Edition 6, 6 August 2008

Our Politics Editor finds out first-hand how Palestinians are treated in their own country.4 We’re giving away tickets to the Sharc Benefit Concert this

Saturday. See inside for details on how to win.

Distribution subsidised by the Oppidan Committee and the South African Post Office.

7

Nicola Saner

After a lengthy legal proceedure, the Liquor Trading By-Law was passed in a Grahamstown council

meeting on 10 June. The by-law stipulates a change in closing times of venues that serve alcohol, making these times earlier than those stated in the current law. Once the law has been gazetted it has to be implemented by our pubs and bars. This would translate to the Rat, Friar Tucks, Equilibrium, and all other late night venues discontinuing the sale of drinks at midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends. On Sundays there will be a 10pm curfew.

The adoption of this by-law aims to reduce the crime rate, make the municipality safer, and minimise the socio-economic problems associated with alcohol. According to the Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk, “Rhodes fully supports the proposal”, and hopes “that students will now tend to socialise either on campus or within the security of their digs and therefore

limit their exposure to violent or dangerous situations”.

The municipal meeting yielded a unanimous vote to pass the new by-law. Mike Hubbard, the owner of Friar Tucks, questioned the objectivity of the council. “I just don’t see the benefits outweighing the negatives on this and I feel that the council should have been more transparent with their reasons for the law,” says Hubbard.

De Klerk expressed hope that limiting the hours at pubs and clubs may have a positive impact on academic performance. But is our institutional culture at the stage where this is probable? Students don’t seem to think so. “People won’t go home and sleep at 12 o’clock. The noise will be spread everywhere,” says BCom student Sinead Courtney.

While de Klerk acknowledges that there will most probably be more digs parties as a result of the new by-law, she feels that “it is important for them [Oppidans] to seek good relationships with their neighbours and also obey the laws of the land.”

But in practice, the social and economic

implications of the by-law may be more complex.

Hubbard voiced his concerns saying: “The major problem now is that people are not drinking in a reasonably controlled environment and as a result no authority is held accountable.” Although Friars crowds may not always be aware of it, there are many precautionary forces at work that keep them safe. Safety nets of Netcare ambulances are on call if needed, Hi-Tec protection is available, there are paramedics on duty, bouncers at the door to sort the rif from the raf, as well as other such forces that benefit the students’ overall welfare. Unfortunately, house parties offer no similar protection.

In the past, Hubbard recalls the street fights; breaking of electricity boxes, bottles and trees on New Street; car bars; increased date rape and parties at Grey Dam that got dangerously raucous, when the pubs were forced to close early.

Social ills aside, the economic effects of such a by-law are also cause for concern. With “prime trading time gone”, bars will

have to downsize their staff in a town where unemployment is desperately high. Already there have been consequences: Friars has been forced to fire three of their seven staff members (all of whom were the breadwinners of their families).

The capital invested by the restaurateurs and pub owners must also be considered as running a drinking establishment is no easy task. “I would never have invested this money here if I knew this law was going to be passed. My staff has done nothing wrong and now they’re out of jobs,” says Hubbard.

And down to ethical freedoms. Should an academic institution not strive to protect both the positive and negative freedoms of its students and equip them with the skills to make their own decisions? “Considering the university brings in so much revenue to Grahamstown, some provision should be made with regards to the students’ social life,” says fourth year law student Lindsey Lupnouw.

Although the pubs aim to appeal the new by-law, they have been told by the magistrate that this is not advisable.

Paul Harris

A recent report published by the Human Resources Department at Rhodes University revealed that 79 percent of Rhodes staff, both teaching and administrative, is dissatisfied with their salaries. The knock-on effects of this for students could be dire, as the university risks losing its quality teaching staff to other higher-paying institutions.

The report was compiled from the data collected in a questionnaire circulated amongst Rhodes academics. Apart from complaints about unsatisfactory salaries, numerous other concerns became apparent from the report.

Academics pointed out that Rhodes salaries have not kept pace with the rising inflation, and other fringe allowances and benefits that were granted to them were also inadequate. Staff also felt that the prospects of career advancement were rare and often blocked, so the temptation to flock to greener pastures at other

Higher Education Institutions is equally worrying.

The majority of Rhodes academics who took part in the questionnaire also called for greater transparency and fairness involving benefits, salaries and job promotions.

Many staff members expressed concern that large workloads and the lack of formal recognition for work well done made for poor working conditions and prevented them from living “a balanced life”.

A further 43 percent of academics at Rhodes are forced to supplement their salaries with other forms of work, generating additional income, just to make ends meet given the present economic situation. However, this means that these staff members have less time available to dedicate to teaching the students within their department.

Another serious bone of contention stemming from the report is the issue of staff housing. Recently there has been a sharp increase in property prices and staff on a lecturer’s salary and below cannot afford to buy houses.

The transit housing supplied by Rhodes for newcomers to the staff, as well as married students, has also been deemed insufficient according to the questionnaire results.

Simon Pamphilon, a lecturer from the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, voiced his concern about the housing situation in particular. “The problem with the transit housing is that it is heavily over-subscribed,” he said. He mentioned that recommendations have been made to extend the service to a two-year period rather than the present six-month option. “There have been a number of lecturers who have left this department entirely because of the housing problems,” he said, and he felt that this was probably also the case in many other departments.

Illustration: Leigh Stadler

ABSOLUTCURFEW

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The Centre for Social Development (CSD), Students’ Representative Council (SRC) and Sharc joined the National Youth Service to head the three sides of a community initiative which will start in Grahamstown at the beginning of September.

SRC president Xolani Nyali will coordinate the first side of the initiative on behalf of the SRC. The project aims to teach valuable entrepreneurial skills to local unemployed and out of school youths.

The CSD is heading the tutoring programme, the second side of the

initiative. Sixty-four Rhodes students have volunteered to tutor Economics, Accounting, Management, Geography, isiXhosa and History for two hours every Saturday in Grahamstown East high schools.

Tutor volunteering positions are still available and applications for 2009 are ongoing at the CSD.

Sharc, which forms the third side of the programme, will run an HIV/Aids awareness campaign in local high schools.

Rhodes University management agreed to implement a leadership bursary for the SRC president on 4 June this year. The bursary gives the SRC president the option of applying for an extended academic programme, with the additional year of study covered by the leadership bursary.

This provision will be on trial for two years, after which it will be reviewed by the Dean of Students and the SRC.

The duties of the SRC president are very time consuming. Current SRC president Xolani Nyali says his duties include, “overseeing the performance of the vice-president, treasurer and the people who report to them, meeting with

the SRC on a daily basis, and spending at least six hours answering emails.”

As a gesture of recognising all the hard work done by the SRC, Rhodes gives the SRC members an honorarium at 50 percent of the BA fee for the president, 35 percent of the BA fee for the vice-president and excecutive and 25 percent of the BA fee for ordinary council members.

“The honorarium payable to SRC members is in recognition of their contribution to the university and is not regarded as a salary,” says Dean of Students Vivian de Klerk.

>> Nolulamo Matutu

The end of exams is usually a time of relief, but for returning Zimbabweans, anxiety and anticipation outweighed any feelings of excitement. The media hype was unavoidable; everywhere you looked there were horrific stories staring you in the face. Even our very own StudentZone advised us to remove any Rhodes stickers from our vehicle before crossing the border as they caused “tensions” there.

The reason for all this worry was the presidential run-off due to take place the week after exams were completed. Even before arriving in Zimbabwe, the desperation of the situation in the country became apparent. A second year Law student was sent a shopping list from his parents asking for the most basic necessities. “I hardly had enough space in my luggage for even my clothes,” he admitted. A second year Journalism student was asked by his parents to bring home “as much Rand as possible”. “Why?” he asked. “So we can survive,” was the answer.

A large percentage of Rhodes students are Zimbabwean, but many are wary of speaking openly about their vacation experiences, fearing serious

repercussions back in Zimbabwe. Dean of Students Dr Vivian de Klerk has expressed concern about the safety and wellbeing of Zimbabwean students and urges students to ask for assistance if necessary. “If students would like our office to set up a support group of fellow Zimbabweans, we can easily do so – we simply need a request from the students themselves,” she said.

A first year studying a BCom from Manicaland Province said that he had seen people who were beaten in the buildup to the elections, but he had not fallen victim himself. He admitted that the situation was desperate there. “A bucket of maize meal was being sold for Z$ 700 billion, and you can only get Z$100 billion from the bank,” he said. “The lifestyle at the moment is so painful for everybody.”

But coming back to Rhodes for this student is a relief. “Back at Rhodes, I know everything will be fine, that is why I like to come back,” he said. He realises he is fortunate; the majority of Zimbabwean citizens are not afforded such an easy escape.

Rhodes Debating excelled at the 2008 National Universities Debating Championships, hosted by the University of the Free State and during the July vacation. The first year pairing of Luxolo Matabese and Luyanda Mfeka proceeded to the final of the English Second Language section and held their own against stiff competition. In addition to this, Rhodes adjudicators Brent Phillips and Louise Featherstone were awarded the Raymond Adams Memorial Adjudication trophy for the best adjudicator at the competition and for the Best New Adjudicator award respectively.

“Rhodes’ dominance at these

competitions is indicative of the comprehensive training programme offered by the society,” Chairperson Clive Eley commented. “This is particularly the case in our adjudication training – something unique to Rhodes is that individuals entering the society can elect to become specialist adjudicators. This bodes well not only for the society, but also for the promotion of critical thought and argumentation on campus.”

This follows Rhodes’ success at the Judge Edwin Cameron Invitational Debating Competition recently hosted by the University of Stellenbosch. Christopher McConnachie and Philip Abrahams progressed to the final of

this competition. Katherine Furman, another Rhodes speaker, defected to the ‘dark side’ as she spoke with Richard Stupart from the University of the Witwatersrand. She also broke to the final. Rhodes adjudicators again excelled with the entire adjudication delegation making it to the semi-finals, and with Alinka Brutsch and Zimasa Gysman continuing to the final.

To top off their performance at the competition, Abrahams and McConnachie also topped the speaker tab, being ranked first and second speakers respectively.

With South Africa’s fast changing media landscape comes the demand for more multi-skilled journalists. The Oppidan Press Multimedia team is offering a unique learning experi-ence that could kick start your ca-reer. If you want to be more involved in student journalism, specifically in web and multimedia journalism, email the Multimedia Editor.

Students at Rhodes University have an infamous reputation for drinking. This social habit has instigated intense debate between the university, local residents and bar owners which has resulted in the passing of the liquor by-laws. But can you teach an old dog new tricks? The Oppidan Press took to the streets to find out more. Watch the result of our research.

The second semester always brings with it the much anticipated Inter-res Rugby League. As much as being a large part of a Rhodent’s social calendar, it is also an exciting sport-ing spectacle. The Oppidan Press has created a new online vote, where you, our readers can choose your player of the week. Now the real competition begins.

“How was your vac?” is the standard question everyone asks at the begin-ning of term. But ask The Oppidan Press Politics Editor, Claire Wa-terhouse, and you will get a rather unusual response – she volunteered in a refugee camp in Israel. We sat down with her to find our more about her experience. Log onto the web page to watch our exclusive audio slide show of her time in Palestine.

The Grahamstown National Arts Fes-tival is internationally acclaimed. Per-formers and artists from Rhodes were a large part of the programme. Thanks to CueTV and CueOnline, The Op-pidan Press is able to showcase some of these students’ works. Go online to see some lo-res videos.

Sjoe. What do you think about the Afrikaans issue? letters@theoppidanpress.com.

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According to the President of the Afrikaans Society at Rhodes, Anzet du Plessis, discrimination against Afrikaans speaking students is not prevalent at the university. “The response I get from students to being Afrikaans is friendly curiosity,” says du Plessis, who refers to herself as a ‘boere meisie’ from the Free State. She says that many of the members of the Afrikaans Society aren’t even Afri-kaans, or white for that matter.

“Our secretary is a English-speaking black girl who passionately promotes the Afrikaans society,” says du Plessis. Students from different races and lan-guages attend the society’s functions to learn from each other. “I have been part of this society for over two years, and I have never picked up that any Afrikaans students are experiencing a crisis at Rhodes. If anyone needs to be part of an Afrikaans group, they know that they can join us.”

Du Plessis is concerned that the article in Die Burger has placed Rhodes in a negative light unnecessarily. “I have never been more comfortable being myself than at Rhodes,” says du Plessis. “The campus is politically active to the extent that this type of discrimination is quickly rectified so that it doesn’t reach the levels that the media has taken it to,”

she says. Politics Honours student Estelle

Prinsloo echoes these views. “I knew that my classes would be in English, I would probably have English friends and that the environment would generally be different to what I was used to, growing up in an Afrikaner family. If you choose to come to Rhodes, it is up to you to adapt and embrace this unique culture. I was pleasantly surprised at the begin-ning of the year at how much diversity is embraced at Rhodes and how welcome I was made to feel,” says Prinsloo.

She says that she has managed to integrate well into the University. “I have studied at two universities prior to Rhodes and this is the first time I have experienced such good interracial and intercultural relationships between students,” says Prinsloo.

But these are not necessarily the views of all the Afrikaans students at Rhodes. While Thinus Dippenaar (the originator of the Die Burger article) acknowledges that it may be a small por-tion of Afrikaans speaking students that do experience discrimination, it is still important to address the issue. In addi-tion, he says he is not surprised that such students will not express their feelings to the press: “I have interviewed at least

ten sources (other than those quoted in his article), but they are not willing to let their names be published for fear of be-ing targeted by more English students.”

Dean of Students Dr Vivian de Klerk says there haven’t been any reports by Afrikaans students about being discrimi-nated against at Rhodes. She added that if there was any overt anti-Afrikaans discrimination this would certainly be a cause for concern, but that no such incidents have been reported to her.

De Klerk commented that not hear-ing one’s mother tongue regularly can make one feel like an outsider, since language is an important part of anyone’s identity. However, this applies equally to the thousands of other non-English mother tongue students at Rhodes. “Our language policy recognises Afrikaans, and aspires to have trilingual signs for all major buildings on campus, so we are heading in the right direction, albeit slowly,” says de Klerk.

De Klerk cautions that it is important to remember that Rhodes is not free of prejudice and discrimination generally, and that there is evidence of racist, sexist and homophobic behaviour persisting, despite the university’s best efforts to counteract it. “So it is very possible that, on a personal level, certain students

Sinethemba Makhasi

The June/July spate of attacks relating to sexual violence around campus has shocked students and academics alike.

As Rhodes marked its Anti-sexual Harassment Week, droves of students and academics congregated on the evening of 29 July at Eden Grove to listen to a presentation by Professor Louise Vincent entitled: “Women’s rights get a dressing down: Reading the mini-skirt attacks in South Africa”.

The relationship between sexual violence and a woman’s dress code has been a thorny issue in debates around the country. In particular, the mini-skirt is often criticised as a provocative item of clothing, or, on the other hand, applauded as a revolutionary item representing women’s freedom and control over their sexuality.

In a well documented case, Nwabisa Ngcukana was sexually harassed at Johannesburg’s Noord taxi rank last year by a mob of taxi drivers who were ululating Jacob Zuma’s victory song Umshini wam. Her crime was wearing a mini-skirt.

Whether a mini-skirt is an invitation to sexual abuse or an item empowering women is still a controversial question.

“Of course, mini-skirts have nothing to do with escalating violence! Violence is caused by criminals, not by mini-skirts,” Prof Vincent explained at the talk.

At the centre of these debates is the African cultural perspective on women’s dress code.

Members of the 1 in 9 campaign at Rhodes University lambasted claims during the debate that a mini-skirt is an open invitation for abuse. The culture of wearing short traditional clothes is prevalent in most parts of Africa and young women’s traditional items such umbhaco (a decorated skirt usually cut above the knee) form part of the culture. Yet incidents of social ridicule towards women wearing skimpy clothes are recorded in most African countries, including Uganda, Kenya and Ghana.

Jennie Olesetse, a journalism Masters student had a contrasting view: “It is true that some women have been ridiculed because of their choice of clothes. It is, however, worthy to note that the ridicule may be due to many years of cultural beliefs that have solidified into the thinking that women wearing a mini-skirt are disrespectful and have breeched a certain cultural code, and therefore deserve to be either punished or ridiculed into following that culture. Given that African culture has changed

(“Afrikaners are dumb and racist, say English students at Rhodes”) was an article published in Die Burger in May that caused an ongoing controversy and debate on campus. Written by Rhodes third year journalism student Thinus Dippenaar, the article quotes Afrikaans speaking students who feel that they have been discriminated against by Rhodes’ English speaking community. Cilnette Pienaar attempts to assess the reality of the situation.

may behave in such a way as to alienate Afrikaans students,” says de Klerk.

Dippenaar admitted that in his per-sonal experience of being an Afrikaner at Rhodes, he had not experienced dis-crimination and said the number of in-terviewees who felt otherwise surprised him. “The general intelligent Rhodes student enjoys the diversity that campus has to offer and uses this opportunity to learn from each other,” he said. “It is

unfortunate that we have a handful of students who still believe that Afrikan-ers started apartheid so their children at Rhodes must be racists”.

De Klerk emphasised that Rhodes strives to be ‘home for all’. “Ours is a very diverse campus, and such diversity enriches our experiences – as long as we are prepared to meet each other half way and are open to getting to know what makes each other tick,” says de Klerk.

over time, this sentiment may be shared by fewer and fewer people and may sound bizarre to someone who does not share the same cultural code, but it’s sensible to someone who does,” she explained.

Meanwhile, on two separate occasions, reports about students whose drinks were spiked at a local pub

were received by the Dean of Students Division last week. On both occasions symptoms of memory loss, weakness and nausea were experienced by the victims.

Dean of Students Dr Vivian de Klerk has advised students to be careful about their drinks and always go out in the company of friends.

COURAGE TO STAND UP AND SPEAK OUTWhether it was through words or song, from

the heart or by means of a well-prepared speech, the GAP Open Mic night during

Anti-sexual Harassment Week provided a platform for students to express their views

and share supportive stories.

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

>> Think before you speak!Soutpiel n. Soutie abbrv. The name given to English South Africans by Afrikaners. The word is a portmanteau combining sout (salt) and piel (penis), so named for having one foot in Europe and one in SA, with the “piel” peeking into the salty waters of the Atlantic ocean.

Rock Spider n.A term used by English speaking South Africans describing Afrikaans people. The word originated as Australian slang for paedophiles in correctional facilities, as rock spiders have the habit of sneaking into and inhabiting little cracks. Disgusting.

Pics:

Zukis

wa Zi

mela

I suppose it’s a good thing that the MDC and Zanu PF are finally in talks, but it’s hard to get excited about Zimbabwe’s future when it seems that any kind of settlement is going to keep Robert Ga-briel Mugabe in a position of leadership.

Surely the world’s oldest tyrant needs a break. I wouldn’t go so far as to say deserves a break. He probably deserves to be thrown out of a plane above the Atlantic Ocean without a parachute. But what sort of job position could be found for this vampiric old man? Let’s look at his qualifications: Political violence, state terror, electoral fraud, kleptoracy and a maniacal hatred of any criticism.

In most places (except for the Rhema Church and North Korea) these are not considered employable skills. But surely no one on Earth is better qualified to determine whether a country is heading down the road to dictatorship. So I say make him a special UN envoy. I can pic-ture it now: Suspected torture in Uzbeki-stan? Send in Mugabe because he knows all the signs. Electoral shenanigans in Italy? Mugabe will be able to recognise all the tricks right away, seeing as he practised most of them himself.

On the other hand, he may choose to redeem himself in the eyes of the world by reinventing himself as a misunder-stood anti-hero. I can see it now: on the couch with Oprah, promoting his new book Why I Did It, tears streaming down his ravaged cheeks. It could make mil-lions before being turned into a movie starring Wesley Snipes.

Or else, Mugabe does have six degrees, so perhaps a job in the verdant

grove of academia would suit him best. A job at Rhodes, for instance. I, for one, would avidly attend his

lectures, listening attentively...even if

only out of pure fear.

Nicole Venegas

Rhodes was set to host the 20th annual All African Students Conference (AASC) from 13 to 19 July this year but the event was cancelled at the last minute due to disorganisaton and leadership disagree-ments. The Oppidan Press sourced two of the key players in the event’s organiza-tion (or lack thereof) to find out why it did not take place.

The AASC aims to build bridges between universities and African issues with each country bringing in their own point of view. However, SRC president Xolani Nyali pointed out that three-quarters of the seats of the national executives are held by Canada and the United States, which defeats the point of an African conference. He feels that “it

should be about what Africa thinks is good for itself ”.

Katherine Furman, the chair of the local organising committee, said that one of the main problems in organising the event was that the purpose of the conference had become “fuzzier” due to the lack of communication with, and di-rection from, the AASC secretary based in Jamaica. Nyali adds: “We didn’t know who they were, or what they wanted”. Therefore, the local organising commit-tee ended up doing all the work, trying to find themes for the conference.

Furman cited “petty leadership squabbles” as another significant prob-lem whilst attempting to organise the conference. For one, there was some sort of ‘coup’ in Jamaica as the chair of the AASC was removed from his position, creating what Nyali termed as “turmoil”

in the institution.Additionally, Nyali had a personal

disagreement with the South African Students Congress (SASCO) president David Maimela. This led to SASCO members, including those on the SRC, being asked to boycott the event. Nyali said: “It was a power trip by David”.

So where does the concept of the AASC go from here? Furman says that the local organising committee is planning a new project for a smaller conference with a more academic focus, promoting “a regeneration of African intellectuals”.

On the other hand, Nyali prefers the idea of “a new continental SRC body”, in which student leaders from African countries would meet approximately every five years to discuss issues affecting African students. However, he recog-nises that this could also become an inef-fectual ‘talking match’.

Nyali believes that the AASC should “tear their constitution into a million pieces and burn it”; essentially, they need to rebuild the institution from scratch, reconceptualise and redefine their goals to “let Africa be the driving voice behind it”.

Residents of the West Bank are still continually humiliated in their “own” territory.

They don’t tell you that tear gas really, really hurts. Not only did my eyes burn as if they’d just been dunked in a bucket of onions, but my lungs seized up, each breath was excruciating and every inch of my skin felt like it had been burnt with acid.

And yet, it is used at least once a week, in large quantities along with other ‘deterrents’ on the unarmed locals and foreigners (and on one occasion, me) of a small village called Bi’lin in the West Bank. Each Friday, a group of villagers make their way to the Israel Security Fence (soon to be part of the Wall sepa-rating Israel and Palestine) where they stand and voice their frustration. And each week, without fail, Israeli soldiers fire tear gas and use rubber coated steel bullets and sound bombs against the peaceful protesters.

Bi’lin is unusual as it is the first village

to gain international attention for its pro-tests. Villagers are suing two Canadian firms for the role they have played in building illegal settlements on Palestin-ian land. For this reason, the villagers are punished by nightly raids and arrests.

But Bi’lin is not alone: Soldiers raid-ing private homes in the middle of the night are completely normal throughout the West Bank and Gaza. Knocking isn’t necessary, some angry shouts or even mini-bombs force every member of the family out into the night. The men are made to lift their shirts and leave their pants around their ankles until soldiers are satisfied with their search.

Raids aren’t limited to homes – recently two students were killed when soldiers stormed their university residence in the middle of the night, setting off small bombs and firing at random as they made their way in. Little mention was made of this issue in international news, despite the fact that had a university residence been attacked in such a brutal manner anywhere else in the world, outcry would have been an understatement.

The giant Wall – or euphemistically, the Security Fence – which is supposed to protect Israel from terrorists also

functions as a continual reminder of the repression and complete lack of freedom faced by Palestinian citizens. The Wall also separates many farmers from their fields and has cut several villages off from their only livelihoods, never mind the psychological toll its presence takes on every person who has to look at it on a daily basis.

Internal checkpoints throughout ‘Palestinian’ land are monitored day and night by Israeli soldiers and whether you are free to go home or get to work is largely dependent on the mood of the soldier who checks your pass. Passes? Oh yes, those old apartheid relics still exist in Palestine and all citizens must carry them at all times in order to eas-ily be identified. Yet another continual reminder that Palestinians are thought of as completely inferior, even in their own territories (although how much longer the land remains their own is also in doubt due to the continual encroach-ment of Israeli settlements illegal accord-ing to international law, not that it does much to stop it).

Human rights violations are rampant throughout the West Bank and Gaza, and until they stop, the chances of peace are minimal. After all, it’s not too much

Ever wondered where HIV/Aids actually comes from? Well, these people have an answer for you! Some scientists are claiming it was invented by the US govern-ment during the Cold War in order to gain an advantage over the USSR. Indeed, the idea was that all Russian agents would be infected with the virus and become useless to the Red en-emy...Ridiculous? Not if you’re Russian!

After over a decade on the run, former Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has been arrested and made his first court appearance last week. He is accused of masterminding a Serbian effort to ethically cleanse the region of Bosnian Muslims and Croats.

“We look for anything [in Karadzic’s appearance] that might possibly justify our belief that he is different, that he is a monster and nothing like us. That is the most important thing, to convince ourselves that an alleged war criminal is different from ordinary people…all we see is our own reflection in a mir-ror.” - The Guardian

“[Karadzic] has lots of options for creating a circus, with all this grimly complex history being pored over for years in excruciating detail. There will

be no shortage of money for top-end legal defence teams, if he wants them.” - B92 (A Serbian news site)

“When he first appeared he seemed almost like a school boy who knows he’s done wrong, diligently following the instructions of his three tribunal guards, not at all the bombastic and flamboyant Serb leader I remember from my years covering the Bosnian war. Radovan Karadzic was looking measurably older, thinner in the face. But whatever he was thinking, it didn’t show on his face.” - CNN

“It is possible that Karadzic will be con-victed of crimes against humanity or war crimes, but acquitted on genocide charges. For many observers of the Yu-goslav wars, such an outcome would be a grave setback for the project of inter-

national justice. For others, of course, the near total certainty that Karadzic will be convicted is itself a cause for concern.” - The New York Times

“Karadzic looked older and thinner than when he ruled the roost in Bosnia 14 years ago. But without the long white beard and the thick mane of hair that were the essence of his disguise during a 12 year vanishing act, Karadz-ic was unmistakably the same garrulous character whom the Muslims of Bosnia regard as a monster - the attention-seeking narcissist whose ambitions, complexes and rages spelt misery for millions during the 1992 to 1995 war in Bosnia.” - Guardian.co.za

Nyali had a personal disagreement with the South African Students Congress (SASCO) president David Maimela. This led to SASCO members, including those on the SRC, being asked to boycott the event.

to ask to be treated as human.

In a United Nations report issued in 2006, Beijing’s air quality was found to be eight times worse than the recom-mended levels of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Poor air quality remains a major concern in the lead up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. In a desperate attempt to clear the air for athletes, authorities in the city have implemented an emergency pollution scheme, removing over a million cars from the roads and temporarily closing down hundreds of factories.

Athletes arriving in Beijing in preparation for the games have reported that major Olympic stadiums cannot be seen because of the dense smog hanging over them and many countries have sent their athletes to South Korea to train in cleaner air. Indeed, some athletes are even refusing to compete for fear of the long term effects the pollution may have

on their bodies and lungs.The number of vehicles on Beijing’s

roads has been halved. According to regulations, cars with licences end-ing in an even number are permitted to drive every second day, alternating with licences ending in an odd number. 10,000 video cameras have been installed on major roads to fine offenders. Official Olympic transportation, buses and taxis are excluded.

The single largest air polluting factory in Beijing, Shougang Steel Plant, is running at 27 percent capacity. It has been reported that only a few factories will stay open for ‘emergency’ purposes.

These temporary patchwork measures have been described by environmentalists as “putting lipstick on the pig”.

Eric Falt of the United Nations Environment Programme’s sports and environment project said that China “never committed to reaching those specific WHO standards within the

Grey-jing Olympics

timeframe of the Games”. Tests in central Beijing on 27 July found 269 micrograms of particulate matter per cubic metre, while WHO standards quote a maximum of 50 micrograms.

And while last ditch attempts to clean the air for Olympic athletes may just work, long term improvements in Bei-

jing’s air quality remain unclear, as does the fate of the average Chinese person who will continue to breathe in Beijing long after the last Olympian has left.

Follow Beijing’s daily smog levels: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7506925.stm.

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Surviving winter Rambo-styleFirst he called unemployed people “greedy and lazy”; then, he called civil servants “pale and smelly”. Now, obviously determined to live up to his label of unwavering political incor-rectness, Berlin’s Minister of Finance, Thilo Sarrazin, has decided on the solution for high oil costs: Germans should just “wear an extra sweater”. Known as the ‘Rambo Minister’, it seems he may soon need those skills to fight off the angry mobs who would rather have warm apartments than invest in more winter clothing!

Acts of violence, intimidation and unfair treatment in refugee camps are causing anxiety and tension among foreign-ers in Cape Town, Johannesburg and surrounding areas. As the repercussions of xenophobic attacks spread across South Africa, confusion shared by both South Africans and foreign refugees has sparked unsettlement and anger, even here in Grahamstown.

Grahamstown has had no reported incidents of xenophobia, but this does not mean that both the foreign refugee population and town locals have not felt the tension. Joza has many Somali, Pakistani, Indian and Xhosa people running spaza shops, all of whom are trying to make an honest living. As the xenophobic tsunami ripples its way into Grahamstown, certain spaza shops are forced to close their doors earlier in the evening than before in order to avoid potential attacks from South African citizens who feel resentment towards

foreign nationals.Intimidation is also rife in the area.

Minutes after we interviewed two Pakistani shopkeepers, thugs entered their shop and robbed them at gunpoint. This is the second time in a year and a half that they have been affected by crime. Ironically, during the interview, they praised President Thabo Mbeki for allowing them into the country. They applauded South Africa, saying: “It is so much better than where we come from”.

Diver Kaipa, a foreigner from Mala-wi, enjoys life in South Africa. He moved to Grahamstown from Johannesburg in February this year, shortly before xeno-phobic attacks peaked in Gauteng. Even though the attacks did not affect him personally, fear has driven him to return to Malawi at the end of the year. He says: “The South African government has to change a lot in terms of security. It’s not safe simply because they intervened late with regards to the issue of xenophobia”.

Grace Dyokomba, a local from Joza, agrees with many South Africans that foreign refugees should “go back to

their own countries”. She feels that her struggle to survive is intensified by the presence of foreigners, who increase competition for employment and resources.

On the other hand, a local street vendor who sells beaded work has more competition from South African hawkers coming from Durban and Cape Town areas to sell their merchandise in Grahamstown. For her, foreigners are not a cause for concern; rather it is her own countrymen affecting her income.

Although the xenophobic attacks that have blighted the rest of South Africa have not yet occurred on a large-scale in Grahamstown, they have certainly forced both foreigners and locals to confront the issue of acceptance. Luckily, despite tension within the nation’s borders, Gra-hamstown remains one of the few places in South Africa that maintains an image of tolerance, for the most part.

6

DrumSoc hosts a drumming circle every Friday from 16:00 to 18:00 in the Botanical Gardens. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in with the drumming, fire poi workshops and other games.

FREE SPIRITS l 8 August

Look out for the of HIV/Aids Awareness Week - it will commence with an opening address and film screening on Monday, at 18:30 in Eden Grove Blue; on Tuesday there will be an Open Mic session on ‘How “HIV/Aids affects me’ at 18:30, (the venue has yet to be confirmed); Wednesday will see a round table discussion headed by Tessa Kirkaldy (AIDS Advocacy Officer) at 13:00 at Eden Grove Blue, as well as a dance-off in the Great Hall at 17:00 and a themed party at the Union at 20:00; feel free to take part in a protest action followed by a picnic at 13:00 on Friday.

GRASS’ Farmers market continues every Saturday at The Old Gaol from 9:00 until noon. A wide variety of fresh foods are on offer including vegetables from a lo-cal farm, freshly baked breads, cakes and muffins, jams and preserves, home-made pasta, free-range farm eggs and more. You’ll also find plenty of interesting crafts such as leather works and pottery, as well as potted herbs and succulents.

The National Arts Festival featured many student productions on this year’s Fringe programme, including contributions from Rhodes University’s own drama department. Ranging from dance productions to comedy to drama, students catered to a variety of theatre tastes.

The HamletMachine, directed by Wesley Deintje and performed at the Rhodes theatre last semester, was a major success. Seven of the eight shows were sold out, with people queuing at the doors for additional admittance. Not bad for a show that Deintje was originally

discouraged to put on. “Led by only my pride – or

arrogance? – I decided to ignore the wise words of those who had performed in many previous festivals”, said Deintje, who decided to go ahead with the play’s production despite warnings from peers and mentors. This turned out to be a good move considering the show’s success. Steven Finestone, Artistic Director of the Actor’s Centre in Johannesburg, placed The HamletMachine in the top five of the 50 shows he had seen at the Festival and rated it the best piece in the Fringe.

Another successful student-orientated production was the physical theatre piece New Voices, a group

collaboration that showcased the talents of third-year drama students specialising in choreography. Overseen by Gary Gordon and featuring the First Physical Youth Company, New Voices consists of four segments, each choreographed by students from Rhodes and Tulane University in New Orleans. From Nicola Elliott’s Quartet in Fast and Sparse to Joni Barnard’s Epicene: Portrait in Two, each performance was met with enthusiasm and praise.

“I found that it gave me the sense that a person can create great beauty with the human body”, said PJ Waugh, an enthu-siastic first-year drama student who was a spectator at this year’s Festival.

Short Skirts & High Heels, a comedy

written and directed by third-year drama student Roshnee Gaptor, was another highlight of the student productions. The play tells the story of four women who end up involved in a drug deal after their boss’ death. Combining humour with social commentary, this original play was well-received by festival-goers. “Hilarious”, said Alice McKay, an admiring spectator, “one of the funniest plays I’ve ever seen”.

This year delivered another great festival, showcasing our university’s talent and highlighting the unvarying importance of art. “This was my first time at Fest,” said Siobhan Lumsden, another student spectator, “and it was fantastic! I’ll definitely be back”.

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

FARMERS MARKET l 9 August

SHARC BENEFIT CONCERT l 9 August

A benefit concert and exhibition to raise funds and awareness for Sharc’s HIV/Aids campaign, the show will feature the Soweto String Quartet, Ubom! and the First Physical Theatre Company. Tickets start at R60 and are on sale at Grocott’s.

Michal Blaszczyk

Fest fun. Watch some quality Grahamstown Fest videos that don’t chow your quota. http://cue.ru.ac.za.

WeRecommendWEARING...

When a well-known celebrity endorses a label it’s bound to be good for business as people sit up and notice what their favourite stars are promoting. Amakipkip is a new, vibrant clothing label produced here in South Africa. Known as a “brand of bling”, it is donned by the likes of hip hop bands Teargas and Jozi. Not only is Amakipkip a trend setter in the current fashion scene, but the label also promotes events and other lifestyle activities.

READING…

After his much acclaimed novel Miss Smilla’s Sense of Snow Peter HØeg has produced The Quiet Girl, a philosophical thriller set in Copenhagen. The novel is about a clown with an unusual gift to access people’s acoustic senses. Having come across his skill, a group of nuns hope to use his ability to protect a little girl. If you enjoy a book that keeps you guessing throughout, this story comes highly recommended.

WATCHING…

Everyone is watching The Dark Knight, the latest Batman flick currently showing on the big screen. Shows were consistently sold out at Roxbury, it raked in a whopping $440 million worldwide in the first ten days of its release and critics are predicting a posthumous Oscar nomination for Heath Ledger for his role as the Joker, (which would be an achievement of note as only two people have won an Oscar posthumously in the past). With a cast that includes Christian Bale, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman, this movie is a definite do.

“It’s all in the genes,” says Tracy Redmond, as she glances at her mother’s glasswork hanging in her store window. Redmond, owner of newly-opened Kisma Kreations (located under the Red Café) has been living in Grahamstown for several years.

Her shop, which matches her spunky attitude, is nothing short of charismatic. She inherited a creative flair from her mother and so began her passion for making things. From an early age, she wove wool bangles and sold them to anybody who would pay.

Now she combines this enthusiasm with her desire to help the environment, and creates beautiful treasures out of waste. Waste may have a somewhat negative connotation, but her wares are

Karen Reum anything but trashy: bottle cap earrings, clocks made from juice cartons and handbags crafted from old records. Redmond aims to provide customers with interesting and inexpensive treasures ideal for personal use and gifts.

Not only can buyers purchase gorgeous goodies, but they can also do their bit for the environment as a positive spin-off. In this way, Redmond increases awareness of the re-usable concept and gets to share her creativity with Grahamstown. If only making a difference was always as easy as buying a beautiful pair of earrings!

DIANA PALMER (M.C.S.P.)

Registered Physiotherapist

Tel./ Fax: 046 622 3035

58C High Street, Grahamstown

6139

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Physiotherapist

CHARISMATIC CREATIONSOwner Tracy Redmond (right) turns other

people’s waste into unique gifts for sale, like clocks made out of old records.

HIV/AIDS AWARENESS l 9-15 August

Entertainment7The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

Win tickets to see the Soweto String Quartet! Send us the answer to the question. entertainment@theoppidanpress.com.

Yellow HousePizzeria

&

Cocktail BarOn High Street

Woodfired oven pizza and homemade lasagne43 exciting cocktails

We are open Wednesday to Saturday 18:30 till late

We offer cocktail specials on Thurs; Happy hour is between 23:00-00:00 Fri and SatWe also do: Parties, private functions and live musicFor booking, call 046 636 7884, cell 073 470 6105

Catherine Boulle

Sadly, it is true: Taphjuis has closed its garage-like doors for the last time. The building as we know it will be demolished and a block of flats will be constructed. As daunting as it is that Grahamstown’s favourite live music hang out is now no more, Taphjuis went out with a bang. They ended with a last blast closing party on 1 August that took the form of a battle of the bands.

But not to fear, as two new Graham-stown ventures are here! I was trusted to test-taste both Kiara’s and Scott’spot:

I expected the first of these to be a small, buzzing coffee shop on New Street called Browns. My trusty food assistant, Si Gregory, and I were thus surprised (and a little disillusioned with the reliability of the previously trust-worthy grapevine) when we discovered a spacious (but not so buzzing) restau-rant, called Kiara’s in its place. Upon entering, we learnt that when The Suite closed down, the initial plan for the vacant premises on New Street was a coffee shop called Brown’s. This idea was quickly abandoned, however, when the site owner of Taphuijs, Marinda Van Achterbergh, decided to take over The Suite and transform it into a stylish restaurant. “A more up-market, relaxed dining experience” is something Van Achterbergh felt Grahamstown lacked prior to the opening of Kiara’s. As Si and I were two of only four customers that afternoon, the restaurant’s “vibe” was left somewhat wanting, but we were wholly impressed with the décor. Si was equal-lypleased with her roast vegetable pasta but my “Gourmet’s Choice” sandwich turned out to be a rather bland substitute for the fine meal I was lead to expect, and I spent the rest of the outing staring

rather enviously at Si’s infinitely

more gourmet choice. Thereafter we Scott’spotted it up.

Scott’spot – believed to be built on the site where, in 1823 Lieutenant Colonel Scott commissioned Piet Retief to build a barracks for British soldiers – is, as manager Chris Smith explains, “not a pub, sports bar or restaurant. It’s a bit of everything”. Si and I felt happily at home in the cosy atmosphere of Scott’spot and even more so due to the much-welcome prices, which seldom exceeded R40. This was just as well because our food took roughly 50 minutes to arrive. But above the sounds of our grumbling tummies, a Jack Johnson CD played melodiously in the background and we concluded that the not-so speedy service was amply compensated for with good food, quality décor and a happy “vibe”.

Shea Karssing

This weekend Rhodes will be playing host to four of South Africa’s most celebrated musos as the Soweto String Quartet serenade us with their jazzy rhythms and traditional tunes. Kicking off HIV/Aids Awareness Week on Saturday 9 August, the benefit concert is being organised by Sharc to raise awareness and donations for local HIV/Aids related projects.

Comprising of Reuben Khemese, Makhosini Mnguni, Sandile Khemese and Thami Khemese, the band became a full-time professional group in 1992. They performed at President Mandela’s inauguration, after which Mandela started recommending them for other performances.

Although the band uses traditional European instruments, their music has increasingly absorbed native African rhythms and intonations, experimenting with guitars, keyboards drums, and

the distinct sound of the pennywhistle. This fusion of styles means that the band has gained both national and international fame, attracting large audiences wherever they go. Now it’s Grahamstown’s turn!

Also performing at the concert are the local First Physical Theatre Company and Ubom!, presenting the contemporary, inspiring physical theatre for which they have become renowned.

The concert will be held at the Guy Butler Theatre at the Monument. Tickets

are on sale at the Grocott’s Mail office on 40 High Street at R60, R80 and R120, depending on the seating position. All proceeds from the show will be donated to charity.

Press PlayHITTING THE G-SPOT >>

Takondwa Nyasulu

Food

Décor

Vibe

Service

Value

Food

Décor

Vibe

Service

Value

KIARA’S FINAl VERDICT SCOT T’SPOT FINAl VERDICT

LATEST LUNCHESKiara’s is not the only new name in Grahamstown.

On the walk from Rat to Friars you may have noticed the new Scott’spot sign.

The Peppergrove Mall Tel: (046) 622 5579

Sale until the end of August 2008!

Up to 30% off on Silver and Gem Jewellery- Great 21st gifts: bracelets, chains, ID discs etc.- Engraving- Brands on Offer: JAGA, Seiko,Citizen, Swatch, Police, Bijom, Xonix

The Oppidan Press will be giving away two ‘golden tickets’ to the show! Question: What does the acronym Sharc stand for? Email your answer to editor@theoppidan-press.com. The winner will be drawn from a hat and contacted on Friday afternoon.

Gone are the days when celebrity was achieved by having real talent and actually going to work to make a liv-ing. Today, it is all about positioning a camcorder on a tripod and shaking your money maker. Sex tapes are now a sure-fire way for fly-by-night starlets to get their Louis Vuitton foot through the Hollywood door of opportunity. Think Kim Kardashian. Apart from being the daughter of OJ Simpson’s former attorney, her only claim to fame is her sex-tape with B-Grade musician Ray Jay and being friends with fellow ‘home video’ star, Paris Hilton.

For the rest of us ordinary folk, sex tapes are a bad idea. At the time, mak-ing a sex tape might seem like a good idea. The voyeuristic and exhibitionist elements of a sex tape bring that extra bit of kinkiness to night time activi-ties. Some of the men I spoke to said that a sex tape allowed them to admire their talent over and over again. My suggestion to get a full-length mirror was dismissed faster than you can say, “Britney, put some panties on”. One gentleman told me that it’s distracting because, “you become more focused on what your body looks like instead of technique for the job at hand”. The women were all for mirrors, but appre-hensive about the thought of video-taping themselves knocking boots.

It’s all fun and games until the break up. Imagine your most annoying ex watching a tape of you repeatedly and getting his jollies from it. Sick.

There is the possibility that your partner might be a sweet, caring person who would never want to hurt you by making copies and distributing your romp, right? Wrong. When it comes to making sex tapes, it’s pretty safe to say that you cannot trust anyone. The risks of making a sex tape clearly outweigh the benefits. It’s simply a very bad idea. If you really cannot help yourself, re-cord the deed, then watch it and delete it im-mediately after-wards. Or just be old fash-ioned and get lots of mirrors.

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Editor: Ines SchumacherDeputy Editor: Catherine BoulleManaging Editor: Lionel FaullAdvertising Manager: Masixole MdinganeAdvertising Manager: Meike MannMarketing Manager: Andrew LynchFinancial Manager: Solomon MoyoDistribution Manager: Douglas MbululuAssistant Distribution Manager: Phillip Furusa

Community Engagement: Barry SierraArts Editor: Amanda StrydomAssistant Chief Designer: Ashleigh SwaileBusiness Editor: Mbali SikakanaChief Designer: Stefania OriggiChief Sub-Editor: Emilie GilbertChief Sub-Editor: Shea KarssingEntertainment Editor: Takondwa NyasuluFeatures Editor: Cara-Ann Carstens

Multimedia Editor: Daniel CalderwoodNews Editor: Anja Müller-Deibicht News Editor: Kelly AdamiOpinion Editor: Sivuziwe MzamoPictures Editor: Sarah SchäferPolitics Editor: Claire WaterhouseSports Editor: Siphosethu StuurmanOmbudsman: Robert BrandPrinters: Grocott’s Publishers and Printers

Letters to the Editor: letters@theoppidanpress.comEditorial complaints: r.brand@ru.ac.zaAdvertising details:advertising@theoppidanpress.comDistribution queries:distribution@theoppidanpress.com

Ines Schumacher072 461 3174editor@theoppidanpress.com

The Oppidan Press 06.08.088

Apply now! Become a part of the Oppi Press team 2009 and make your mark on student media. applications@theoppidanpress.com.

Dear Editor,

137 High Street is now in its ninth year of trading. During this period, many clients have said that the cappuccino served at 137 High Street is the best to be found in town.

Our advertising boards pronouncing this were tongue-in-cheek and are in the same vein as the “best deals in town” proclamations as a form of advertising.

On one occasion Dr Margot Beard, the critic of 137’s cappuccinos in a previous edition of The Oppidan Press, has come in to 137 High Street and asked us to correct the spelling on one of our boards. Obviously spelling and cappuccinos mean a great deal to Dr Beard.

In the new complete coffee book – A Gourmet Guide to Buying, Brewing and Cooking, by Sara Perry (Chronicle Books San Francisco 2001) – a cappuccino is

defined as follows: “One third espresso, one third steamed milk and one third milk-foam” (pg 48).

This is the formula we follow at 137 High Street. However, the same formula can give different results in different places or countries. If the clientele prefers thick foam, for example, I am sure the coffee establishments will adjust their brew accordingly.

At 137 High Street we have never professed to sell i-t-a-l-i-a-n style cappuccinos; we sell good-old Grahamstown cappuccinos that many of our clients enjoy.

If Dr Beard wishes to enjoy another style of cappuccino, I would not be arrogant enough to tell her she may not.

That, my dear Dr Beard, is what makes us all unique – tastes differ but so do levels of arrogance.

All at 137 High Street

STILL the best cappuccino in town Philip Abrahams

During South Africa’s negotiated revolution, the inevitable questions surrounding our pinnacle court arose. Every court division is to be a pillar of justice, but none is more hallowed or sacred than a country’s apex court. Ultimately, the dinosaurs of the Appellate Division were passed over in favour of the philosopher kings of Braamfontein, and we were left with a team of 11 lauding over the most cosmopolitan city in Africa. With the supremacy of our (then new) Constitution affirmed, the two courts operated concurrently, with the Constitutional Court (CC) taking all constitutional matters and the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) taking care of all other concerns.

Most would consider the question of a merger to be non-starter: if one takes the notion of a supreme Constitution seriously, then there can only be one

court, can’t there? Not necessarily. With the CC taking all matters with a ‘constitutional flavour’, the SCA has been left to hear all other matters. As noted, the CC justices are as much philosophers and politicians as judges, shaping society according to their normative value system one judgment at a time.

The problem? As history illustrates, politicians and philosophers have a hard enough time abiding by the law, let alone applying it. Unwittingly, the CC has turned South Africa’s law of contract on its head, rendering an assessment of the enforceability of contracts nothing more than a free-floating proportionality enquiry. With all due respect to the current CC justices, their lack of private law expertise in tandem with the barrage of attacks currently upon our judiciary mean that a merger now or in the near future is simply not feasible. Whatever Justice Sachs’ view on the matter is, you can be sure that ubuntu will have something to do with it.

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Even though Rhodes is among the best universities in the country in terms of academic output, the university’s future is threatened by dissatisfaction in the ranks of both academic and support staff.

A recent report published by the Human Resources Department revealed that 79 percent of Rhodes staff, both teaching and administrative, is dissatisfied with their salaries.

Currently, mainly senior admin is being paid above the 50th percentile (the point at which half of South Africa’s universities pay their staff less than Rhodes and half pay more) and lecturers and support staff are being kept under the 50th percentile.

At the Vice-Chancellor’s Forum in September last year, this problem was addressed and it was promised that it would be rectified. But first, the age-old “let’s play this safe” trick was pulled: we’ll set up a Remuneration Task Team. So that after months of research we come up with the same conclusion: most staff is under the 50th percentile. They’re unhappy. Bravo, I say! Bring on the obvious conclusions!

How did we get in this mess? In September last year, The Oppidan Press published an exclusive report on the R1,6 million retirement gratuity that former Vice-Chancellor David Woods received in 2005; and an additional R525,000 bonus payment that was not reflected in Rhodes financial statements for the year 2005-6; as well as more grants and bonuses that were paid out to Woods.

In a system where the senior staff is prioritised and the Vice-Chancellor butters his own bread first, it’s not surprising that the new Vice-Chancellor is left in charge of a sinking ship.

However, you have to hand it to Rhodes staff: they’re positive about their plight. The report by the HR Division highlights the fact that staff are not yet thinking of abandoning ship – many love it in Grahamstown and at Rhodes and just want their salaries to be adjusted.

So come on Rhodes: give our staff their well-deserved cash. Because if you can find money for TriVarsity, for senior admin restructuring, and for planting and re-planting flowers in front of the admin building every week, you’re sure to find some money to spare for the people who make it all happen.

On a different note, look out for our digs hunting booklet coming out at the end of this term.

Staff salaries under scrutiny

PThere are other student newspapers you could join…But then there’s The Oppidan Press.And it’s looking to fill positions for 2009.

Positions available:

ExecutiveManaging EditorAdvertising Manager (2)Marketing ManagerFinancial ManagerDistribution ManagerCommunity Engagement OfficerTraining and Development OfficerTechnical Officer

EditorialArts EditorBusiness EditorChief Designer and assistantChief Sub-Editor (x2)Entertainment EditorFeatures EditorMultimedia EditorNews Editor (x2)Opinion EditorPictures EditorPolitics EditorSports Editor

Gandhi once said: “I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers”. We couldn’t agree more. We don’t believe in equality; we believe in being better than the rest. If you think you have what it takes to excel in the field of student journalism, apply to join The Oppidan Press team. It’s red hot. Applications close 22 August. Send your CV and letter of motivation to applications@theoppidanpress.com. Job descriptions available on request.

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08 9

Want to share your opinion? Let us know what you think of the situation in Zimbabwe. letters@theoppidanpress.com.

Rent or buy cocktail tops

& dresses.We also have

dance dresses!

Pearl Reef Boutique

61 African StreetTel: 046 622 3601

Candice Cupido

In less than a decade Zimbabwe has un-ceremoniously devolved from the bread basket to the rubbish bin of Africa.

Instead of theorising and speculat-ing about the situation of our northern neighbour, The Oppidan Press ques-tioned Zimbabwean students who went home this past vacation to get a perspec-tive straight from the horse’s bridled mouth. All names have been changed to protect the participating students.

What were the conditions in the country during the June/July vacation, compared with those you had experienced when you left?

Tendai: “It was tough. The biggest struggles were supermarkets. They were initially empty at the beginning of vac, and I think the biggest problem is the economic situation.”

Munyaradzi: “I had to bath in a bucket. I had no water for three weeks. The focus has shifted, kids go to school to deal, and teachers don’t go to school.”

Nick: “Things were different to when I had left, and when I had returned. For one, goods were more expensive.”

Munashe: “Things were rough,

economically. There was not adequate electricity, water, or transport resources. No law was in order.”

Shaun: “When I went there I was scared out of my mind, because when I left everything was chilled and cool. People I know were getting beaten up. I was really shocked. Things were dif-ferent. There was no food in the stores; prices went up nearly three or four times. When you get back to Rhodes – reality hits you. It’s not cool to see your own parents struggling. It looks like they’re depreciating with Zim.”

Were you ever harassed? Tendai: “I didn’t experience it first-

hand, or witness anyone being beaten up. The day before the elections, I went into town, and didn’t see anything.”

Munyaradzi: “I saw direct intimida-tion – groups of Zanu PF youths were running around in the streets and making everyone uneasy. If confronted, and you fail to complete the slogans they chanted, like ‘Pamberi neZanu, pasi ne-chamatama’, (Up with Zanu, down with the one with the big cheeks [Tsvangi-rai]) you would be beaten up. Everyone wore Zanu PF t-shirts, had stickers and posters in their cars. You were regarded as naked if you didn’t have anything,

and they would clothe you in their own way. You don’t see life in people’s faces. For you to be safe, you had to act like a Zanu.”

Nick: “I received no harassment, but apparently it occurred. So, I guess the stories are true.”

Munashe: “I didn’t see it first-hand, but I felt intimidated. The atmosphere was intense. I heard people were getting beaten up.”

Shaun: “My sister was stopped by Zanu PF youths, who ordered her to chant slogans. She came home looking like she’d seen a vampire. You had to drive around with a Zanu PF banner, or the book, if not, you got beaten up.”

With reference to the current situation in Zimbabwe, do you think there is a problem, and if so, how can it be resolved?

Tendai: “It’s complicated – sensitive and complex. Because it’s taken so long to resolve, there is no clean-cut way to resolve it. Some say get rid of Tsvangi-rai, and get a country of national unity. He shouldn’t appear on MTV Base and reply to questions about how he plans to change things with: ‘Everything Mugabe did, I want to reverse it’. Tsvangirai is slow-minded; he cannot run a country, he’s incompetent. People want Mugabe

Chris McConnachie

On 14 July International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecuter Luis Moreno-Ocampo announced he is seeking a warrant for the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. These charges relate to al-Bashir’s involvement in the Darfur genocide which has killed hundreds of thousands and has displaced millions more.

This decision to seek a warrant for his arrest has been met with howls of protest from certain quarters, particularly the African Union (AU) and the South African government. These opponents have called on the UN Security Council to unconditionally suspend the prosecution of al-Bashir should the ICC’s pre-trial chamber authorise the

warrant for his arrest. If this happens, the indictment is likely to end the peace process in Sudan, creating further turmoil.

This “Peace versus Justice” argument assumes that there is actually a peace process that will be thwarted if the ICC formally charges the Sudanese leader. Since 2003, al-Bashir and other senior Sudanese leaders have continually snubbed efforts to establish effective peace talks and continues to carry out its campaign to exterminate the people of Darfur. A further claim propagated by the Sudanese government itself, is that a backlash will ensue against civilians, peacekeepers, and foreign aid workers should the president be charged. However, the Sudanese government has instead focused its efforts on a diplomatic offensive to win support from the AU and the Arab League.

It has also been argued that the indictment will make al-Bashir unwilling to relinquish power should he lose the presidential elections next year, the first in over two decades. After taking power through a military coup in 1989, al-Bashir has forcefully cracked down on his political opponents and has routinely imprisoned members of the opposition. The prospects of free and fair elections are as illusory now as they were before the indictment was announced.

While the critic’s “Peace versus Justice” argument does not hold much virtue, it must be acknowledged that efforts to end the suffering of the people of Darfur should have priority over lofty notions of justice. The issuing of a warrant for al-Bashir’s arrest would in fact be an important tool in the efforts to bring an end to the suffering in Darfur.

If it is approved, the international

community will have an important bargaining chip in their dealings with the Sudanese regime.

The Security Council would be in a position to offer al-Bashir a temporary suspension of the charges on condition that he cooperate with peace negotiations, allow greater access to aid workers and peacekeepers and that he hand over the senior Sudanese officials wanted by the ICC. This would also send a clear message to other dictators that the only way to avoid the international justice system is to cooperate with efforts

to end the suffering that they have caused.

All of these benefits would be lost if the AU’s call for the unconditional removal of the indictment is heeded. In effect, the Sudanese dictator would be rewarded for his complete refusal to cooperate with the international community’s demands by being handed a get-out-of-jail-free card. It would suggest that the international community can be effectively blackmailed by a dictator’s cheap threats.

The ICC must approve the warrant for al-Bashir’s arrest as a means to gain al-Bashir’s cooperation in ending the Darfur crisis. In the absence of meaningful cooperation, the suspension of the arrest warrant should not be countenanced. In this way, the threat of prosecution can be effectively wielded as a political weapon for peace.

to step down, and anyone except Mnan-gagwa to step up.”

Munyaradzi: “The European forces should leave Zimbabwe to solve its own issues. Tsvangirai felt insecure, but why did he run to the Dutch embassy? We have an African embassy in Zimbabwe.”

Nick: “With reference to politics, the problem is people in power who want to retain their power.”

Munashe: “Tsvangirai is a retard, he makes inadequate decisions. The concept of sanctions has lost its value. Because of the sanctions, the stores are empty. The best solution is Simba Makoni.”

Shaun: “The Ministers are especially the problem, they know that if Mugabe loses power, they all have to step down. Times have changed. Mugabe wants to be president forever. He has to admit he has done wrong – he doesn’t see his faults. He views himself and his sup-porters as victims of the world. He views himself as the father of Zimbabwe, and does not see beyond today.”

A STICKY SITUATIONBefore Zim Rhodents even got home, they were

warned to remove their Rhodes stickers from their cars so as to avoid “tension”.

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Solution: Adding inSult to injury

Solution: no two wAyS About it

Lifestyle The Oppidan Press 06.08.0810

insult + injury

no ways it ways

RECIPE>>Coca-Cola Chicken

Ingredients:8 Chicken thighs or 6 breasts 1 large onion, cut into rings

250g brown mushrooms, sliced 340ml can cola

1 pkt cream of mushroom soup 30ml chutney

30ml tomato sauce 1 tsp crushed garlic

3 bay leaves Aromat to taste

Method:l Brown chicken pieces in a little oil or butter, add onion and mushrooms and sauté for two minutes. l Remove from the heat and place in a casserole dish.l For the sauce: add cola and packet of soup to a saucepan and stir over a low heat until smooth. l Add chutney, tomato sauce, garlic and bay leaves; stir frequently until the sauce starts to thicken. l Pour the sauce over the chicken, season with Aromat and bake at 180 degrees for one hour. l Serve with basmati rice.

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Complete the grid by placing digits one through nine in each cell in such a way that only one of each digit is present in every row, column and box.

Difficulty: Moderate

Saturday 9 August 7:30pm @ Guy Butler Theatre at Settler’s MonumentWith an exhibition and auction of artworks by:

William Kentridge Zapiro Fiona Ewen RowettLorna Cole Roxandra Dardagan Tony Swift and more....

The works will be open for viewing from 11: 00 at the MonumentThe official opening will be at 18:00

One can register as a bidder from 11:00

Tickets for the concert are available at Grocott’s on 40 High Street

SOWETO

STRING

QUARTET

First Physical Theatre Company

UBOM!

Township Dance Project

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

For a good cause. If you want to help Masincedaneout, contact them directly. masincedane@gmail.com.

There are many students on campus who have mental disabilities. I am one of them. I have Asperger’s Syndrome (AS), which is a mild form of autism. It is a neurological disorder, not a disease. I was diagnosed in December 2003 by my psychologist and a psychiatrist.

Asperger’s Syndrome is named after Austrian pediatrician Hans Asperger. In

1944 the doctor attributed the syndrome to children in his practice who lacked nonverbal communication skills, failed to demonstrate empathy for their peers, and were physically clumsy. Fifty years later, AS was standardized as a diagnosis.

Aspies (people with Asperger’s) typically struggle with social skills and generally avoid groups, including group work. Many Aspies also do not know how to read body language, so often they do not know how other people are feeling, giving very little eye contact themselves. Many people with the condi-tion hate crowds and hardly ever leave their houses as Aspies can be very sensi-tive to sounds, tastes, smells and sights that tend to overwhelm them (sensory

overload). When it comes to interacting with

people, Aspies are usually very straight-forward, honest and impulsive, which causes others to misunderstand them as being rude or insensitive to their feel-ings. They get to the point quickly and do not know how to make small talk. Aspies often go into their own world during conversations because they lose concentration and get distracted easily. This means that they can appear to be unresponsive, or tend to interrupt the person speaking. People with the disor-der never seem to fit in, losing friends easily without meaning to.

Many people with Asperger’s Syn-drome have poor motor coordination

and other co-existing conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Some have learning disabilities, taking much longer to absorb and process in-formation than the average person. This means working a lot harder and longer to pass.

The lifestyle of a typical Aspie is one of rigid routines, where any sudden change could cause serious anxiety. For example, people with the disorder often have to eat and sleep at the same time every day and are usually very picky with the way they eat their food. They also have certain interests which they are obsessed with, becoming ‘walking dictionaries’ in those areas. Aspies have

become known as ‘little professors’. Examples of people speculated to have or have had AS are Albert Einstein, Jane Austen, Beethoven, Wolfgang Mozart, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Bob Dylan and Steven Spielberg.

The exact cause of Asperger’s is unknown, although research supports the likelihood of a genetic basis; brain imaging techniques have not identified a clear common pathology. There is no cure for Asperger’s Syndrome. Experts recommend that Aspies go to different specialists for treatment, but this can be very expensive. Medication is usually anti-depressants and pills for mood swings. Your understanding and accep-tance would help us greatly.

Peppergrove MallTel: 046 622 7373

Email: wallace@intekom.co.za

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Nicole Rice

On most days about 150 people can be found queuing up outside Cynthia Belwana’s modest home, but on this particular day, it is raining so only a handful of people brave the cold and wait outside her house in the rain. Stacked close together in a neat row, the people line up alongside the bright blue wall, hoods and hats keeping their heads warm and hiding their shy faces. The children are surprisingly patient, eagerly awaiting the soup. Three times a week, the Xolani location attracts residents from as far away as Joza and Hlalani to Cynthia’s soup kitchen.

The soup kitchen started in 2006 in response to the Eastern Cape Department of Education’s cut-back of funding for school feeding schemes. Rhodes University’s Rotaract Club oversaw the funding and organisation of a soup kitchen targeted at feeding these children, as well as other impoverished members of the community. The initiative developed when the Rotaract Club met with Captain Barthwell Masala, a representative of the Salvation Army in Grahamstown. This meeting led to the creation of the Masincedane society, which means ‘let us help each other’, a name encapsulating what the society is working to achieve. Masincedane runs the soup kitchen by providing Cynthia with the resources and support she needs in order to serve soup after school hours on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The community has become heavily reliant on this soup kitchen. According to Cynthia, “the people are very hungry. We are always busy, except when it rains”. Despite the rain, Zodwa Kolisi, a local, waits in line, “I come all the time”, she says, clutching her Tupperware container tightly. Cynthia’s soup kitchen is Kolisi’s main source of food, so she takes as much as she can to last her until the soup is available again, which is only in two days time.

Makana Brick and Tile is the project’s main monetary donor, having supported Cynthia for three years running. Checkers donates its old bread twice a week, Pick ’n Pay donates once a week, and Fruit and Veg City occasionally supply vegetables.

This year Masincedane started a collection of non-perishable food items at Pick ’n Pay. The collection only takes place once a term but Tarryn Gillett, the chairperson of the society, said, “people were very generous and we got at least four full trolley loads”.

The society uses the food and money collected to supply Cynthia with the necessities required for making the soup and to pay her a weekly wage. Masincedane, however, is more than just a charity organisation. The society’s ultimate goal is to develop a self-sufficient soup kitchen that no longer requires their assistance. “Our role as a student society is to develop the soup kitchen into a sustainable project,” says Gillett. This way Cynthia would be able to run the soup kitchen herself.

Moving towards this goal, the

society has planted a vegetable garden at Cynthia’s house. Last year the gardening equipment was donated by Phoenix Roller Mills, but this year the society has made an effort to get more people involved. This was done with the help of Umthathi, an organisation which runs accredited workshops on topics such as nutrition, cooking and vegetable gardens. Umthati supplies the society with additional gardening tools for the day so those who eat at the soup kitchen could also get involved in planting. Reflecting on the day Gillett said, “we dug the ground together, and planted together, we sang songs and ate food

together, and everyone learned how to plant a veggie garden”. Masincedane is planning to continue their involvement with Umthathi.

Masincedane has plans for a further workshop which will be targeted at children. This will entail painting wooden signs with the names of the project’s sponsors to be stuck in the vegetable garden. “Since we want to paint these, we thought we could turn it into a creative day of arts and crafts with the children,” Gillett explained.

On the whole, Gillett is pleased with the work that Masincedane has achieved: “These workshops, as you can see, are

not focused exclusively on treating Masincedane as a feeding scheme, but transforming it into a sustainable development project”. Cynthia is pleased with the help but says that she still needs all the assistance she can get. Looking around her small home and outside at the small queue of hungry people standing in the rain she comments, “a shelter outside for protection from the rain would be very helpful”.

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Delia Tanner recently completed her Masters of Forensic Science (MFS) at George Washington University in the USA, a qualification that is not offered in South Africa.

Tanner has always had an interest in forensics, so after completing her Master of Science (MSc) at Rhodes she applied for a Fulbright Scholarship to study towards a MFS in the USA.

Forensic science is a broad term, describing scientific methods that are useful in the legal field, which usually means the science involved in investigating crime scenes.

Obtaining her MFS was a very exciting experience for Tanner, with course modules taught by investigators, policeman, DNA specialists at the Armed Forces Institute, homicide investigators, and even the FBI. She focused on forensic molecular biology, building on her foundation in the biological sciences. “I wanted to apply science in a way in which I could help the community more directly and hopefully have more direct satisfaction,” Tanner said.

These days, Tanner is working at a company called Abbott Laboratories as a technical analyst. Here she is involved in biochemical work, manufacturing protein antigens that are used in Hepatitis C tests.

Tanner has a real love for being in the laboratory, working at the bench, working in the tissue culture and fermentation labs, using different techniques and trying out newer ones.

She is planning to enrol for a PhD at Wits next year.

The phrase nuclear physicist conjures up images of Dr Strangelove and commie scientists in white lab coats working on doomsday machines. Little could be further from Helen Seals, a nuclear analyst for the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) company in Centurion.

After her Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Physics and Maths at Rhodes, she completed her Honours in Astrophysics at UCT.

Astronomy was only a stepping stone to her real interest- particle and nuclear physics. She began an MSc in particle physics at UCT by working for Brookhaven National Laboratory in the USA.

PMBR is a South African based company that is developing small-scale nuclear reactors to sell both locally and internationally. Seals spends her days looking at radiation protection measures, analysing the consequences of potential failures or accidents in a PBM reactor and looking into the nuclear waste the plants will produce.

When asked about working for a nuclear power plant, Seals emphasises that the era of fossil fuels is drawing to a close. Unfortunately, renewable energy sources such as solar power and wind simply cannot supply all of the power we need at this stage. This makes nuclear power the only reliable way for nations to move away from their dependence on fossil fuels.

She eagerly awaits the holy grail of energy: nuclear fusion. But until then the challenge is to make nuclear energy as efficient and safe as possible, a challenge Seals has taken up at the PBMR.

Taking a stroll through the Botanical Gardens, you could be walking over Agrostis gigantea or Axonopus fissifolius, or perhaps another of the 11 thousand or so grass species that will make up the online grass database, Grassbase. It would take a botanist to know the difference between each little strand and leaf!

And that’s exactly what Kehan Harman is. He began his profession with a BSc in Microbiology and Botany, followed by Honours in Botany at Rhodes and MSc in bioinformatics at Cranfield University.

Finally he got what he calls his first “science job”, working at the Royal Botanic Gardens in London. There he learned about taxonomy and biodiversity informatics. What with the huge amount of data they use, scientists need systematic ways to deal with it! Harman began working on this database while he was taking care of the grass species collection kept at the Gardens.

He is currently working on something like Facebook for biologists, an internet platform called “Scratchpads” where scientists can post pages about their research.

Harman encourages aspiring scientists that if you want to work in science, not getting your ideal job first time shouldn’t mean the end of the road. “You may feel like you’ve lost touch with what you did at university after several months packing shelves in supermarkets, but perseverance is definitely worth it. You’ll soon discover that it all comes back to you as soon as you start applying the stuff you learned.” >> laura Richter

French flight attendant Mathilde Epron was lucky enough to buy the right chocolate bar, and instead of winning a tour of Willie Wonka’s chocolate factory, she won a trip into space, scheduled for take off in 2010 on board the Rocketplane XL.

The Rocketplane XL, built by Rocketplane Kistler, is in the race to be one of the first commercial space flight vehicles, designed to take space tourists up for brief jaunts outside of the earth’s atmosphere. Rocketplane Kistler claims that they will begin commercial space flights as early as 2009, but they are not alone in their quest. Other competitors include Virgin Galactics’s SpaceShipOne (which has undergone test flights into space as early as 2004) and XCOR Aerospace’s as yet unnamed vehicle.

Epron was lucky enough to find the winning code printed on the inside of a chocolate wrapper, and if the spaceflight doesn’t take off by 2011, she will win a consolation prize of 150,000 euros.

Nine years ago, a farmer in Somerset, England decided he no longer wanted five of his calves so he dumped them on the doorstep of the Ferne Animal Sanctuary. Among these cows was Chilli who, standing at a mammoth six feet and six inches and weighing well over a ton, is believed to be on his way to breaking Britain’s record as the tallest cow ever. Naomi Clarke, manager at the sanctuary, admits that she only realised only realised how ginormous Chilli really was when he failed to fit into a standard-sized cattle cage. Today, Chilli is roughly the same size as a small elephant, but he is reportedly “a very friendly and gentle cow”. Clarke is at a loss as to how her beloved bovine grew so large: “We don’t know what has made him so tall. He doesn’t eat much and his feet and head are in proportion”. Clarke is now waiting to hear if Chilli’s application to the Guinness Book of World Records has been accepted.

Golden ticket into space

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

WTF? Have you seen anything unbelievable online? Send us the link! letters@theoppidanpress.com.

Engraving, Watch & Jewellery Repairs

70 High Street, Grahamstown 6139Telephone & Fax: (046) 622 3115

&

Congratulations to our intern Noxolo Mabona, a Grade 12 from TEM Mrewtyana High School who won the Science Expo that was held at Rhodes University in the last week of the vac.

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BusinessThe Oppidan Press 06.08.08 13

Marcelino Nkuna

To all those who doubt the continuity of a business started while at varsity, think again. The Black Rage Produc-tion Company is evidence that student businesses can survive in the real world. The dynamic trio of former Rhodes Journalism students Marie McCloy, Addiel Dzinoreva (Dzino) and Kutlo-ano Skosana began operations in 1996 and have since become a leading media company well in tune with South Africa’s urban youth culture. Their success has proved that you don’t need a commerce degree to get involved in business.

One of their subsidiaries, Outrageous

Records, is a recording label which created the Coca Cola Collaboration album that featured the best in South African music such as the likes of Hugh Masekela. Black Rage’s TV division currently produces a number of popular urban culture shows, for instance Noted on SABC 3, and Kasi 101 and Headrush on DSTV’s Channel O. One of the founders, Skosana, is also a presenter on SAFM Radio.

In keeping with good business prac-tice, Black Rage saw the gap in South Africa’s media landscape and seized the opportunity to cater for South Africa’s urban youth culture, whilst keeping up-to-date with trends and growth in the market. The company has also fully

embraced diversification within their company’s structure.

The enterprise has gone beyond definition as a media company, becoming a service provider that markets South African urban culture to the rest of the world by recommending local acts to perform at international festivals. The company’s website offers users an inside look into the latest in urban fashion, music and nightlife in every major city in the country and is distinctly South African in style. Its innovation in the media world has opened doors for Black Rage to produce content for BBC Radio and TV. These mavericks are thus living proof that Rhodes truly is “Where leaders learn”.

Pick me! Get some exposure for your student business. business@theoppidanpress.com.

MONDAY: FAMILY FUN EVENING

pizza evening, children under 10 free pizza (conditions apply)

WEDNESDAY: STUDENT EVENING

buy 2 drinks get 1 pizza (conditions apply) start 19h00 - 22h00

We cater for private, individuals and special occasions. Booking gladly accepted. TRADING HOURS: MON, TUES, THURS FROM 10 TILL 00H00|WED, FRIDAY, SATURDAY FROM 10 TILL 02H00

THURSDAY: HAPPY HOUR

Every 2nd drink half price.

Enjoy the evening indoors or on our deck!!!! start 19h00 - 21h00

FRIDAY: KARAOKIESATURDAY: SPIT BRAAI / OVER 40’S DANCE

PUB LUNCH steak, egg & chips | burger & chips

ENJOY OUR DECK IN THE SKY WITH A NICE BRAAI

Tinus: 078 515 4225Hannes: 082 658 8143

Mbali Sikakana

The 10,000 strong ethnic Chinese community in South Africa has been in-cluded in the definition of ‘black people’ in a ruling by the High Court, entitling them to the benefits of the BBBEE Act (BEE). The ruling has put black business organisations such as the Black Manage-ment Forum, Black Lawyers’ Association and Black Business Executive Circle on the offensive in a bid to challenge it.

The Chinese community’s presence in South Africa during apartheid is seldom acknowledged. Chinese people could not vote before 1994, they were excluded from public facilities, banned from certain areas, subjected to job and educational restrictions as well as forced removals. Only Chinese people who

were citizens before 1994 qualify for BEE status. This means that Jack Two, the manager of Jessica Fashions and a third year BEcon student at Rhodes, does not qualify. “If Chinese people were affected by apartheid and power was taken away from them, it is reasonable to give that power back, even though I don’t believe they were treated as badly as blacks,” he said.

With the net widening as far as who qualifies for BEE, the reactions from students, future employers, and employees are relevant. “There are some black people who say that fighting in the struggle against apartheid should be a determining factor as to whether one qualifies for BEE status. “Valid point, but I personally see no problem with Chi-nese people being included,” says Portia Gumede, a first year BBS student.

Chrisna Coetzee, a second year BA student is optimistic: “Some white South Africans may see this ruling as another light push out of the door. I don’t agree with BEE in its current form but I am not leaving South Africa”.

The effects of the new ruling are not as far-reaching as you might think. Immigrant Chinese outnumber Chinese citizens from pre-1994 ten to one, so few qualify and the trend with BEE deals has been for the larger companies to do BEE deals with groups that represent the black majority of the population.

The victory has still been met with jubilation by South Africa’s small Chinese community. The next question is whether or not we will soon see the inclusion of Jewish people, who also suffered during apartheid, under the BEE umbrella.

Marcelino Nkuna

The prevalence of crime scene investiga-tion in popular TV programmes has changed the way some of us view police work. For BK Toana, a third year BAcc student, these shows inspired a cloth-ing label he has founded with Tumelo Moletsane, a BCom student. The label is called Forensics, and the clothing typi-cally displays designs of thumb prints, magnifying glasses and other investiga-tive items.

Toana came up with the business idea in response to the limited variety of places to shop in Grahamstown, which he found to result in a lack of exclusive clothing available.

Toana then approached Moletsane for his shrewd business sense and started planning the venture. “The market re-search was a challenge because we didn’t see the usefulness of surveys,” Toana says, citing the inability of surveys to gauge market response to their product in real, financial terms. The next step they took was to develop a launch edi-tion of t-shirts to expose the label in a brand awareness campaign to determine the viability of their product and ad-

dress concerns raised by customers. The partnership employs a full-time graphic designer and makes use of a printer that makes the high quality t-shirts. Both admit the industry they have entered is highly competitive and differentiating their product from the rest of the pack is essential. “Our aim is to combine a quality product that can compete with established brands with a pricing structure aimed at a student pocket,” Moletsane says.

Capital for the establishment of the business has been sourced from the two students as well as three other independent investors in order to avoid reliance on debt provided by financial institutions. As young entrepreneurs, guidance can be a huge advantage. Toana is receiving pointers from the owner of a clothing label in Cape Town while Moletsane has the help of his mentor who is an investment banker with vast knowledge to draw from. Toana’s creativ-ity and Moletsane’s prudent venture capitalist thinking is what makes their partnership thrive. The duo plans to register as a Close Corporation, increase their product range and introduce their business to other campuses in South Africa in the near future.

Tel: 046-622511938 Somerset StreetGrahamstown 6139

Maxwell’s

BREAKFAST SPECIAL : Flapjacks and Coffee/Juice from 10h00 - 12h00 R25

LUNCH SPECIAL : Tremezzinis and Toasties from 12h00 onwards R25

SUPPER SPECIAL : Sushi for R29 Cocktails for R20

TAKE A NEW LOOK AT Maxwell’s ...

SPECIALS

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Sports

I watched as Kevin Pietersen thrashed a commanding century against his native South Africa as if to say: you should be sorry you let me slip through the faulty cracks. If that wasn’t enough to leave a sour taste in any South African’s mouth, perhaps the sight of ex-South Africans Pietersen and Andrew Strauss donning English regalia should have done it. It makes you wonder how much of our talent goes begging abroad.

English county cricket is peppered with South African players, all of whom are doing well (if not better) than their English counterparts. The likes of former Proteas Jacques Rudolph, Martin Van Jaarsveld, and Zander de Bruyn traded their green and golds to ply their trade in lush English outfields. For them, a cheque in pounds keeps the demons that taunt their Protea dreams at bay. I suppose money has the power to seduce anything.

The lure of foreign currency seems to be a favoured solution to the wrath of the streaky quota system in SA sport.

It’s a worrisome trend in South Africa that most of our players are seeking to sell their skills abroad because the pound and Euro speak louder than national honour. Is national pride silenced by attractive pay cheques elsewhere?

Benni Mcarthy is a fine example of a sell-out. He has timelessly snubbed his country because the English premier league meets his true priorities.

Sport personalities can mask their reasons for moving abroad, citing quota systems, but this excuse is a tad exaggerated and over-used. It is a legitimate reason for heading to greener pastures, but players should not deny their aspirations of making big bucks. But, maybe this is all pessimistic speculation. After all, I’m just a writer in front of a computer with no experience of the pressures of international sport.

Springbok dream team. Vote for your favourite players online and we’ll create the Oppi Press dream team! www.TheOppidanPress.com.

The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

The lure of the Euro

Tydstroom Chicken Braai-pack

Bananas

2.5kg No Name White Sugar R12 99

R18 99p/kg

R399p/kg

Great Student Specials!!Valid from 6 to 10 August

500g Ladismith Choice butter R1399

06 AugustStudent Forum

(Details to follow)

07 AugustSocieties Awards Evening (Details to follow)

11-15 August 13 - 15 August

15 - 16 AugustTriVarsity

East London/ Alice

TriVarsity build-up weekRhodes Campus

Nominations open for SRC elections

25-29 August

SRC electionsSRC Website - up and running!

Weekly slot on RMR: Friday mornings, 8.30ish:) Get the lowdown on what’s happening with the SRC and on your campus.

There will be a bus available to transport people for Tri-Varsity from Rhodes to Alice on Saturday 16 August. It will leave the Transport Department at 07:30 on Saturday morning and return after the last game. The cost of the bus is R95 per person. Students need to book and pay before 9 August at the SRC office.

Massive stock clearance on name brand clothing, shoes, bags and

sports equipment.

Cricket, rugby and hockey stock to go!

CHRISTMAS IN AUGUSTUP TO 50% OFF!

PHYSIOTHERAPISTSPORTS • SPINAL • GENERAL PRACTICE

Mark Anderson

10% student discount on presentation of student

card. Terms and conditions apply

BSc. (Hons) Wits

St Andrews College SanatoriumBedford St, Grahamstown

6139

Tel: 046 648 2875

Cell: 079 381 4466

Fax: 046 648 2875markanderson@telkomsa.net

Ines Schumacher

The Chinese prefer to leave the fourth floor of a hotel to foreigners as four is considered to be an unlucky number in China. Not even the Olympics are being spared from Chinese superstition. On 8/8 (that’s 8 August), at 8 minutes past 8, the games will begin. As you might have guessed, eight is a lucky number in China (even though it’s a multiple of four).

The lucky number eight is not working in favour of the Chinese in 2008. Natural disasters and political unrest are occurring all over the country. But the Chinese would not be the Chinese if they considered all these disasters to be just an unfortunate series of events. Instead, the Chinese believe that the “Curse of Fuwa” is a more likely

explanation for these disasters. Fuwa are the five Olympic mascots

Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yinging and Nini. Don’t be fooled by their cartoonish innocence or the way their names combine to read “Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni” (“Welcome to Beijing”).

Back in May, when the devastating earthquake hit the province of Sichuan (home of the pandas) bloggers pointed out that Jingjing was a panda.

Coincidence?Not if you know that the worldwide

protests against the Olympic torch relay (a public relations disaster for China) was blamed on mascot Huanhuan, who is the physical incarnation of the Olympic flame.

The political unrest in Tibet could only have been caused by the evil doings of Yingying, a Tibetan antelope.

The Chinese were even able to find

something to blame on Nini, a mascot who is meant to embody a golden-winged kite designed in the shape of a swallow. Nini has been held responsible for a deadly train accident in Weifang, famous for its kite-making industry.

Finally, the hype around the curse of

the Fuwa reached its boiling point with the floods in the south of China. Who but Beibei the fish could hatch such an evil plot?

Five mascots, five pre-Olympic disasters. The work of the evil-doers is now hopefully complete.

Siphosethu Stuurman

TriVarsity fever is now coursing through all purple-blooded students’ veins, but there is some confusion as to which of the two campuses of the University of Fort Hare will host the sporting extrava-ganza.

Rhodes Sports Officer Glynis de Long set the record straight: the Friday 15 August events such as tennis, surfing and the other water sports will take place in East London, with teams required to travel to and from East London for the

day. Saturday 16 August is the grand day for basketball, netball, cricket and the ever-popular 1st XV rugby game, which will all be hosted at Fort Hare’s Alice campus.

For all those die-hard fans who want to watch our teams attempt to bring back the cup, the SRC is organising three buses that will take students to TriVar-sity for R95 per person for a return trip. Bookings close on 9August.

For more TriVarsity details, there will be an information forum scheduled for Monday 11 August, with time and venue to be announced.

Going to TriVarsity?

Phetane Rapetswane & litha Mpondwana

Wednesday nights are never going to be the same again as the annual Castle Lager Internal Rugby League commenced on 23 July with two intense match-ups. Defending champions the Dream Team will attempt to repeat their good form from last season but will face stiff competition this year.

There are six participants in this year’s league and Smuts Manager Zenzo Sibanda is predicting a close contest between the teams: “I expect less lop-sided fixtures because of the amount of sponsorships and support the teams have received”. He added that the “Mkhulu Blues and Heathens are my favourites, as they have retained most of their players from last year, and look to be on form”.

There are numerous changes to the structure of this year’s league, including the schedule, as teams will no longer play two games a week like last year. Rhodes Rugby Chairman, Alan Foulis explained this change, “having two game nights a week proved to be too much for the unseasoned rugby players”. With more time to train between matches, the new format should allow the players to

play to the best of their abilities and will hopefully mean fewer injuries.

The semi-finals will take place on August 29 and the final on 3 September.

The prizes for the winning team in this year’s league will include a floating trophy, free tickets to the Rhodes Rugby Awards dinner, and sponsored t-shirts from Castle Lager. Video Spot and Roxbury will also hand out spot prizes during the games on Wednesday nights.

Foulis expressed concern with the general behaviour of spectators at the games. He particularly hopes to curb obscene language directed at the referees. He says that it “is especially important this year, as Border referees have offered to send through East London referees for all our games, without charge”.

Eastern Cape soccer fans can finally bay for their own PSL team

Tsepiso Sathie Nzayo

After ten years in the wild, the Eastern Cape returned to top-flight football when Port Elizabeth-based Bay United snatched a 2-1 victory over FC AK in the promotional play-offs last month.

The victory ensured that the soccer-starved Eastern Cape will get a taste of Premier Soccer League (PSL) action as Bay United will now face the likes of big boys Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns on a weekly basis.

United’s promotion to the PSL is

quite an achievement for a team that has only existed for three years. The team is the baby of Volkswagen South Africa who bought the franchise and relocated it to Port Elizabeth to form the victori-ous Bay United that has now brought professional football to the Eastern Cape.

United’s promotion to the PSL has reinvigorated soccer development in the Eastern Cape, which previously acted as a talent pool for clubs in other provinces.

The club’s stars include Gareth Ncaca, who showed a commanding display in the midfield, and Linos Chalwe who had a total of 11 goals for the season.

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Sports

I watched as Kevin Pietersen thrashed a commanding century against his native South Africa as if to say: you should be sorry you let me slip through the faulty cracks. If that wasn’t enough to leave a sour taste in any South African’s mouth, perhaps the sight of ex-South Africans Pietersen and Andrew Strauss donning English regalia should have done it. It makes you wonder how much of our talent goes begging abroad.

English county cricket is peppered with South African players, all of whom are doing well (if not better) than their English counterparts. The likes of former Proteas Jacques Rudolph, Martin Van Jaarsveld, and Zander de Bruyn traded their green and golds to ply their trade in lush English outfields. For them, a cheque in pounds keeps the demons that taunt their Protea dreams at bay. I suppose money has the power to seduce anything.

The lure of foreign currency seems to be a favoured solution to the wrath of the streaky quota system in SA sport.

It’s a worrisome trend in South Africa that most of our players are seeking to sell their skills abroad because the pound and Euro speak louder than national honour. Is national pride silenced by attractive pay cheques elsewhere?

Benni Mcarthy is a fine example of a sell-out. He has timelessly snubbed his country because the English premier league meets his true priorities.

Sport personalities can mask their reasons for moving abroad, citing quota systems, but this excuse is a tad exaggerated and over-used. It is a legitimate reason for heading to greener pastures, but players should not deny their aspirations of making big bucks. But, maybe this is all pessimistic speculation. After all, I’m just a writer in front of a computer with no experience of the pressures of international sport.

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The Oppidan Press 06.08.08

The lure of the Euro

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06 AugustStudent Forum

(Details to follow)

07 AugustSocieties Awards Evening (Details to follow)

11-15 August 13 - 15 August

15 - 16 AugustTriVarsity

East London/ Alice

TriVarsity build-up weekRhodes Campus

Nominations open for SRC elections

25-29 August

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Weekly slot on RMR: Friday mornings, 8.30ish:) Get the lowdown on what’s happening with the SRC and on your campus.

There will be a bus available to transport people for Tri-Varsity from Rhodes to Alice on Saturday 16 August. It will leave the Transport Department at 07:30 on Saturday morning and return after the last game. The cost of the bus is R95 per person. Students need to book and pay before 9 August at the SRC office.

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Ines Schumacher

The Chinese prefer to leave the fourth floor of a hotel to foreigners as four is considered to be an unlucky number in China. Not even the Olympics are being spared from Chinese superstition. On 8/8 (that’s 8 August), at 8 minutes past 8, the games will begin. As you might have guessed, eight is a lucky number in China (even though it’s a multiple of four).

The lucky number eight is not working in favour of the Chinese in 2008. Natural disasters and political unrest are occurring all over the country. But the Chinese would not be the Chinese if they considered all these disasters to be just an unfortunate series of events. Instead, the Chinese believe that the “Curse of Fuwa” is a more likely

explanation for these disasters. Fuwa are the five Olympic mascots

Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yinging and Nini. Don’t be fooled by their cartoonish innocence or the way their names combine to read “Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni” (“Welcome to Beijing”).

Back in May, when the devastating earthquake hit the province of Sichuan (home of the pandas) bloggers pointed out that Jingjing was a panda.

Coincidence?Not if you know that the worldwide

protests against the Olympic torch relay (a public relations disaster for China) was blamed on mascot Huanhuan, who is the physical incarnation of the Olympic flame.

The political unrest in Tibet could only have been caused by the evil doings of Yingying, a Tibetan antelope.

The Chinese were even able to find

something to blame on Nini, a mascot who is meant to embody a golden-winged kite designed in the shape of a swallow. Nini has been held responsible for a deadly train accident in Weifang, famous for its kite-making industry.

Finally, the hype around the curse of

the Fuwa reached its boiling point with the floods in the south of China. Who but Beibei the fish could hatch such an evil plot?

Five mascots, five pre-Olympic disasters. The work of the evil-doers is now hopefully complete.

Siphosethu Stuurman

TriVarsity fever is now coursing through all purple-blooded students’ veins, but there is some confusion as to which of the two campuses of the University of Fort Hare will host the sporting extrava-ganza.

Rhodes Sports Officer Glynis de Long set the record straight: the Friday 15 August events such as tennis, surfing and the other water sports will take place in East London, with teams required to travel to and from East London for the

day. Saturday 16 August is the grand day for basketball, netball, cricket and the ever-popular 1st XV rugby game, which will all be hosted at Fort Hare’s Alice campus.

For all those die-hard fans who want to watch our teams attempt to bring back the cup, the SRC is organising three buses that will take students to TriVar-sity for R95 per person for a return trip. Bookings close on 9August.

For more TriVarsity details, there will be an information forum scheduled for Monday 11 August, with time and venue to be announced.

Going to TriVarsity?

Phetane Rapetswane & litha Mpondwana

Wednesday nights are never going to be the same again as the annual Castle Lager Internal Rugby League commenced on 23 July with two intense match-ups. Defending champions the Dream Team will attempt to repeat their good form from last season but will face stiff competition this year.

There are six participants in this year’s league and Smuts Manager Zenzo Sibanda is predicting a close contest between the teams: “I expect less lop-sided fixtures because of the amount of sponsorships and support the teams have received”. He added that the “Mkhulu Blues and Heathens are my favourites, as they have retained most of their players from last year, and look to be on form”.

There are numerous changes to the structure of this year’s league, including the schedule, as teams will no longer play two games a week like last year. Rhodes Rugby Chairman, Alan Foulis explained this change, “having two game nights a week proved to be too much for the unseasoned rugby players”. With more time to train between matches, the new format should allow the players to

play to the best of their abilities and will hopefully mean fewer injuries.

The semi-finals will take place on August 29 and the final on 3 September.

The prizes for the winning team in this year’s league will include a floating trophy, free tickets to the Rhodes Rugby Awards dinner, and sponsored t-shirts from Castle Lager. Video Spot and Roxbury will also hand out spot prizes during the games on Wednesday nights.

Foulis expressed concern with the general behaviour of spectators at the games. He particularly hopes to curb obscene language directed at the referees. He says that it “is especially important this year, as Border referees have offered to send through East London referees for all our games, without charge”.

Eastern Cape soccer fans can finally bay for their own PSL team

Tsepiso Sathie Nzayo

After ten years in the wild, the Eastern Cape returned to top-flight football when Port Elizabeth-based Bay United snatched a 2-1 victory over FC AK in the promotional play-offs last month.

The victory ensured that the soccer-starved Eastern Cape will get a taste of Premier Soccer League (PSL) action as Bay United will now face the likes of big boys Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns on a weekly basis.

United’s promotion to the PSL is

quite an achievement for a team that has only existed for three years. The team is the baby of Volkswagen South Africa who bought the franchise and relocated it to Port Elizabeth to form the victori-ous Bay United that has now brought professional football to the Eastern Cape.

United’s promotion to the PSL has reinvigorated soccer development in the Eastern Cape, which previously acted as a talent pool for clubs in other provinces.

The club’s stars include Gareth Ncaca, who showed a commanding display in the midfield, and Linos Chalwe who had a total of 11 goals for the season.

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The Chinese are scared of their Olympic mascots!

Tsepiso Sathie Nzayo

Eastern Cape celebrations at entering the soccer big-time were cut short by the 2010 World Cup Local Organising Com-mittee (LOC) who axed Port Elizabeth from the list of cities to host the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.

The decision was made after the LOC’s technical team expressed con-cerns that the stadium would not meet its construction deadline of 30 March next year.

“With the complex nature of the construction and erection of the roof of the stadium, it was decided that it would be too high a risk to keep the stadium in the FIFA Confederations Cup schedule,” said LOC chairperson Irvin Khoza.

The Confederations Cup has always been used as a warm-up event for the World Cup host nation to test its preparedness.

Port Elizabeth’s exclusion has added to the widely-held belief that South

Africa’s infrastructure will not be ready for the World Cup. FIFA President Sepp Blatter shocked the nation last month when he publicly admitted that he has a “Plan B” should South Africa be un-able to host the soccer extravaganza. However, Blatter did stress that “Plan B” would only be activated in the event of a national disaster. In any case, nobody really knows what Blatter’s “Plan B” is.

South Africa is building five new stadia while another five are being upgraded for the first-ever World Cup to be staged in Africa.

The Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth was the only newly-built stadium to be earmarked to stage Confederations Cup matches. Khoza maintains that Port Elizabeth was still part of the LOC’s plans for 2010. But for now, though, only four venues: Loftus (Pretoria), Ellis Park (Johannesburg), Free State Stadium (Bloemfontein) and the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace (Rus-tenburg) have been confirmed for the Confederations Cup.

litha Mpondwana

The Springboks have made a fairly inconsistent start to their first full season as the reigning world champions, despite their historic victory over New Zealand in Dunedin.

After comfortable victories over Six Nations champions Wales and Italy, questions were raised about an exposed Springbok scrum. But there was much optimism over the expansive game new coach Pieter de Villiers was aiming to introduce.

De Villiers’ execution of his plan has been delayed by an inconsistency in selection, where he has failed to field the same Springbok line-up in any test matches this season, but in hindsight there have been positives.

However, the Springboks have tended to play a bit too loose at times, and that has contributed to various weaknesses in their strategy being exposed in their defeats so far this season.

De Villiers has been mocked by the Australasian media for his philosophical antics during press conferences, but his jovial personality adds to the entertain-ment aspect of international rugby.

The Springboks are in a good position to win the Tri Nations this year, and if De Villiers and his coaching staff finally produce a consistent line-up, the Spring-boks should enjoy a prolonged period of dominance in world rugby.

Siphosethu Stuurman

Rhodes has finally appointed a new Head of Sport after a long period of acting headship by Health Suite manager Janet Kelly and Sports Officer Kerr Rog-ers.

Roger Adams was officially welcomed as the new head of sport on 3 July, taking over from Aziez Madatt who resigned earlier this year.

Adams hails from the Western Cape where he worked at the University of Western Cape for seven years and then moved to the University of Cape Town where he worked for 11 years as a sports co-ordinator and manager of the UCT fitness centre.

Adams’ sports experience goes beyond varsity level as he has assisted in coaching a number of first division rugby clubs. He has been part of the ter-tiary athletics committee since 1993 and was its chairperson for four years.

“Head of Sport [at Rhodes] is an op-portunity I have been interested in for a while,” says Adams, who is happy to be part of the Rhodes Sports Council.

“I would like to assert sport as part of students’ development at tertiary level as there are opportunities for nurturing skills and leadership,” adds Adams.

His wish for sports at Rhodes is to see more racially-integrated integrated sporting codes where no one race domi-nates.

“It is difficult to address racial dominance in certain sports which reflects the same in the bigger society,” says Adams.

With TriVarsity just around the cor-ner, Adams called for Rhodes supporters to behave themselves: “Disorderly be-haviour is always unfortunate in sports. TriVarsity is an integrated exercise with other institutions that are different in de-mographic profile, it’s a kind of exercise that should be promoted.”

The Oppidan Press sports team wel-comes Roger Adams and wishes him all the best in his new position.

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Siphosethu Stuurman

As the controversially drug-scarred Tour de France dominated cycling headlines in July, one Rhodes Masters student cycled 720 km in just over a week for charity.

Sandy Collings, an environmental scientist in-the-making, joined a group of American students in California as part of a Jesuit volunteer programme which raises awareness about living green.

Collings and her group cycled from San Francisco to Los Angeles in eight days. “The journey was awesome and

tiring but the majestic scenery of all the places we passed kept me going,” she says.

The gruelling cycle needed the par-ticipants to be at their best fitness level and Collings had prepared herself well by spinning, jogging and doing other exercises in Grahamstown before her departure. “I was worried that I would hold the whole group back. That thought made me work hard in preparing for the journey,” she says.

The group hit the road at about 9am every day and would cycle the whole day until they reached a campsite around 6pm. “Day five was our longest day, we cycled about 128 km and day six was our

shortest as we cycled only 36 km,” says Collings.

Though day six was the shortest day for the group, Collings admitted that it was their toughest day as they had to climb a 1,500 foot (about 460 m) hill in just 8 km. “The construction workers on the side of the road and the traffic going by were very supportive, they shouted some words of encouragement to us,” Collings recalls.

On the final day the group cycled for 80 km and arrived in Los Angeles at 5pm. The group had finished three boxes of energy drinks during the entire jour-ney. Luckily there had been no accidents or injuries.

Back at Rhodes, Collings is generally a sporty person as she plays hockey and enjoys climbing and mountain biking with friends.

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