a likely scenario for you, Nedbank is the cheapest at R28.00 plus 1.2% of the amount drawn, followed by Capitec which takes R35.00. FNB charges R28.00 and Absa costs R45.00. The
Students browse the various career displays at the Eden Grove during one of the many career presentations this year. Picture: davId hardInG
28 August 2012
Photos
knew that Hogsback lay somewhere over the mountains, nestled in and among thick green trees, almost in the elfin realm which Tolkien had envisioned for it. Once you come out of the winding slope of road, and burst through the greenery to the small town that lay there, nothing can really prepare you for Hogsback. The drive from Grahamstown to Hogsback took me about an hour and a half. Passing through all the small towns on the way gives you a sense of how the settlers would have lived. Time does not seem to disturb these places, and I cannot figure out if that is a bad or a good thing. Winding around the mountains, and ducking through valleys, I was soon confronted with a tunnel of trees. Passing underneath their bowing branches, the excitement of what lay just on the other side started to consume me. Hogsback is the epitome of a one-horse town. The tar road does not last for long, and just as it seems to have started, it gives way to the dirt. I stayed in a small self-catering cabin, just off the main road, called Camelot. There are dozens of them scattered all around the town. Come to think of it, basically the whole town consists of bed and breakfasts and self-catering places, so finding accommodation is
not a problem. The nice thing about Camelot was that I could park my car for the weekend and just walk where ever I needed to go. The cosy fireplace inside the cabin was a warm welcome at night. All around the weekend home were trees and bush, and the nightly calls of the forest animals echoed around the small building while the stars twinkled above. Hogsback is more than just a scenic hideaway. For those who like to fill their lungs with fresh mountain air, there are plenty of different walks and hikes to go on, ranging from beginner to advanced. However, be warned: even the easier paths require a few gym sessions in order to truly appreciate them. I managed to hike down to Madonna and Child, one of the many waterfalls in the area, and if I can do it, then anybody can. The rickety path way meandered down the slope of the hillside, giving way every now and again, making it impossible for my shoes not to be covered in mud. There were small streams along the way, where I could drink the cool refreshing water, and take a moment to gulp in as much fresh air as I could. No amount of filtered Oasis water could ever taste as good as that water did in those streams. When I finally reached the bottom, what awaited me was nothing I had ever seen before. The tall white
water came roaring over the top of the mountain, falling down into the rocky pool below. All around the pool were the soft distorted images of rainbows, while birds and butterflies a like darted in and out of the fresh mist which came from the waterfall. If hiking up mountains, and cladding yourself in layers of mud is not your thing, then thankfully there are other activities on offer. Up some of the dirt roads are nurseries, labyrinths, horseback trails and perfect picnic spots. A Saturday market is also available, where you can enjoy freshly made pancakes and a cup of coffee. Cuddling up by the fire is nice, and most B&Bs have DSTV, but that is not what Hogsback is about. Its that kind of small town you go to in order to escape the madness of life. There are not many shops and there is not even much of a town. If you love the wilderness, this might just be your perfect getaway. Though, there is more to it than just hiking. There is a silent magic that lives within the green trees, calling you to stay a little longer. The peace and serenity that Hogsback brings is unprecedented. Fresh air, mountain spring water and the quiet call of nature at your door step. Words by Ashleigh Brown
Travel
arpets of pink and purple, delicate blossoms from the trees overhead, as well as the excited chatter and movement from stall to stall, are what openly invite the visitor to explore the Hogsback Spring Saunter. The Hogsback Spring Saunter previously the Hogsback Spring Festival has been running for eight years and will be taking place from 21 to 24 September. Ansie Klaassen, one of the organisers of the Spring Saunter, said, The new idea for the Saunter is that everyone from Hogsback, as well as from other towns, can get involved. The Saunter as opposed to the previous one station of the Festival now has many stalls all over, which allows anyone to set up one for free. There are also 13 gardens to explore, at R60 per adult, which boast an array of flowers including rhododendrons, azaleas and irisesas, well as trees such as the Japanese cherry tree, Japanese maples, tulip trees and Dogwoods. From Friday through to Sunday there will be music to accompany the browsing of stalls, a prawn festival on Saturday and a potjiekos competition on Sunday. It will be a lovely, relaxing weekend of fun, says Klaassen, There are a
variety of things for everyone, the gardens are fantastic and Hogsback itself is beautiful. Hogsback is a destination filled to the brim with natural beauty and allows explorers the chance to meander along forest trails, where many noisily crashing waterfalls can be found. For the outdoor adventurers many activities are on offer, such as mountain biking and hiking, trout fishing and horse riding against a magnificent backdrop. Hogsback is said to be the inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkiens famous trilogy Lord of the Rings, which paints a picture of the dramatic majesty of the landscape. Hogsback is surrounded by centuries-old forests and the imposing Amatola Mountains. The region got its name from three peaks, which are said to resemble the wild hogs that are the regulars of the forests. The quiet of the Hogsback scenery is only interrupted by the song of the Knysna Lourie and the jabbering of the Samango monkeys. Its natural beauty as well as the added attraction of the Spring Saunter is sure to entice all. Words by Ashleigh Brown
getaway car
Hiring your
So you have the weekend off and vac is right around the corner. You want to go somewhere but you dont have a set of wheels to take you there andneither do your friends.Hiring a car seems like the best bet. Though, how would you go about doing that? There is really only one placein Grahamstown from where you can hire a car- Europcar. And no, you do not have to be 23 to hire a car. If you are younger, though, you are subject to paying a young driver fee. This fee is built into the cost of hiring the car, and varies depending on where you are going and for how long and what car you are hiring. There are three ways you can go about hiring your getaway vehicle, and they are all relatively simple. First option would be going in to Europcar and speaking to one of the assistants there. If it is your first time hiring, that might be the best thing to do. That way you can ask questions, and see for what exactly you(or your parents) are paying. Also, the assistant can give you advice on specials they might be having, or what would be the best car for you. The second option would be to call. Make sure you know the specifics of your trip. That way the assistant can log it into the computer and set you on your way. If you arent too sure about all the details yet, then the hiring assistant might either ask you to come in to Europcar, or go to their website. That leads me to the third way to try and hire a car - online. This is the quickest way to go about
hiring a car. The website is quite interactive, and easy to follow. Even though it is online, you are still going to want to have figured out at least when you are leaving and for how long. Booking online can be completed in three relatively easy steps: Get a quote, select your vehicle, book and pay.Then all that is left is picking up your car on the day you want to leave. When going about hiring a car, you have toproduce your drivers licence aswell as your ID, or passport. You will pay a deposit on the car that you will get back once the car comes back with all four tyres. Also,remember that there are different specials and rates that apply, depending on what car you hire and for how long.Most offers do not include petrol - that means that you leave with a full tank, so when you return the car,you have to fill the tank up again. However, included in the price is the damage and theft waiver, in case anything might happen. You can take out extra insurance on the car, if you think things might get a little wild, but that will cost you more. You can even ask Europcar to put a GPS in the car for you again, this will cost you extra. The most daunting thing about hiring a car is all the specials they lay out for you. There are so many groups of cars to choose from, and so many extras you can have as well. Just have a clear idea of where you want to go, for how long and what car you want, that way nobody can stop you escaping for the weekend.
28 August 2012
send an email to travel@oppidanpress.com if youd like to tell us about your travel experiences
Travel
The hustle and bustle of the shell festival stalls. Picture: fliCkr
he road to Jeffreys bay is situated between beautiful landscapes of rolling hills, farm lands and, of course, the sea. This small beaching community, nestled along the golden coast of the Eastern Cape is about 45 minutes outside of Port Elizabeth. Jbay, as it is more popularly known, is a hot spot for surfers, beach lovers, and never forgetting, party goers. Jbay is a place to relax and soak up some rays during the day and to dance it all out during the long hours of the night. At the end of every September, Jbay hosts the Shell Festival, a welcome back summer
festival with much to offer. The Shell Festival is a weekend filled with bands, stalls, sporting events, some beach and good company. Even though the stalls offer items festival-goers have all seen before, the shops along the beachfront present eager customers with something different, from quirky little ornament shops, to a full on nail-emporium. This year at the Shell Festival, there will be top sporting activities and cultural shows to entertain the crowds. From beach volleyball to open water sea swimming, as well as cultural dances and music, the Shell Festival promises to entertain.
Music lovers will have something to look forward to. DJs add an extra vibe to the settings while you lay on the beach or shop up a storm in and around all the stalls. However, it is night time when Jbay comes alive, and for most Rhodes students, it is a time we enjoy most. The Shell Festival only supplements the party-going fever, which rips through Jbay most summer nights. The festival plays host to top South African bands. Unfortunately this list of music makers is not available yet. In addition to the live bands, there are clubs filled with eager dancers, and various other parties happening around the small town during the festival.
For those who plan to party all weekend long, Jbay also has numerous places where you can stay overnight. There are camping grounds, B&Bs and backpackers lodges available at affordable prices. Jbay is the perfect place for a student getaway. It is close, and offers a variety of things to do. This years Shell Festival is guaranteed to be bigger and better than the years before. So grab a few friends, jump in the car and make a weekend full of memories in the festive J-Bay.
The Eastern Cape is home to a number of game parks including Addo Elephant Park and National Mountain Zebra Park. Picture: froM gAPAfriCAProjECTs.CoM
Opinion
The SRCs election committee was short sighted in their decision to open an invitation to the Independent Electoral Commission. The move from online voting to a ballot election was motivated by the threat, in previous years, of not reaching quorum. The running of a free, fair and legitimate election was only a secondary motivation for the IECs involvement. The primary purpose was to give students their ballots, in the hopes that they pick one up and contribute to reaching what has become an incredibly elusive 33.3% quorum. The problems here are quite obvious. Even if the student body had reached quorum, the legitimacy of the results would have been tainted in their attempt to bring the vote to the people, instead of bringing the people to the vote. The IEC is an organisation that ensures free and unbiased elections. It is not a draw card designed to encourage participation. The familiar failure of the student body to put their faith into a group of representatives shows that this time apathy has less to do with the general character of Rhodes students and more to do with a flawed election system. In the pursuit of finding candidates of calibre, first, the qualities being pursued must be clear; second, the process must provide a platform for these qualities to be displayed. Last years introduction of the Grazzle and Presidential Debate was an applaudable effort aimed at addressing this concern. Elections progressed from poster and PR campaigns, to a requirement for some kind of engagement with issues that representatives will need to address while in office. The decision to restructure the next Presidential Debate (in offering candidates a period to prepare for the panels questions) is another encouraging move. The silver tongue needed to impress at the first Presidential Debate is not necessarily indicative of the qualities we want in our next SRC president. However, as long as we rely on popular campaigning, and attendance at the Grazzle and Presidential Debate remains low, the threat of failing to reach quorum will remain. The prominence of posters and PR work in campaigning offers candidates the ability to advertise themselves, but not their aims, thoughts, or abilities. This is a problem that sits at the core of representational democracy, but which seems accentuated in the Rhodes microcosm. Bringing in the IEC could not solve this problem, because it used a hammer to tighten a screw. Quorum is not being reached because students do not have faith in their candidates, but candidates cannot acquire that faith until a system that allows them to display relevant qualities is streamlined. The constitutional requirement that the second round of elections be held before the end of the third term will mean another rush. While quorum may be reached, by current standards it will once more be done by scraping the barrel.
On behalf of Rhodes Hockey Club, we would like to distance ourselves from the statements that were published in The Oppidan Press Online about the umpiring of the game Rhodes 1st team men Versus NMMU on Friday 17 August 2012 at the Rhodes Astro. We find these statements unjust and inappropriate. The umpires that were officiating in this match are highly qualified and credible in the hockey society country wide. Both Jake Matlala and Lawrence Ferreira have SAHA umpiring qualifications and a great amount of experience and are highly respected in the Provincial League and at National Level. As the custodians of hockey at Rhodes University, we have a duty to allow the umpires to use their own discretion during match officiating and we condemn any statements that are made without any justification.
letters
@oppidanpress
19 Aug: @Snuly1 Well done @oppidanpress, brilliant coverage of #intervarsity #trivar! One crazy weekend 20 Aug: @thembi_lewis I suggest that everyone either spoils their vote or doesn't actually vote. This is a legitimate political tool. #SRCelections @ oppidanpress 20 Aug: @BuLeee So what happens now? RT @RhodesSRC: 2012/2013 SRC Quorum has not been reached @OppiUnion @oppidanpress @RMR897 @ ActivateOnline @rhodents
Investec Rhodes op 100 students Investec Rhod top 100Apply now stude The Oppidan Press
Jordan du Toit
ave you excelled in leadership, sport, community engagement, academics or the arts and media? Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised in those fields? The time to shine has come because The Oppidan Press Top 100 is back for its fourth year, celebrating students who are quietly creating excellence at Rhodes University. The Top 100 is in its fourth year and with over 400 applicants last year it can only get bigger, said Top 100 project manager Jamie Bezuidenhout. The Oppidan Press is offering a platform to celebrate outstanding students.
Being selected as one of this years Top 100 offers students a permanent record of their achievement, one that will travel with them and make the world take notice. In the next few weeks the application process will be opened; keep your eye on StudentZone and RUConnected where candidates will be able to apply as well as nominate others. Bezuidenhout encouraged members of the Rhodes staff and student community to nominate those exceptional students who deserve to be recognised as Rhodess Top 100 students, but who are too humble to do it themselves.
This years list of the Top 100 students will be announced in a special printed edition of The Oppidan Press on 9 October. The awards evening will be held on 17 October
other cess red by rst year s had how big hat may ther cirargued medical d in hing
compass who, f the ess he and efderation parcel hough onductneeds to ess in
Were looking to replace our team. Were sick of these people and want something new
If youre interested email a CV and Letter of Motivation to applications@oppidanpress.com Applications close Friday 31 August, early applicants statistically are more likely to be chosen.
week
Editorial: News editor Assistant news editor Features editor Assistant features editor Politics editor Assistant politics editor Environmental editor Sports editor Assistant sports editor Arts & Entertainment editor Assistant Arts & Entertainment editor SciTech editor
POSITIONS AVAILABLE:
Executive positions: Editor Deputy Editor Online editor Managing editor Finance manager Marketing manager Advertising Manager (paid by commission) Community Engagement Officer Distribution manager Advertising representatives (paid by commission)
Invest top 10
The aim of this campaign, however, is not to supply copious amounts of Stroh Rum but to teach party-goers how to appreciate it for its great taste and quality, not for its potency.
implementing two student representatives as well as four selected bartenders per campus. Their jobs are to increase exposure and use local hangouts as opportunities to involve students in the Party Starters campaign. At Rhodes, the two representatives, who prefer not to be named publicly, have been very visible at digs parties and formals and are often the main attraction at an event- particularly during InterVarsity weekend. The parties have been taking campuses by storm with great feedback from all involved, said campaign director of HaveYouHeard Marketing Agency Cath Mori. The Party Starters Campaign can be found on their Facebook page and on Twitter. The six-week campaign has taken place in Grahamstown, Stellenbosch and Pretoria, with a firm impact on the party scene. However, it seems the jury is still out on whether this impact is one from which students can benefit.
Shots, shots, shots: The Party Starters Campaign, a new advertising venture, has recently targeted universities in the country advertising Stroh 80. Picture: STRoh 80 PARTy STARTERS/FLICKR
we recommend
Toya DeLazy
This month is all about celebrating women, and most specifically those that who are making it big in the South African music scene. With swarms of new female artists being discovered from every corner of the country, it is quite special to find an artist with a distinct image and even more distinct sound. This month The Oppidan Press recommends the pop-jazzy-electro sounds of Toya DeLazy. DeLazy began her musical career at the age of nine when she took up classical piano lessons. Her passion for piano continued and she turned this interest into her lifes work when she studied jazz piano professionally at the University of KwaZulu-Natals Howard College in Durban. DeLazys quirky style and upbeat tracks have made her a nationwide sensation. Her debut album Pump It On was released in 2011 and became a YouTube and radio sensation. She also received excellent reviews from some of South Africas toughest music critics. She has performed in almost every major city in South Africa in the last year, an extraordinary feat for a new artist. DeLazys recent performance at OppiKoppi was described as one of the highlights by many festival-goers. She is praised for her unique ability to be versatile and her greatest asset so far has been her talent for working the crowd. As a young performer with potential, we expect to see great things from this artist. To listen to and download her album, visit her website: www.toyadelazy.com
Maggs
By Alexandra
By Vimbai
Midzi
28 August 2012
15
dding to the prestigious list of artists that have rocked the Rhodent crowd are Zebra & Giraffe, who released their album The Wisest Ones in July, will soon set off on their country-wide tour next month. Having undergone a few changes, the band now consists of front man Greg Carlin, guitarist Alan Shenton and previous keyboardist and current drummer Mike Wright. They have not only released one of their most personal and reflective albums, they have allowed their fans a look into a different side of the band altogether. Delving into a darker sound and taking a few risks, they have shown off their versatility and talent. Zebra & Giraffe have always put their fans first. We want to grow our audience by doing what
we do, and as we grow, we hope that our fans do to, said Shenton. We will be playing at the Union on 20 September and are extremely excited to be playing for the Grahamstown crowd again, he added. The Wisest Ones took 6 months to create and their input and hard work did not go unnoticed by their fans. There are 3 of us [band members] left, and we are able to do what we want to do. This album has taken us 6 months to produce instead of the 6 weeks that some others took, added Shenton, We have had more time to rehearse and reflect; this has a much more genuine feel. South Africas newest songstress Tailor will perform alongside Zebra & Giraffe on stage throughout The Wisest Ones album launch tour.
The band members of Zebra & Giraffe. Picture: Supplied
The Oppidan Press in conjunction with Zebra & Giraffe are giving away two double-tickets to the band's live Grahamstown performance on 20 September. All you have to do is send the answer to the question below to winning@ oppidanpress.com: "An interview with which member of Zebra & Giraffe went live on The Oppidan Press Online this morning?" We are also giving away a signed copy of Zebra & Giraffe's latest album. Tweet to the world why The Oppidan Press is awesome. The most flattering wins. Make sure to tag @ oppidanpress and hashtag #OppiWinning and #Z&G* Closing date for both competitions is Friday 31 August. *To be eligible candidates need to like our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter
Sports
a Rhodes Staff player during the Cup final. Picture: Madien Van deR MeRwe