The Oppidan Press

Edition 12, 24 October 2014

Youth shines
at rAge 2014
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Photos: KELLAN BOTHA
Phelokazi Mbude
Trigger warning: rape and sexual violence.
I
nspired by a rape victims bitter wish of If
only I had teeth down there, retired South
African Blood Technician Sonette Ehlers
created an anti-rape female condom-like device
lined with sharp plastic blades on the inside
and called it Rape-axe.
Many people are concerned with the imple-
mentation of this device and of health issues,
particularly for the user, which question its
value. I dont think its going to be of any value
whatsoever, said Kim Barker, coordinator of this
years Silent Protest. She added that Rape-axe
supports the myth that rape always happens in
dark corners where the perpetrator is always male
and the victim is always female.
A lot of rapes are committed by someone
known to the victim, such as friends, family
members and acquaintances, which further
complicates using such a device, said Tandi
Mzizi, HIV/Aids Advocacy Ofcer for Rhodes
University.
Tere have also been concerns about the po-
tential health risks that such a device can cause. If
the device is not kept clean, there is the possibil-
ity of the woman wearing it contracting yeast
infections and other bacteria.
[Tis device] poses serious health threats to
both the men [caught by them] and women who
use them, explained Mzizi.
Tere are further concerns about the danger
users of Rape-axe might put themselves under. A
rapist might retaliate and assault or murder the
victim if theyre caught in this device, said Mzizi.
Barker agreed, saying it will make the perpetrator
furious. As a result the device could be putting
women at greater risk of further harm.
Rape is already a sensitive issue and rape
survivors ofen get blamed for their ordeal.
Using or not using this device could contribute
to further victim-blaming for survivors. Tere
might be a stigma around people who use it, that
they are calling rape upon themselves, explained
Tabelo Nkhumeleni, Events Organiser for Peer
Education. While the device might instil fear
and possibly make a rapist reconsider attempting
rape, it could also quickly and violently escalate
the situation.
Journalism student Ashleigh Erasmus ex-
plained that Rape-axe enhances rape culture by
making women constantly think that they are
going to be raped. All that this does is focus on
the woman; focus on her responsibility for taking
measures. And in this case its a measure that is
not even going to prevent rape. Te woman will
have to have been raped before the thing works,
explained Barker.
Barker also highlighted another major issue of
Rape-axe, saying people who are most in danger
of rape are children between six and 15. In addi-
tion, because it is an extra expense it rules out a
huge percentage of South Africans as they would
not be able to aford it on top of their already
strained budgets.
Barker said Rape-axe exists because people
are desperate to fnd ways to stop rape. It comes
from good intentions, it comes from peoples fear,
but our fear is misplaced. We need to rethink how
we approach rape prevention, she said.
News Features
2 Te Oppidan Press 24 October 2014
Leila Stein
Leave of Absence (LOA) forms are crucial when it comes
to dealing with circumstances beyond a students control
which hinder their ability to participate in the academic
realm of the University. For the School of Journalism &
Media Studies, however, the list of acceptable criteria for
an LOA does not include any religious events.
While many of the departments at the University have a
standardised LOA form which allows for a range of reasons
for absence from mandatory classes and grants work exten-
sions, the School of Journalism has its own unique form.
We brought in our own one as it makes it easier to
communicate with the lecturers and has an added section
for extension dates, said Delise Moriarty, secretary for the
School of Journalism & Media Studies.
Tis LOA form only allows for medical and sporting con-
cessions, with an added section noted as other for which
documentation has to be provided. In the case of religious
ceremonies, an LOA will not be accepted.
Instead, the School notes absences for religious holi-
days. Tis means that students with good attendance and
academic records will not lose their Duly Performed Certif-
cate (DP) but do not get any extensions for their work.
Te School states that the reason that religious holidays
are not accepted is due to the fact that they can extend over
long periods of time depending on the celebration and the
religion or culture involved.
Having students away for so long if there are practicals
or big group [projects] puts pressure on the other students,
explained Moriarty.
While it is understandable that there has to be a
signifcant bureaucratic system in place to monitor and
record attendance in the faculty, the handling of some cases
has caused ofence for the students involved.
I was refused [a] religious LOA last year when I request-
ed to go home for Eid, said Ra-eesah Mohammed, a Mus-
lim second year Journalism student. I would have missed
my journalism tutorial in the evening. I had inquired via my
tutor beforehand and attempted to make the necessary ar-
rangements which included handing the work in earlier.
Subsequently, Mohammed was called into a disciplinary
meeting, told that her actions were incorrect and given a DP
removal warning. Although Mohammed had not followed
proper procedure, she felt slighted by the response from
the School.
I was told that the department does not give religious
LOAs while trying to explain the signifcance of the most
important religious event [in] the Islamic calendar,
she explained.
Since other faculties all use a standardised LOA form,
they accept religious LOAs. Most require documentation
to back up the claim of a religious event and accept either a
letter from a parent or a religious leader.
I think everyone has their own traditions and so we
must understand and make provisions, explained Hannelie
Rielly, Ofce Administrator at the School of Languages.
While Moriarty did explain that individual cases can
be looked at and considered on their merit, it appears there
is a lack of empathy with regards to handling a sensitive
subject such as religion. A system to monitor students
attendance is necessary but the emotional implications
of a religious LOA refusal for a student also need to
be considered.
Religious consideration missing from LOA application
Khanyi Mlaba
Over the last few years residences have not been
following protocol when organising residence
parties, and the number of protocol breaches
has increased annually. According to the Stu-
dent Bureau, residence parties should not be
open to the public and should end at 21h30.
One of the worst incidences of inattention
to regulations was the Ultimate Fields Party
hosted by Hilltop and Goldfelds, which took
place on the weekend of 10 October. Six hours
before the start of the party, an email was sent
from the Student Bureau to the wardens of both
houses. Te email brought to their attention the
fact that the regulations for social gatherings had
not been followed. Tis led to a waste of money
for both Goldfelds and Hilltop House, and con-
fusion across campus.
Goldfelds House not only advertised the party
around campus, but were also reluctant to com-
municate their plans to their warden, Professor
James Gambiza. Gambiza replied to the Student
Bureaus email stating that he had not authorised
a house party. Tis lef Hilltop House confused.
Student Bureau manager Desiree Wicks
explained that more residences are not paying
attention to the social function regulations. You
are not allowed to advertise residence parties to
the public, said Wicks. It doesnt happen a lot,
but it has been escalating over the years.
Nompilo Ngubane, Hilltop Houses entertain-
ment representative, explained that they were not
informed of Goldfelds lack of communication
with their house warden, and were ready to take
responsibility for any damages caused by Hilltop
House unknowingly. As a new residence, we
were hoping for success because Goldfelds
had thrown a party before, and we havent,
said Ngubane.
Ngubane further explained that she could do
nothing but trust the Goldfelds entertainment
representative because, as a frst-year house com-
mittee member in a new house, she did not know
any better.
However, not all residence parties fnd them-
selves in the same situation as Goldfelds. Most
house parties succeed, regardless of whether or
not they adhere to regulations. Houses includ-
ing Cullen Bowles, Beit, Graham, De Beers,
Centenary and Adelaide Tambo have all thrown
successful open house parties. Chris Hani House
even decided to use their residence house party
to raise funds for charity. Entertainment repre-
sentative of Victoria Mxenge residence, Snqobile
Zungu, explained that the success of a party can
be measured by the number of guests from other
residences in attendance.
Although residence parties are paying less
attention to the rules, they continue to happen
and there remains no plan to stop them from
occurring. Te Student Bureau does not actively
shut down these parties. Rather they notify the
wardens and leave it up to them to deal with
the party. All we do is issue out an email asking
the wardens if they are aware of the party. Only
the Registrar and CPU can shut down parties,
explained Wicks.
Rhodes residences ignore house party regulations
The School of Journalism and Media Studies does not grant LOAs for religious
reasons, despite many other departments giving students this option.
Photo: ASHLIEGH MEY
Rape-axe an unsuccessful prevention
All that this does
is focus on the
woman; focus on
her responsibility
for taking measures.
And in this case its a
measure that is not
even going to
prevent rape.

Kim Barker,
Coordinator of 2014 Silent Protest
News Features
24 October 2014 Te Oppidan Press 3
Gemma Middleton
T
he Wellness Centre recently held its
annual Wellness Week. It looked to
bring the services of the centre to the
attention of the students, as well as to promote
the importance of a balanced lifestyle through
various activities.
Te week was organised so that every day was
devoted to a specifc area of wellness. Activities
such as board games helped promote mental
wellness, while expression sheets and the Red
Bull Doodle art competition promoted emotional
and social wellness. Tree-legged races and
yoga classes were held to improve the physical
and spiritual well being of students. All of the
activities were designed to be enjoyable, as many
students are said to be either unaware or uninter-
ested in working on their wellbeing.
A lot of students need balance, even if they
dont know they need it, said Jeremy Ruiters, a
counselling psychologist working at the Counsel-
ling Centre.
Wellness Week was also used as a time to pro-
mote the diferent divisions within the Wellness
Centre. Te divisions utilised this opportunity to
advertise possible career paths available afer uni-
versity. Its really about getting the information
out there and making it as accessible as possible,
stated Career Centre Manager Sarah Green.
Additionally, free HIV testing was provided
for students. During the testing, the HIV/Aids
Prevention Centre helped promote awareness
about the accessibility of HIV/Aids testing on
campus. Anyone can make an appointment
[for] HIV testing on any day except for the week-
ends. HIV testing is done in the afernoons
only between 14h00 and 16h00, explained
Tandi Mzizi, HIV/Aids Advocacy Ofcer for
Rhodes University.
One of the main driving forces behind Well-
ness Week is the Wellness Leader Programme.
Te programme ofers courses to those who are
interested in getting involved in student well-
ness initiatives such as basic counselling skills,
frst aid, and confict resolution along with stress
management. Te leaders act as liaisons between
the Wellness Centre and the students, and are
crucial to the functioning of Wellness Week.
Its not just for them to help other students,
its also for them as a Wellness Leader to grow,
stated Ruiters who has worked closely with the
Wellness leaders throughout the year.
Te week saw lots of support from the Univer-
sity and the Division of Student Afairs, and was
documented by Campus Vibes in order to make a
promotional video for O-Week of 2015. Overall
the week was a great success, and I think it has
been one of the most well-planned Wellness
Weeks, said Ruiters.
Wellness Week focuses on balance
Khanyi Mlaba and Leila Stein
Although Rhodes University has a Suicide and Suicide Attempt
protocol in place, training with regards to such scenarios is not
adequately provided.
Tis year there have been four known suicide attempts in
residences a fact that has not been made known to the general
student body. Although the privacy of the individuals is of the
utmost importance, highlighting the occurrence of mental health
issues on campus is crucial.
Even though the counselling centre does advertise their as-
sistance during specifc events and points throughout the year such
as Wellness Week, only one day of the week is devoted to mental
wellness. Tis single day is unable to cover all aspects of this highly
stigmatised issue.
Wardens and sub-wardens who are supposed to be equipped to
deal with suicide and suicide attempts do not feel as though they
are prepared enough during their training at the beginning of
the year.
First-time warden Marina Van Zyl has frst-hand experience with
an attempt in the hall. Although she had studied the protocol, she
stresses that the University does not provide adequate training for
wardens regarding trauma incidents.
Te University does not prepare a person well: you can read the
protocols, but you wont really know how to respond to it. Tey just
expect us to use our life experience, said van Zyl.
Afer their own training, wardens are required to train their sub-
wardens in line with the protocol in case they are required to deal
with such a situation. However, if wardens do not feel adequately
prepared themselves, this can be problematic. We have a counsel-
ling session where they teach us basic counselling skills, explained
Sibabalwe Quma, sub-warden for Allan Gray House, but they also
emphasise the fact that we are not psychologists.
Students are ofen unaware of just how frequent suicide attempts
are. Tis poses a problem as it does not provide an adequate under-
standing of the prevalence of mental illness as a whole.
Te problem is that we do not make the students aware of all
the possible health risks that come from not taking care of yourself.
It becomes a ripple efect, where the physical can afect the mental
and the other way around, explained Professor Sunita Srinivas,
associate professor in the Pharmacy Department.
Tis lack of information results in a student body that is ill-
informed and reluctant to face issues of mental wellbeing
head on. Te University would do better to address these
issues rather than allowing this much needed discussion to
be hushed up.
Student body reluctant to deal with mental illness
Rhodes residences ignore house party regulations
The Wellness Centre recently held its annual Wellness Week, providing free HIV testing and counselling while focusing on various aspects of student wellness throughout the week. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
With narrow windows and fxed internal fttings, Cullen Bowles
was purportedly designed as an anti-suicide residence.
Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
The School of Journalism and Media Studies does not grant LOAs for religious
reasons, despite many other departments giving students this option.
Photo: ASHLIEGH MEY
Rape-axe an unsuccessful prevention
Politics
4 Te Oppidan Press 24 October 2014
New Language Policy set to transform learning
Kim Nyajeka
A
revised Language Policy came into ef-
fect at Rhodes University on 3 Octo-
ber this year. While acknowledging
that English is the primary language used for
teaching and learning, the Policys declaration
highlights that the University supports the na-
tional commitment to ensuring that language
should not act as a barrier to equity of access
and success.
Professor Chrissie Boughey of the Centre
for Higher Education Research, Teaching and
Learning (CHERTL) explained how the Revised
Language Policy serves to encourage students,
tutors and lecturers alike to incorporate the
indigenous languages alongside English in the
teaching process when necessary. If you have a
tutorial group and the majority of the students in
that group would better understand a concept if it
were explained in an Nguni language, then by
all means conduct the tutorial in that language,
she suggested.
Te revised Language Policy was presented
to the University at the Language Colloquium
held on 22 September. Although the event was
well attended and had a considerable amount of
media coverage, the majority of students remain
unaware of it and its implications. When asked
about what they thought of the policy, most as-
sumed that it simply meant some courses would
now be ofered in indigenous languages, which is
not the case.
Te Policy does not impose specifc standards
or a language quota on courses to accommodate
students from diferent backgrounds. Rather,
it encourages lecturers to take the initiative to
ensure that the use of academic language
does not create a barrier between students
and their higher education.
Boughey explained that CHERTL is conduct-
ing a university-wide project to create a glos-
sary of terms commonly used in many diferent
courses: Tere would be a translation of the
term, then an explanation of it given in an
indigenous language. Te Philosophy Depart-
ment has also implemented the revised policy
by ofering students additional tutorials given
in indigenous languages, explaining the concepts
covered in lectures.
Post-graduate student Phillip Garayi stated that
the policy shows that Rhodes is slowly moving
away from its colonial predisposition and is now
catering for the student body majority whose frst
language is not English. It is indeed a common
perception that Rhodes is an elitist institution,
partly due to the politics of language. Tose who
are not comfortable with English may separate
themselves and not actively take part in lectures
or tutorial groups. Tis hinders the learning
experience, and ofen as a result the social experi-
ence at university.
Boughey highlights that although English is
a part of the mainstream learning process, one
cannot be forced to immerse oneself in it. Tus
the revised Language Policy has the potential to
result in a shif from students simply having a
mere rudimentary appreciation of indigenous
languages, to gaining a deeper understanding
and acceptance of the multilingual nature of the
student population, and considering indigenous
languages as being as capable of expressing aca-
demic ideas as English or Latin.
Te Policy states that it will be revised every
three years to ensure that it is what Dr Sam
Naidu from the English Department describes as
a living document, catering for the constantly
changing and diverse nature of the population of
the University as well as that of South Africa
as a whole.
A revised language policy at Rhodes has been hailed as a step away from the institutions Anglo-
centric past, and should give greater support to students with home languages other than English.
Photo: VICKY PATRICK
Tarryn de Kock
Abahlali baseMdonjolo member
Tuli Ndlovu was assassinated at her
home in KwaNdengezi in KwaZulu-
Natal on 30 September, shortly afer
telling her mother that she expected
to be attacked. Ndlovus assassina-
tion was not the frst such attack, and
with the level of violence being used
against urban activists and members
of Abahlali, a prominent shack-
dwellers movement, it is unlikely that
it will be the last.
Tere has been minimal mainstream
media coverage of attacks on grass-
roots activists in South Africa. Earlier
this year, three shop stewards of the
National Union of Metalworkers in
South Africa were killed in Isithebe
near Durban, and, as with Ndlovu,
very little has been done to bring the
perpetrators to justice. Te reason for
this is as discomfting as it is disturb-
ing: that those acting against the gov-
ernment in order to realise a humane
standard of living are being targeted by
agents of the government itself.
Both the ruling party, and the state,
in the form of the police, have been us-
ing murder as a form of social control
for a long time now. Te situation is
much worse in some parts of the
country, and in particular KwaZulu-
Natal, said Dr Richard Pithouse, a
lecturer in the Rhodes Politics Depart-
ment who has worked closely with
Abahlali. Until the murder of Andries
Tatane and the Marikana Massacre the
elite public sphere was largely blind to
this reality. It is essential that we take
full measure of this reality and that we
act accordingly.
Pithouse argued that the South
African media is an elite space where
the lives of people who are poor and
black count for very little, and as such
their attempts to enter the political ter-
rain are viewed with paranoia. Because
of this silencing, the brutal treatment
of activists is ofen legitimised through
claims that the state is working to
deliver services to restless, angry mobs
of informal settlers, who are criminal-
ised or portrayed as illegal squatters
and appropriators of state resources
in most accounts of their protests and
political activities.
Te problem with these assassina-
tions is that they paint a grim picture
of the level of respect the South Af-
rican state has towards those citizens
who speak out against its failures.
Violence deployed against poor people
has only increased in the last few
years, from the Marikana massacre to
countless accounts of police brutality
and the growing number of activists
being intimidated, attacked and mur-
dered by agents of the state. Ndlovu,
for example, had faced countless
threats from local councillor Mduduzi
Ngcobo, who she saw driving by her
house an hour before she was killed,
prompting her to tell her mother that
she was going to be shot.
It also says something about those
who consider themselves to be
removed from the violence being per-
petrated against those campaigning for
recognition and dignity, because the
efects of this violence will not be con-
fned to informal settlements forever.
A society in which grassroots activists
can be beaten, evicted, tortured and
murdered with impunity is a society in
which, in time, students and other dis-
sident intellectuals will no longer enjoy
the freedoms that we currently enjoy
in the elite public sphere in South
Africa, said Pithouse.
Activists assassinated: democracy denied in death
Nathi Mzileni
R
ealising the power and
potential of student gov-
ernance will be the basis
of operation for the incoming Stu-
dent Representative Council (SRC),
which ofcially starts its term in
less than two months. President-
Elect Siyanda Makhubo said that the
2014 SRC had laid the foundation
and the incoming council will
continue to move towards progres-
sive change.
For a number of years the SRC has
struggled to win the confdence of
the student body. Poor voter turnout
has seen it battle to get the minimum
number of votes needed to reach
quorum. Te 2011 SRC incurred a
debt which has been inherited by two
subsequent SRCs, and will inevitably
be passed down to the 2015 SRC.
Amid these challenges, 2015 SRC
Vice President-Elect Grace Moyo
believed that the 2014 SRC did a
commendable job in rebuilding the
institution, leading to her decision to
run for the 2015 SRC to continue the
work [they] started.
Makhubo and Moyo discussed the
fundamental problems with some of
the structures in student governance
2015 SRC to improve student governance,
decrease debt, set society spending limit
Grassroots activists such as mem-
bers of the Abahlali baseMjondolo
movement are often targets of police
brutality and even murder.
Image: SOURCED
>> Rhodes alumnus
launches frst book of
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Politics
24 October 2014 Te Oppidan Press 5
Nathi Mzileni
R
ealising the power and
potential of student gov-
ernance will be the basis
of operation for the incoming Stu-
dent Representative Council (SRC),
which ofcially starts its term in
less than two months. President-
Elect Siyanda Makhubo said that the
2014 SRC had laid the foundation
and the incoming council will
continue to move towards progres-
sive change.
For a number of years the SRC has
struggled to win the confdence of
the student body. Poor voter turnout
has seen it battle to get the minimum
number of votes needed to reach
quorum. Te 2011 SRC incurred a
debt which has been inherited by two
subsequent SRCs, and will inevitably
be passed down to the 2015 SRC.
Amid these challenges, 2015 SRC
Vice President-Elect Grace Moyo
believed that the 2014 SRC did a
commendable job in rebuilding the
institution, leading to her decision to
run for the 2015 SRC to continue the
work [they] started.
Makhubo and Moyo discussed the
fundamental problems with some of
the structures in student governance
that undermine the work of the SRC.
Te problem with the Student Forum
is that it should hold the SRC account-
able but it is chaired by a member
of the SRC, so you obviously have a
problem there, said Moyo.
Te Student Forum will be replaced
by Student Parliament, which has been
in the pipeline since 2011 and was
passed in the most recent Student Fo-
rum. It will be introduced in February
next year. Te Parliament will be
an independent body outside of the
SRC chaired by a student selected by
the Parliament.
Although the idea is ambitious, the
Council plans to reduce its inher-
ited defcit by at least R100000. Less
travelling and a R3 000 limit on project
spending for each councillor were
just one of the strategies employed
by the current SRC. In addition, no
alcohol went on the tab of the SRC.
Makhubo said he was determined
to keep the SRC from paying for any
alcohol. He said, Te no alcohol
policy meant that thousands [of rands]
were saved and I am determined to
keep to this policy. I am committed in
particular to reducing the defcit and
making it history, hopefully by the end
of 2016.
Each year the SRC is allowed to use
eighty percent of its budget which is
normally around the region of R1 mil-
lion. Te remaining twenty percent is
carried over to the following year. Te
SRC has reported that this year was a
fnancially stable year as no committee
or society has spent more than their
allocated amount.
Incoming Treasurer Zikisa Maqub-
ela said he has set plans to pre-empt
any overspending by societies. Maqub-
ela will propose a voluntary spend-
ing limit for societies, encouraging
them to spend eighty percent of their
budget, as the SRC does. Te other
twenty percent of the money will be
carried forward to the next committee
with interest afer being put in one of
Rhodes Universitys investments at the
beginning of the year.
Tis year thousands of students
decided to take a giant leap of faith
and believe in the promises made
by Makhubo and the other fourteen
elected councillors. Never before, in
the history of the SRC, can the phrase
huge expectations be more appro-
priate to describe what the students
anticipate from the SRC. Whether
the incoming council can make good
on its plans is a matter of work, com-
mitment and engagement with the
student body.
2015 SRC to improve student governance,
decrease debt, set society spending limit
SRC President-Elect Siyanda Makhubo says that the SRC has big plans for 2015.
Photo: VUYELWA MFEKA
Liam Stout
Recently appointed Vice-Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela
described his three-part vision of a unifed and WiFi-enabled
Grahamstown in a recent media briefng. Mabizela also placed
strong emphasis on education and the role Rhodes University
has to play to promote quality education for all.
Mabizela, who was appointed as Vice-Chancellor last week afer
fulflling the role of acting Vice-Chancellor since Dr Saleem Badats
departure, divided his vision into three pillars.
Te frst of these involves a greater contribution toward an efec-
tive and efcient municipality.
Rhodes University is not only in Grahamstown. It is of and for
Grahamstown. We see ourselves as an integral part of this com-
munity and we have a huge responsibility to play our role in this
town, said Mabizela.
Mabizela pointed out that Rhodes is heavily dependent on the
municipality for its electricity and water. He also highlighted poor
service delivery in Grahamstown East and said that he would like
to see a municipality that not only serves Rhodes successfully, but
the entire town as a whole. Tis comes afer a recent spate of water
outages and service delivery protest by the residents of Zolani
in August.
Of course, we contribute more than 60 percent of the GDP
of this town, we are an important part of the local community
so it is in our own best interest that the local municipality is able
to discharge its responsibilities very competently and very ably,
commented Mabizela. He continued on the subject, saying that the
University has entered into a dialogue with the municipality and
working groups have already been set up to explore and resolve
issues faced by Grahamstown.
Mabizelas second pillar revolves around efective education
and fnancial aid for all who wish to attain it. He wants equal op-
portunity, unhindered by fnancial implications, for prospective
Rhodes students. Mabizela pointed out that Grahamstown is home
to some of the best schools in the country and some of the most
dysfunctional schools in the country. According to Mabizela, the
local education district is one of the worst performing districts in
South Africa. I would like to see Grahamstown as a centre of aca-
demic excellence. We cant have a situation where so much talent
goes to waste.
Mabizela links his third pillar, transforming Grahamstown into
a WiFi city, to his ambitions of quality education in the local com-
munity. Other towns and cities have achieved this, why cant we be
a wireless city? We will certainly be exploring that it is very im-
portant for the other two pillars. Mabizela is right Johannesburg
city centre and many parks and public spaces are already ofering
free public WiFi. Mabizela believes that implementing a similar
system in Grahamstown would not be difcult.
Mabizela also insisted that Rhodes is not going to be expanding
in the near future, citing the municipalitys limited capacity as a
hindrance on growth. We have no intention of growing Rhodes
University into a mega-institution. We will grow in a controlled,
responsible manner.
Mabizela maps out his vision for the future
C
h
e
c
k

i
t

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t
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p
p
i
d
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mCheck out our profle of
some of the Rhodes
Investec Top 100
winners for 2014!
Dont forget to subscribe to our
YouTube Channel, Oppidan Press.
Opinion
6 Te Oppidan Press 24 October 2014
The Oppidan Press staf and contact details
The Oppidan Press
Editor: Amanda Xulu. Deputy Editor: Stuart Lewis. Executive
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Assistant Online Editor: Liam Stout. News Features Editor: Leila Stein.
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Lindhorst. Arts & Entertainment Editor: Matthew Field. Assistant Arts &
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The Oppidan Press publishes letters which are bona fde expres-
sions of opinion provided that they are not clearly libellous,
defamatory, racist or sexist. We publish anonymous letters, but as
an act of good faith on your part, we require your full name. We
reserve the right to shorten letters due to space constraints and to
edit them for grammatical inaccuracies. Letters that do not make it
into our print edition will be published on our website.
Deane Lindhorst
L
ets address the scantily clad elephant in the room.
We all know porn is degrading, scripted, and great
at showing us what real sex doesnt look like. Yet
it continues to be a multibillion rand industry. Many
critics of the porn industry believe that sex performed
by professionals and staged in front of the camera is
harmful to how young people relate to each other in their
fumbling experiences. Tey argue that mainstream porn
shows young boys and men how to relate to young girls
and women as objects to be used for their pleasure,
while also showing young girls how to please their
signifcant others.
Tere are, however, those who argue that sexual arousal
need not be thrown out with the bath water. Organisations
like MakeLoveNotPorn and Come4 are among those argu-
ing that the positive efects of porn, such as being a visual
part of some peoples sexualities, can still be had without
contributing to the problematic and demeaning porn indus-
try. Tese organisations ofer a platform where consenting
adults can record and upload their intimate love-making
sessions. Tese organisations are not prescriptive, and cou-
ples are welcome to engage in whatever sexual acts they like,
as long as they are mutually agreed upon. Tese platforms
are not about saying whats good and whats bad in the bed-
room but about encouraging people who are willing to share
their sexual experiences with the world.
Tis seems to be an interesting response to the porn in-
dustry. Its not dismissing the aims and motives of porn, but
is rather seeking to do away with the problematic aspects of
it. Its saying that if part of your sexuality is to watch others
frolic in the sheets then its okay, as long as your viewing
habits are not maintaining a controversial industry.
MakeLoveNotPorn ofers the added beneft of monetary
compensation for videos uploaded. Te more people who
rent your intimate sessions the more money you get. I am
unsure how I feel about this aspect of the process because
the potential income attached to the act teeters back towards
the porn industry. But, on the other hand, if you and your
loved one can make money from taking part in an activ-
ity that is mutually agreed upon, and that is more fun than
being an accountant, then why not? Come4 does not come
with the benefts of money but rather ofers a non-proft
platform where people can upload their videos.
Both organisations stress that they are interested in
providing an ethical alternative to mainstream porn. Tere
might be contestation around how any kind of porn is ethi-
cal but these organisations argue that consent and intent for
the world to see your intimate moments is ethical enough
for them.
While ethical porn might not be everyones fancy, it does
give alternative viewing options for those who oppose the
monolithic and contentious porn industry, yet still enjoy
the visual pleasures of it. If porn is going to happen, then
I would rather it be ethical porn that shows intimacy and
mutual respect for everyone involved.
Show me the sex
Standing in opposition to the more contentious
traditional porn industry, a trend towards ethical and
consensual porn continues to grow globally.
Image: KELLAN BOTHA
Courses must transform
to meet student needs
Noluxolo Nhlapo
Rhodes University Tranformation
Ofce
Tere is a need for public discus-
sions on the transformation of higher
education institutions to be broad-
ened to include factors other than the
racial and gender profle of lecturers
and students. Te transformation of
these institutions is best seen as the
transformation of a whole system of
exclusion of which the physical exclu-
sion, to varying degrees, of diferent
groups of people is but one manifes-
tation. Change in the demographics
of institutions cannot be seen as
divorced from changes in other parts
of the system.
In a Rhodes study of staf selec-
tion processes one of the interviewees
argued that the pool of black lecturers
suitable to recruit from for a spe-
cifc discipline is small because black
scholars within the discipline tend to
study works produced by other black
scholars. However the syllabus ofered
by the institution, does not, in the
main, include a study of such texts.
Te syllabus, the interviewee refected,
is not likely to change soon. Tey also
reported that all postgraduates in that
particular department are white.
Tis example clearly illustrates the
feedback loop retaliation between staf
demographics and the curriculum. It
also illustrates the common sense sta-
tus of the logic that does not problem-
atise the exclusion of texts written by
black scholars from the main syllabus.
Also not problematised is one of the
reasons why, in this discipline, almost
all black scholars specialise in studying
texts written by other black scholars.
While the most obvious reason would
be their identifcation with the writers
of those texts because of racialised
experience, the other reason is that in
the universities at which black students
ofen do their postgraduate degrees,
black and ethnic minority students
of human sciences are expected to
study and write their theses on what
they know.
What they know is ofen defned in
racial, ethnic and geographical terms.
Tus, while a white student from any
part of the world can write their thesis
on anything from Chaucer to the black
working class on the Rand, few black
or ethnic minority students have the
same freedom. Te system therefore
constructs them as specialists of that
which is local to them while their
white counterparts are constructed
as specialists.
Terefore, a change in staf demo-
graphics should be seen as directly
linked to changes in the curriculum
and changes in the diferential posi-
tioning of students.

black
scholars
tend to
study works
produced by
other black
scholars
Congratulations! If youre reading this, you have made it to the last week
of yet another academic year, hopefully without failing anything or losing
your Duly Performed certifcate. Te only thing lef between you and a
stress-free holiday is exams. We at Te Oppidan Press would like to take
this opportunity to wish the entire student body the best of luck for their
examinations.
As Edition 12 is our last edition of 2014, we would also like to take this op-
portunity to refect on the year that has been. Last week we hosted our AGM at
which we thanked the multitude of editors, writers, designers, photographers,
video journalists and support staf that give up their time for free to keep this
organisation running. We also assisted in hosting the Rhodes Investec Top 100
Awards ceremony, at which we were able to celebrate the cream of the crop
at Rhodes University, and congratulate the new Vice-Chancellor Dr Sizwe
Mabizela on his appointment.
Now we would like to thank you, the reader. If you didnt pick up the new
edition every two weeks, visit our website or watch OppiTVs webcasts, all of
our work would be for nothing. We would be lef just talking to ourselves.
Te nature of student media is that you ofen live hand-to-mouth. As soon
as you get money from advertisers or membership fees, you immediately
spend it on printing the next edition. Ofen you fnd yourself stranded with no
money to print and end up postponing an edition or putting it online only.
In 2014, we managed to print every single one of our editions and we would
like to thank the Rhodes Transformation Ofce for making this possible by
agreeing to partly sponsor this edition. Te role they play at this University
in ensuring that we address the historical inequalities of our past cannot
be underestimated.
In this edition, we take a look at some of the hangovers from the global
history of colonialism and European domination. In light of the blackface
incidents at Stellenbosch and the University of Pretoria, Arts and Entertain-
ment examines how this practice has been used and critiqued in cinema over
the years. Te section also examines how cultural appropriation is articulated
at modern music festivals.
In our Politics section, we look at the alleged assassination of a prominent
activist for Abahlali baseMjondolo and how political criticism from grassroots
activists is being continuously met with violence from those in power, a trend
which has gained prominence in the wake of the Marikana Massacre.
On a lighter note, rAge the annual South African gaming convention
took place on the weekend of 10 October and our Scitech section has some
youth-centric coverage just for you. Finally, our Sports section continues to
follow the ongoing story about the Womens Soccer coach and breaks down
the Rhodes Futsal League results.
Opinion
24 October 2014 Te Oppidan Press 7
Show me the sex
Courses must transform
to meet student needs
texts written by other black scholars.
While the most obvious reason would
be their identifcation with the writers
of those texts because of racialised
experience, the other reason is that in
the universities at which black students
ofen do their postgraduate degrees,
black and ethnic minority students
of human sciences are expected to
study and write their theses on what
they know.
What they know is ofen defned in
racial, ethnic and geographical terms.
Tus, while a white student from any
part of the world can write their thesis
on anything from Chaucer to the black
working class on the Rand, few black
or ethnic minority students have the
same freedom. Te system therefore
constructs them as specialists of that
which is local to them while their
white counterparts are constructed
as specialists.
Terefore, a change in staf demo-
graphics should be seen as directly
linked to changes in the curriculum
and changes in the diferential posi-
tioning of students.
Jordan Stier
S
o I had my man card taken
away on Friday. I was sitting
with some mates at the Rat, as
Friday nights generally go. Noticing
my glass was empty, I went to the bar
to order another drink. I came back
with a Brutal Fruit that just so hap-
pened to be pink (come on, every-
body knows that Cheeky Cranberry
is the best favour). Immediately
my mates revoked my man card,
laughing heartily into their Captain
and Cokes.
Te question is, what is a man card
anyway? And why do I care that it was
revoked? My friends were shoving
in my face the fact that an invisible
membership to hegemonic masculinity
had been taken from me. What were
my mates really saying about me? Or
rather, what were my mates trying to
say about men?
Drinking a pink drink is something
that falls outside of the conventional
understanding of masculinity, much
like driving a Citroen C2 or watch-
ing movies featuring Julia Roberts
and Hugh Grant. Doing these kinds
of unmasculine things results in the
removal of ones man card by ones
male counterparts which is, in essence,
a momentary exclusion from the
exclusive boys-only club.
A man card is like a DP: it doesnt
exist in reality, but to take it away is
to exclude someone from a certain
group because they dont meet certain
requirements. Tis sets up several acts
as being exclusive to males, and others
as exclusive to females.
Which leads me to the thought that
classifying ones gender based on their
favourite favour of drink makes about
as much sense as selecting a president
based on the smell of his feet.
Te thing that concerned me the
most is that having my man card
removed felt awful. It hurt me to be
called unmasculine.
It therefore implies that it is an in-
sult to call something feminine. Being
feminine is not as good as being mas-
culine. Men are better than women.
Et cetera, et cetera. (For a more de-
tailed synopsis, refer to the history of
the world).
My mates were implying, by refer-
encing man cards, that men are better
than women.
It is absurd to think that, to be a part
of my friend group, the place from
which I gain most of my self esteem,
I must change certain things about
my individuality and my preferences
to suit the rules set by the no-girls-
allowed treehouse rulebook of
accepted masculinity.
So should I order a whiskey (which
tastes like James Blunt sounds) next
time? No.
Because believing one to be exclu-
sionary and better than the other is
oppressive, ofensive, and absurd.
Whats really going on with man cards?
Taking away someones man card not only labels them as unmasculine but further reinforces social stereotypes regarding gender and sexuality. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
What I learned from GALA
Matthew Field
While most of you were looking forward to your well-earned if brief
vacation at the end of the third term, I was preparing for a rather
diferent adventure. I had been chosen in August to take part in a
Youth Exchange hosted by Gay and Lesbian Memories in Action
(GALA) in Johannesburg. Te exchange brought together representa-
tives from several southern African countries for three weeks
(9-29 September) in order to discuss ways of improving LGBT
activism across the continent.
Te issue of LGBT rights is becoming increasingly relevant in South
Africa. Countries across the continent are outlawing homosexuality lef
and right, while South Africa remains one of the few that support full
equality for the LGBT community.
When I frst got the ofer to attend the exchange, I was extremely
excited. Ive been involved in various forms of LGBT activism before, but
the saying Rhodes exists in a bubble is very true. While I try to keep up
to date with the latest happenings, I cant deny that I am sheltered. Tis
was one of the main reasons I chose to ofer myself to this cause: I wanted
to see just what was going on outside of my own little bubble. And, boy,
did I ever.
Teres no real way to accurately describe this process. A common
phrase that people use is It really opened my eyes, but this seems too
simple and doesnt quite capture the weight of the moment. If I may be
granted a small degree of intellectual snobbery, it was more like I was one
of the subjects in Platos allegory of the cave. Here I was, staring at shad-
ows and thinking I knew everything about everything, until someone
came along, unshackled me and showed me an entire world about which
I knew nothing.
Of course, all this time Ive been rambling on about the exchange and
yet I havent even told you what it was we did.
Te aim of the event was to bring together a group of LGBT youth
activists from diferent southern African countries in order to improve
LGBT activism across the continent. I cannot stress enough just how
much work was involved in this exchange.
Each day was carefully planned by our hosts: when we werent taking
part in workshops or in-depth debates, we were meeting other activ-
ist organisations such as the Coalition of African Lesbians or Iranti (an
organisation dedicated to documenting LGBT activism in Africa) and
learning about diferent sides of the equality struggle.
It wasnt all just work, though. One of the biggest draws of the ex-
change was the chance to meet and interact with many amazing people.
I made many new friends during those three weeks and for that alone I
think it was an incredibly successful event.
In the end, that is whats really important. Successful activism is based
around companionship, around people pulling together because of and
in spite of adversity, and banding together to fght injustice. Tat was
the greatest lesson I took from GALA, and its one that will stay with me
for a long time yet.
it was more like I was
one of the subjects in
Platos allegory of the
cave. Here I was, staring
at shadows and thinking
I knew everything about
everything, until someone
came along, unshackled
me and showed me an
entire world about which I
knew nothing

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Scitech
8 Te Oppidan Press 24 October 2014
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
T
he home_coded stand at
rAge Expo, which is hosted
by Make Games SA and NAG
Magazine, is a prominent platform
for aspiring local developers to
showcase their work. Te unassum-
ing stand sits amongst the big budget
productions, yet still leaves its mark
on many a passerby.
Te expo is ofen the largest public
opportunity South African developers
get to help their games gain traction on
an international level, and is important
in building both hype and support for
their upcoming titles. Tis is quite of-
ten doubly true when you are showing
of your frst real game an experience
local video game developer Kobus van
der Walt will be well familiar with afer
his frst expo.
Van der Walt has been working
alongside Celestial Games, a South
African developer known for their
work on Toxic Bunny HD, to develop
his game, a puzzle platformer called
Montez. Surprisingly, van der Walt is
only 17 years old.
He originally approached Celestial
Games head Travis Bulford with the
concept for Montez, a game that has
players play as two diferent characters
simultaneously, both of whom need
to exit the level they are currently on.
Celestial thought the concept was great
and immediately brought van der Walt
on board and commenced develop-
ment of his concept.
Currently, the game is in the
Greenlight phase on Steam, meaning
it is being voted either into or out of
digital distribution via Steam based on
public opinion.
While van der Walt may be making
his way into the industry by develop-
ing games, other players are fnding
success in playing them. F34R_FROST,
or Kyle Nortje, is a Call of Duty:
Ghosts player currently playing for
F34R Adept, one of South Africas big-
gest competitive Call of Duty teams on
Xbox 360.
Nortje is a 13-year-old player who
represented his team at the Do Gam-
ing Championships (DGC). Nortje,
clearly not perturbed by the big stage
he and his team found themselves on,
played an important part in his teams
progression to the fnal, and their
victory over fellow fnalists Insane
Gaming to secure their DGC triumph
and a host of prizes.
Tis means that Nortje who has
yet to reach high school is currently
one of South Africas top Call of Duty
players, and has won at South Africas
biggest eSports event. Tis is attributed
both to raw, malleable talent, which
F34R Adept coach Glenn Alexander
has fostered well, and a supportive
environment that has allowed him
to prosper.
Both Nortje and van der Walt are
excellent examples of young gamers
in action at an advanced level in South
Africa: Nortje in eSports, and van
der Walt in video game development.
Given their ages, we can expect to see
them plying their trade at the highest
level of South African gaming for quite
some time, and perhaps even making
their mark on the international
gaming industry.
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
Te Telkom Do Gaming Championships
(DGC) is South Africas best organised and
funded eSports tournament, which happens an-
nually at rAge Expo. Te DGC covers a number
of games, from Call of Duty to Gran Turismo,
all with substantial prizes for the winners.
Te headlining event at the DGC is the
Defence of the Ancients (DotA) 2 competition
because of its sizeable local competitive player
pool. Te prizes in this division are also the most
lucrative, with cash and hardware prizes being
ofered to teams all the way down to sixth place -
as opposed to third in other games - collectively
valued at R270,000.
Two Rhodes University students, Jethro Tor-
burn and Mo James, participated in the com-
petition this year under the banner of In-Finity
Gaming, specifcally their iFG.Gold squad, which
James captained. Te pair, along with their team-
mates, were sponsored by Logitech afer their
performance in an earlier tournament qualifed
them for backing from the hardware giant.
Both James and Torburn participated in the
DGC tournament, but a technicality forced Tor-
burn to preside over the team as manager
for the weekend instead of being involved as a
player in the tournament. Despite this technical-
ity, both James and Torburn gained the benefts
of sponsorship from Logitech - new hardware,
free transport to the Telkom DGC and accommo-
dation in Johannesburg for the duration of
the event.
Te DotA 2 DGC works of a double elimina-
tion system, meaning there are two brackets
which eventually form the grand fnals. iFG.Gold
started their tournament strongly against Black-
light Gaming beating them 2-0, and so making
their way to the winners bracket semi-fnals. In
that round eventual DotA 2 DGC winners, Bra-
vado Blue, beat iFG.Gold, knocking them down
to the losers bracket.
Tey mounted a comeback, however, beating
BUD Hydra to set up a match against GPF Dota
in the losers semi-fnals. Unfortunately, they
could not beat GPF Dota, and fnished their tour-
nament in fourth place - an admirable achieve-
ment by any standards.
GPF Dota eventually lost out to Energy Gam-
ing in the losers bracket fnal, thus claiming third
place. Energy Gaming subsequently fell in the
grand fnals to an incredibly strong Bravado Blue
team, who were unbeaten in the 2014 Dota 2
DGC and claimed the grand prize.
However, as a result of the tournament, James
and Torburn fnd themselves ranked among
South Africas top DotA 2 players. Hopefully
they can push forward from this tournament and
achieve an even more impressive fnish in the
DGC at rAge Expo 2015.
Nathi Mzileni and Lili Barras-Hargan
A
hot summers day in Grahamstown can see temperatures
soaring above 32 degrees Celsius. With little faith in the
quality of the water provided by the Makana municipality,
many turn to bottled water for hydration. But a recent study has
cited major health concerns linked to plastic bottles and heat.
Professor Lema Ma from the University of Florida researched the
detrimental efects of heat on plastic water bottles. Te cause of the
problem lies in the materials used to make the bottles: polyethylene
and terephthalate. When exposed to any type of heat, polyethylene
and terephthalate release harmful chemicals like antimony and bisphe-
nol A (BPA), a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic. Tese
are eventually absorbed by the water inside the plastic bottle, Mas
report stated.
BPA is treated as a major concern by the International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC). Recently, a group of 37 scientists reported
their concern regarding BPA in the Reproductive Toxicology journal.
Te IARC primary concern was that the chemical has biological
properties resembling carcinogens. In addition, BPA has been known
to cause problems in foetuses and young children. Although no law has
been created to prevent BPA intake, the US Food and Drug Adminis-
tration has promoted the use of BPA-free products among parents.
What if all the bees buzzed of?
13-year-old Kyle Nortje participated in the F34R Adept team, pictured above, which won the Xbox 360 Call of Duty:
Ghosts tournament at the Telkom Do Gaming Championships. Photo: ABDUL-GAFFOOR SONDAY
Young gamers shine at rAge 2014
Rhodes students place fourth in the DGC
iFG.Gold placed fourth in the DotA Do Gaming
Championships at rAge Expo 2014, which took
place earlier this month. Photo: BRACKEN
LEE-RUDOLPH
Crowdsourcing municipal issues
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
Service delivery in Grahamstown is rarely
faultless and the work by the Makana Mu-
nicipality has ofen been questioned. Water
shortages and electricity outages are not
uncommon, and public infrastructure such
as roads are ofen poorly maintained. Tank-
fully, there are organisations working to try
and keep the municipality in check.
MobiSAM is a mobile social accountability
and monitoring platform. Tis means that
MobiSAM allows users to report issues in
the Makana Municipality, specifcally within
Grahamstown. MobiSAM has assumed the
responsibility of taking these complaints
forward both to the municipality and
social media.
Social accountability monitoring is a process
whereby the state of the town and its ameni-
ties - the condition of its water, electricity and
roads, for example - is recorded. Tis informa-
tion is then relayed back to the municipality, so
that they are aware of any previously unknown
issues as well as what the public is actively
demanding be fxed.
MobiSAM uses the monitoring methodol-
ogy developed by Colm Allan of the Public
Service Accountability Monitor in Graham-
stown, an organisation which forms part of
the School of Journalism and Media Studies at
Rhodes University. Tis means that MobiSAM
is focused on the major service delivery sectors
of the Makana Municipality, which are water,
electricity, infrastructure and sanitation.
Te service is currently available to use on
mobile and PC platforms via MobiSAMs of-
fcial website and allows you to report public
service issues within Grahamstown. Registra-
tion is done through a fairly short form, which
allows you to select whether and how you
would like to receive notifcations of issues
with public service. Tere is a subsequent
email confrmation and a maximum waiting
period of 48 hours before users accounts
are activated.
MobiSAM is still in the early stages of devel-
opment, and thus its scope is restricted to the
Makana Municipality, particularly Grahams-
town, where its development is centred. Tat
said, support is planned to roll out nationwide
as the service begins to expand.
MobiSAM is an ambitious project to keep
public amenities functional, and could be a
useful tool for both citizens and the govern-
ment if it succeeds.
MobiSAM is a website that allows one to report water, electricity and infrastructure issues in
Grahamstown. Photo: BRONWYN PRETORIUS
Environment
24 October 2014 Te Oppidan Press 9
Lauren Buckle
Between 2012 and 2013 almost half the
honeybee colonies in the United States col-
lapsed, with a similar decline seen in Euro-
pean populations. Te global repercussions
of honeybee extinction could be devastat-
ing, particularly for South Africa.
A possible reason for declining honey-
bee populations is colony collapse disorder
(CCD). First discovered in 2006, CCD
involves the departure of worker bees who are
vital for the colonys overall function. Possible
causes of CCD are pesticides, pathogens, and
electromagnetic radiation from cell phones.
Although the extinction of honeybees
would afect many environmental processes,
their function as pollinators is necessary for
plant growth and their loss would have severe
repercussions. As well as losing important
plant species, food shortages could also be a
side efect. No pollination would be a prob-
lem for many key crops, said Rhodes Univer-
sity Professor of Entomology Martin Villet.
Honeybees are also important for the
development of the seeds and fruits of plants.
Mbulelo Mswazi, a member of the South
African National Biodiversity Institute, wrote:
Honeybees are used to pollinate about 50
crops across South Africa, including the
deciduous fruit and vegetable seed found in
the Cape region. Te extinction of honeybees
would have a negative impact on these plants
and the businesses that depend on them.
Recognising the agricultural importance
of remaining bee colonies, various laws have
been implemented to prevent further losses.
One such law, created by the European Union,
prohibits the production and trade of fruits
and vegetables grown with neonicotinoids,
one of the most popular pesticides globally.
Tis caused certain South African products to
be rejected for export to countries including
the USA and England as the products do not
meet these countries standards.
One example of this is the pineapple
industry largely based in the Eastern Cape
which has been limited in its opportunities
to trade with other countries. Tis impacts
directly on farmers and farm stalls. Without
the funds to invest in more expensive, clean
pesticides, the situation will worsen.
South Africa lacks the resources to combat
an environmental disaster, making it unlikely
that the country could fnd solutions to the
elevated food costs and possible famine
promised by declining honeybee populations.
However, education, regulation and con-
servation could provide a chance to prevent
honeybee extinction.
or Kyle Nortje, is a Call of Duty:
Ghosts player currently playing for
F34R Adept, one of South Africas big-
gest competitive Call of Duty teams on
Xbox 360.
Nortje is a 13-year-old player who
represented his team at the Do Gam-
ing Championships (DGC). Nortje,
clearly not perturbed by the big stage
he and his team found themselves on,
played an important part in his teams
progression to the fnal, and their
victory over fellow fnalists Insane
Gaming to secure their DGC triumph
and a host of prizes.
Tis means that Nortje who has
yet to reach high school is currently
one of South Africas top Call of Duty
players, and has won at South Africas
biggest eSports event. Tis is attributed
both to raw, malleable talent, which
F34R Adept coach Glenn Alexander
has fostered well, and a supportive
environment that has allowed him
to prosper.
Both Nortje and van der Walt are
excellent examples of young gamers
in action at an advanced level in South
Africa: Nortje in eSports, and van
der Walt in video game development.
Given their ages, we can expect to see
them plying their trade at the highest
level of South African gaming for quite
some time, and perhaps even making
their mark on the international
gaming industry.
Glass bottles trump plastic
Nathi Mzileni and Lili Barras-Hargan
A
hot summers day in Grahamstown can see temperatures
soaring above 32 degrees Celsius. With little faith in the
quality of the water provided by the Makana municipality,
many turn to bottled water for hydration. But a recent study has
cited major health concerns linked to plastic bottles and heat.
Professor Lema Ma from the University of Florida researched the
detrimental efects of heat on plastic water bottles. Te cause of the
problem lies in the materials used to make the bottles: polyethylene
and terephthalate. When exposed to any type of heat, polyethylene
and terephthalate release harmful chemicals like antimony and bisphe-
nol A (BPA), a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic. Tese
are eventually absorbed by the water inside the plastic bottle, Mas
report stated.
BPA is treated as a major concern by the International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC). Recently, a group of 37 scientists reported
their concern regarding BPA in the Reproductive Toxicology journal.
Te IARC primary concern was that the chemical has biological
properties resembling carcinogens. In addition, BPA has been known
to cause problems in foetuses and young children. Although no law has
been created to prevent BPA intake, the US Food and Drug Adminis-
tration has promoted the use of BPA-free products among parents.
Furthermore, the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences tested
16 plastic water bottles exposed to heat, and only one passed the regu-
lations of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
Ma said that other plastic beverage containers ought to be studied as
well, to investigate the chances of the mixing of these harmful chemi-
cals with the beverages inside them. Ma said, More attention should
be given to other drinks packaged with polyethylene terephthalate
plastic, such as milk, cofee and acidic juice. Some plastic water bottles
warn consumers to keep the plastic bottles away from sunlight, but do
not state the health risks associated with this.
Te alternative container option, which is healthier and more
environmentally friendly, is glass. Glass is 100 percent recyclable and
does not emit chemicals that may contaminate the food or beverage
inside it.
Aside from the millions of gallons of oil used to make plastic bot-
tles, the lack of consistency in recycling sees over 80 percent of plastic
bottles ending up in landflls or the Great Pacifc Garbage Patch where
they are eaten by marine species.
In a world with limited space and an ever-growing population, plas-
tic bottle use is not only afecting our health but also our environment.
Perhaps this is the moment to eradicate the need for plastic bottles and
instead opt for a more sustainable solution, such as improvement of
water quality.
Dillon Lutchman
With the world advancing towards sustainable green
energy, Japan has celebrated its frst year of being
nuke-free. In contrast, the promise of employ-
ment, high energy revenue and economic security,
makes nuclear power an attractive option for the
South African government. However, the efects and
environmental impacts of this energy source are still
in question.
Essentially, the sustainable energy systems of
hydroelectric dams, wind turbine farms, solar panel
felds and geothermal stations are favourable in terms
of environmental efects and are rapidly growing in
popularity. Even so, high costs in maintaining these
environmentally friendly energy sources ofen result in
governments seeking alternative solutions with nuclear
power being the next best option.
Nuclear power operates like any other means of
electrical production: water is heated up to form steam
which turns large turbines, thus producing electricity.
However, instead of using coal or gas to generate heat,
nuclear power uses the splitting of uranium atoms as
a heat source to power steam-driven turbines. Nuclear
reactors have an extremely low environmental impact
in comparison to fossil fuels. Nonetheless, the danger of
a reactor exploding and releasing radioactive particles
is a major risk.
Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace CEO and South African
citizen said, Greenpeace scientists have highlighted
that the devastation wrought on those [Japanese] com-
munities, the painful legacy of radioactive contamina-
tion that I witnessed, was unnecessary. We do not have
to run the risk of nuclear accidents.
Currently, 23 000 household solar power-units
are installed in Japan on a monthly basis by locals.
Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace
Japan, Hisayo Takada said, Japanese people want a
safe, sustainable energy future and are willing to make
it a reality. Now we need government leadership to be
nuclear-free forever.
Tis comes afer the third anniversary of the Fuku-
shima nuclear plant disaster the second largest release
of nuclear particles since the meltdown of the reactor
in Chernobyl in the former USSR-owned territory of
Pripyat, Ukraine. However, due to Japans constitutional
monarchy government, systems of implementing full
scale solar power felds have been hindered, forcing
each Japanese household to take matters into its
own hands.
Although South Africa holds surplus amounts of
uranium, many projected plans such as the Pebble Bed
Modular Reactor a form of nuclear reactor have
been cancelled. According to the World Nuclear As-
sociation, however, these plans were cancelled due to
poor planning which led to budget cuts. Tis was then
followed by improvised smaller plants and eventually
an entire foreclosure of projects. Existing nuclear power
plants in Koeberg will be shut down in 2025 and 2026,
due to operating licenses expiring, leaving South Africa
relying heavily on coal powered plants.
According to Eskom, South Africa generates 95%
of its electricity from coal. A R500 billion government
investment aims to swap current crumbling electrical
infrastructure for greener alternatives.
With nuclear disasters fresh on our minds and some
of the most technologically developed regions moving
away from nuclear power, it seems to be the wrong
solution to our energy crisis. Furthermore, revenue
from international coal exports and concerns of false
promises regarding the benefts of nuclear power have
South Africans wondering whether the government is
concerned with monetarily greener solutions instead.
A diferent type
of green energy
What if all the bees buzzed of?
Young gamers shine at rAge 2014
iFG.Gold placed fourth in the DotA Do Gaming
Championships at rAge Expo 2014, which took
place earlier this month. Photo: BRACKEN
LEE-RUDOLPH
Using glass bottles should be encouraged due to the harmful health and environmental efects of using plastic bottles, of which many
people are unaware. Photo: ASHLIEGH MEY
Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, Western Cape. Photo:
SOURCED
Honeybees play an essential role in the
environment as well as some businesses
and their extinction could seriously impact
South Africa. Photo: VICKY PATRICK
Features
10 Te Oppidan Press 24 October 2014
Financing content on the internet
Bradley Prior
Scitech
As we fnd ourselves entrenched in a technological
revolution, people are scrambling to fnd ways to fund
their work via the Internet. Many people have been lef
feeling disillusioned by the common I make R100 000 a
month without leaving my house advertisements that are
so ofen displayed on websites. Despite the many scams,
however, there are ways to make money online.
Firstly there is AdSense, a service from Google that
allows advertisers to advertise on the customers page. In
return, the customer gets paid a set amount per click on
that advertisement.
AdSense organises which adverts get shown, tracks
how much money the customer is owed and pays it to the
customers specifed account. Te only thing the customer
needs to do is provide an avenue for adverts to be displayed
and set up an account. AdSense does not pay large quanti-
ties of money each time the advert gets a hit. However, if a
site gets enough trafc, earnings start to add up.
AdSense caters for a wide variety of possible adver-
tisement styles. If you make Youtube videos, you can let
AdSense advertise before your video starts. Own a website?
Leave space open and AdSense will place display advertise-
ments in those spaces. Even mobile sites can use AdSense.
Next on the list is Twitchs partner programme. Twitch is
a service on which gamers can stream themselves playing
video-games to an audience. If a streamer can hold consist-
ent audiences of at least 500 people three or more times a
week, they can apply for a twitch.tv partnership.
Tis allows streamers to get premium subscribers.
Premium subscribers choose to pay a monthly fee, most of
which is paid to the streamer. In return, subscribers can use
special emoticons when using the chat feature and can still
type when subscribers-only mode is turned on in chat. Es-
sentially, subscribers make a choice to support the streamer
if they believe the streamer deserves their money.
Patreon is another way in which creators can source
funding to sustain their production of content. Patreon was
founded in 2013 and allows Patrons (donors) to fnancially
contribute to content creators. Trough their donations they
can keep fnancing the production of content that otherwise
may not be sustainable for the creator.
Creators range from game designers to photographers,
animators to musicians, Youtubers to illustrators. Te only
requirement to be a creator is, well, to create things. Addi-
tionally, creators and Patrons can connect through Patreon.
Tis allows creators to keep in touch with those who are
funding their work, and allows the Patrons to be kept in the
loop with regards to how their money is being used.
Tere are more than enough avenues for online creators
to earn money for their work. However, all of the avenues
have one thing in common: they require hard and consistent
work to earn anything substantial. Tose looking to make a
quick buck will be lef disappointed. If you really have a pas-
sion to be a creator of regular, high-quality content, though,
there are options available to monetise your dream.
Although there are many money-making scams online,
there are still legitimate ways of earning some extra cash.
Photo: BRONWYN PRETORIUS
Cinema usage puts spotlight on blackface
Lili Barras-Hargan
Arts & Entertainment
S
outh Africa has seen two cases
of young people donning
blackface in the past three
months. Teir behaviour has been
heavily criticised and has sparked
a national debate questioning the
acceptability of such practices in the
modern culture.
Blackface was a cultural phenom-
enon that emerged in America during
the mid-19th century and was still
popular in the early 20th century. It
involved the caricaturing of racial
stereotypes in a visual form. By ap-
plying burnt cork to their faces, white
men were able to represent a clumsy,
rampantly sexual and unintelligent
character for the amusement of a white
audience. Tis paved the way for min-
strel shows, which combined slapstick
comedy, innuendo-laden skits and
plantation musicals. Minstrel shows
and blackface in general were used as
a way of oppressing the black popula-
tions by laughing at them and portray-
ing their lifestyles and slave position in
society something comedic.
Te frst use of blackface in cinema
was also the frst use of 12-reel flm
in America. Te Birth of a Nation was
a 1915 silent flm directed by D. W.
Grifth. African-American characters
were portrayed by white men wearing
blackface and displaying overtly sexual
aggression towards female characters.
In addition, the Ku Klux Klan (KKK)
was presented as a heroic force, and
the flms release resulted not only in
hostility by white gangs towards black
people but was also used as recruit-
ment material for the KKK.
Te Jazz Singer was a 1927 musi-
cal that bridged the gap between
silent flm and talkies. Jakie is a
young Jewish man who breaks from
his familys traditions and becomes a
famous jazz singer. However, the jazz
genre was considered a black type of
music so Jakie donned blackface for
his performances. In a flm where the
only successful jazz singers were black,
Jakie needed to wear the mask so that
he would be a believable character
and appeal to the audience within the
movie as well as the flms viewers.
In 2000, Spike Lee directed Bam-
boozled, a satirical movie about a
modernised and televised minstrel
show. Unlike previous productions
utilising burnt cork masks, Bam-
boozled features black actors wearing
blackface. Te flm touches on issues
such as white people justifying their
racism and black characters being
unable to ft into any role other than
the stereotype created by the afore-
mentioned white characters. White
Chicks (2004) is an example of the
reversal of blackface in cinema. Te
action/comedy flm features two black
FBI agents disguised as white socialite
women. Te two black men are forced
to behave like typical white surburban
women and the ridiculous events
that ensue criticise blackface and
minstrel shows.
Over the past 100 years, blackface
in its many forms has appeared in
cinema. However, the acceptance
of blackface seems to have rightly
shifed, as racism and damaging
historical events are slowly unpacked.
By approaching the issue and actively
responding to it through flm, cinema
is encouraging people to speak about
blackface and the relevance it has in
the culture of our day and age.
Blackface is an issue that has its roots in early American cinema, but can still be
seen in its various forms today. Images: SOURCED
Culturally inappropriate
at Rocking the Daisies
Abbey Hudson
T
he issue of cultural appropria-
tion is, simply put, the bor-
rowing (appropriation) of
a part of one culture by another. By
itself, it is not necessarily a bad thing:
afer all, cultures have been trading
practices with each other for centu-
ries. It becomes a problem, however,
when the people doing it have no
idea what it is they are borrowing or
why it is important.
Rocking the Daisies was recently
held at Cloof Wine Estate in Darling,
hosting more than 26 000 festival goers
over the course of three days. Te
festival showcased local and inter-
national music acts, as well as much
cultural appropriation.
Te primary audience at Daisies
seemed to be the young cool kids,
a demographic that appears to be
unaware of the meaning and scope
of cultural appropriation. Hundreds
of festival goers donned culturally
inappropriate garb Native American
headdresses, rice paddy hats, sombre-
ros, and the ultimate festival favourite,
bindis. It is clear that few of the people
wearing these items knew of their
cultural and religious signifcance. Tis
seemed particularly true in the case of
those who donned bindis.
When asked whether she knew the
cultural signifcance of the bindi an
anonymous festival goer replied, No.
Is it bad? Others laughed uncomfort-
ably when asked, but few were inter-
ested in discovering the signifcance
of the bindi to the Hindu community.
Te appropriation of selected parts
of cultures prevalent in South Africa
is problematic, as the history of these
cultural signifers has been devalued
Arts & Entertainment
24 October 2014 Te Oppidan Press 11
Tis allows creators to keep in touch with those who are
funding their work, and allows the Patrons to be kept in the
loop with regards to how their money is being used.
Tere are more than enough avenues for online creators
to earn money for their work. However, all of the avenues
have one thing in common: they require hard and consistent
work to earn anything substantial. Tose looking to make a
quick buck will be lef disappointed. If you really have a pas-
sion to be a creator of regular, high-quality content, though,
there are options available to monetise your dream.
Although there are many money-making scams online,
there are still legitimate ways of earning some extra cash.
Photo: BRONWYN PRETORIUS
Blackface is an issue that has its roots in early American cinema, but can still be
seen in its various forms today. Images: SOURCED
Culturally inappropriate
at Rocking the Daisies
Though many visitors to the annual Rocking the Daisies festival are known
to don various hats, headdresses and bindis, few are aware of their cultural
signifcance. Photo: EMILY CORKE
Abbey Hudson
T
he issue of cultural appropria-
tion is, simply put, the bor-
rowing (appropriation) of
a part of one culture by another. By
itself, it is not necessarily a bad thing:
afer all, cultures have been trading
practices with each other for centu-
ries. It becomes a problem, however,
when the people doing it have no
idea what it is they are borrowing or
why it is important.
Rocking the Daisies was recently
held at Cloof Wine Estate in Darling,
hosting more than 26 000 festival goers
over the course of three days. Te
festival showcased local and inter-
national music acts, as well as much
cultural appropriation.
Te primary audience at Daisies
seemed to be the young cool kids,
a demographic that appears to be
unaware of the meaning and scope
of cultural appropriation. Hundreds
of festival goers donned culturally
inappropriate garb Native American
headdresses, rice paddy hats, sombre-
ros, and the ultimate festival favourite,
bindis. It is clear that few of the people
wearing these items knew of their
cultural and religious signifcance. Tis
seemed particularly true in the case of
those who donned bindis.
When asked whether she knew the
cultural signifcance of the bindi an
anonymous festival goer replied, No.
Is it bad? Others laughed uncomfort-
ably when asked, but few were inter-
ested in discovering the signifcance
of the bindi to the Hindu community.
Te appropriation of selected parts
of cultures prevalent in South Africa
is problematic, as the history of these
cultural signifers has been devalued
by our racist history, both during and
afer apartheid.
A problem lies in young South Afri-
cans taking instances of cultural appro-
priation as a joke or as being in good
fun. Even when someone is called out
for their behaviour, little support is
given to the accuser. Overheard at Dai-
sies was this: You know that second
blackface scandal? Ja, those guys are in
my res. It was said proudly and with
a tone that implied there was a gross
overreaction to the incident, showing
just how little the speaker cared about
the issue.
While several people did remove
their culturally insensitive items in
an attempt not to ofend or disrespect
other cultures, most people followed
trends without thinking of the possible
cultural implications. It seems that the
most prevalent trend at Daisies was
not the fower crowns or the bindis or
onesies or crazy hats, but the well-in-
tentioned yet still problematic actions
of festival goers.
How much a show really costs
When asked
whether
she knew
the cultural
signifcance
of the
bindi, an
anonymous
festival goer
replied, No.
Is that bad?

Josh Stein
It is easy for an audience to forget
about the fnancing that goes into
paying for acts. Bringing in a band
like Shortstraw is not cheap and even
the lesser known acts can put a strain
on budgets. Even theatre, a cultural
mainstay in Grahamstown, can put a
lot of fnancial pressure on organis-
ers. As it stands, it is ofen a struggle
for the Rhodes Live Music Society
(LMS) and the Drama Department to
keep entertainment rolling.
As LMS is a student society, money
is not exactly abundant. Vice Chair-
person of LMS Sheila David, explained
the price of bringing bands to Gra-
hamstown. We dont pay local acts.
Te whole point is to create a platform
for local acts; its pretty much an
exchange. When it comes to national
bands - think Shortstraw or CrashCar-
Burn - things become trickier.
A band like Shortstraw are on the
market for R20 000 but because we
are a student society we cant pay that
so we sign a contract with them that
says as a student society we cant aford
that, said David. Instead, societies
have to negotiate in order to secure an
agreeable price.
Another big expense facing LMS is
the cost of equipment. Afer rigorous
use, equipment eventually breaks and
has to be replaced. Tis can run up the
bills for the society which sometimes
has to rent extra equipment for a show
in order to provide adequate sound.
Live music is not the only per-
formance which can cause fnancial
stress. Teatre performances do not
come free and budgets can be tricky.
Students in the Drama Department
have to draw up budgets for their
performances. Tese include the costs
of materials for costumes, props that
are sourced in town and any other
materials needed for the production.
Te department increases students
budgets based on how far along in
their degrees they are. Te department
also has to get the word out which
means that marketing costs, such as
posters and programmes, must also be
considered.
Teatre Administrator Prarochna
Rama said that students may encoun-
ter some fnancial challenges. Te
budget that we give our students is
sometimes not enough. Sometimes
things can break and we might not
have the budget to fx it. If something
breaks it is up to the student to pay for
it, if it is their fault, explained Rama.
It is clear, then, that for both LMS
and the Drama Department limited
fnances and high overhead costs make
organising quality entertainment for
students and locals a challenge.
With limited budgets for the Drama Department and Live Music Society, the
funding of performances often poses a challenge rarely considered by audi-
ences. Photo: ASHLIEGH MEY
Having toured in South Africa and abroad on several occasions already, the Rhodes Chamber Choirs future plans
include potential tours to the US and collaborations with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra. Photo:
MARI SCHULZE
Chamber Choir celebrates 59 years of choral ensemble
Pumla Kalipa
Acknowledged as one of South Africas frst university
choral ensembles, the 59-year-old Rhodes University
Chamber Choir (RUCC) continues to give students from
diferent faculties a platform in which to participate and
appreciate choral music.
Among several achievements over the past 59 years,
the most notable attainment has been performing at the
Universities of Cambridge and Oxford in England. Along
with conductor Dr Andrew-John Bethka, the Chamber
Choir looks set to achieve much more. Te choir is in
good hands: Bethka holds a Masters of Sacred Music degree
from the Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas,
as well as a Doctorate in Music from the University of
Cape Town.
I was appointed as a conductor at the beginning of this
year. My job is to train the choir to sing well together while
developing each singers voice to its full potential, Bethka
said. I choose music which will stretch the singers and will
be beautiful for the audience to hear, he added.
Each year the RUCC performs in locations outside of
Grahamstown. Tis year, the choir travelled to Limpopo,
stopping to perform in Johannesburg and Bloemfontein on
the way. It was an awesome tour and the audiences loved
the music we performed for them, said Bethka.
Te choir performs songs in six of South Africas ofcial
languages, something which has garnered an enthusiastic
response from their audience. Almost all of the pieces we
perform are pieces by South African artists. Tis resonates
well with the audiences across the country, Bethka said.
Te future of the RUCC is looking promising, and with
the year coming to an end, Bethka hopes to deliver more
dynamic performances next year. We may collaborate
with the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra to sing the
Nelson Mass by Haydn. We are also hoping to take the choir
on tour to the USA in December next year. It promises to be
exciting! he said.
Sports
AbM member
assassinated
Lost your
man card?
Mabizela
looks ahead
4 7 5
The Expendables crowned champs
Muhammad Hussain
and Gabi Bellairs-Lombard
T
he Rhodes University Futsal
League is growing at a slow
yet steady pace, with 2014
being its fourth year in action.
However, this year has seen a decline
in participation for the club. Tis
is because many older players have
lef and residences have been less
involved in the league, said Futsal
Coordinator Caroline Te Reh.
Teams Bossolona and Te Expenda-
bles faced each other in a heated fnal
which saw Te Expendables win the
2014 Futsal League title 4-3. A 3-3
draw pushed the game into extra time,
but a goal from Ahmed Ismail led Te
Expendables to victory.
With two goals from Kudzi Nzombe
and one from Lesli Mazhura, Bosso-
lona were of to a promising start.
However, a red card in the second half
put them at a disadvantage during
extra time.
Tere was a lack of discipline
today, and guys got carried away by
the supporters, explained Bossolona
Captain Mtha Shane Ndlovu. Te
Expendables are a good team though,
but our lack of coordination killed
us today.
Te Expendables Captain Ibrahim
Patel said that the result was a great
team efort, where we played every one
of our players instead of having one set
team. Te team added that they came
to the tournament to have fun, but
their strength as a team enabled them
to take the title. Te two teams will
compete again next year, with Bosso-
lona hoping to move up from their
spot as second best in the league.
Tis year, only 12 teams participated
in the league compared to the 20 that
participated last year. Te Reh added
that the lack of proper advertising was
also a possible issue. However, even
with the decline in the number of
league teams this year, there was
great enthusiasm from those who
did participate.
Te league itself has been incred-
ibly competitive and exciting. Its been
really tight, but two worthy teams have
made the fnal, said Te Reh.
Unfortunately this year saw no
womens league as there were barely
any entrants, but there are plans to
include a womens league. Te Reh is
concerned that people fnd the term
league deceptively intimidating. Id
like for girls to also realise that [it] is
just for fun and its such a social sport
as well, commented Te Reh.
Te league also hopes to attract
more teams and continue the day tour-
naments that were hosted this year.
The fourth annual Futsal League concluded on Tuesday 14 October, with The Expendables claiming victory. The league
hoping for even more student participation next year. Photo: GABI BELLAIRS-LOMBARD
SRC considers calls to keep womens soccer coach
Kimara Singh
Te Student Representative Council (SRC) heard the con-
cerns of the womens soccer team when they met last week
regarding the matter of their coach Brynmor Heemro.
Although Heemros job is not under review by Sport Ad-
ministration, he has unfortunately not met one of his job
criteria: to qualify for the University Sports South Africa
(USSA) tournament.
Te results of the meeting with the SRC were construc-
tive. Godfrey Kadzere, the new Sports and Societies council-
lor, sat in on the meeting which focused on making the SRC
aware of the teams interest in keeping their coach in 2015.
Tey also spoke about the troubles encountered this year
caused by external factors.
Te teams recommendation letters, in which they re-
quested to keep Heemro as their coach, were handed over
and a case will be opened afer Kadzere attends the next
Sports Council meeting. A meeting with Sports Admin and
the soccer leadership may be scheduled afer this. It is in
the teams best interest to keep the coach and it is my job
to listen to the students and their wishes obviously come
frst, said Kadzere.
Kadzere added that he recognised that the womens team
has not had a proper platform to play their matches due
to miscommunication of fxtures from Sports Admin and
USSA organisers. Tis meant that not qualifying for USSA
was a result of circumstances beyond the teams control.
However, Kadzere said he has seen the teams progress
and will air the players calls to keep Heemro as coach for
2015 at the next Sports Council meeting.
Overall we feel hopeful and heard. Tey are genuinely
concerned about us and are pulling all stops to help us.
At the moment we are confdent that we will have him
[Heemro] next year. If matters are not addressed then we
will petition, and this time go to the Dean of Students to
have more backing, said womens team captain Oshoveli
Kukuri. Vice-captain Mieke Grobler added that she be-
lieved that if the team were to keep their coach next
year it would beneft greatly and continue to grow in
leaps and bounds.
Te passion and dedication of the womens team is ever
present and will hopefully mean that their coach is still there
to guide them through the 2015 sporting year.
Armand Mukenge
Tree Rhodes University students,
Nolwazi Khuluse, Sphiwumusa
Radebe, and Tebello Khampane,
represented the Eastern Cape in
the inter-provincial basketball
competition from 26 to 28 Septem-
ber in Johannesburg.
It was a lot of fun, but always
challenging, said Khuluse who
represented the province in 2013
as well. She added that this years
competition was not as successful as
last years. Tis year is the one year
that I actually wish that I had played
for my team back home in KwaZulu-
Natal, she said.
Khuluse explained that she was
not happy with the way everything
was arranged by the Eastern Cape
administration in charge of the
team. Issues included poorly sup-
plied equipment and poorly organ-
ised transport. Despite these issues,
Khuluse still had fun on the court.
Khuluse was not the only un-
happy player. Radebe said, Te
way the team was put together was
a problem with the administration
of it all. Radebe also felt it would
have been better if she had had the
chance to represent KwaZulu-Natal.
While the duo do not regret rep-
resenting the Eastern Cape, they felt
that organisational issues could have
been avoided.
Te Eastern Cape team placed
seventh out of nine teams,winning
two of their fve games. Although
demanding, the tournament was
a positive experience overall. Te
competition was very challenging
compared to the one here at Rhodes
University, but I learnt to be a team
player that is what I will try to
bring [to] the Rhodes Basketball
team, said Khampane.
Te trio, who are grateful for the
general support from Rhodes, felt
that their head coach, Rere Temb-
elani, did not show enough support.
Radebe said, Our assistant coach
was very supportive, but our head
coach was very frustrating.
All three women agreed that
Tembelani seemed to have given
up on them. In response to these
allegations, Tembelani said, I
supported them, but there was only
so much I could do as I was not the
provincial coach. I could only sup-
port from home like anyone else.
Khuluse and Radebe say that
afer the challenges they faced
within the Eastern Cape team, they
are hesitant to play for the team
again next year. Khampane, on the
other hand, is considering a second
season at provincial level.
Rhodes students shine
for EC basketball
Sphiwe Radebe, one of three students to represent Rhodes and the East-
ern Cape, feels reluctant to join the provincial team again next year due
to issues of poor administration by the Eastern Cape organisers.
Photo: SOURCED