The Oppidan Press Edition 6 2014

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The Oppidan PressEdition 6, 28 May 201

oto: GABRIELLA FREGONA

Going greenin the desert

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Rhodes Jockpolitics

Rhodes videogamecoming soon

Badat, de Klerkbid farewell 2 7 11


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News FeaturesTe Oppidan Press 28 May 2014

vian De Klerk

I will be leaving Rhodes with very mixed eelings. While Iam sad that my long and verywarding association with Rhodesll be ending, I made this decision

x months ago and I anticipate myure with excitement.My close association with Rho-s or 35 years (six as a student971-76), 21 as an academic andead o the Linguistics Department984-2007), and eight as the DeanStudents) has been antastic, but

need new challenges and its timer me to live a little more. Afer al research career which involved

riting many academic articles andoks, I cant wait to try my handcreative writing and see whetheran produce a novel or two. I alsoed to get to know my our delight- little grandchildren better, and I

ant to do a lot o travelling.Tere is so much that I williss: being greeted by happy andendly students around campusheyve been my inspiration); givingudents advice, and helping themring crises (I hope I was able toake a real difference); sending out

gular messages to all my witterlowers; working closely with stu-nt leaders and wardens (its been

privilege); and the exhilarationd excitement o Orientation andraduation. But there are also thingsmost denitely will not miss:tervarsity (a special nightmarer Deans o Students); dealing withmplaints about drunken students;ng meetings; disciplinary issues;e lack o water or electricity (noty job!); and ghting the scourgeAIDS.I hope that Rhodes can eventu-y nd sufficient unds in order tohance our campus recreational

d sporting acilities, and build antractive space in the Biko Building

to relax over a cup o coffee at night,so that students dont head or barsand contribute to our in amousdrinking culture. It would also begreat i the University could providesa e, affordable transport off campus,and up and down the hill, althoughI believe we are nearly there.

I am very proud o Rhodes and itsstudents, and shall ollow uture de-

velopments closely. Naturally, I lookorward to the news that studentshave miraculously realised that alco-hol and drugs are quite harm ul andhave decided to devote themselvesto their studies, resulting in a 100%pass rate. More seriously, I hopethe DoS Challenge, the LeadershipAwards, Pocket Money Fund, Men-torship programme, Get Home Sa eservice and op 100, in which I havetaken a deep personal interest, willourish and that Rhodes continuesto acknowledge and celebrate theachievements o our really amazingstudents.

Goodbye all my students. I shall

miss you. And good luck I hopeyou make Rhodes proud.

Goodbye, all mystudents - DoS

Emily Corke

Tis semester has brought about big changes in the senior

management o Rhodes University. Afer eight yearsin their respective positions, both Vice-Chancellor DrSaleem Badat and Dean o Students (DoS) Dr Vivian deKlerk have chosen to resign. Not only will students saygoodbye to de Klerk, they will also say goodbye to theposition o the DoS, which has served as the institutional voice o the students.

Born and bred in Grahamstown, de Klerk is retiring herein order to continue writing her novels and travel with herhusband, who has also taken early retirement.

I am getting off because I eel it is time to go, said deKlerk. I have always believed in leaving when you are ontop. It is my li e philosophy to be proactive and make thedecision while the going is good.

When de Klerk took the position o DoS eight years ago,it was agreed that the position would cease to exist when sheretired. Te DoS position will now change to the Director o

Student Affairs.Rhodes University Registrar Dr Stephen Fourie was part

o a review process considering the DoS division, a processwhich happens at the end o every change o leadership.Fourie was assisted by Natalie Ripley, head o Data Manage-

ment and Director o Development and Alumni Relations.We reviewed it and made various recommendations,

most o which have been adopted, said Fourie. Te majorchange is that there will be a Director o Student Affairsand it will not be an academic position but a support staffposition.

Fourie went on to say that the recommendations wereapproved by Senate and Council and the new position willcome into effect as o 30 June. He added that the positionwill play very much the same role as that o the DoS. Fourieurther maintained that the recreational and residence divi-sions would remain unchanged.

De Klerk was unable at this stage to comment on thechanges which are being made to the position that she isleaving. She will officially vacate her post on 30 June, on her60th birthday, just one year be ore completing a third decadeo working at Rhodes University.

It is my present to mysel . I have worked to live and nowI am going to live, said de Klerk.

New direction after Deans departu

yn de Kock

ast Saturday, Rhodes bid arewell to-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat during aption on the Great Field. Afer eight yearse Vice-Chancellor, Badat will be leaving

University and moving to New York to takeposition with the prestigious Andrew W.on Foundation.

t has been a great pleasure working withadat, said Registrar Dr Stephen Fourie.is an inspirational leader who has made anmous contribution to Rhodes, especiallyorking tirelessly to make it, in his words, ae or all.fer accepting the position o Vice-Chancellor006, Badats rst act was to donate a portions salary and benets towards the creationbursary und aimed at assisting deserv ing,y students.espite some criticism or the slow process oormation at the University, many changes

made during Badats tenure have reected anongoing commitment to recti ying Rhodes con-tentious history as a white university under theapartheid administration. Tis includes the issu-ing o an official apology or the Universitys pastactions and a commitment to its trans ormationat the naming o the Bantu Stephen Biko UnionBuilding in September 2008.

[Badat] has consistently sought to nd

principled, rather than ad hoc, responses to theissues he has had to deal with and this has ledto an open and air management style, Fourieexplained. Tis has included a recongurationo the salary difference between lecturers, juniorlecturers and support staff, in an attempt to en-sure adequate reward or all levels o work at theUniversity and to aid in closing the gap in incomebetween academic and non-academic staff.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor o Research & De- velopment Dr Peter Clayton said that the yearsworking with Badat have been the most stimulat-ing o his career and praised Badat or personally

encouraging the scholarly develop-ment o the University. He cited theincreases in research output and unding, andpostgraduate degrees, as evidence o his commit-ment to trans ormation through education. InBadats time at Rhodes there has been a 79% in-crease in black PhD graduates and a 77% increasein emale PhD graduates rom the University.

Tis Vice-Chancellor demands rom thepeople around him that every decision is wrestledwith, every position has a principled basis, andevery difficult response is ethically made, Clay-ton added. All who have been challenged by him,

who worked with him, and learned rom him, aremore empowered or the experience.

During Badats tenure, Rhodes has partneredwith various local s chools or community engage-ment initiatives. Te University has also orgedlinks with potential Rhodes students, offeringscholarships to deserving students rom under-privileged communities. Tese moves stem romBadats experiences as a young academic at the

University o the Western Cape. He has expressedthe eeling that education is a power ul tool orliberation, ostering critical thinking and substan-tially improving peoples living standards.

Student Representative Council PresidentBradley Bense shared Fouries sentiments thatBadat would be missed: Afer years o greatinvolvement, orward thinking and positiveinuence in developing higher education inSouth A rica, Dr Badat has proven over andbeyond his commitment to the youth o thiscountry. For this we are indebted to him and wewill orever be thank ul.

Badats tenure reaches its end: students, staff say goodby

With the top dogs Dr Saleem Badat (Vice-Chancellor) and Dr Vivian de Klerk (Dean of Students) leaving in June, thesenior management at Rhodes is set to change next semester. Illustration: AMY SLATEM

Dean of Students Dr Vivian de Klerkwrites a farewell letter to Rhodesstudents. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA

- DVC of Research and

Development Peter Clayton

All who have been challengedby him, who worked with

him, and learned from him,are more empowered for the

experience.


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News Features28 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 3

Kakaza

he recent dismissal o two RhodesUniversity academics - charged withscientic misconduct and academic

arism - has led to ambivalence about theversitys handling o the affair, with some

ising their approach as too harsh whilers believe that the matter was handled inest way possible.n terms o the Labour Law o South A rica,ismissal o misconduct there has to be a air said Deputy Dean o Law Gordon Barker.er added that there must be air reason toiss a person and a air hearing where theoyee can present their side o the story.allegations o plagiarism were brought to

Universitys attention by Dr Rowena Martine Australian National University. Martin

d that the concern was not o the plagiarismr material but rather the plagiarism o aber o papers authored by scientists around

world.Plagiarism] is the most serious offence anemic can commit, said Director o Specialects Susan Smailes. Smailes explained that

a complaint o scientic misconduct was raisedwith the University afer the academics published

work had been rejected by two journals, includ-ing the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry .

Deputy Vice-Chancellor o Research andDevelopment Dr Peter Clayton tasked Smailes toinvestigate the matter urther. Smailes stated thatexternal experts agreed that there was sufficientevidence against the academics to proceed witha case.

At the beginning o March 2013 they wereserved with a charge sheet and on 7 March thisyear they were ound guilty on all charges.

Rhodes University was praised by Martin orthe way in which it dealt with the matter.

Considerable credit is due to RhodesUniversity or investigating this issue andor displaying a very strong commitment tomaintaining the quality, rigour and integrity o

the scientic research produced by its employees,said Martin.

Data alsication and abrication ound inthe academics manuscripts were at the core oMartins concerns.

Both o these concerns plagiarism and alsi-cation/ abrication o data were upheld by the

Disciplinary Hearing, she said.Dean o eaching and Learning Pro essor

Chrissie Boughey explained that this was becausethe University has a responsibility to ensure thatthe knowledge it produces is valid and reliable.

Plagiarised work is not valid research produc-tion and the University has to guard against thisat all costs, Boughey said. I it ignored plagia-rised work, it would undermine the processes oresearch production which are at the basis o itsexistence, she added.

With regard to this particular case and themanner in which the University conducted it,Boughey stated that the University responded theonly way it could.

Tat being said, some Rhodes academics ex-pressed the opinion that the investigation was notcarried out with enough care. Te disciplinaryhearing, choice o chairperson, alleged lack o

transparency and the guilty verdict all did not sitwell with these academics.

One Rhodes academic, who spoke toTe Oppidan Press but requested to remainanonymous said, Te decisions were allinappropriate because not all circumstanceswere considered as is required by the Rhodes

University Disciplinary Procedure.Te academic went on to state that Vice-Chan-

cellor Saleem Badat was misin ormed throughoutthe process.

Te investigators, suddenly on the eve othe closing arguments, tried to introduce a newargument - which, although it was eventually notincluded in the record, created doubt.

Te Legal Resources Centre (LRC) assistedthe academics being investigated. One academicagainst the Universitys decisions stated that theUniversity had displayed unnecessary and unac-ceptable hostility towards the LRC. When askedabout the LRCs involvement in the case, Smailesreserved her comment.

Further allegations o pending plagiarism caseswhich have not yet been dealt with by the Uni- versity have also emerged, as well as inequality indealing with such plagiarism issues.

Tere have been no other cases o plagiarismamongst academics o the University be ore thisone, Smailes said.

Allegations have been made and we dontknow i there is any basis to them. But wheneverallegations o plagiarism are made in the Univer-sity, we investigate, she added.

University divided by plagiarism

a Stein, Gemma Middleton andlofelo Tselaemang

nears the hal way mark o

rm o office, the Studentesentative Council (SRC) hasen itsel in striving to providehesive representative body withus on reworking its internalms and its overall image. Here isakdown o the changes that theymade.

ejuvenating Student Governancethough they began the yearback oot afer having to runlections or Community Engage-t and Academic Councillors, thehas sought to work as a cohesiveOnce on track, the SRC got to

k re-evaluating and revamping thetitution, with help rom Advocate

g Renaud and Advocate Susaniles, Director o Special Projectshe Vice-Chancellor.We are very ocused on internalrnance this year, said Presidentley Bense. We are making majores in operational modelling andwe create transparency and ac-tability accessible to students.s is still to be done, in part,ugh the introduction o a Studentament in place o the existingent Forum. Along with this, allmembers are required to submit

thly reports as well as attendingRC commitments.new image

conjunction with altering internaltures, the SRC is looking tomp its public image.Te SRC perception needs to beged across campus as a structureoperates to empower studentnisations and students to remaine and relevant in our society, said

se in explanation.the past, many students com-

ned that they did not know theircouncillors and what the SRC did.mbat this, the SRC employed a

strategy o involvement in student li eat the University. Weve tried to bemore visible this year at everybodysevents, said Secretary General Grace

Moyo. We worked on students seeingus and knowing who we are.

Publicity problems and studentdisinterest

Despite their increased involvementin student events, the SRC has beenhaving problems with getting theirown events publicised and the StudentBody Meeting on 15 May had an audi-ence o less than 20 people.

Tis [the Student Body Meeting]is a plat orm or the students, and thestudents dont arrive, stated AcademicCouncillor Siyanda Makhubo, indicat-ing that poor attendance is blamed onstudent apathy.

When a post voicing this opinion

appeared on the SRC Facebook pagethe next morning, students arguedthat the majority o students were notin ormed o the event.

All we hear is rants about non-attendance when no one bothers toeffectively communicate with us, saidstudent Shingie Manamike. Tis break-down in communication has beenacknowledged by Moyo and Bense.

Dealing with the major issuesTe SRC is currently battling to

provide students with sa e and reliabletransportation options. Te cur-rent system is ailing, with costs ormaintenance and daily running whichare too high or the SRC to sustain.

Moreover, the University has orderedthe programme be shut down, whichmakes the current service illegal.

However, the SRC has plans to rec-ti y this by introducing a proposal thateatures a tender o R2.64 million peryear with transport company BlundenCoach ours.

Tis money would be levied acrossstudent accounts and the programmewould run or three consecutive years.Te proposal is set to be reviewed atthe Budget Committee in November.

Repaying old decits

Although the process began lastyear, this years SRC has signicantlyimproved the poor nancial situationthat they began the year with.

Te SRC operates with our separatedivisions o its nances: the O-Week

account, Committee account, Bus run-

ning allocation and Societies account.Te O-Week account had a decito R41 856 but has been cleared o alldecits and is now in surplus, saidreasurer umelo Tudinyane.

Tis was made possible through the

decision to outsource the Great Field

Party this year. Te SRC is also doingall it can not to leave its successorsin the lurch. Tere have also beenimplementations o nancial directivesthat will place us in a better nancialposition in the long term, he said.

A rejuvenated Rhodes Student Representative Coun

The 2014 SRC is about to enter the last quarter of their term in office. Photo: SUPPLIED


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PoliticsTe Oppidan Press 28 May 2014

yn de Kock

ast week saw the 12th annual each-Inlecture series hosted by the Political andInternational Studies department. Tis

s theme ocused on the recent nationalions, and the different lectures broadlytioned to what end power was being pur-by political parties.common thread picked up by the speakersthat South A ricas recent elections saw noarkable change, but that the current politicalscape offers great potential or change in thee. O primary interest in these discussionsthe role that the Economic Freedom Fight-EFF) and Julius Malema will have to playouth A rica now that they have achieved aicant number o seats in Parliament.

Te EFF was the wildcard, and with only

t months campaigning, the act that they wonmillion votes is signicant, said Mondaysker, Associate Editor o the Daily Maverickeni Munusamy.unusamys discussed the steady rise o Male-s a big personality in South A rican politics.usamy argued that the EFF are popularuse their leader Malema sees problems andnoses solutions without getting caught incy rhetoric like Mamphela Ramphele on theng campaign trail.entity politics have come to characterise there o party politics because o the strong at-ment to recognisable leaders being privilegedmore public articulation o policies.s is not limited to the EFF, either. Writeractivist Sisonke Msimangs discussion Dont

h Me on my #Swag: elections, race and (be)ing in South A rica discussed the conceptwag in relation to three key political gures,how their political parties emerged in termseir articulation o this kind o sel -styling.

Swag is requently used as a part o a styleo sel -bragging and boasting about ones ownprowess. It needs sel -re erence, Msimang said.She discussed the idea o swag in hip hop culturerelating to ideas o arrogance and being cool, butmentioned that the concept involves a levelo authenticity.

Swag also meant keeping it real and not or-getting your roots or where you came rom.

Msimang argued that swag was also contained

in, and a per ormance o , a violent, aggressiveand emotionally distant masculinity, describingMalema as a Robin Hood-type gure who pro- jects a sense o justice even whilst doing ethicallyproblematic things.

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zillealso came under scrutiny due to increasingproblems within the official opposition relating tothe direction o the partys leadership. Msimangsaid that Zille had attempted to have swag, butthat she had also become more aggressive in thebuild-up to the 2014 elections than she had everbeen be ore. Zilles views on race were worri-some and showed that she is out o touch with thecurrent picture in South A rica, Msimang said.

For her, Zille was not as sure o her relevance asMalema, and was trying to assert the same mas-culine identity while simultaneously subverting itas a emale party leader.

However, it was the treatment o Jacob Zuma

that exemplied Msimangs denition o swag.He came rom standard education, the son

o a domestic worker. He represents the schoolo hard knocks, Msimang explained. Whatwould he have been i not President? He could

have been a gardener, a taxi driver - a realitymost black South A ricans could relate to. NelsonMandela was born into nobility and was alwaysa chie , so his success and his sainthood almostseems preordained. People are proud o Zuma,and this shouldnt be underestimated.

Te each-Ins emphasised the act that SouthA rican politics could change drastically withinthe next ve years, based on a series o i s.

Tese are contingent on the ability o majorparties to move past the current crises oleadership, ideology and support base that theyall ace in some way.

Te varying responses they could have to thesecrises could alter the ways in which people havebeen voting over the last 20 years and, moreimportantly, prevent what Manager o Political

Parties and Parliamentary Support Ebrahim Fakircalled more excessive cannibalism o the stateand its resources by the swagged-out pirate shipo South A rican political parties that Msimangso vividly described.

Teach-In talks election #swag

we Adebayo

pite claims on the campaign trailited ronts, cohesive practices

a work-together attitude, the

ks since the National Electionsunveiled a petty politics beneathur ace o many political parties.s is most starkly represented

he departure o Agang leadermphela Ramphele rom politicsso recently having established hery.sewhere, the DA Federal Executive

been characterised by mudslingingactionalism - marked particularly

Helen Zilles explosive statementst her central role in the makingndiwe Mazibuko.espite the act that neither o thesees are at the helm o nationalics, they are still representative o

ons o votes. Whether these areine issues or just the sulking olosers, they still have very impor-work to do.recent news presents some

ying symptoms or South A ricasical health going orward. Tenal opposition represents an

ortant unction in our democracy,ts leadership is in many ways as

ortant as the parliamentary leader-o the ANC.would seem, however, that as soon

as Lindiwe Mazibuko announced her

plans to put politics on hold in avouro Harvard, all that she stood or wentwith her. Mazibuko was indeed astellar nd by Zille - a black woman(can you hear the BEE boxes beingticked?) whose eloquence, educationand charisma made her attractive tonew-age young black voters while notaltogether alienating the old (white)guard. Te DA will struggle to replaceher in parliament.

Over at the EFF headquarters, theocus has been on ashion rather than

nancial policy. Te party recently

unveiled their new, red overalls whichwill be the official gear or parliamentproceedings.

While the party does have a stronginterest in workers, the depictions onational MPs in miner and cleaneroutts (while earning MP salaries)makes a mockery out o the lives otheir constituents, who cannot simplychange into the latest pair o CountryRoad pyjamas when they have nishedtheir per ormance.

For a new party which has gained

signicant interest and support in its

rst election, the ocus must quicklymove away rom a we did it mental-ity when there is still so much work tobe done.

Usually, parties are given 100 daysor so be ore their per ormance isevaluated. Tis is absolutely air and itmust be clear that the intention o thisarticle is not to pronounce premature judgement.

In act, the romantic in me wantsto believe that these issues are simplysymbolic o a teething process or

many parties.

However, it is important that we arenot blind to these indications. Our jobdid not end at the polls and i this kindo political play-ghting continues, itis most certainly our responsibility tobring back into clear ocus the prom-ises which were held up to us.

Te words o Jean-Jacques Rousseauin Te Social Contract are truer nowthan ever: As soon as any man [ sic]says o the affairs o the State Whatdoes it matter to me?, the State may begiven up or lost.

Post-election politics prove problemati

The departure of Agang leader Mamphela Ramphele (left) from politics, and the rift between DA leader Helen Zille (centre) and Lindiwe Mazibuko (right) hasrevealed the petty nature of post-election politics. Photo: SOURCED

Sisonke Msimang speaks on the role of swag and authenticity in relation to the recent nationalelections and race relations. Photo: IVAN BLAIC

The EFF was the

wildcard, and withonly eight monthscampaigning , thefact that they won1.1 million votes is

signicant.- Ranjeni Munusamy , Associate

Editor at the Daily Maverick


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Politics28 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 5


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OpinionTe Oppidan Press 28 May 2014

The Oppidan Press staff and contact detailsitor : Kyla Hazell. Deputy Editor : Amanda Xulu. Executive Consultant :nwe Adebayo. Managing Editor : Sindisa Mfenqe. Financial Manager :rna Sibanda. Advertising Managers : Chiedza Guvava, Tariro Bhunu.

arketing Manager : Sarah Taylor. Community Engagement Officer :bigail Butcher. Online Editor : Stuart Lewis. Assistant Online Editor :elsea Haith. News Features Editor : Emily Corke. Assistant News Featuresitor : Mila Kakaza. Politics Editor : Tarryn de Kock . Assistant Politics

itor : Mitchell Parker. Opinion Editor : Ben Rule. Arts & Entertainmentitor : Jenna Lillie. Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor : Mattheweld. Business Editor : Christopher Fisher. Scitech Editor : Bracken Lee-dolph. Environment Editor : Mikaela Erskog. Sports Editor: Douglas

mith. Assistant Sports Editor : Kimara Singh. Chief Photo Editor : Gabriellaegona. Assistant Chief Photo Editor : Kellan Botha. Chief Online Photoitor : Alexa Sedgwick . Assistant Online Photo Editor : Ivan Blai. Chiefb-Editor : Kaitlin Cunningham. Chief Online Sub-Editor : Melian Dott.b-Editors : Kate Jennings, Danica Kreusch, Leila Stein, Jessica Trappe, Amyilkes. Chief Designer : Madien van der Merwe. Assistant Chief Designer :nnah McDonald. Advert Designers : Amber-Leigh Davies, Amy Davidson.

nior Designers : Alex Maggs, Amy Ebdon, Amy-Jane Harkess, Sihleshiselwa. External Content Advisors: Tope Adebola, Ndapwa Alweendo,cy Holford-Walker. OppiTV:Chief Editor: Natalie Austin. Content Editor :mbai Midzi. Output Editor : Lilian Magari. Webcast Producer : Marcvies. Ombudsperson: Professor Anthea Garman.

tters to the Editor: [email protected] details: [email protected]/theoppidanpressww.twitter.com/oppidanpress @oppidanpress

e Oppidan Press publishes letters which arebona de expressionsopinion provided that they are not clearly libellous, defamatory,

cist or sexist. We publish anonymous letters, but as an act of goodth on your part, we require your full name. We reserve the rightshorten letters due to space constraints and to edit them forammatical inaccuracies. Letters that do not make it into our printition will be published on our website.

Ben Rule

For legal reasons we are unable todisclose the identity of the mouth.

Tese views are derived from personalexperience.

Opinion Editor: Marijuana hasquite a bad reputation among thoseoutside o its community, rstly orostering an addiction and secondlyor being a gateway into more serioussubstances. Are either o these truerom your experience?

My experience has been that marijuana is certainly a dependency-induc-ing substance. Te classical distinc-tion between so-called psychologicaldependency and physical dependency,I believe, is a allacy. I have seen myseland others physically withdraw rommarijuana use.

However, I reject the gateway theory.I believe, and rom my own livedexperience, I have observed that thosewho have a tendency to consume illicitsubstances do so without any markedcorrelation to any other drug con-sumption [and] I have been amazed athow quickly someone can experimentand abuse all manner o substanceswithout any patterns or correlations.

Most o us on campus have heardstories o (or know personally)people whose habits have resulted inacademic ailure (quite spectacularly,in some cases). Is it possible or asustainable balance between a weed

habit and a degree to be achieved?I believe such a sustainable balance

is possible, but not probable. Despitethere being some individuals who are

able to sustainably balance a weed hab-it with a success ul academic regimen,this is certainly a minority. I emphasiseminority: I would say there are about2-5 persons per 100 weed smokers atRhodes who do not encounter seriousacademic difficulties as a result o theirweed habit.

Tere is a pervasive belie that thereare dozens o these people aroundcampus, smoking constantly and pass-ing their degree. Tis is an engineeredallacy, designed to lure people intosmoking at inopportune times, whentheir better judgment would tell themotherwise. I I sold weed, Id spreadsuch a message too - it is surely good

or sales.It seems clear, rom the legalise itmovement, to Bob Marley posters,to Snoop Dogg, to Cheech & Chong,that this is beyond just a substance its a culture. What is it about weed,as opposed to other drugs, thatmakes people so passionate about itas a li estyle and culture?

Tis is something I really struggle toanswer. Maybe it ows rom the posi-tive association between marijuana useand pleasant social experiences that re-sult there rom. It osters kinship and abliss ul state o relaxation. Individualswho seek to prolong these experiences

or to embody them on a permanentbasis become transxed with thisculture. Te culture has evolved toembrace like-minded persons who do

not judge such a passion. Te processo growing the plant seems to embodythe ullment o the marijuana li e-style, rom my perspective. Personally,I spend very little time engrossed inthe cultural aspects o marijuana use.Te medias use o marijuana con-sumption re erences is something Ind unappealing.

What was wrong with sobriety?Te attraction o the altered state

is that it allows a release rom thebanality o li e. I personally struggleto deactivate my mind when I amgrappling with something that is eitheremotionally or academically intensive.Te appeal lies in the ability to exclude

such material rom my thought processand ocus on something that I chooseto ocus on.

Marijuana is not conducive to multi-tasking. For me, this is its appeal. Inever smoke when I have somethingcrucially important to do, nor do Ismoke during the week when I havedozens o other commitments to at-tend to. In this way, I constrain it tosomething that is akin to drinking abeer afer a long day. What I hope toshare is how that context or marijuanaconsumption is limited by many ac-tors. Would you drink a beer on theway to a dawnie, every day?

The joint in the horses mouthWhile marijuana is often portrayed as a gateway drug, some users at Rhodes dispute this claim, seeing no correlationbetween its use and further experimentation. Photo: SHEILA DAVID

The segment where the Opinion Editor sits down with a horses mouth andgets a few answers. This weeks horse: Weed smokers.This weeks mouth: Ananonymous weed smokesperson.

C onspicuously sprayed across a wall in the centre o campus stands areminder in question orm: a graffiti tag that reads Where LeadersLearn? Dark paint on white plaster, this lesson in the signicancepunctuation greets me each morning as I walk towards the Library and,ch morning, it makes me think.What legitimate claim do we have to being the university at which ourcietys uture leaders are intellectually nurtured? And looking to the historyour institution, what do we need to ask about the way in which leaderships traditionally been understood here and the way in which that conceptions or has not trans ormed?A conversation o this nature has received a lot o attention at the UniversityCape own in the last little while, with opinions ying back and orth aboutether the statue o Cecil John Rhodes should be removed rom campus.the past ew days, Cape own activist group okoloshe Stencil CollectiveC) graphically asserted their view on the matter, claiming responsibilitytagging the statue with the words Remember Marikana. SC said in atement that the graffiti had been done in honour o all black students whosecestral land and natural resources were stolen by colonial leaders like Rho-s, Because 1994 changed okol.One wonders how the Collective would contribute to the discussions thate place rom time to time about changing the name o Rhodes University.entire affair might also make one question which leaders university stu-nts should be looking to as exemplars.Page 2 o this edition is dedicated to two leadership gures who have takense issues seriously, but who will no longer be with the University whenall return afer winter vacation: Dean o Students Dr Vivian de Klerk and

ce-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat. Tis week, Oppi V will be hosting Drdat together with Pro essor Pedro abensky rom the Allan Gray Centre oradership Ethics (AGCLE), heritage activist Simphiwe Msizi, and a num-r o students to discuss leadership and the lessons we can learn rom pastders connected to the University. In particular, we will be interrogating theacy o Steve Biko as an individual who grounded much o his struggle indent leadership.Tese questions are particularly signicant or us as Te Oppidan Pressht now because this edition marks our mid-year editorship handover. Iextremely pleased to hand the position o Editor-in-Chie over to currentputy Editor Amanda Xulu, who will be working together with newly-pointed incoming Deputy Editor Stuart Lewis. We also welcome Chelseaith as Online Editor, assisted by Liam Stout. My sincere congratulations aree to these individuals, whose contributions to the team have proved themre than capable.

It is not easy to leave Oppi afer nearly our years, but I have every aith inse individuals and the incredible team that they are there to support. Hav-

g seen the publication grow in strength and spirit and knowing the potentialt exists among its members, I cannot wait to see where things will go.

>> Makana Unity League: New residentsalliance leaves Rhodes out

o p p

i d a n p r e s s

. c o m

C h e c k

i t o u t a t :

>> Coconut: Ex-sitcom actor turned Rhodesstudent on the cutthroat world of SouthAfrican television>> Grahamstown Film Club: Locals rally to llgap left by closed cinema


7/12

Opinion28 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 7

na Paver

studied George Or wells Animal Farm inhigh school. I remember my class calling

t a waste o time but, contrary to popular, I think the allegorical message behind

e talking animals is still relevant today.overnment is a scary word. Synonymisedwords like restraint, regulation, or control,

n make a person jumpy. Under the guisemocracy, governments can abuse popularort or even attempt to escape accountability

misdemeanours. Tis is what the Pigs did inmal Farm and it is my ear that this is what

ountrys benevolent leaders are currentlyg too.starts with securing a new regime, discard-past oppression and embracing the estab-ment o equality. In the book, the animalse their cruel human masters off the arm tote a socialistic Animal State. South A rica

wed its strength as a nation when apartheidconquered and or a while we were shinythe hope o our new equality. Just like the

mals laws, we created our new Constitutionhailed as one o the worlds best) to protect

elves rom the cruelty o apartheid. ogetherwere optimistic.hortly afer, however, leaders began to exertence: dening power boundaries by ensnar-he publics trust. In Animal Farm , the Pigs

generously assume the role o government be-ing the most intelligent sect o the animal collec-tive, this only seems right. In South A rica, theANC made the leap to become our leaders who,like the Pigs, were chosen by their community and or the most part they have the wellbeing otheir subjects at heart.

At rst, the animal community attempted to

create a schooling system which taught readingand writing. But the Pigs soon discovered differ-ent levels o education meant differences in accessto power access. Tis discrepancy is clear inSouth A rica, where inconsistencies o educationalso seem to be perpetuating the class divisions.We are one o the most unequal societies inthe world, and our education system is a stark

reminder (and cause) o this.Te power then gets to the Pigs and they start

to subtly undermine the idea o equality, puttingthe needs o some animals above the needs o

others. Te Pigs use their superior intelligenceto make the other animals believe they deservespecial treatment. Whether deserving or not,the same special treatment is clear in our classsystems. Instead o equality, the 1% whites havebeen joined by the 1% blacks the opposite ocreating an economically equal society. Tis owsinto the crux o the book: All animals are equal,some are just more equal than others.

Suddenly in the book one realises: this is remi-niscent o the old arm. Te animals continue tobe taken advantage o and they remain uneducat-ed and unheard. Our progress has been similar- the uneducated remain uneducated, the poorremain poor and get poorer, the hungry remainhungry and get hungrier, the unheard remain voiceless. How is this different rom what it was

like be ore?By the end o the book, chaos reigned. Te Pigs

had total control; they could literally do whateverthey chose including getting away with acts oull-out violence, breaking their all-importantlaws and walking on two eet like their humanenemies. Sometimes, it seems to me our govern-ment is heading in a direction which so closelyresembles our previous regime that we may needanother revolution.

South African Politics an Animal Farm?

The South African political environment has several features which seem to parallel George

Orwells short novel, Animal Farm . Photo: KELLAN BOTHA

ne Lindhorst and Jordan Stier

ng at the Kai pondering the statengs, I notice the at caps worn

crowns and the rugby shorts thatand attention. I ask mysel howhat the ideas o the Jock classbecome the ruling ideas o the

des cultural milieu.ow have the Jock intellectualsaged to win ideological controlthe Rhodes masses? Have they

aged to spread their worldviewugh requenting certain establish-s in the town? Or is it by engaging

ublic jock behaviour whichmes normalised?

eavesdrop subtly upon the con-

ations o those around me. Somealking about their god-aw ulrer, and some about the state oountry, and some about other bits

uff. But the most important topice Kai , today and everyday, is thet out.groups conversations get louder

ey seem to compete over whohe best Friday night a competi-that the Jock intellectuals almostitably win.the Kai however, it is not only

ocks that talk o their night: theters converse about their unendinges, while the nerds talk o the im-ent death o their genius - presum-

owing to the hangover that ensuesa night in the Jocks play-pen.y werent always like this. Onays past the nerds would learn, theers would game, and the hipstersld... well, do whatever they did.he loudness and overwhelmingence o the Jocks has slowly lured

m out o their com ort zones andthese drinking establishments,e st-pumping and bru continueign supreme. By day these dis-nt groups continue to snigger and

denounce the Jocks and their way oli e, and yet by night they all end up in

these establishments, st-pumping thenight away.What continues to perplex me

especially, however, is what themechanism o their control might be- is it the institution o naps? owardsthe end o the night, the hipsters andnerds are inevitably lef swaying tomusic they do not like while the Jocksare walking to the nights chosenhome. Is it during pillow talk that theJock intellectuals perpetuate theirworldview?

Between the Jock class bread andbutter o sporting events and barnights proposed as residence enter-tainments, the space or events basedon alternate ideas is limited. All o theregular social spaces are ooded withJock Ideals.

Or perhaps these ideas are perpetu-ated in the media we consume in oureveryday lives. From social media,where the photos rom the night outare plenti ul and at-cap-lled, to thestudent press, where Jocks are veryofen used as journalistic sources, one

cannot seem to escape this jockracyo ideas. It seems the dissident groupssuffer ailments o coordination andalse consciousness. Te hipsters aretoo busy pretending they dont careand keeping the Grahamstown hair-dressers in business, while the nerdsremain outside lighting cigarettes andbecoming enthralled in conversationson Gramsci.

While the battle o ideas rages on,or now it seems that the at cap acesno threat o being dislodged.

The dominant ideas of jockracy

In recent years the so-called jock culture clique has come to dominate Rhodessociety and culture. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA

...theoverwhelmingly

trending topicat the Rhodes

University Kaif,today and

everyday, is thenight out.

Ben Rule

We are reaching that time in the year where the weather is star ting to med-dle with all o our lives. Te Student Representative Council (SRC) should beaware o this and take steps to x the problem, especially since it rained all

over their parade last week.Te SRC is a commonly-used scapegoat or the problems that the student bodyexperiences on campus. Tis is completely legitimate. Since we were all orced toendure their nonsensical election propaganda and help them reach quorum lastyear, we have acquired certain whinging rights. Tis is how democracy works. Itis there ore much better to hold the SRC accountable or things that are beyondthe scope o their unctions than it is to investigate the proper avenues or raisingthese matters at this institution. I they werent so busy painting large overallsand wearing blazers, maybe something would actually get done about the librarysockets, or the dining hall meals, or the act that dawnies still exist.

Tis brings me to my primary complaint. Why are we, as a student body thatsupposedly believes in accountability and transparency and all o that other lovelystuff you put in your waffles, not holding the SRC accountable or the weather?Bad weather is a constant and pervasive problem on campus it is clearly the vil-lain responsible or a number o pressing evils: poor lecture attendance, decreasedhealth, worse moods which lead to bad tempers which lead to violence, a generalinability to go out and drink in com ort, rubbish assignment marks, illegal inter-

net activities, student apathy, conspiracy theories, increased teenage pregnancies,cannibalism, incest, global warming and AIDS.Bad weather is clearly a scourge o student society. Students are orced to ght

a momentous battle against it without any help rom the establishment. Any at-tempts by the SRC to provide additional transport or umbrellas should immedi-ately be recognised as devious shenanigans, cheap smoke and mirror distractiontactics to mask the act that they are not dealing with the issue. What they reallyneed to do is change the weather. Tis would be the grandest contribution tostudent wellbeing that any elected body has ever made, and rankly I cant believethat it hasnt occurred to them yet. Clearly their minds are clouded. We as a stu-dent body need to band together to call our leadership to account and address thethings that matter. When the SRC xes the bad weather, we can say that they aredoing a proper job o representing us.

The weather is the SRCs fau

Poor weather is responsible for poor health, bad moods and decreased classattendance. Photo: VICKY PATRICK


8/12

Arts & EntertainmentTe Oppidan Press 28 May 2014

i Drew

Despite having societies which explore

creative plat orms like gaming andanime, Rhodes still does not have a

ety dedicated to comic book readers anders. While some may argue that this is dueck o initiative, others question what suchiety would actually do to keep its memberse once it was started.aming Society Chairperson Jean-Clive Baileyves that this dilemma has to do with our

ety as a whole. I do think the lack o a comick society is due to the act that comic booksnot part o the South A rican pop culture, heained. Te reason why we have things like

Anime Society and the Gaming Society isuse the mediums we are accustomed to haveintroduced to members since high school

are easily accessible.

owever, there are those who would like to seentroduction o a comic book society whichld create a new plat orm or students to voiceopinions while encouraging their artistic

abilities. Bill Masuku, a comic book creator andthird-year BCom student, says that he lovesdrawing and storytelling and would really like to

promote literacy and the visual arts withinSouth A rica.

Masters in Fine Art student and comic bookenthusiast Kathleen Sawyer believes that creatinga larger and riendlier community is possible, asmany better-versed ans can be disparaging onew readers who know less.

Tis may be because the basic acts aboutthe world o comics are becoming increasinglycomplex. Since the rst comic book FamousFunnies was published in 1933 the industry hasboomed, with the United States producing themost well-known comic book titles such as TeWalking Dead , Fables and the near endless supplyo superheroes belonging to the two kings o thecomic world, Marvel and DC.

Te advent o amous comic-book characters

in lms, television series and video games has notonly greatly increased their popularity but alsothe popularity o comics as a whole.

Tis has led to new developments in the

comic-book industry: Marvel Comics recentlyintroduced Kamala Khan, the rst-ever Muslimcharacter to headline her own comic book, whohas been eaturing in the third volume o the

Ms. Marvel comics since February 2014. Teintroduction o such a unique and controversialcharacter showcases how comics use their crea-tive plat orm to put orward ideas that challenge

societal norms.Closer to home, the art o comic collecting can

be a pricey hobby. While Japanese manga has

almost no copyright laws when released outsideo Japan, stricter licensing and copyright lawsassociated with American comics make import-ing them into South A rica very expensive. Tismay be another reason why Rhodes has a healthyanime and manga ollowing, but no comic booksociety just yet.

Despite this, as long as the beauti ul aestheticand interesting accompanying storyline o com-ics continue, there will be those who use comicbooks as a way to develop their imagination andto gain urther knowledge in a more visuallyoriented ormat.

Readers can become emotionally invested inthe characters, wanting them to do well [and] tobe happy, Sawyer explained. [Tey are] willingto suspend disbelie in the most antastical o

moments. Tere are no bad special effects orunbelievable actors. Instead, writers are ree tocreate scenarios that suit their personal imagina-tive visions.

Comic book society yet to be formed at Rhodes

There are no badspecial effects or

unbelievable actors.Instead, writers are

free to create scenariosthat suit their personal

imaginative visions.

- Kathleen Sawyer, Masters in Fine Art and

comic book enthusiast

Stein

me is a unique orm o Japaneseation which boasts a diversetion o genres, styles and char-s. Despite the richness o its, anime is ofen brought downegative stereotypes and precon-ed notions which only reect ascule portion o the art orm asole.ne o the biggest misconceptionsanime ans have encountered isdea that anime is perverted ordish.ome o the most success ul anime

s with complex themes such as li e, death and sex, but sinceern audiences still tend to seeation as intended or children,

e mature themes can come as anxpected shock.Anime is a way o telling stories.

ust happen to be animatedvoiced in a language that is notish, explained Chairperson o thedes Neko Anime Society Nataschainick. At the end o the day thatit really is - a different way to tell

a story.Te stories that anime tells, however,

span over such a wide range o topicsthat some o the misconceptions ofentouch on some truth.

With every art orm you are goingto get the more perverted side and themore childish side, but there is moreto it, noted media representative andtechnician or Neko Julia Davies.

Artistic styles and animators oanime differ greatly rom their Westerncounterparts. Artistically, anime tendsto stray towards a more realistic styleo animation as opposed to the exag-gerated style typical o most Western

animations.Anime also differs in terms o itsstorytelling: while Western animationtends to ocus on episodic narratives,with each episode presenting its ownsel -contained story, anime is usuallyserial in nature, with stories stretchingover several episodes and seasons.

Tere are anime movies that wouldgive even the best Disney movies arun or their money when it comes tocharming and heart-warming tales.

At the same time, there are shows

that look at the most real aspects ohuman existence, and in this wayanime is not unlike shows suchas Game of Trones , rue Blood andeven Dexter , whose content can beconsidered controversial but is moreaccepted because o its genre.

One o the most well-known animeanimators, Hiyao Miyazaki, hasreceived wide-spread recognition onthe international stage. Miyazaki isresponsible or movies like Spirited Away , which became the mostsuccess ul lm in Japanese historyand won the Oscar or best animatedeature in 2002. His movies revolve

around humans and their relationshipwith nature.While watching media produced in

a different part o the world, whetherJapan or anywhere else, you gain a newperspective on how things work thereand begin to develop a respect or theculture and li estyle, said Dominick.

Anime provides an amazingopportunity to visually explorestories that could not come to li e inlive action lm, added Kaylin VanAswegen, an avid anime an.

Anime: more than just childs play

me cosplay has become an important part of anime fandom not only in Japan but worldwide too, with cosplayups and conventions becoming more popular. Photo: SUPPLIED

Portraits of GrahamstownJosh White

Every day we walk throughcampus, passing ellowstudents, listening to ourlecturers and alling soar into our own workthat we orget to take an

interest in others aroundus. Portraits will prolepeople rom all stages intheir academic career,allowing us as readers toknow a bit more aboutthe people we see, andespecially the ones wenever see.

Tis edition prolesJeannette Ginslov, who haslectured part-time at theDrama Department sinceJune 2013. She is involvedin P(Ar)take at the NationalArts Festival this year.

What is P(Ar)take?

P(Ar)take is a public artper ormance that con-nects viewers and dance videos between mobiledevices, networks and cityspaces. It is part archive,part time-machine and partper ormance o memory - a living archive. Te Augmented Reality (AR)application Aurasma will allow you to view short videos o ten South A ricanchoreographers works rom the last thirty years, within the context o SouthA rican history and its trans ormation. A live per ormer accompanies thetour and dances in and out o this eld o augmented media, ampliying thesignature movements o each choreographer. Te AR journey and integra-tion o live per ormance explores new and unique choreographic possibili-ties.

What made you choose this specic project? What inuenced you?I am interested in challenging traditional and conventional means o

presenting dance on stage. Site-specic works, new media and screendancein urban spaces using cell phones and apps is a new plat orm or dance andbreaks the conventional way o viewing dance. Te live per ormer dances inand out o this eld o media, sometimes disrupting the connection betweencellphone and viewer. Ultimately, viewers are not passively consuming thedance videos and history o South A rican contemporary dance, but enteringinto a dialogue with it.

Are you planning anything more? What will your uture involvementwith the university and with Grahamstown be, i any?

Funding permitting, next year February I may be back to shoot two moredance videos or Juanita Finestone-Praeg. Tis will complete the trilogy odance lms examining the stories o three different women in different stateso being and locations.

Jeannette Ginslov, part-time lecturer at theDrama department is heavily involved inprojects like P(Ar)take. Photo: ASHLEIGHMEY


9/12

Arts & Entertainmen28 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 9

Stein

ocal Grahamstown band

Shackles and Bones haveachieved what all bands dream

gning a deal. SilverCup Records,w start-up label based in theern Cape, has approached theabout signing a one year album

ract with them. Te band wasially signed on 20 May.rock band with the stage

ence o an electrocuted dinosaur,rding to their Facebook biography,been quite busy this year. Teir recent exploits were in Cape, which resulted in recognitionthe label and a larger audience.

ust goes to show how the bandaking a name or itsel beyond

Grahamstown scene. We hadawesome shows and played ouracoustic set with this line up. Weed at Zula Bar on Long Street andiouzly Armchair in Observatory.was a nice crowd o people that

wed up, recalled Luke Clayton,arist and vocalist or the band.

band eels positive about the and said that they hope to con-

e on with them i things go well.g approached by interested labelsmething that the band has becomestomed to, but be ore now, no has really stuck around longgh to invest.

o be air we did not believe it this

when we got the call. We metin Cape own and they showed

us a contract. We have never gottentangible proo o a record deal be ore,explained vocalist and guitarist DaveGlover. I you are a little garage bandplaying at pubs all over the country,there is a certain kind o person whowill claim to be a manager. Te rsttwo times it happened to me it turnsout they were just some drunken

dudes, said Glover.In the past, the band has been

plagued by various changes to bandmembers but Glover did not see thisas an obstacle - merely a challenge thatgot Shackles and Bones to where theyare now. Band members have comeand gone, which has been trying attimes, but also cool because with eachnew member it seems to get better andbetter, he said.

Glover added that the band has hadproblems holding onto drummers

in the past. Weve gone throughmore drummers than years wevebeen active. Weve gone rom gettingsomeones 17-year-old brother to a31-year-old Argentinian. Its reallytricky to hold down a drummerin Grahamstown!

Te band expressed their views onthe state o the rock scene not only in

Grahamstown but across South A ricaas well. Te scene here is almost

underground; I think that in SouthA rica, rock music is just a very smallmarket. Te market is oversaturatedwith rock bands. Its a little bit o a bunght. o get to the next level, it takes alot o luck and hard work, explainedClayton.

Tis stiff competition has led torivalry and un riendly behaviour

between competing bands. We havehad some bad experiences with otherbands not paying us any attention ornot even recognising us as anotherband, explained bassist Steven Ellery.As a result o these experiences, theband has ormed bonds with otherbands like Lu-Fuki and are always will-ing to assist any band that needs help.

Clayton offered his advice to thosewho are just starting out as musicians.Every band Ive been in has startedout terribly and has only gotten betterwith time. Weve been doing this orour years and I think we can still getbetter, but we have come very ar. Juststick with it because it doesnt matter

i you suck at the beg inning - that istotally normal.

Shackles and Bones secure record deal

Shackles & Bones have signed with Western Cape-based label, SilverCup Records. Photo: GABRIELLA FREGONA

The scenehere is almostunderground; I

think that in SouthAfrica, rock music

is just a verysmall market.- Luke Clayton,

Shackles & Bones

Battle of the Acoustics: The six-string naan Stier

Music Societys (LMS) Battle oAcoustics competition reachedonclusion on Saturday 24 May,e our nalists graced the stagede 65 one more time. Te ourmastered many acoustic pieces

ughout the competition or thet o capacity crowds.Te support has been great and I

oping it continues to grow, saidt organiser Sheila David. Tiss supporters were able to appreci-mix o acoustic sounds, with the

contestants each playing a selec-o original pieces and covers.verall winner Robert Pienaar,also competed in last years

nament, decided to add sometion by tapping into differentes.

Tat seems to keep the crowd amore interested. I like the act that

ave to have some originals and

ncouraged to do some covers. Itires more skill to write songs thatrowd will like than to just playrs, he said.think that compositions arer than covers because it showsoriginality as a musician, agreedHardy, one member o the still

amed three-person act that also in-es Courtney Cronje and Mathieubert.group enjoyed playing a mixture

nres. We like playing some pop

rock, some reggae or some indie rock,explained Hardy.

Despite Hardys interest in original

compositions, his group did not per-orm any or the Oldes crowd, partiallybecause o the relatively new nature othe trio.

We dont have any name becausewe have just started playing together,Hardy said. However, he argues, play-ing covers can make the act just asrelevant to all crowds.

Te advantage with covers is thatthe public ofen knows the song thatyou are playing, there ore they tend toenjoy it more than original songs.

Even though his qualication orSaturdays nal exemplied his skill,Pienaar is playing or the love o music

rather than or a career.A career in music? Well, a paidone would be good, he joked. Tecompetition has been more o aplat orm or spreading his name onthe Rhodes music scene than in thebig leagues.

I have been in the gig since grade10, but [since] coming to Rhodes Ihave had to start off resh as an acous-tic guitarist instead o being in bands,and so it is good to get exposure whereyou can.

Hardys group shares a similar viewon having aspirations in the musicindustry. We decided to competebecause its nice to be able to play livein ront o a nice audience, says Hardy.

Id love to make a living by playingmusic but it takes a lot o practice and,as we all know, studies take up the ma-

jority o our time at Rhodes. But whoknows? Maybe in a couple o years.Pienaar hopes that the tournament

will allow him to orm a group o hisown. It has helped [me] to meet somemusicians at Rhodes and hope ullymaybe some committed guys or ladiesto start a band [with].

Music isnt something that youlearn but its something that you inte-grate in your li estyle, said Hardy.

Te more you enjoy playing musicthe more you will practice, there orethe better youll become.

The Live Music Societys Battle of the Acoustics nal took place on Saturday 24May. Ben Phipson was one of the participants in the competition.Photo: SHEILA DAVID


10/12

EnvironmentTe Oppidan Press 28 May 2014

aela Erskog

n the last edition we began a

discussion on the relationshipbetween environmentalism andal uplifment, and the need orreation o green urban spaces.inuing this discussion, we de-

d to look into how Makana resi-s are slowly but surely creatingronmentally sustainable spacescultivate a greener and moreonsible urban li estyle.arge-scale commercial arming andulture ofen employs environ-tally damaging practices. It alsos to exploit local natural resources.ana Municipality Agriculturalelopment (MMAD) Manager Piweeta and intern Mbulelo Solaanyile

ained that although commercialculture is widely practiced, theiris to promote small-scale andrging armers.maller arming ventures allow orr resource distribution and re-d environmental impacts. MMADhe Department o Agricultureurage small-scale and emergingers to make use o communityens, supplying tools and ( or

htly bigger ventures) assisting with

the allocation o appropriate land.Solaanyile explained that although it

is not always easible, MMAD has triedto encourage local agri-ventures tohave ongoing community services andto en orce environmentally- riendly

arming methods.Tis has taken the orm o competi-

tions which encourage communal dis-tribution o surplus produce, supplyingo permanent (instead o seasonal)arming jobs and the regulation o po-tential monocultural practices throughcrop rotation. We do not want totell them what to do. We maintainboundaries, said Gqweta, emphasis-ing that MMAD only aims to assist inagricultural, environmental and

social integration.MMAD continues to assist in setting

up urban and school gardens in back-yard spaces. Tis has involved projectssuch as growing vegetables out ore use bags containing organic waste.

In re erence to the redenition o ag-riculture and arming in urban areas,Solaanyile remarked, We are trying tochange the mindset o people.

Nomathamsanqa Mavikela is a Gra-hamstown resident and the co-ownero Mavikela Poultry and General rad-ers. Her amily-owned micro-agricul-ture and small-scale poultry armingbusiness is one example o a venturethat is redening what it means to livesustainably and independently within

the city limits.For the last ve years, Mavikela,

her mother and siblings have growna range o organic vegetables in theirsmall garden. Te amily prides them-selves on using natural ertilisers such

as earthworms (which help to promoterich soil nutrients) and manure romtheir chickens. [Commercial] erti-liser is just not right, said Mavikela.

She keeps ree-range chickensas part o her amily venture. Tebusiness also uses very ew energyresources, transporting its produce tothe local markets on trailers attachedto bicycles which were provided by theMakana Municipality.

Not only is her business organic

and virtually waste and pollution- ree,Mavikelas garden also serves as a com-munity hub where younger residents

can learn about and grow vegetablesand raise poultry. Her garden alsohosts a regular soup kitchen and allowslocal businesses and customers tosource locally-grown ood.

It is a amily project and we alsosupport schools and people in thecommunity, explained Mavikela.Tey help us with the garden andclean the chickens... Te children romNathaniel Nyaluza High School wantto learn how to do this.

Grahamstown resident Anele Lwanecommented on how Mavikelas amilybusiness serves the wider community:Sometimes they [the Mavikelas] willgive people some ood so that they

save money instead o going to theshops People can sometimes comeand take or themselves.

Mavikelas small business is expand-ing due to her and her amily recentlyacquiring more land. Tey plan to usethis land to start a bigger arming project. Tey have, however, shown that itis possible to have an independent project that is organically integrated intothe urban community and employsresponsible agricultural practices.

Makanas micro agri-business blossoms

Edmondson

World Fish Migration Day on 24 May andd Oceans Day on 8 June, the issues sur-ding our water bodies will be made morele in the next ew weeks. As with most dayscated to recognising a particular issue,e campaigns will hope ully generate moreght and consideration about how humansa decisively detrimental role in their inter-ns with the ocean and how we can improvequatic relations.Grahamstown, initiatives are being under-

n at Rhodes and in town. For example, the Pick n Pay uses enviromental guidelinesh determine the species which can and can-

be sold.owever, the state o the ocean in the handsmans has continued to become increasinglyPro essor at the Department o Ichthyology

Fisheries Science Warwick Sauer sees the

major problems acing the oceanas overexploitation and variousorms o pollution such as mining,coastal development, and oil spills.

In connection with WorldOceans Day, Fish Migration Dayis a global effort to help spreadawareness concerning the impor-tance o migratory sh species, assh migration patterns are becom-ing increasingly disrupted, leadingto a scarcity o certain species.

Un ortunately, migration routes o sh areraught with an increasing number o obstaclescreated by man, such as dams, which have pre- vented the upstream migration o many shes,

said senior lecturer at the Department o Ichthy-ology and Fisheries Science Warren Potts.Climate change may also alter sh migration

patterns. Tis phenomenon has been researchedthrough the Angola Ocean racking Network,

an ongoing project which waslaunched by the Department oIchthyology and Fisheries ScienceJuly o 2013.

Tis intensive project ocuses ona body o water off the southerncoast o Angola, where the oceanis warming ten times aster thanglobal averages.

Te research looks into thespecic biological implications thatglobal warming has on the sh and

any changes in their migration patterns, in orderto better understand where human interventioncan be proactive.

Although there are many actors to consider

regarding the maintenance o aquatic biodiver-sity, the most signicant decrease in the numberso sh is due to overshing and unsustainableshing practices, based on the demands o hu-man consumption.

According to the South A rican SustainableSea ood Initiative (SASSI), over 80% o theworlds sh stocks are currently overexploited orexploited to their maximum.

o contribute positively to the cause o sh andtheir migration patterns, Potts recommends thatstudents educate themselves about the sh thatthey are eating and only buy sea ood productsthat have been categorised as environmentallysustainable as recognised by the SASSI. Tere iseven a cellphone app to help you make in ormeddecisions, added Potts, re erring to the Black-Berry app SASSI.

However, critical attention and participa-tion needs to occur in relation to all aquatic li e.Humanity is committing long-term suicide, said

Senior Scientist at the South A rican Institute orAquatic Biodiversity O er Gon.We need to demonstrate sel -reection and

responsibility, while taking accountability orour actions, he added.

Fishes ounder under human consumptive pressur

The Micro-farms in Grahamstown, such as Mavikela Poultry and General Traders, are creating a sustainable niche withinthe city limits for themselves. Photos: GABRIELLA FREGONA


11/12

Features28 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 11

rofessor prioritises the science of people

adley Priori-Tech

hodes University has not been typicallyown or its game development. However,

group o pioneering Rhodes Universityomputer Users Society (RUCUS) members,

d mentors rom the Computer Sciencepartment, are in the process o designing artual card game based on li e at Rhodes.Te team consists o nine student develop-s and de ers to lecturers rom the Computerience department or direction.Most o the developers are Computer Sci-ce students, but the team includes membersocient in the elds o design, writing andaphics.Te concept behind this game has been

kened to intricate trading card games such asearthstone and Magic: Te Gathering (a suc-ss ul card game which has had both physicald digital iterations). However, instead o kill-g antasy creatures, players will be competingth their opponents to earn their degree.

Te team rst met on 30 March and develop-ent o the game started in earnest in April.o release schedule timeline has been revealedt, but the project is expected to be a airlyng-term endeavour.I think developing a game like this will giveople very valuable experience in workinga largish-scale sofware project, in a team,

mmented Head o Development David Yates.Were making a conscious effort to use thert o development collaboration tools thatmpanies use in the industry or our game.s the sort o practical experience you largely

dont get in coursework.Computer Science lecturer Yusu Motara wasquite positive about the project. As an advisoror the team, Motara believes that the experi-ence will help the team once they embark oncareers. Its always nice to go to a companywith a sizable port olio. Being part o the crea-tion o a nice, polished game is a nice bonus.

Experienced video game journalist and I FGaming co-owner Brady Ruiters was also posi-tive about the project. I can honestly say thata card game based on university li e at Rhodeswas the the last thing I was expecting to see.However, it sounds like it could denitely yieldsome interesting results, he said.

Despite the technical nature o the projectundertaken by RUCUS, Yates believes that

anyone can get involved in making a computergame. I urge people rom all backgroundswhove never thought about making a game togive it a bit o thought, he said.

Tere are loads o excellent resources oreasy development, and you can use many othem without knowing the rst thing aboutprogramming. Te development team is stilllooking or enthusiastic designers and con-tributors o many varieties.

If you are interested in getting involved, contactDavid Yates at [email protected].

Instead of killing fantasycreatures, players of thegame will be competingwith their opponents to

earn their degree.

nyi Mlabas Features

When Pro essor MartinHill stood in the ront o

a lecture theatre to speakt biological control, the last

g the audience expected was toughing at his witticisms. I hopeentertaining; I personally ndel incredibly unny, he said.ll, entomologist and recent ather

wo, received two o this years Vicencellors Distinguished Awards:or Research and one or Com-ity Engagement. Deputy Vice -ncellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela stressedwinning two distinguished awardshe same project and in the samewas a very rare accomplishment.something that has not happened

e the nineties, said Mabizela.

ll and his team received theds or their work on aquatic weedsissue that affecting many coun- Te weeds have been congestingial waterways and there is a largeeach year to control them becauseare difficult to remove. Teyent recreational use o reshwaterems, lead to the loss o water romage systems, and negatively affectwater ecosystems when the weedsr in high densities. Te solution toroblem comes in the orm o bio-

cal control, which basically meansg natural agents to solve a problem

created by invasive plant species.Te community employs the use o

small insects which eed on the weedsto clear the water rom alien species.You dont have to be big to be power-ul, you just have to be numerous, said

Hill, explaining the effectiveness o theinsects.

Te initiative started in Kenya andhas made its way back to South A rica.Te system is so simple that com-

munities can arm their own insectsand cleanse their own water. Whatis great is that its the community thathas been impacted by this weed, andit is the community that is takingcontrol to eliminate it, said Hill. Hillaims to bring entomology and biologyto the ore through this participatorycommunity involvement. Its aboutpartnership, not charity. We can bringcertain things to the table, but thecommunity also helps a great deal, heexplained.

Te project has created jobs orsome disabled residents as well asinternship programmes or local Gra-hamstown schools. Pro essor Hill and

his team are one o the examples o thepositive contribution you can make insociety, said Mabizela. Hill said that hedid not expect much recognition romthe University because he was just do-ing two things that he loves: entomo-logical research and helping people.Use your skills in an appropriate way,use what you have to help others andlet others help you, Hill added.

Although he and his team havereceived extensive praise due to theirwork, Hill remains humble. Im justortunate in that I do my hobby or aliving, thats all.

Professor Martin Hill is the latestrecipient of two separate Vice-Chan-cellor awards. Photo: SHEILA DAVID

Artistic environment at AfrikaBur

Right: Subterfuge: the size, theaggressive shapes and the piercingof the earth of the piece referto the potential damage doneby fracking and other industrialexploitation of the Karoo. The juxtaposed soft blending in colourof the piece as well as its oatingappearance at night refers to theattempted sugar-coating of suchindustrial ventures.

Photos: GABRIELLA FREGONA

RUCUS ventures intogame development

Big Machunt: A sacricialpiece featured at AfrikaBurn ascommentary to consumerism.Professor Hill and

his team are oneof the examples

of the positivecontribution

you can makein society.

- Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Dr Sizwe Mabizela


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The Oppidan Press Edition 6 2014