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RHODE S U N I V ER S I T Y INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPEREDITION 6 18 OCTOBER 2011 SINCE 1947

A C T I V A T E

Pics: Anton ScholtzThe Occupy Grahamstown March took place on Saturday the 15th of October. The particiapnts consisted mainly of a mixture of students , the UPM and the media.

Pics: Anton Scholtz

OCCUPY HIGH STREET

Pics: Anton Scholtz

Pics: Jonathan Jones

Edition 6 . 18 October 2011

HIGHLIGHTS

Page 7: Occupying the world Page 8: Talking Makana with Rhodes ward councillor Page 18: Fokopolisiekar Page 11: Anything but the bucket Page 21: The Internet of Things to change the world

Editor-in-chief: Lauren Kate Rawlins Deputy Editor: Isabelle Anne Abraham Content Editor: Kayla Roux Chief Media Supervisor: Megan Ellis Online Editor: Alexander Venturas Managing Editor Palesa Mashigo Chief Sub-Editor: Matthew Kynaston Art Directors Lerusha Reddy Thirusha Raja Chief Designer Simone Loxton Assistant Designer: Mignon van Zyl Chief Pics Editor: Anton Scholtz Assistant Pics Editor: Niamh Walsh-Vorster Illustrator: Katja Schreiber News Editor: Sibulele Mabusela Deputy News Editor: Neo Koza Politics Editor: Marc Davies Business Editor: Njabulo Nkosi C&A Editor: Alexa Sedgwick Features Editor: Karlien van der Wielen Features Assistant Editor: Nina McFall Lifestyle Editor: Sarisha Dhaya A & E Editor: Elna Schtz Sports Editor: Bridgette Hall Science & Tech Editor: Eric Kudzanai Chakonda Environment Editor Shirley Erasmus Advertising Manager Lethukuthula Tembe Distribution Manager: Bulali Dyakopu

Page 22: Yes, vegans are irritating

Francois van Coke, lead singer of alternative Afrikaans band Fokofpolisiekar. Pic: Anton Scholtz

From the Editor

Community Engagement: Victoria Hlubi Editorial Consultant: Craig Wynn What *Activate *wants to do is shake you up a little. We want to make you think twice about your flushing toilet and your running water. Hey, maybe what were really trying to tell you is to stop taking everything in your life for granted. Many of us are in a position of unfair advantage, and although its a messed up system and youre in it, at least you have a flushing toilet and running water. You have somewhere to sit when you go to the toilet, and you dont need to worry about your toilet bowl toppling over underneath you. There are a couple of basic human rights - rights which are essential to us as human beings and without which we cannot live our lives with dignity. You dont have to do anything to earn these rights, and you definitely shouldnt have to buy them. How can we even dream of tackling larger issues, such as the devastating global poverty, when the plight faced by our fellow community members doesnt even cross our minds?Lauren Kate Rawlins Editor-in-Chief

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We feel a sense of deep concern and hope that you will too, for the unacceptable way in which the most basic of human rights are being disregarded in this town, in this country, and all over the world every single day.

n this edition,Activatewants to portray a slice of social reality that our readers might have never otherwise been exposed to. The reality that many Grahamstown residents live with is so far removed from the protected bubble Rhodes students move around in.

Contacts: Editor: [email protected] Deputy Editor: [email protected]

Our leading news feature covered the Occupy Grahamstown protest which took place on Saturday. Partly in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street movement gaining ground around the world, the protest addressed issues such as corporate greed, the inordinate power of the Top 1% of the business elite, inequality and unemployment. This local protest diverged from some of the sentiments of the global movement, however, in its focus on municipal incompetence and unfulfilled promises. At this protest the absolute frustration and anger of Grahamstown residents who are forced to use a degrading system in which a single bucket is to serve as a toilet for entire households boiled over. Ayanda Kota, the leader of the Unemployed Peoples Movement, emptied three buckets of human excrement in the foyer of the Makana Municipal building in protest against this degrading, undignified legacy of apartheid. Our photo story on page 11 looks into the issue of the bucket system and the workers who handle the waste in the early hours of the morning.

Activate falls under a creative commons licence. Printed by Paarlcoldset, Port Elizabeth

4


News [in briefs]

Dalai Lama slams Chinese governmentT

460. UNICEF, the UN Childrens Fund, said that the disease was causing an unacceptably high rate of fatalities and called for the redoubling of government efforts. The five countries that accounted for 90% of all cases cases and deaths are Cameroon, Chad, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Nigeria. The disease, which is caused by inadequate sanitation and a lack of clean drinking water, is quickly becoming one of the worst recorded epidemics of its kind. UNICEF reported that they were providing treatment kits and running community awareness campaigns.

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Cholera epidemicccording to UN reports, the latest cholera epidemic to sweep through West and Central Africa has infected about 85 000 people and killed 24

Youth protestor throwing stones at Athens police force. Youths are outraged at the recent retretchments the government has issued. October 5. Pic: TimesOnline

he Dalai Lama has blamed the Chinese government for pressuring South Africa into refusing him a visa. The Tibetan leader, who is currently in exile, was invited to give a peace talk at Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutus 80th birthday. After being refused a visa, the Dalai Lama had a live video chat with the Archbishop in which he criticised the Chinese government. According to Al J azeera, the Dalai Lama, Slammed censorship as immoral. During the video chat, Tutu asked why it was that the Chinese government feared him. The Dalai Lama replied that Some Chinese officials describe me as a demon, so naturally some fear the demon.

First Afghan concert in three decades

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abul, in Afghanistan, hosted their first live rock concert in September after more than three decades. The concert, known as Sound Central, was organised by Australian photojournalist Travis Beard. 10 bands performed to and had an audience of about 450 people, which included women. The event was held in the Barbur Gardens, a small enclosed park, and had performing bands and musicians hailing from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Australia. This was a rare event in the conservative Muslim country, as live performances of music has been outlawed by the Taliban regime. The concert which lasted for six hours and was silenced twice to allow the call to prayer from nearby mosques to be heard. No alcohol was served and there were no disturbances for the duration of the concert.

Riot police officer punches a Chilean student during a demonstration demanding free and better state education. 29 September. Pic: AFP

Condom tender goes down the drain T

Volunteers helping a woman through the floods that occured near Manila, Phillippines. 30 September. Pic: AFP

he South African government has cancelled a condom tender after finding out that the imported condoms from China were not approved by regulating bodies. A company located in KwaZulu-Natal received a state tender, which was later cancelled because, The items were not up to scratch, the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, told News24. Motsoaledi received a tip-off from a member of Congress of the Peoples (COPE), Swaphi Plaatjie, that there was, A certain company in KwaZulu-Natal which planned to import unapproved polyurethane female condoms from China. This is not the first time South Africa has had problems with Chinese condoms. Earlier this year, the court cancelled a female condom tender because Chinese condoms were too small. News24 reported that the court found the condoms were 20% smaller than Sekunjalos and were not made of the required material.

Annual vegetarian festival on Phuket Island off southern Thailand. 3 October.

Pic: TimesOnline

Demonstrators at the Occupy DC campaign sign a large copy of the US constitution. 10 October. Pic: AFP

The stranded cargo vessel Rena, which struck a reef off the coast of New Zealand, could cause the worst A bitten apple that was left outside Apple Inc. co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs home in commemoration of his life. Pic: TimesOnline environmental disaster in the country's history as oil continues to spill. Pic: LIFE online Lighting strikes the Statue of Liberty in New York. 22 September. Pic:AFP

05 News


National Census sweeps the countryBy Matthew Kynaston

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BlackBerry blackoutBy Sibulele Mabusela

ave Steward, a writer for Politicsweb, said:Without proper statistics we cant measure progress. With the National Census currently underway, many are asking why we undergo such an expensive and time-consuming process in the first place. The Census began on 10 October and will run for nearly three weeks. Cabinet spokesperson Jimmy Manyi says that they are satisfied with the way the process is unfolding. Aside from one or two minor problems, such as the issue of one Roodepoort official requesting bribes, things have gone smoothly. Statistician General Pali Lehohla

stated that an investigation had been opened and that a toll-free line would be set up to report similar incidents in order to ensure the process runs even better. The census is not just about finding out how many people live in South Africa, but also, about refining statistics to improve the efficacy of the countrys expenditure in the division of its budget. Ownership of the economy and of land, as well as control, management and employment in the public and private sectors should ultimately reflect as closely as possible South Africas racial composition, Steward said. Further uses of the census include determining the effectiveness of education and health services and measuring the impact of industrial development.

A Census official can be identified by his or her yellow satchel and bib bearing the Census and Stats SA logo. They also carry an ID card with a hologram of the Census 2011 logo. South Africans are encouraged to welcome the officials into their homes so as to speed up the process. News24 conducted a survey asking people whether they were comfortable with the officials in their houses. 78% responded that they were not, because they were worried about bogus officials in uniform. Whether you have filled in the forms or not, the National Census will be extremely important to everyone in the country as it will determine everything from school fees and taxes to the racial make-up of economic ownership and control, and agricultural business planning.

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Tornados rip through SA If I have one more drink townsthat the RIM people are just going to release a statement saying theyre sorry, but not compensate people for the inconvenience, he said. If I had the money Id transfer to iPhone. According to experts, the three-day blackout, which left many users outraged at being stranded without vital internet and BBM services, might have a disatrous effect on the companys share prices. By Yonela Zondani By Neo Koza

he recent BlackBerry blackout has affected millions of users the world over including people in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, India, Brazil, Chile and Argentina. The breakdown in communication varies in severity: many users have been unable to access the Internet or use instant messaging services like BBM since Monday 10 October, while others have not felt the effects of the blackout at all. The connecting problems are attributed to Research In Motion (RIM), the Canada-based company behind BlackBerry smartphones. The company has maintained relative silence surrounding the cause of the blackout, offering little more than an apology for the disruption. We are working to restore normal service as quickly as possible. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused, read their statement. Many users are growing increasingly frustrated by the blackout. With the BlackBerry Internet Service and the networking fees we pay, we shouldnt be experiencing a blackout for longer than a couple of hours and this one is lasting a couple of days, complained first-year student Priya Pillay. RMR producer and administrative assistant Vuvu Nqezane was more upset with RIM than he was about the actual blackout. The biggest upset is

The BlackBerry franchise has been under strain to deliver to its customers Pic: Niamh Walsh-Vorster

A young boy rides past the rubble of homes that was the result of the tornados which hit duduza township and Ficksurg area. Pic: News24

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ritish anthropologist Kate Fox has recently reported that behavioural changes resulting from the consumption of alcohol are in fact caused by certain cultural beliefs people hold. When people think they are drinking alcohol, they behave according to their cultural beliefs about the behavioral effects of alcohol, said Fox. Fox argued that promiscuity, violence and anti-social behaviour while drinking are not effects of chemical reactions to ethanol, but are actually determined by cultural rules and norms. Taking the British drinking culture, in which it is generally believed that alcohol is a disinhibitor that makes people amorous or aggressive into consideration, she conducted an experiment be undertaken wherein people were provided with non-alcoholic placebos. We become more outspoken, more physically demonstrative, more flirtatious, and given enough provocation, some (young

males in particular) become aggressive, said Fox. She added that those who most strongly believe that alcohol leads to aggression are the most likely to become aggressive when they think they have consumed alcohol. Fox believes that the magical disinhibiting powers contained in alcohol are continually re-enforced in educational programs. She recommended a radical shift in thinking if societies are to achieve any meaningful change. When you are drunk, you are in control of and have total responsibility for your actions and behaviour. We need to re-think the aims and messages of all alcohol-education campaigns, Fox claimed. Our beliefs about the effects of alcohol act as self-fulfilling prophecies: if you firmly expect that booze will make you aggressive, then it will do exactly that. In fact, if you believe strongly enough, you might even be able to get rip-roaringly drunk on some red grape juice.

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wo tornados recently struck the small towns of Duduza near Johannesburg and Ficksburg in the Free State. About 150 people were injured in the fallout and one person died in both Ficksburg and Duduza. By Monday afternoon it was estimated that 558 houses had been completely ruined or very seriously damaged, and that 2 790 people had been directly affected. A total of 166 people were treated and taken to surrounding hospitals, News24 reported. The Lord was merciful for taking only one child. You can build houses,

but not lives, Solpha Mkhthskwa, a resident of Duduza, was reported as saying. Mkhthskwas son died after a wall collapsed on him. Netcare 911s Chris Botha told IOL that the houses of Duduzas informal settlements seemed as though they had been flattened as far as the eye could see. News24 later reported that the Gift of the Givers provided more than 300 temporary houses to the affected victims. The cause of the tornados is still being discussed. The tornados might have occurred in these rural areas because they usually have a lot less rainfall, fourth-year biochemistry student Siphesihle Rafuza explained.

Christopher HerringFree learners trainingEveryday Monday 17h00 at Office

Drivers tests appointments available in October.072 938 5579 046 622 38 Somerset Str. (Opp. Arch)

[email protected] Colcade building, 41 Hill str

Tel: 046 622 8503 Fax: 046 622 8563

06 News


UN calls for investigation into Egyptian clashesBy Neo Koza he violent bloodshed in the Egyptian clashes on Sunday 9 October has forced UN authorities to carry out an impartial and independent investigation into the incident on request. According to UN reports, 24 people most of whom are Christian have been killed, and hundreds have been injured in a heated clash between protestors and the military police. The protestors were retaliating against an attack on the Christian church, spurred by Muslim radicals late last month. Eyewitnesses to the incident claimed to have seen army trucks driving into the crowd of protesters and running over demonstrators. Several of the dead were reported found with crushed limbs while others were shot. We express our regret over the loss of life as well as over those injured while attempting to exercise their rights

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Egyptian demonstrators gather in the streets of Qeua, Egypt, following a call by Islamist groups for a one million people rally.

to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, Rupert Colville, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson in Geneva, told UN reporters. He urged the authorities to ensure the protection of all, including minority groups, in their rightful exercise of freedom of expression in a non-violent manner. In February popular protests aimed at greater freedoms in Egypt part of a series of uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East led to the collapse of Hosni Mubaraks regime. Twenty-eight people have been arrested on suspicion of attacking soldiers and burning military vehicles during the clashes whileabout 200 peopleChristians and Muslims alike are said to have gathered in the streets to protest the violence. UNSecretery-GeneralBan Ki-moon has called on all Egyptians to preserve the spirit of the historic changes that took place earlier this year.

Women leaders of peace Beware: Library theftBy Sibulele Mabusela By Bulali Dyakopu

Pic: Time Online

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he 2011 Nobel Peace Prize awards are taking place this month. This prestigious accolade is awarded to either individuals or organisations that have shown considerable achievements in one of the five categories stated in the will of Scandinavian chemist Alfred Nobel. The person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses, stated Nobel, earns themselves the award. In his will, the advocate of peace and social justice left his fortune to be used in this manner: thus, the Nobel Peace Prize awards were born at the start of the 20th century. The five different categories in which the awards may be presented are aimed at recognising those who continue to live up to the standards of Nobel himself. These categories are literature, physics, chemistry, medicine or physiology, and peace. Three African women won the prize this year in recognition

of their role in promoting peace, democracy and gender equality. They are President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, who was the first woman to be elected president in contemporary Africa, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and prodemocracy campaigner Tawakkol Karman. These women followed in the footsteps of the late Wangari Maathai of Kenya, a Nobel Peace Laureate, who passed away last month. Former Norwegian Prime Minister, Thorbjorn Jagland, heads the Oslo-based Nobel committee that selects the winner of the $1.5 million prize. We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society, he said in a New York Times report. He called the prize a very important signal to women all over the world. According to the article, Sirleaf praised the Liberian people, saying that she and Gbowee accepted this honour on their behalf. We are now going into our ninth year of peace, and every Liberian has contributed to it, she said. We particularly give this credit to Liberian women, who have consistently led the struggle for peace, even under conditions of neglect.

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Teaching and learning at Student ImbizoBy Bulumko Dukada

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he students and the decision-making body of Rhodes University engaged in a two-day strategic planning session, concerning the future of the institution for the next five to ten years. These discussions took place at a Student Imbizo which was held at Summerhill Inn in Bathurst over the weekend of 1 and 2 October, five years after the last one took place in 2006. The key discussion points of this Student Imbizo revolved around a number of university issues, namely the size and shape of Rhodes, its institutional culture, equity and teaching and learning. The Imbizo was attended by a group of about 60 people, including the facilitators of the different themes that were being debated. Rhodes Vice-Chancellor Dr. Saleem Badat discussed the topic Where Leaders Learn, and Dr. Sizwe Mabizela, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, engaged on the topic,

Teaching and Learning. Also present were representatives from the Dean of Students office, the SRC and the general student body. Former SASCO Chairperson, Xhanti Njozela, was one of the discussants under the topic of Institutional Culture and Transformation. In his presentation, he lamented the fact that Rhodes is still a long way from reflecting national race demographics. Perhaps the biggest dilemma to transforming higher education is the competition between equity and excellence, said Njozela. There is an all-round perception that improving access and equity will lead to falling standards. Amongst other issues of immediate import which the students engaged with was the need for change in the current student constitution. A call was made for an interim document to be drafted. The Imbizo ended on the note that discussions of that nature should be held continuously, and with a larger number of participants.

ith swot week drawing closer, one is bound to find oneself at the library at some point. Over the last few months there has been a discernable increase in library theft, with stolen items ranging from bags and cell phones to laptops and external hard drives. This has led to a call for vigilance on the part of all students. People are being irresponsible and leave their valuables unattended, complained library assistant and third-year student Melissa Radebe. The library is fitted with cameras, but they are mostly trained on library property and often do not capture video footage of thefts.Victims should report their stolen items to the library assistants and have them recorded in an incident file. Theres really nothing we can do about it, said Radebe. The library started keeping an incident report on 23 March; between then and the end of July there have been 30 incidents of theft reported and 10 more during the months of August and September, said Jeanne Berger, the Deputy Director of library services. According to reports, two laptops, one hard drive, nine cell phones

and 13 wallets have been stolen. Berger added that the thefts took place when students left their belongings unattended: one such incident happened when a student returned after a 45-minute phone call to find her laptop stolen. The library has increased security measures by introducing laptop locks for students, as well as reminding them to remain vigilant in two-hourly announcements on the public address system. The library has also placed posters with the same message on all their notice boards. A laptop thief was apprehended by the Campus Protection Unit after he attempted to steal a laptop on 26 September. The man, who is a member of the public, had signed into the library on four occasions and almost stole two laptops. He failed because the laptops were on locks that he was struggling with when he was noticed and apprehended by CPU and handed over to the police. The library cannot take responsibility for users personal possessions, Berger said. We hope that students will now realise, through the measures we have taken to alert them to the problem of theft, that they should not leave any possessions unattended.

07 News Feature


In solidarity with movements across the world, Occupy Grahamstown served as a platform for residents to contend issues such as rising inequality, unemployment, and corruption. (Pics on righthand side) UPM leader Ayanda Kota strews human waste around the entrance hall of the Makana Municipality building in protest against the so-called

Occupying the worldBy Megan Ellis

bucket system, an apartheid legacy many Grahamstown residents are forced to live with. Pics: Anton Scholtz

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n 17 September this year, Wall Street in New York saw over 1 000 protestors march through it and many of them taking up indefinite occupation there. In just three weeks, the protests had spread worldwide. They hit Grahamstown on Saturday 15 October. Occupy Wall Street, a movement that drew inspiration from the Arab Spring protests which saw mass demonstrations spread across North Africa and the Middle East, centres around issues of inequality, unemployment, workers' rights, financial reform and corporate corruption. The massive power of the elite classes, or Top 1%, is also an ongoing concern. Professor Gavin Keeton, an Associate Professor in the Rhodes Department of Economics and Economic History, said that these protests may succeed in restricting the vast bonuses awarded to Wall Street executives despite financial crises. Legislation or shareholders could take another look at the size and inappropriate incentives often behind such bonuses, he said. This is not a question of free market but rather a reassertion of the rights of shareholders over managers, whose bonuses have grown out of

proportion. These protests are not only relevant to American citizens. Trevor Kana, a Politics Honours student, said that the protests mark a change for developing countries. The Third World has been crying foul play for a long period of time ... but the majority of people did not, because they were reasonably comfortable, he said. The financial crash and the Western governments response by bailing out the people (financial institutions) who caused it woke up the masses in America. He said that although the protests started in America, they are just as relevant in Africa. It is a good thing that people are taking to the street andprotestingagainst financial injustices in America because the same inequalities there are evident and massive at a global level. This was clear at Saturday's protest in Grahamstown, where the Unemployed People's Movement (UPM), Students for Social Justice (SSJ), and members from the Grahamstown and Rhodes community took to the streets with banners and songs. But Grahamstowns protest was not a simple clone of Occupy Wall Street. Lembede Sindile, a member of the SSJ and a speaker who addressed the crowd, says that Saturday's Occupy Grahamstown protest was different

to New York's. He says that people have been protesting these issues in Grahamstown and the rest of Africa for a long time. When addressing the crowd, Sindile said that the idea that protestors had no specific demands was bullshit. He said that this is because whenever people organise themselves in social movements then it is, Considered to be an agenda against the elite, whereas there are legitimate concerns which are raised. We have specific demands, said Sindile. It's not something that is abstract, its something that people live. He mentioned the call for greater accountability of their elected officials in discussing these demands. The group of approximately 50 people marched along High Street from the Makana Botanical Gardens, and occupied Church Square next to the Cathedral. Car guards and people next to the street joined in the singing and dancing. While there were comments regarding the protest's poor turnout, Sindile said that he was happy with the protest participation. It's better to have five people who will sit down and talk about issues than having a crowd that will just shout slogans and go home, he said. Lungiswa Gadu, a protestor and member of the UPM, expressed

her frustration regarding the circumstances she and many others face. Im afraid to walk at night, she said, referring to the muggings, rapes and murders that happen in the township. She also said that when it rains people fear for the elderly in case the houses fall down. I don't think much of the municipality, Gadu continued. They make promises and don't finish what they're doing theyre unfaithful to us. The frustration of the protestors with the municipality was exemplified by the protest's climax when, amid cheers of the crowd, members of the protest threw three buckets of human excrement into the entrance passage of the Makana Municipality building in objection to the so-called bucket system, currently being used in some areas of Grahamstown. Ayanda Kota, Chairperson of the UPM, declared outside the municipality offices: This is not our shit. This is their shit! Whether or not the governing bodies will respond to the wave of complaints sweeping across the world is yet to be determined. Social movements in support of the aims and message of the Occupy Wall Street movement are gaining momentum, and on Saturday protestors in Tokyo, London, Sydney and Toronto united in a global day of action against corporate greed and inequality.

08 PoliticsMYANMAR 200 out of the estimated 2 000 political prisoners were released in Myanmar on Wednesday 12 October in a move aimed at gaining favour from the international community and repealing economic sanctions. Opposition leader Suu Kyi, who had formerly been held under house arrest for 15 years, lauded the move, nevertheless imploring government to release all remaining political prisoners. ROME As the Occupy Wall Street movement spread across the world in the form of a global day of rage against bankers, financial institutions and politicians, in Rome broke out in one of the worst instances of violence the Italian capital has seen in years broke out this weekend. Tens of thousands of Roman citizens aired the sense of discontent over inequality, corruption, poverty and unemployment that inspired this global uprising. The Rome protests started peacefully, but were reported to have taken a turn for the worse when a group of hooded radicals known as black blocs starting setting cars and garbage bins alight. NORTH KOREA The American government has been accused of withholding large amounts of food aid, as Obama seeks to gain leverage in the quest to stop nuclear arms production in the singleparty state. Jim White, of the international relief organization Mercy Corps, said that we are seeing large numbers of people in North Korea slip from chronic malnutrition to acute.

Edition 6 . 18 October 2011TUNISIA Islamist demonstrations took place in the capital Tunis after an animated film portraying an image of God was broadcast on private television channel Nessma. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd of allegedly peaceful protestors a week before Tunisia is set to host its national election after the political uprising in January. ZIMBABWE ZANU-PFs chief negotiator for talks with the opposing MDC, Patrick Chinamasa, said the ruling party will sink without Mugabe and cannot substitute him in the next general elections despite new pressure on the elderly president to step down. We will not change the captain when the ship is at risk of being shipwrecked, Chinamasa said. ZANU-PF insiders, according to AllAfrica.com, say Mugabes game plan is not to retire but to die in office.

WORLD POLITICS ROUND-UP

FRANCE G20 leaders meet on Friday in Paris to discuss the eurozone financial crisis amidst worldwide protests against global financial state. Concerns mounted on Saturday over suggestions that the IMF should issue financial support for a eurozone rescue package. Noneurozone countries in the meeting insisted Europeans sort out the crisis themselves.

SOMALIA Money, clothing and food have been donated to war-torn Somalia by the Islamist extremist group Al-Qaeda. Analysts cite the move as a means to gain support in the Somali region and illustrate ties with al-Shabaab rebels.

UNITED STATES Following the Republican block of President Obamas $447 billion jobs bill in Senate on Tuesday 11 October, he urged the opposition to stop picking partisan ideological fights and assist with job creation. The Republican party claimed the bill was wasteful and counterproductive. Obama will be contested by Republican candidate Rick Perry in the 2012 presidential and congressional elections.

Talking Makana with Rhodes ward councillorBy Marc Davies

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ive months after the election of DAs Brian Fargher as the Ward 12 Councillor, Activate spoke to him about service delivery, voter attitudes and ward constituency in Makana Municipality. Fargher won Rhodes Ward 12 in the May municipal election with 68.01% of the total votes. A lower than expected general turnout resulted in fewer than 1 000 votes being cast, despite noticeable on-campus campaigning by the ANC and an independent Rhodes candidate. Here is what Fargher has to say 150 days down the line. Participation in both the Ward 12 and SRC elections was undesirably low. Does this reflect apathy or complacency in the Rhodes community? I would not characterise Rhodes students as apathetic or complacent. The high level of community involvement is one of the many indicators that persuades me otherwise. We just have to develop ways for students to play their part in the community, whilst not detracting from energy needed to meet the very real academic demands. There was a perception in many of our wards that a surprising number of young voters abstained from voting. The question here should perhaps be why so many previous supporters of the governing party and members of SASCO didnt cast a vote. I would suggest that traditional voters for one party in South Africa, who are disillusioned, tend to abstain sooner than transferring their allegiance to another party. Is it truly important for Rhodes to operate as a ward independently, as opposed to covering a greater area, when most students generally agree thatthe most detrimental municipal problems in Grahamstown (including those that affect Rhodes,such as water, electricity and crime) mostly exist or at least developoff-campus? The IEC (Independent Electoral Commission) determines the boundaries of each ward based on the

geography and the number of voters registered. As numbers of students and staff residents on the Rhodes campus have increased, the IEC determined it should be a ward. The DA obviously didnt share the view expressed by an ANC Councillor in 2010 that Rhodes students shouldnt be allowed to vote.The students now comprise a sizable portion of the residents of Makana and are entitled to representation in local and national elections. What is obstructing Makana municipality from providing cleaner waterand uninterrupted electricity to Grahamstown residents and Rhodes? Are these problems something that you are vigorously fighting to overcome inyour capacity as Ward 12 councillor? The governing party has presided over a general neglect of infrastructure and it will take years to undo the disintegration of infrastructure. It is encouraging that the new mayor, Councillor Peter, seems bent on correcting the situation and we will be supporting his every effort in this regard. The DA councillors are assisting the Mayor in his efforts to hold staff accountable and productive. The municipality has huge challenges in capacity, staff shortages and tight budgets, and has noted years of neglect in many areas. With the direct assistance of the Auditor General, great strides are being made to correct the internal problems with the Finance Department. The DA Councillors are involved in several aspects of the situation but the reality is that the turnaround will take some time due to the extent of the challenges. The governing party seems committed to resolving the problems and the DA are supporting their efforts. Do students, in your view, need to be more active in municipaldiscourse? Would collective pressure from the Rhodes community onthe Makana Municipality afford Ward 12 significant assistance in pushingfor better service delivery for all? Yes all pressure will not only press the governing party into action but politically empowers their

Grahamstown Ward 12 Councillor, Brian Fargher, of the Democratic Alliance. Pic: Anton Scholtz

office bearers to affect service delivery. It has been encouraging to see several students elected in the Ward 12 Committee, which according to the Municipal Structures Act is seen as a non-political conduit of communication with local government. I welcome all approaches for assistance or information directly to myself, on problems of any description, be it on service delivery or even problems with national departments such as Home Affairs. How would you rate your performance as councillor thus far? Any member of the public is welcome to attend not only Council Meetings, but also the meetings of each portfolio committee and judge for themselves the

performance of every councillor. Every DA Councillor has been vigourous in their efforts to hold the governing party to account. Furthermore, each DA Councillor is a voting member of at least one of the portfolio committees. Personally, I am a member of both the Social Development and the Finance committees. I also chair the new Disaster Management committee and co-chair the Safety & Security committee. These last two appointments are a major shift in policy of the governing party, as they incorporate opposition councillors in the development of policy and strategy structures. Rhodes University students wishing to contact Brian Fargher can call him on 082657 4447 or communicate via email on [email protected].

Statehood solution for troubled PalestineBy Shivani Moodley the sovereign status of a people pursuing self-determination, said Tselapedi. He further stated that granting statehood to Palestine largely impacts Israel ollowing years of instability in Palestine, mass support for legal statehood as well, justifying their distressed stance on the idea of Palestinian statehood. recognition from 126 United Nations member states may allow for talks Through granting the troubled state legal recognition, regional alliances will with Israel to redevelop if statehood is granted by the UN. In late September, change, possibly resulting in an international alliance shift. Such a shift will Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas submitted the application - which most certainly affect Israel, especially on how the Israeli state will be viewed has been heavily opposed by the US and Israeli governments - to the UN. US by the Arab world, said Tselapedi. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said that the US would veto such a decision, Political analyses have shown little consensus on whether granting the urging Palestine to re-engage in negotiations before it would support the application may be a long-lasting solution to the instability of Palestine, application. which has experienced decades of dispossession and failed peace operations. Politics Masters student Thapelo Tselapedi claimed that a veto from the US London-based political analyst John Rose, who specialises in the Palestine would be neither just nor democratic. It is indeed unfair not to acknowledge dilemma, said The granting of Palestinian statehood is an absolute necessity

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for stability in the Middle East. He went on to say that this solution could only be feasible if three conditions are met. Firstly, Israel must withdraw from the West Bank. In addition to this, Jerusalem must be shared on the basis of equality and protection of civic and religious rights. The final condition, according to Rose, is that all Palestinian refugees that were displaced when Israel became an independent state in 1948 should be allowed to return to Palestine. For Palestinian statehood to be recognised, the UN Security Council will have to approve the application and a two-thirds majority of voters in the UN General Assembly will also have to be maintained. At present, the 126 countries supporting Palestines application accounts for 65.4% of UN member states and approximately 75% of the world population.

09 Politics


Commercialised education a threat to academic freedom, says NzimandeBy Marc Davies from what it used to be, even though some want to deny it, delivering a thinly cademic freedom in South Africa veiled blow to the highly critical sentiment is fragile and must be continually evident in the media. Discussant Dr Steven defended, Higher Education and Friedman, Director of the Centre for the Training Minister Blade Nzimande said in an Study of Democracy at Rhodes and UJ, address at Rhodes on 11 October. Presenting echoed Nzimande in part. Friedman agreed at the annual DCS Oosthuizen Academic with the ministers stance that commercial Freedom Lecture, the minister discussed interests and the perverse influence of the plurality of challenges faced by higher businesses and sponsors jeopardise university education in the country. curricula. Threats today are far more subtle, Addressing staff, students and Makana Nzimande said, arguing that it is capitalist councillors at Eden Grove, Nzimande interests rather than the government that expressed concern at South African discourse imperil academic freedom. He further being dominated by talk of freedom and mentioned the lack of diversity of views in rights, with very little being said about academia and the media. Accusing the media responsibility towards society. In this vein, he of sounding like a single voice, particularly stressed the lack of a common understanding regarding the Protection of Information Bill, of transformation in South Africa, saying he said higher education institutions need that higher education and academic output to be places where such topics are discussed needs to contribute to greater social equality with less sensation and more sense than and not reinforce segregation. Academic in the media. Academic freedom must freedom cannot be tackled in isolation to include active fostering and creation of an challenges in society, the minister said. The environment with free ideas, he said. discourse around which we are mobilising The issue of resources and effective does not take into account the working allocation is also important in order to class, he added, arguing that public debates extend opportunities to all in higher such as the Dalai Lamas visa saga and the education, especially rural universities, appointment of Mogoeng Mogoeng as Chief Nzimande said. He called for greater Justice overshadow issues such as the abuse of interaction and co-operation between farm workers. universities and Further Education and Regarding present-day academic freedom, Training (FET) colleges. Addressing Rhodes he noted that the situation is very different Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat, he invited

APolitical perspectiveBy Megan Ellis

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thought that I wouldnt write a column about Malema after all, I think he is just a distraction from

the numerous other problems in South Africa. I thought that I would instead comment on South Africas promotion to stage 6 of genocide by Genocide Watch. That, however, was before I read the reasons behind this promotion. Now we have evidence of organized incitement to violence against white people. It began with the rise of Julius Malema... The report goes on to list Malemas various misdeeds over the past few years, including his controversial comments regarding land reform and his singing of Shoot the Boer. Apparently, one man is able to up our rating in a single term of ANCYL leadership. In a few years, one man is able to send us backwards instead of towards the progress South Africa aims to achieve. But can this really be said? Im the last person to support Malema; his remarks often disgust me. However, it doesnt take a single man to pull South Africa into genocide it takes the whole country. Over 3000 farmers, mostly white, have been killed since 1991. In May 2008, at least 67 people were killed in the xenophobic attacks. Thousands of homosexuals are correctively raped each year, alongside the tens of thousands of other rape victims of which babies form a disturbingly large part. All of these make their appearance in the headlines and then fade away almost instantly to be replaced by the latest news story. Violence in South Africa is endemic. Our own President was accused of rape and our Chief Justice lessens the seriousness of violence against women. Violence is not perpetrated against one group, one race or one sex. Our death toll at the hand of murderers each year is comparable to that in some war zones, including deaths from non-direct violence. I dont like to promote hysteria, but there is something severely wrong with the South African society. A single man didnt lead South Africa to genocide. He is but one of many contributors to our precarious situation. Poverty, corruption, inaction these all continue to further deepen the wounds in South African society, and its only now that we realise theyre starting to fester. South Africa is now at stage 6. What are we going to do to change it? For more on SAs genocide rating, see the Features section.

Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education and Training expressed concerns over academic freedom during a recent address at Rhodes. Pic: Supplied.

Lesser-known leaders around the worldBy Megan Ellis

university heads from around the country to assist the ministry in generating solutions to the resource allocation dilemma. Billions of unspent rands in the National Skills Fund and ineffective SETA spending are topics that need university input. In an address to the minister, Head of the School of Languages Professor, Russell Kaschula, emphasised the necessity of language studies at university level to produce a multiplicity of qualified teachers in African languages, particularly isiXhosa, at Rhodes. Nzimande agreed with Kaschulas

argument, saying that real academic freedom in South Africa means the greater inclusion of millions of non-English mother tongue students into higher education. Both basic and higher education institutions were emphasised by the minister as needing transformation to accommodate them. In closing, the minister stressed the need for ongoing communication with higher education institutions to continue discussions on these matters.

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week does not go by without leaders in the headlines, concerning issues such as new decisions, conflicts and scandals. However, with 196 countries in the world alongside nations, political parties, unrecognised states and separatist movements,

its no wonder that some leaders rarely make the headlines. Activate has decided to introduce you to some of the lesser-known (and sometimes more controversial) leaders around the world. Some even rule right here in South Africa.

Bill John BakerPrincipal Chief of the Cherokee Nation

Letlapa MphahlelePresident of the PAC While the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) has largely faded from the limelight, Letlapa Mphahlele, its president, is a member of the National Assembly. As part of PACs military wing during apartheid, Mphahlele was involved in the Heidelberg Tavern Massacre in 1993. However, he has since made steps toward reconciliation and is on the Board of Directors of the Lyndi Fourie Foundation. The foundation was started by Ginn Fourie, whose daughter Lyndi died in the massacre. She has since forgiven Mphahlele and together they promote forgiveness and progress in South Africa.

President of Taiwan (The Republic of China) Ma Ying-jeou is the President of the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan) and the Chairperson of the Kuomintang (Nationalist) Party. While Taiwans independence is not recognised by most countries, the island holds its own elections and has been isolated from the Communist Party of the Peoples Republic of China since the late 1940s. Ma Ying-jeou does support the idea of eventual reunification with mainland China, but states that it remains the Taiwanese peoples decision. He does, however, specify that by the phrase One China he means The Republic of China. This means that he supports reunification only under the constitution of the ROC one which supports a democracy.

MaYing-jeou

Although he is only 1/32 parts Cherokee by blood, Baker was recently elected the Chief of the Cherokee Nation. The election process was long and included two elections, several recounts and a lawsuit. Baker assumed the post after the 12-year leadership of Chad Corntassel Smith. Principal Chief Baker, however, has to confront many issues facing the tribe, including the status of Cherokee freedmen. Its time to come together to work for one goal, and thats to improve our Nation, Baker said on his election website. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Council , he said. He added that he would soon announce his leadership team.

Boshoff is the Chairman Prince of the Principality of of the controversial town of Sealand Orania located in the Karoo. Oranias population is made Founded by Paddy Roy up only of Afrikaners who aim Bates, the Principality of to keep Afrikaans language Sealand is located on HM and culture alive. Orania says Fort Roughs, just off the it welcomes all those who coast of Suffolk, England. identify with the Afrikaans While the states proclaimed ethnicity, but the town still independence continues to go draws controversy and unrecognised, it has its own accusations of racism. Oranias currency, passports, stamps self-government has been and royal family. Prince discussed at state level and the Michael took over leadership community has its own flag of the Principality of Sealand and currency. All residents of after his father retired. Orania do their own manual Despite affirming the naval labour and the community platforms sovereignty, Prince has links with the Coloured Michael has announced that community of Eersterust. Sealand is for sale. While Carel Boshoff IV, son of Prince Michael says that Oranias founder Professor one cannot sell sovereignty, Carel Boshoff, has not made as the family is looking for many headlines as his father, someone else to take over the who was apparently a longmicronations administration. term friend of Zuma.

Michael Bates aka His Royal Highness Prince Michael

Carel Boshoff IVChairman of Orania

King of the Zulu nation King Goodwill Zwelithini has been the reigning king of the Zulu nation since 1968. While King Zwelithini has no political power and his role is mostly ceremonial, his rule is protected under the Traditional Leadership clause of the Constitution. He is the custodian of Zulu traditions and customs and revived the controversial Ukweshwama, which attracted a lawsuit from animal rights organisations. King Zwelithini has honorary doctorates in agriculture and law. He is also the Chancellor of the SA branch of Newport University and KwaZuluNatals ML Sultan Technikon.

King Goodwill Zwelithini

10 Politics Feature


Americas unwinnable warBy Joel Pearson

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en years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on U.S, thousands of Americans gathered in New York to pay tribute to those who died. Delivering a speech to commemorate the event, President Barack Obama said that in the past decade much has changed for Americans. Weve known war and recession; passionate debates and political divides, he said. We can never get back the lives we lost on that day, or the Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in the wars that followed. Americans, however, were not the only ones who felt the effects of 9/11. For the majority of Afghanistans citizens, who now endure a great degree of instability and uncertainty in a country devastated by an apparently unwinnable war, 9/11 changed everything. 7 October marked another anniversary, although one which attracted far less media attention: the tenth year since the US and its allies first began what they believed would be a quick and easy war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Ten years later, however, long-term peace in Afghanistan appears as distant as ever, with victory against the Taliban continuing to prove elusive. The new government does not appear to be improving matters for the war-torn state. Widespread disapproval of the Hamid Karzai administration has rendered it largely incapable of exerting control beyond Kabul. Coalition troops also exercise only limited control over Afghanistans rural areas where the Taliban and regional warlords remain dominant. The total number of deaths among both coalition forces and Afghan civilians continues to rise almost daily. Coalition forces have suffered nearly 2 800 fatalities in Afghanistan since 2001. Last year, nearly 500 US troop fatalities were recorded the highest since the wars inception. The UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reports that between 2006 and 2010, almost 9 800 Afghan civilians were killed as a result of conflict between proand anti-government forces. Agence France Presse (AFP) reports that 2011 Is on track to be the deadliest year yet for civilians in Afghanistan. With the complete withdrawal of US troops scheduled for 2014, many ponder the possibility of a collapse of the Afghan state. The fear that many people have here is that if the politics arent dealt with, what we will see is when the international forces pull out, there will be a proper civil war, Kate Clark from the Afghanistan Analysts Network told AFP. With troop casualties in Afghanistan growing, there is growing fervour within the US for a speedy and complete withdrawal from the country, especially since the killing of Osama bin Laden by US special agents in Pakistan on 2 May this year. Informed that Bin Laden was hiding in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban regime, US and UK forces began a campaign of aerial bombardment in the mountainous northern region of Afghanistan on 7 October 2001. Operation Enduring Freedom had initially been welcomed by Afghans who hoped for an

Last year, nearly 500 US troop fatalities were recorded the highest since the wars inception.

end to the repressive rule of the Taliban, the militant Islamist regime governing Afghanistan with one of the most puritanical interpretations of Sharia law the Muslim world has ever experienced. Under Taliban rule, women especially endured high levels of oppression. But the coalitions shock and awe approach soon proved to be more destructive than liberatory. In the first 10 months of the bombing campaign, over 3 000 Afghani civilians had been killed, already surpassing the 9/11 death toll. Frequent and indiscriminate bombing of civilians turned many Afghanis along with many others in the Arab and Muslim world against coalition forces. Islamist militant organisations would capitalise on this animosity to draw willing new fighters into their ranks. According to Professor Paul Maylam of the Rhodes History Department, the tactics of warfare initially employed by the US-led forces were ill-suited to the stated goal of capturing Bin Laden. Aerial bombing never defeated al-Qaeda, he said. It actually helped increase recruitment and allowed it to spread to Iraq when it was invaded in 2003. Instead, Maylam argues that good intelligence was what was missing. US intelligence agents should have tried to infiltrate al-Qaeda., he said. This has proved a good counterterrorism strategy this is how Bin Laden was eventually caught. The Taliban were never decisively defeated. Instead, its members fled to Pakistan only to return after several years, finding fertile ground in Afghanistan to regroup and strengthen. Commenting on the return of the Taliban, Siphokazi Magadla from the Department of Political and International Studies argues that, When you dont give people any options, then it becomes a case of rather the enemy we know than the one we dont. Despite promising to spread democracy to Afghanistan, the US had paid little more than lip service to the goal of nation-building after the initial routing of the Taliban. The promised redevelopment funds did not materialise, with the attention of the US and the international media focused instead on Iraq, which was invaded in 2003. Afghan services and infrastructure remained in tatters after months of extensive aerial bombing. Hopes that the new democratic government, which the US helped to establish, would work to improve the lives of ordinary Afghans quickly dwindled as Karzais administration revealed itself to be increasingly corrupt and predatory. Wikileaks recently published a report from the US State Department which admitted that, One of their major challenges in Afghanistan [remains] how to fight corruption and connect the people to their government, when the key government officials are themselves corrupt. In 2007 and 2008, against the backdrop of high levels of public animosity towards Karzais government, the Taliban once again gained ground in Afghanistan. Many Afghan families provided refuge for Taliban fighters, who began to exact a series of stunning blows against foreign forces and the Kabul government. Through the

American soldiers in Afghanistan. 10 years of war, the conflict is far from over. Pic: Time Online

use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and strategic assassinations, the Taliban continues to resist complete defeat, posing one the gravest threats to the nascent Afghan democracy. Continuing instability is also underpinned by sharp public enmity directed towards the US and other foreign troops. Ten years since they first entered, the coalition forces in Afghanistan now number almost 140 000. They have come to be seen by local Afghanis more as occupiers than liberators. The activities of coalition forces are doing little to stem the tide of extremism in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan comes in the wake of the recent assassination of Karzais key negotiator, Burhanuddin Rabbani, by Pakistani agents posing as Taliban members. Rabbani was a former president and leader of the Northern Alliance involved in negotiations with the Taliban, and his death has raised fears of the outbreak of a full-scale civil war. Rabbanis assassination has invoked the ire of Karzai who has long accused Pakistans intelligence agency, the ISI, of funding extremist groups. Karzai has since announced that his government will no longer negotiate with the Taliban, focusing its attention on Pakistan instead. This Pakistani link has attracted increasing international speculation this year, following the hen Obama took office in 2009, he promised killing of Osama bin Laden by US special agents in the an end to the war in Afghanistan. Under a new Pakistani town of Abbottabad on 2 May. These recent strategy premised on counter-insurgency (commonly developments are cited as proof that the US counterknown as COIN), 50 000 additional US troops were terrorism strategy has only resulted in a shift of the locus deployed. Devised by General David Patraeus, COIN of Islamist terrorism from Afghanistan to Pakistan, the aims above all to avoid civilian casualties in military latter increasingly seen as playing an integral role in operations, recognising that civilian deaths are a key supporting terrorist organisations whose activities serve, recruitment tool for insurgents. Alienating Afghan among other things, to destabilise the unpopular Afghan civilians sows the seeds of our defeat, he said. government further. But while this new approach has proved more Afghanistan has shown that there are limitations to successful in persuading some locals to cooperate in military power, said Magadla. If victory was based counter-insurgency, most remain hostile towards the only on military power, then it would have been an easy foreign military presence, and instability remains the war and there would now be peace. Instead, she argued norm in most of the country. that Americas use of overwhelming military force in Coalition forces exercise little control beyond urban Afghanistan and Iraq has succeeded only in turning the centres and vast swathes of territory remain off-limits world against it. I dont think Americans anticipated to them.The ongoing war has perpetuated instability, this at all, she added. They were wrong about so many said Maylam. The Taliban had brought some stability things. to Afghanistan. Their fall from power did not bring The 10th anniversary of the entry of foreign forces into stability. Afghanistan on 7 October could not possibly rival the The results of the US intervention have not been spectacle of the 9/11 commemoration. It will proceed entirely negative, however. Women enjoy greater in an atmosphere of high tension amid the recent freedom in urban areas, and girls are now allowed to assassination of Rabbani, which has rocked the already attend school. Shopping centres have become a feature embattled Afghan government struggling to maintain its of downtown Kabul. At the beginning of October, the tentative hold on power. first rock concert in thirty years took place in the Babur Obamas anniversary address began with a passage Gardens in Kabul. from the Bible: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy But urban peace is proving difficult to replicate in cometh in the morning. But for most of the people of Afghanistans rural areas, and recent developments are Afghanistan, who mark 10 years of virtually continuous threatening even these modest gains. devastation, it seems that joy is far from certain, and the The ten-year anniversary of the beginning of the war in night is far from over.

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Build up to 9/11

The 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan signalled the beginning of a catastrophic ten-year war that not only dealt a punishing blow to the Soviet Union, but would directly come to haunt the United States on 11 September 2001. The finances, arms and training provided by the US to the Mujahideen - the Islamist guerrilla groups who expelled the Red Army in 1989 - would allow for the emergence of both Osama bin Ladens al-Qaeda and Afghanistans puritanical Taliban regime. The September 11 attacks have thus come to be emblematic of blowback: the unintended consequences of heavy-handed interventions in a sovereign state.

Bin Laden joins the Mujahideen,communist militants. The Red Army invades Afghanistan. smuggling funds and arms to anti-

The Taliban consolidates its control over Afghanistan, imposing strict Sharia law.

The Soviets withdraw, leaving local power.

Bin Laden and al-Qaeda seek refuge in Afghanistan and, under the Talibansprotection, announce an international jihad to expel non-Muslims from Islamic lands.

militant groups to fight for control of

1979

1989 1988

1996 1994

1998Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, with the support of three other militant groups, issue a fatwa calling on Muslims to kill Americans whenever and wherever they can.

Bin Laden establishes the Islamist terrorist

The Taliban (Students) is formed by Omar and seizes control of Kandahar province.

group that would become al-Qaeda (The Base), recruiting Mujahideen guerrillas to his ranks.

disaffected Mujahideen militant Mullah

Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri help orchestrate the bombing of USembassies in Tanzania and Kenya on 7 August.

11 Photo Feature


Anything but the bucketBy Andy Leve and Kayla Rouxworkers. South Africa is now 17 years into democracy, but many people have no choice but to use this 30-yearold system for disposing of human waste that was implemented during the apartheid era for township and rural homeland areas in non-white homes. The bucket system is used in areas such as Phaphamani, parts of Extension 6 and Kwandancama in Fingo Village in Grahamstown, and is most prevalent in the Eastern Cape in comparison to the rest of the country. Buckets are usually placed outside the home in makeshift shelters, and are supposed to be emptied on a bi-weekly basis by the municipality, but this often doesnt happen. When the municipality

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number of townships in Grahamstown are still using the bucket system, an arrangement which sees homes equipped with one bucket that is to serve as a toilet for all the members of the household, and is then collected in the early hours of the morning twice a week by municipal

fails to arrive sometimes for two-week stretches at a time residents are forced to empty and bury the contents of the buckets in their own backyards. The Makana municipality has said that plans are in place to eradicate the system completely, and that they are expecting funds from provincial government in order to put the process into motion. There are alternative toilet systems available which could be implemented, given some infrastructural change and upgrades. From an environmental standpoint, a waterborne flushing toilet is an unfeasible option in our drought-ridden province. Therefore, flushing toilets in all households is not necessarily the answer. Systems such as the waterless loo function similarly to flushing toilets, except that no water is used in the process. If you would like to find out how this works and find out more about the bucket system in Grahamstown, visit www.activateonline.co.za to see the documentary made by fourth-year TV Journalism students Andy Leve and Duduetsang Makuse.

One of the bucket collectors picks up a full bucket of human waste during one of their bi-weekly collection rounds in Xolani. [Jonathan Jones] Below left: The truck waits for the last man to arrive so they can begin their round. [Anton Scholtz] Below Right: The first member of the bucket collection team is picked up at 3am in extension 7. The truck goes around and picks up each member of the team from their homes and then they begin with their work. [Anton Scholtz]

12 Photo Feature


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21. A member of the collection team carries an empty bucket to a nearby house in Xolani, where he will replace a used bucket with this clean one. [Jonathan Jones] 2. One of the team members waits for the truck to come back and pick him up after fetching buckets from the houses. [Anton Scholtz] 3. A full bucket is picked up which will be passed (4) to the two men on the back of the approaching truck. [Jonathan Jones; Anton Scholtz] 5. A team member empties one of the buckets filled with human excrement. The truck keeps driving as workers move between houses collecting buckets that need to be emptied. The men have adopted different jargon and signals to communicate quickly while working. [Jonathan Jones]

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3

5


13 Photo Feature

88. The truck is taken to a sewerage plant outside Joza at 6am to be emptied and cleaned. The part of the plant which receives the sewerage from the truck is currently overflowing and has the potential to cause serious problems for both workers and nearby residents. [Anton Scholtz]

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76. A team member replaces a full bucket with a clean one at a dilapidated outside toilet in Xolani at 3:30am. Workers say they often find cigarette butts, condoms and litter in the full buckets which they are required to empty. [Jonathan Jones] 7. Finishing in Joza, one of the men jumps aboard as the truck leaves for the sewerage works at 5:30 am. After collecting buckets from Xolani, Fingo, Vukani , Hlalani and Tyantyi, the men have spent about three and a half hours collecting buckets filled with human excrement. [Jonathan Jones]

99. The truck is scrubbed and hosed off (10) after the sewerage has been deposited at the plant. [Anton Scholtz; Jonathan Jones]

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11. The team wash their hands and boots after finishing a three to four hour shift at 6am. [Jonathan Jones]


14 Business

Smart business investmentsBy Njabulo Nkosi

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ith the fluctuating currencies of the world, the devastating recession and the insecurity of the job market, it is a wise decision for any student to begin building a sound investment portfolio at university. Investment is the placing of money into assets (financial or otherwise) which should ideally yield a return in the long run. There are some things to consider when choosing an investment instrument, as wealth-building begins with a plan. The first decision a student needs to make is what they are investing for, said Johan Hefer, a lecturer at the Rhodes Management department and a qualified chartered accountant. Do they want to buy a house in three years, or do they want to save for their retirement in 30 years? If you have a 30-year time frame, you can afford to invest in higher risk asset classes such as shares. If you want to invest for a shorter period of time, you would be better off investing in more

Entrepreneurs of G-townsaid MacDonald Kanyangale, a senior lecturer at the Rhodes Business School. Entrepreneurs are very important in any economy and at any level, be it country-wide or at a municipal level. Entrepreneurship is one way for people to break away from the chain of poverty and also enjoy autonomy in whatever they do. Most students have contemplated starting entrepreneurial ventures of their own at some point or another, but have failed to find precedents that promote inspiration. There are, however, a number of successful student-run businesses in Grahamstown. If you like going out on a Monday and have heard the word cougar, you will know a place called Pirates. In 2007, two students, Dan Hocutt and Geoff Waugh, began selling pizza from Dans res room. When it grew, Rhodes found them in contravention with res rules, but this did nothing to deter them. They found and leased property, selling Waughs Mercedes Benz and some cows from Hocutts family farm and borrowing money in order to raise the start-up capital. After a lot of perseverance and recruitment, they re-opened their business on 38 Somerset Street in August 2007. Pirates Pizza has since grown into a thriving business, which caters primarily for students with unique pizzas, daily specials and live music. Another success story is that of Luke Muyambi, the owner of Freshly Fun Donuts. Muyambi started his donut business from his flat. He saw an opportunity and decided to deliver donuts at set times, opening for business during swot week and exams last year. He has since obtained a solid market that is growing rapidly. In addition, Myambi is changing the name of his business to Dessert Island, indicating it will specialise in desserts a service Grahamstown is sorely lacking. There are many benefits of being an entrepreneur, such as flexibility and independence. With these benefits, however, come many costs. Start-up funds, lack of perseverance among up-coming entrepreneurs, who expect overnight business success, and culture of entitlement are some of the issues that damage entrepreneurship, said Kanyangale. Failure to manage finances effectively is also another big difficulty. In many situations, entrepreneurial students have found themselves under immense pressure, with their businesses taking up their time for sleep, study and socialising. Entrepreneurship also requires a lot of organisation, financial discipline and mental strength. There are many out-of-the-box entrepreneurial ideas for students to partake in that some see and others do not. After all, an entrepreneur is one who finds a need in his or her community and provides a service to capitalise on that need. From an educational point of view, students have an opportunity to enrol in a postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise Management, recommended Kanyangale. This course is aimed at graduate students, other than those who have majored in Management, seeking a qualification to equip them to start their own businesses and to enhance their entry into employment in business. Details of the course structure are available in a brochure obtainable from the Student Bureau.

conservative options like bonds. There are many good investments that university students and graduates can make to build a strong portfolio. According to the Financial Times, gold is a stable investment instrument and is ideal for students because it is tangible, its prices are steadily rising, and it is easily converted into cash. It has been the investment of the past decade. Gold is a long-term investment, and has tripled its return on investment in the past decade. With the gold prices gaining momentum, many experts believe it will continue doing so for another 10 years, if not more. Unit trusts and hedge funds, where professional investors look after their investment instruments, are ideal, one Investment Management student at Rhodes said. Students do not have hours to search for investment areas. Investment instruments where returns on investments will be more readily seen are also available. Examples include empowerment

schemes like Telkoms recent BEE empowerment scheme as well as companies that are just starting up. Property is always a winner, provided that it is the right type, at the right price and in the right location. An opportunity for students with excess capital would be to buy a digs and rent it out to fellow students, thus providing the owner with a steady income. There are many great resources and free newsletters to subscribe to that could help students broaden their investment knowledge and assist them in making the right decisions. Students should be cautious of investment material that promises very quick returns, however, as the best and safest returns are seen after longer periods of time. Some suggested investment research resources are Sanlam Glaciers Funds, PSG Asset Managements Alphen Angle, the Personal Finance section in the Business Report, Entrepreneurship magazine and investment management professionals.

By Njabulo Nkosi

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obert Kiyosaki, author of the bestseller Rich Dad, Poor Dad, was told when he was young to work hard in school, get into a good university, then go work for another person, and retire at 65 into financial security. Ever heard these words and been convinced that they are a solid plan? In todays world of scarce employment, povertystricken communities, government policies and employers downsizing due to recessions and financial woes, this advice may no longer be such a viable option. Although education is very important, nowadays the government is encouraging people to venture into entrepreneurship. According to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, SMEs (small to medium enterprises), are critical to the growth of South Africas economy. The best way to ensure this, said Gordhan, is to engage the youth in entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is important largely for job creation, innovation and economic growth,

Steve Jobs and his business legacyBy Brendan Ward

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Illustrator: Katja Schreiber

teve Jobs, the legendary co-founder of Apple, founder of Pixar and international business icon, passed away on 5 October. On the following Monday, it was announced that his death was caused by respiratory arrest due to pancreatic cancer. The world has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being, read the statement on Apples website following the announcement of its former CEOs death. Jobs was a powerful and charismatic leader, and forged Apple into what it is today: the second most valuable company in the world. Professor Harry Dugmore, who lectures on New Media at Rhodes, says [Jobs] revolutionised three different industries the computer, mobile, and digital animation and movie industries. According to renowned industry analyst Tomi Ahonen, Steve Jobs was the greatest businessman and chief executive of any industry and any era ever! The technological achievements of Apple need not be listed; the cult-like following of their wide array of products should speak for that. What is most remarkable was the impact of Jobs on the business world. Steve Jobs not only drove innovation, set a benchmark for all competitors and revolutionised business, but he made all his inventions very user-friendly, said Professor Greg Foster, an Information Systems lecturer. This made Apple a cut above the rest in the industry. Jobs began his company in a garage with his business partner, Steve Wozniak. After he left Apple in 1985, it

steadily declined to near bankruptcy, and its turnaround to the industry giant today is largely due to him. As Ahonen says, Business is business. You have to make profits, and Apple under Steve Jobs has become the most profitable tech company. Jobs was described by colleague Bud Tribble as having a reality distortion field that made anything possible. This visionary drive into new frontiers made Jobs the perfect CEO for an uncertain digital age where boundaries are continuously being pushed into the unknown. The iPad is a case in point. While there had been other tablets available before its launch, the iPad instantly became the archetypal tablet before the market had even realised the enormous potential of the platform. Dugmore said that Jobs united the importance of aesthetics and functionality. He made beauty functional in every product. Instead of beauty and function in conflict with each other, Jobs used beauty designed to make it work better. As the world continues to mourn the loss of this visionary, the business world has yet to determine the nature of the post-Jobs era. Investor reaction to his resignation earlier this year was not overly negative the company saw very little decrease in share prices. The question is whether his successor, Tim Cook, can maintain the pull on the market that Jobs did. This drawing power is the kind that can keep the company strong such as the launch of the iPhone 4S last week. Moreover, Cook will need to be able to stay on top of revolutionary new technologies such as Siri, the voice recognition technology available on the iPhone 4S.


15 Comment & Analysis

Pushing my agendaBy Bruce Haynes

Disney: Is it all Hakuna Matata?By Palesa Kgasane

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he sustained media furore over ANC Youth League President Julius Malema is indicative of the prevalent intolerance of diversity of opinion within South Africas free press. While to be commended on rallying against any perceived threat to media freedom, South Africas media is at the same time proving itself to be incapable of understanding its associated responsibility to democratically represent the perspectives and interests of all segments of the population. South African media has been reduced to figuratively holding up a mirror in which the dominant elite can preen themselves over breakfast in the mornings. Any challenges to these dominant assumptions have, on numerous occasions, been met with a vehement backlash of self-righteous indignation by the so-called free press. Malemas views may make the painstakingly politically correct dominant class feel uncomfortable, but they are representative of the opinions of a large portion of South Africas youth and should be engaged with by the media as such. Struggle activists like Steve Biko did not sacrifice their lives for their children to sing FIFA World Cup theme songs sponsored by Coca-Cola and watch Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu braaing boerewors on Heritage Day. They fought for freedom of an oppressed people from economic and social injustice. Despite much World Cup flag-waving, South Africa remains one of the most unequal nations on earth. In many of his controversial statements, Malema has been speaking his mind. A political figure engaging in honesty of this nature, however controversial, should be lauded by media rather than being derided. Until South African media and South African society begins to value truth over political correctness, and to engage meaningfully in an open debate over past injustices and present inequality, this country will make no meaningful movement towards transformation.

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or many of us, Disney movies are associated with our childhood years. The family favourites, which typically depict stories of good triumphing over evil with a tidy happily ever after ending, are usually remembered fondly and seen as wholesome models that influence and inspire children. Even parents seem to enjoy some of the humour, which may be directed at a more mature audience. Upon closer inspection however, the Disney classics have been found to contain ideologies that are Mbali Sebaeng, BA 3 I loved the movies, but I dont watch them now. I found that the female role was always waiting on her Prince Charming, and thats the only way she could be happy. Even today, nobody is content with being single and I think it has a lot to do with what we watched as children. There are also racist undertones. Some people may argue that Princess Tiana was the first [black princess], but she was not a princess from the beginning because once she kissed her prince she turned into a frog which is totally unlike what happens in other Disney movies. Her Prince Charming is a broke man as well. I have to wonder what they are trying to say. I dont believe in Disney movies, as you can see that they were made by adults whose own ideologies show through.

often unrealistic, overly romanticised, elitist and sexist. Subliminal sexual messages have been spotted by some in The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, and it has been alleged that Dumbo, a firm childhood favourite, is full of racial stereotyping. In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frollo sings of a sexual fantasy about Esmeralda and his burning desire which is turning him to sin. Other critics, however, insist on Disney classics as good clean childrens fun, containing fundamental moral lessons. Did it all go down the rabbit-hole for Disney, or is this just a senseless witch hunt? Fans from both sides of the spectrum gave their views.

confronted with violence and social injustice. Disney movies are completely out of touch with what we experience and I think that we watch the movies to escape from our realities. Whatever the values are in those movies, at the end of the day Im going to have to walk out and face my reality. to be rescued. My favourite was Mulan, as she was actually strong and kicked ass. Pocahontas on the other hand used love to show the guy the world. I really think that these movies help to shape who you are, especially at such a formative age in terms of your understanding of the world. I definitely think that they can be relevant to ones adult life.

Jessika Kennedy, BSocSci 1 In times of modernisation and globalisation, things have become too complicated and structured. If people were to remember the messages they learnt in childhood from watching cartoons and Disney movies, they would realise that they Prinesha Naidoo, BJourn Honours shouldnt lose It irritates me that people try to read too much into these their inner movies, like they are going to brainwash kids. To me, it is a child. story you take from it what you want. They should Sibongile Mphuthing, BSocSci 2 respond more to I mainly learnt about sharing from Disney movies. For the messages that these example, when I was little I used to share my crayons, but programmes portray that now I can see that it really applies to life you learn to there is true love, there is share with the people around you. magic in the world. Mark De Vos, Linguistics lecturer Ive watched Disney movies all my life and enjoyed Nchimunya Hamukoma, them. I actually dont care too much about the values BEC Honours in the movies; they do not really impact me because Disney movies are responsible for a lot of when I watch, I watch in a space. Ive watched Tom and interesting ways we think as people. I noticed that a Jerry all my life and have no desire to start chasing cats lot of us who have watched the same things have the same around. Walking down the street, we are overtly or subtly ideas, like the categorisation of women who need

By Rubert Fitchet

SEXPOSED!Conrad Swart, BA 3 Sex should be accepted as a natural part of life. Yes, it is personal, but it is part of who we are as human beings. SEXPO probably helps to share new ideas about sex and sexuality. I think its trying to make people more comfortable about sex. Francesca Smith, BA 2 I think its a bit of both. We are all already so desensitised as to what sex should be. Sex has become merely an act (as it is in porn): more an automatic action than anything else. However, SEXPO does have its benefits as far as removing the taboos that surrounds sex. Byron Thompson, BCom 2 SEXPO allows the public to explore and learn more about sexual activity. I honestly believe it will help society embrace sexual activity in a positive and relaxed manner as well as educating inexperienced individuals

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he annual SEXPO gave South Africans another dose of the quirky adult entertainment people have come to expect at the recent Johannesburg and Durban shows. The focus of this Health, Sexuality and Lifestyle Expo is not merely on titillating the masses but primarily provides patrons with an entertaining environment in which to learn about sex. The aims of the exhibition, as stated on the SEXPO website, are to educate, inform, entertain and celebrate sexuality in a fun and exciting atmosphere. Attractions like Pricasso (the artist who uses his penis as a paintbrush), the 3D erotic Justin Bradfield, BCom 3 Every day we are bombarded with sex on TV and in advertisements so it shouldnt be such a shock that they are holding these SEXPOs. Sexuality isnt something that people should be ashamed of: it is a part of everyday life and is no longer regarded as a taboo. People also have the choice as to whether or not they want to attend these events. All in all, I believe that the SEXPO is a way for people to let their hair down and have fun, much in the same way as some people would attend a car expo or an art expo. Jamie Bezuidenhout, BCom 3 I really think that the SEXPO shouldnt be taken too seriously. After all, its human nature and I think its good that people can be open about their sexuality. I do agree that sex should be a personal matter, but at the end of the day, I think its about acknowledging that, in some way or another, we are all sexual beings.

gallery and the giant Gold Member show exactly how SEXPO has gained its notoriety. However, questions are raised as to whether these kinds of materials and performances should be displayed in the public domain, and the sexual nature of the exhibition has been called vulgar and inappropriate by some. In light of the prevalent ignorance in South Africa regarding sexual health issues, SEXPO provides seminars on STDs and other safe sex practices. Not only does SEXPO cater for the health-conscious, but it also holds seminars which help to unleash ones sexual powers which are attended by those who are a bit more adventurous. So, is the SEXPO really just harmless fun with a free penis keyring, or a case of too much information? with regards to the different avenues of sex as a whole. This newly adopted relaxed approach will also aid parents when educating children about sex as well as giving children confidence when asking questions about sex. Professor Michael Drewett, Sociology lecturer I think it sounds like a good idea if its about promoting sexuality and informing people about what is available in this regard and the options on offer. If it in any way promotes harmful sexual relations between people then I would not support those aspects of it. Dean Ferreira, BSC 2 I think its a good thing; it prevents people thinking that sex is unnatural and also reduces the stereotypical view that sex is wrong. I believe that there is a taboo around sex which the SEXPO does not shy away from. It also allows the passing of information about HIV and other STDs.

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16 Features

Above: Princess Vuyisa Jezile is led to the kraal. Above right: Chief Tyali says a few words to Princess Vuyisa Jezile before the planting of the spear. Pics: Louisa Feiter

A royal weddingBy Louisa Feiter

In the wake of truthBy Karlien van der Wielen

announce to the ancestors her intention of marrying. By that time it was already midday and a hazy heat blanketed the landscape. The previous day 10 cows cattered ululations greeted us as we stepped out of the car: the wedding celebrations were already in full and 22 sheep had been slaughtered and the smell of cooking meat began to waft from the gigantic potjies swing. G

activate - edition 6 2011

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