The Oppidan Press

Edition 5, 14 May 2014

The intervisiting
issue
Varsity Cup challenge
for RU hockey
Who is really
keeping us safe?
South Africas
creative capital
9
2 4 5
Photo: JASON COOPER
News Features
2 Te Oppidan Press 14 May 2014
Leila Stein
M
arch 2014 saw Grahams-
towns Police Force open
a second station in Joza
Township Extension 6. Te construc-
tion of the large police station makes
the police more accessible for many,
but there are concerns that the new
station has not been adequately
resourced and could place extra pres-
sure on Grahamstowns already small
police force.
Afer the Minister of Safety came
in 2005 to an Imbizo, an outreach to
the community, they said they wanted
another police station in Joza, said
SAPS media spokesperson Captain
Mali Govender. Te idea is to bring
the services to the poor.
Previously, residents in Joza had to
travel to the SAPS on Beaufort Street
for assistance from the police, which
was an inconvenience and a threat to
their safety. Te towns police force
has now been split between these two
stations, but only a few more vehicles
have been added to each station.
You used to have to report in town
but now we can just walk to the police
station, said Joza resident Mluleki
Zono. Tey dont take a long time so
everything is better now.
Businesses in Joza had previously
turned to private security companies
for protection, with perhaps the most
visible company being Hi-Tec. A new
Hi-Tec branch in Joza opened on 27
March 2013 afer receiving requests to
boost security from schools and busi-
nesses in the area.
Being based only in town was a
disadvantage, said Hi-Tec manager
Andre Wille. Having to drive all the
way to these ofces and back to Joza
takes too much time. Wille added that
the need for Hi-Tec is infuenced by
the deterioration of the police service.
[Te police] are not as efcient. We
rely on them for transporting those we
have arrested and sometimes the po-
lice arent available to bring transport,
Wille said.
Govender responded to this claim
by stating that in the past there have
been transport issues but in the last
year she was not aware of any. We
urge the community and security
companies to notify us if they have any
complaints, she added.
Although they are ofen not formally
put forward, complaints about the
police are a common occurrence
among students and residents of
Grahamstown. A common concern is
the apparent apathy and lack of results
from the police.
Grahamstown resident Matthew de
Klerk had a laptop and other posses-
sions stolen from his house earlier this
year.
He states that although the police
were helpful, they seemed resigned to
the fact that it was just another break-
in. In the same week as his case, fve
other break-ins on his street alone had
already been reported to the police.
Te burden on a small police force
is deemed part of the problem by de
Klerk. [Te police] are underfunded
and overwhelmed by the number of
cases every day, he said. A warrant
ofcer told me that some 400 plus
laptops had been stolen since January
this year.
Currently, none of his items have
been recovered and he has not received
any news about the case since the
beginning of April.
I would say that in Grahamstown
I feel resigned to the fact that even if
I lock up with multiple locks, alarm
the house and make sure its all secure,
it will probably get hit again, said de
Klerk. I feel that the police will not be
able to prevent or solve that crime.
With regard to Hi-Tec, de Klerk feels
that they help but that in his experi-
ence, they are rough and demeaning to
those they apprehend.
Govender disclosed that the Joza
police station has seen an equal
number of cases to that of the station
in town. Although there is activity at
both of these stations, the efciency of
the work being carried out remains to
be seen.
Watching over Grahamstown

We urge the
community
and security
companies
to notify us if
they have any
complaints
- SAPS spokesperson
Captain Mali Govender
Many Grahamstown residents and businesses now employ the services of private security companies, such as Hi-Tec,
to protect their properties. Photo: DANIELLA PALLOTTA
Simphiwe Msizi
Te second in a series seeking to relay the life of Bantu Stephen Biko by herit-
age activist Simphiwe Msizi, aiming to share the legacy of Bikos leadership at
Rhodes.
In a biography about the Black Consiousness activist, Dr Xolela Mangcu
said, Steve Biko spoke primarily to black South Africans but he also
spoke to white South Africans. He spoke widely to white students in the
National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). Tough the Student
Representative Council (SRC) at Rhodes distanced itself from the Univer-
sity when non-white students were not allowed to stay or eat on campus
during the 1967 NUSAS conference, Rhodes decision to abide by national
requirements in this regard changed Bikos focus on multiracialism.
Te above issues, amongst others, resulted in the formation of the South
African Students Organisation (SASO), the all-black students body that
broke away from NUSAS afer the 1967 conference. Te primary aim of
SASO was to raise black consciousness in South Africa through lectures
and community activities.
Biko preached black solidarity to break the chains of oppression. In
1972, he was one of the founders of the Black Peoples Convention (BPC),
which focused on social uplifment projects around Durban. Biko was
elected the frst president of BPC and was promptly expelled from medical
school. Tereafer he started working full-time for the Black Community
Programme (BCP) in Durban, which he also helped to found.
Bikos political activities eventually drew the attention of the South Afri-
can government, resulting in his being banned from membership of politi-
cal organisations and restricted to the magisterial district of King Williams
Town in 1973. During this time, Biko was ofen harassed, arrested, and
detained by the South African police. Between August 1975 and September
1977, he was detained and interrogated four times under apartheid anti-
terrorism legislation.
On 18 August 1977, Biko was arrested by the police near Grahamstown
and brought to Port Elizabeth to be detained under Section Six of the Ter-
rorism Act. Te law then permitted the police to hold Biko in jail indef-
nitely. As it turned out, he was held in prison for 24 days, where he was
interrogated, starved, and brutally beaten.
On 7 September, Biko sustained a head injury during an interrogation,
afer which he acted strangely and became uncooperative. Te doctors who
examined him while he lay naked on a mat and manacled to a metal grille
initially disregarded signs of neurological injury. By 11 September, Biko
had slipped into a continual, semi-conscious state and police physicians
recommended a transfer to hospital.
Biko was instead transported 1200km to Pretoria a 12 hour journey
which he made lying naked in the back of a Land Rover. A few hours later,
on 12 September, alone and still naked, Biko died from brain damage while
lying on the foor of a cell in the Pretoria Central Prison.
Te South African government claimed that Biko died of a hunger strike
and proclaimed their innocence. Te hunger strike story was eventually
dropped afer local and international media pressure, especially that of
Donald Woods, the editor of the Daily Dispatch, and Helen Zille, then a
young journalist from the Rand Daily Mail.
Bikos story continued
Activist Simphiwe Msizi (pictured) has involved himself with key Rhodes
groups in an efort to memorialise the legacy of Steve Biko. Photo:
GABRIELLA FREGONA
Look out for articles from The Oppidan Press interns
placed in this weeks edition to mark the recent
Community Engagement week. We are extremely
proud of these learners and thank CE Ofcer Abigail
Butcher, our Managerial and Editorial teams, and the
interns themselves for their commitment to making the
internship programme a success.
News Features
14 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 3
Watching over Grahamstown
Caleb Aaron Lloyd
C
hair of the Grahamstown
Feeding Association (GFA)
Joan Kaye has dismissed per-
ceptions that the organisation faces
fnancial difculties afer its feeding
stations were broken into. Te GFAs
funding is steady, but a panic-button
has been installed at their soup
kitchen of Knight Street because
of repeated break-in attempts and
threats to the safety of their staf.
Te GFA prepares soup at its
premises behind the Grahamstown
City Hall before driving out to Joza
and Vukani locations every weekday.
Free meals are distributed from the
B.B Zondani community hall in Fingo
Village and an empty plot in Joza to
anybody who queues.
In 2013, the GFA gave out a total of
158,000 meals. Tese meals consisted
of soup and four pieces of bread oc-
casionally with peanut butter.
While their primary source of fund-
ing comes from the Rhodes University
staf, the GFA also receives funds from
private donors. Despite not being gov-
ernment subsidised, Kaye insists that
the GFAs funds were very healthy
and that the committee was discussing
plans for expansion.
Recently, however, the GFA has
experienced break-in attempts and
problems with aggressive patrons,
prompting the installation of the
panic-button.
[Te vandals] broke in again, and
ruined the garage door. Teyve actu-
ally managed to roll [it] up with brute
force, explained Kaye, in reference to
a previous incident of vandalism.
While Kaye blames vandals for the
cause of GFAs troubles, some of those
who rely on feeding associations sus-
pect the staf of thef.
Sometimes we get a feeling that
they [the serving staf] just took those
drums of peanut butter, because you
wont see it the next day, said Eddie
Royi, who runs an informal carwash
on New Street.
Kaye refuted this claim by stating
that young thugs in the crowd had
apparently spilled soup and demanded
cool drink.
Tese incidents prompted the GFA
to close until the issues could be
resolved. In its 14-year history, the
GFA has always operated with a cook,
general cleaner, a driver and two serv-
ing staf.
Tis has resulted in a system where-
by people in the queue have begun
helping with the distribution of meals.
Although it has been efective in the
past, this has recently chnaged. Lately,
theyve been saying they need payment
for helping, Kaye said.
Subsequently, a well-respected
community leader was called upon
by the GFA to settle the situation. Te
community leader, who preferred to
remain anonymous so as not to afect
his work in the community, said a
compassionate approach for dealing
with violent youths was more efective
than just handing out meals.
We need to fnd out from them
what has put them in that position,
he said. If youre getting food for free,
it [doesnt] encourage you to uplif
yourself.
Feeding association optimistic despite obstacles
There are a number of nutritional programmes being implemented in Joza,
both in schools and in the greater community. Photo: GABRIELLA FREGONA
Eager minds but empty tummies
Thembani Buko
Oppidan Press Intern
Learners in Joza and much of
Grahamstown East go to school
without breakfast more ofen
than not. While they are eager to
learn, their grumbling stomachs
ofen lead to them dropping out
of school because they cannot
concentrate.
Empty stomachs are a very big
issue for South African school
students. Some teenagers tend to
forget about their future roles and
that each one of them is given a cer-
tain talent. Tey do things without
knowing the consequences.
Learners who arrive at school
with no food or without a full school
uniform are ofen ridiculed by others.
Although dropping out of school is not
only caused by lack of food, I feel it is
a main reason for them dropping out.
Some of these learners who drop out of school have parents that dont care
about them. Dropping out of school is not an option, people. Dont waste your
time.
Although it has become better, this is very painful because I have been
through the situation myself. Sometimes I go to school hungry and it afects
my academics because concentration levels drop. When I am hungry I tend to
feel dizzy and weak. I keep quiet and everything feels like it is unreal.
Despite this struggle, I am surviving because I told myself I will get there
one day if I focus on what is best for me. I believe that nothing is impossible
until the moment I stop trying.
Seeing learners who buy snacks during break makes me sad. But I believe
that you must love yourself and love other people. Some parents spoil their
children by buying them new shoes, cellphones and clothes.
Te teachers cannot see improvement in the academics of these students at
school. Tat is just useless. Life is short: whatever chance you have now, live it
to the fullest.
I think there must be a meeting for the youth to begin solving this issue.
Te community can also perhaps plan to give food parcels to those who dont
receive food. We are lucky though, because the government provides func-
tional feeding schemes in our schools. It is not necessary to drop out of school
because of lack of food.
Yes, you go to school hungry but at least the feeding schemes are available
during break time. It is not vital how much money we have or do not have but
it is important to not be negative. Follow your heart and stand strong on your
own. Life is about taking risks, if not you are missing out on whats ahead of
you. Start now!
Khanyi Mlaba
Donkeys, already a common sight in Grahamstown, are
now becoming popular nightlife features as late-night
donkey cart rides help students to get home afer a night
out. Tough many are pleased about this new service, the
Farm Animal Centre for Education (FACE) has entered
into discussions with Rhodes Organisation for Animal
Rights (ROAR) to stop students from accepting donkey
rides and to make them aware of the donkeys rights.
FACE founder Jenny Copley-Forster stresses that al-
though the donkey carts taking students home at night are
doing the Rhodes community a service, the rights of the
animals also need to be taken into consideration.
According to Copley-Forster, students unwittingly choose
between the rights of the donkey and expanding the liveli-
hood of the donkey carter.
I know that its extra money for the young carters,
Copley-Forster said, but we need to fnd an alternative. Te
donkeys also need their rest. Unlicensed, unlighted vehicles
shouldnt be on the road afer dark at all.
When asked whether they knew it was against the ani-
mals rights to make them work late at night, three young
carters said that other factors play into their decision.
We only have time to think about making enough money
to go home and taking care of the people there, said one
of the carters. And if taking the donkeys out for an extra
hour gets us what we need, then we will do it. Te carters
requested to remain anonymous.
Te carters , who asked to remain anonymous, also stated
that they have never been informed that they are not al-
lowed to take the donkeys out at night.
Its never been a problem when I take the donkeys home
late, one carter explained. As long as they are fed. Te
carters also had no idea that students ill-treat the donkeys.
Copley-Forster believes that the problem is that there is
no way to regulate the treatment of the donkeys afer hours,
especially in the presence of alcohol. Students have allegedly
been seen frightening the donkeys by jumping on them
from behind and slapping them.
ROAR member Lerato Mohale witnessed such an event.
Te donkey did nothing to him, Mohale said. He was just
looking for food in the dark and was really scared. Ten
some idiot just goes and slaps him.
Another student, Chanelle Oakes, also stated that she had
seen some students mistreating donkeys. Ive seen people
our age and at our university jumping onto the donkeys,
she commented.
While such treatment of the donkeys is undeniably prob-
lematic, it is unclear whether such instances are the excep-
tion or the rule and whether or not the discussions between
FACE and ROAR will be able to have any efect.
FACE and ROAR fght for donkey rights
The Farm Animal Centre for Education (FACE) has entered into discussions with the Rhodes Organisation for
Animal Rights (ROAR) to help spread awareness for the rights of Grahamstowns donkeys. Photo: SHEILA DAVID
Thembani Buko writes about his
experience at a Grahamstown
East School. Photo: GABRIELLA
FREGONA
Security Feature
4 Te Oppidan Press 14 May 2014
Leila Stein and Paige Muller
As of this year, new rules regarding fair and
equal inter-visiting in residences on campus
have come into efect. Tese new rules were
meant to remedy the bias seen to be present
between male and female residences, but have
come under scrutiny as a result of the recent
shooting of Amanda Tweyi, who was found
dead in a male residence in the early hours of
26 April 2014.
Te rules were changed afer an investigation
revealed a large disparity between the implemen-
tation of rules in male and female residences. A
considerably larger number of females received
disciplinary action for breaking the inter-visiting
rules. It was found that the male visitors were
also not necessarily prosecuted with their host,
said Swantje Zschernack, Warden of Margaret
Smith residence and Hall Warden of Desmond
Tutu Hall.
Director of Special Projects at Rhodes Sue
Smailes felt that the main motivation behind the
inter-visiting rule was a matter of safety for all
students. Te revised inter-visiting rule now
ensures consistency and substantive fairness be-
tween male and female residences, she added.
However, the recent incident at Cullen Bowles
residence points to the fact that the rules are
ofen still being broken, although the exact
extent to which this happens remains unclear.
Tere is currently not much I can say about
the inter-visiting rule as it is too early yet to say
[if] it is efective or not efective, said Cullen
Bowles warden Johan Botha. I have not had any
reported incidents of the breach of this rule in my
residence [excluding the most recent].
Zschernack commented that rules will be
broken no matter how many are put in place.
Safety is always something that is a probability,
she said. We need to instil a culture where we
respect the rules of the community; we need to
work towards an understanding that the rules are
for protection.
Many students acknowledge the fact that
inter-visiting rules can be efective but some are
unsettled about the lack of strict maintenance.
Te inter-visiting rules are important but they
are extremely meticulous, said student Jena
Meyer. At my residence the rules are enforced
but there are slip-ups: the front door is lef wide
open for large parts of the day, sometimes due to
maintenance but its still a concern.
Some male students understood why the rule
had been implemented in the womens residences
but were frustrated that it had been applied to
male residences too. Tey found it aggravating to
have to sign their guests in and out and, of the 50
men that were surveyed by Te Oppidan Press, all
of them stated that the presence of women and
men in their residences did not make them feel
uncomfortable or at risk
As a result, they sometimes ignore the rule and
know many friends who have done the same. A
lot of the guys get away with sneaking girls out in
the morning, said student Kayleigh Pereira.
In contrast, many female students are grateful
for the added protection that the visiting hours
rule provides. I would like to feel safe and know
Im not going to run into anyone I dont know
afer hours, said sub-warden of New House
Palmira Pio.
Despite this, Zschernack felt that as much as
the University can set rules and create conse-
quences, it is up to the students to ensure that
their own environment is a safe one. We are not
the police, said Zschernack. We cannot sit at the
door and enforce the rules constantly - we would
not be a residence but a prison.
The inter-visiting rule has yet to be efective
Tallying the many costs of Rhodes University life
Scanning Rhodes University security
Duncan Pike and Heather Dixon
T
he recent shooting at Cullen
Bowles has lef many students
wary of the safety measures in
their residences and on campus. In
light of this, Te Oppidan Press con-
ducted a survey of general residence
security by having an internal re-
search team examine each individual
residence on campus.
A research team of six journalists
went to each residence on campus and,
either by observation or speaking to
a warden or sub-warden, established
security standards. Tese included
the number of locked and unlocked
doors at each residence, how many fre
escapes each residence has, how access
into the building is gained, and if these
security measures work or not.
Tis survey was conducted on over
50 residences and annexes in all 10
halls, with the exception of Celeste
which is comprised of fats rather than
traditional residence rooms.
Cullen Bowles residence, where the
tragic incident took place on 26 April
consists of three sections, which are
labelled Red, Green and Yellow.
Each section consists of a number
of rooms. Te shooting took place in
a room in the Red section. Te Red
and Yellow sections are considered the
most secure, with only the front door
and a ground foor fre escape labelled
as potential points of entry.
Te Green section however, has four
potential entry points. Out of all the
residences, Cullen Bowles was the only
one that, at the time of the survey, had
an open fre escape door.
In terms of the safety in residences,
the incident seems to have been an
unfortunate exception to the generally
high standards of residence security.
Te incident which took place at Cul-
len Bowles seems to have been due to
isolated issues within the residence,
rather than a defciency in campus-
wide security.
However, it does appear that some
security features at Rhodes are being
retroactively addressed. According to
Drostdy Hall and Allan Gray House
Warden Dr Rosa Klein, burglar bars
are to be installed on the second foor
windows of Allan Gray residence afer
the recent thef of a laptop.
Klein confrms that there is a mini-
mum standards document in place,
but she states that this was only in
efect afer the building of Rosa Parks
residence in 2009. Due to the fact that
this minimum standards document
was only implemented afer much
of upper campus had already been
developed, the document is only now
starting to be applied in the newer
residences, where crime seems to be
more prevalent. Most security issues
at Rhodes are up the hill due to the
bush surroundings, Klein explained,
despite issues in her own, lower-cam-
pus residence.
Other factors which could com-
promise residence security include
residents failing to sign guests in,
fngerprint scanners not working when
there is no electricity, or the propping
open of a door with a brick.
Due to the perceived risks, there are
examples of residences bolstering their
security in times of need. For example,
when the fngerprint scanner at Lillian
Britten was not working for a few
days, sub-warden Krupa Samji stated
that the residence got a member of
the Campus Protection Unit (CPU) to
stand outside the door to ensure their
security until it was fxed.
Our research has shown that all 50
residences and annexes have adequate
security in place. Minor problems,
much like the fact that many resi-
dences fngerprint scanners do not
work afer a power outage, can easily
be addressed.
Larger issues, such as vulner-
able doors and windows, need to be
reported and remedied by the relevant
authorities. It is only through the
consistent management of security
systems by the appointed authorities
that Rhodes residence students can
continue to feel safe.
Each residence has a fnger scanner which is a step towards increasing security on campus, however in light of recent
events this has come into question. Photo: VICKY PATRICK

Following the death of Amanda Tweyi, measures have been put into place to ensure that there are
equal security measures enforced amongst men and womens reses. Photo: VICKY PATRICK
The revised
inter-visting rule now
ensures consistency
and substantive
fairness between
male and female
residences.

- Sue Smailes
It does appear
that some
security
features
at Rhodes
are being
retroactively
addressed
Politics
14 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 5
In contrast, many female students are grateful
for the added protection that the visiting hours
rule provides. I would like to feel safe and know
Im not going to run into anyone I dont know
afer hours, said sub-warden of New House
Palmira Pio.
Despite this, Zschernack felt that as much as
the University can set rules and create conse-
quences, it is up to the students to ensure that
their own environment is a safe one. We are not
the police, said Zschernack. We cannot sit at the
door and enforce the rules constantly - we would
not be a residence but a prison.
The inter-visiting rule has yet to be efective
Daniella Pallotta, Dylan Green and Andrea Nevay
T
he Rhodes Confessions Facebook page ofen re-
ceives intimate confessions from people divulging
their sexual experiences. Concerningly, men are
commonly seen as being praised by the commenters for
their sexual encounters, while women are more ofen than
not shamed or condemned for theirs. Tis phenomenon is
ofen referred to as slut-shaming.
According to organiser of the Silent Protest Kim Barker,
Slut-shaming also draws on particular systems of think-
ing where women are seen as objects or possessions that
need to be kept somehow pure or intact until selected by
a particular man, and that sexual experience prior to this
selection somehow decreases their value.
At a university that is considered quite liberal, one would
think that negative attitudes towards sex are rare. However,
Wellness Leader Chardon May stated that, Although
people are educated about sex, it still doesnt allow people
to be comfortable talking about their experiences. Because
people arent comfortable talking about sexual issues, some
women dont know to make choices that beneft themselves.
According to May, slut-shaming has resulted in such a
stigma towards sex and personal sexuality that some women
do not even access birth control out of embarrassment or
shame.
Dr Rose Boswell, Head of Anthropology and Deputy
Dean of Humanities, discussed the issues surrounding the
concept of slut-shaming, saying that it is a form of control
of female sexuality. She went on to ask why a similar point is
not made about men.
Boswell also brought up the related issue of seal-club-
bing, in which older, ofen male, students sexually prey on
the new students that arrive every year. However, Boswell
made a point of stating that terms such as seal-clubbing
and slut-shaming are harmful as they amplify the sexual
binary - the idea that there are two sets of genders and that
each one should act or behave in a certain way.
Men and women both contribute to the spread of
sexually-transmitted diseases equally, although women
are more vulnerable. However, women are shamed for the
expression of sexuality because of the fear of them possibly
spreading disease, which is in contrast to the validation of
male promiscuity as a form of masculinity.
Barker suggests that the idea is widely held in our society
that men have overwhelming sexual urges which they fnd
difcult to control once aroused, whilst women are respon-
sible for arousing and then managing those urges. In this
vein, once a man is sexually provoked he is not responsible
for his actions whereas the woman is, whether she intended
to contribute to this arousal or not.
Barker also goes on to say that victim-blaming may in
part be as a result of our inherent need as humans to feel
safe and at ease. If the victim did something which in some
way invited or caused their attack and we dont do that same
thing, then we are safe. She added, however, that this way
of thinking plays a signifcant role in keeping women silent
about their rape.
Tis is where the Silent Protest hopes to be benefcial in
opening up the dialogue to discuss issues like slut-shaming
and victim-blaming, consequently allowing many to take a
stand against both the subtle and overt sexism that is still
prevalent in our society today.
With initiatives like the Silent Protest aiming to shed
greater light on these gender issues, there is hope that
awareness and sensitivity about sexual violence towards
women, and the factors that contribute to it, will be better
understood. Boswell concluded that, An individuals sexu-
ality is for him or her to control. It has nothing to do with
anyone else.
Slut-shaming and victim-blaming
Heather Dixon

Life at Rhodes University is one
which centres not only around
academic excellence and sporting
commitment, but also largely around
social interaction. Whether it is
drinking at Te Rat and Parrot or
having cofee under the Arch, social
activities ofen require spending
money.
A considerable number of students
at Rhodes are supported by fnancial
aid and may be unable to aford these
luxuries. Tese students are, arguably,
denied access to various social experi-
ences which contribute to Rhodes life,
based on their socioeconomic status.
Given this, that Rhodes is so
strongly associated with this culture
of fun-for-all is problematic when in
reality there is a large portion of the
student population without any access
to that life.
Psychologist Vicky Timms said,
Whilst it depends on whether a
student is introverted or extroverted,
ftting in socially is extremely impor-
tant to university students. Usually,
this would come from going out and
making friends.
Rhodes is a place where social life
is important and furthermore, a lack
of funds for socialising could easily
lead to isolation, demotivation and
be a trigger for depression, explained
Timms.
Acting Deputy Dean of Students
Dr Colleen Vassiliou explains that the
University is concerned about students
who do not have pocket money and
that this was the reason behind the
creation of the Pocket Money Fund.
Te fund is able to support approxi-
mately 150 students and is currently
supporting approximately 135, she
said.
Students who are on fnancial aid
and fnd themselves without any extra
spending money can apply through
the Dean of Students ofce to become
part of this fund. Te Pocket Money
Fund has now been taken over by the
Alumni Division of the University and
relies primarily on donations.
Tis year the Give5 campaign, which
also raises money for the Pocket Mon-
ey Fund, raised a total of R94,295.80.
Tis was made up of R84,295.80 com-
ing from students fundraising eforts
and a further R10,000 donated by GBS
Mutual Bank, in acknowledgement of
the amount raised by the student body.
Head of the Alumni Division Terryl
McCarthy attributes this to students
character at Rhodes. Te students
have taken the cause to their hearts.
Rhodes students have become aware of
the plight of their fellow students and
I think [the student body] should be
commended because of what they do
to actually help their fellow students.
Te fact of the matter remains that
even though 135 students are receiving
spending money of R170 per month,
this money ofen goes towards es-
sentials such as basic toiletries and
stationery which are seen as frst
priorities.
So students who do fnd themselves
on the outside fnancially may still
largely lack the funds to enjoy the
entire Rhodes experience.
Some of the options for address-
ing this issue include, in addition to
the Pocket Money Fund, approaching
the Student Representative Council
for help with joining societies (which
can be a great way to get involved)
and seeking employment through the
University, for example by applying
to work in the Library or as a Sub-
Warden in residence.
Tallying the many costs of Rhodes University life
An example of victim-blaming from the anonymous Rhodes Confessions
Facebook page. Photo: SUPPLIED/RHODES CONFESSIONS FACEBOOK PAGE

The cost of many social activities excludes many students from the full Rhodes
Experience. Photo: VICKY PATRICK
...that Rhodes is so strongly associated with this
culture of fun-for-all is problematic when in reality
there is a large portion of the student population
without any access to that life
Opinion
6 Te Oppidan Press 14 May 2014
The Oppidan Press staf and contact details
Editor: Kyla Hazell. Deputy Editor: Amanda Xulu. Executive Consultant:
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Entertainment Editor: Jenna Lillie. Assistant Arts & Entertainment
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Ben Rule
O
pinion Editor: Because we currently understand
the idea of rights as clearly defned, enforceable
things, animal rights dont seem to ft into this
picture. How is it that a global movement can be based
upon something which, as an idea in terms of our current
framework, seems not to make sense?
Barkhuizen: Basic rights in a legal sense, in an enforce-
able sense, do not exist for animals. However, when one
considers the notion of rights as something entailing
recognition of a creatures direct or intrinsic moral value
its value for its own sake, not its value based on what it
can provide instrumentally then the notion of animal
rights does make sense in our current framework. Tis is
what the animal rights movement seeks to call attention to.
When people care for their dogs and cats, they are recognis-
ing these creatures as being directly morally valuable. Tis
recognition, for whatever reason, ofen does not extend to
other animals. Te animal rights movement aims to bring
about this extension, this consistency.
Most vegetarians Ive met cite ethical reasons for their
lifestyle choices, but these issues in our society are so
broad and pervasive that they seem beyond fxing by just
an individual not eating meat. Terefore, are people who
are vegetarians, by not actively furthering any awareness
of the issues, being inconsistent and just serving their
own consciences rather than helping?
If you recognise that cruelty towards animals is wrong,
and you therefore decide to stop eating meat or animal
products so as to boycott industries that facilitate animal
cruelty, it would be inconsistent for you to not attempt to
further awareness surrounding issues of animal abuse. Be-
ing a vegetarian who, for example, buys meat for his or her
signifcant other involves profound inconsistency. I imagine
that youre right in saying that personal conscience-clearing
is at work in cases such as those. However, I should add that
being inconsistent in your attempts to prevent animal abuse
is better than not attempting to do so at all.
Vegetarians come in many diferent denominations
vegans, vegetarian, pesceterian, Presbyterian and Epis-
copalian. Since all of these are citing ethical reasons for
their faiths, does that mean that they all think the others
are wrong? Is this a sliding spectrum of ethics? Or is this
all just convenience?
All of these groups that you have mentioned are indeed
following their particular lifestyles based on ethical com-
mitments. Tese ethical commitments are broadly the same
an obligation to not harm other sentient creatures, an
obligation to be environmentally responsible, etcetera but
the diference lies in their implementation. Each group, I
think, claims to be doing as much as they personally can to
make a diference. Vegans recognise that it is both possible
and reasonable to avoid participation in the purchase of all
animal-based food products (meat, dairy, eggs) as well as
animal-tested cosmetics. Vegetarians and pescetarians are
willing to make concessions with regard to participation
in animal cruelty. In many cases this is, I think, based on
personal convenience. Some animal rights activists cite
their love of cheese as their reason for why they cannot
be vegan. I think that a recognition of animal sufering
should trump any consistent animal rights activists feeting
culinary pleasure defences like the love of cheese or other
foods are therefore both annoying and unreasonable. How-
ever, I think that people should just try to do as much as
they can in this regard. If giving up red meat is all that you
feel you can do, then at least youre still making a very
small diference.
From the Horses Mouth
The segment where the Opinion Editor sits down with a horses mouth and gets a few
answers. This weeks horse: The animal rights movement. This weeks mouth: Gemma
Barkhuizen. Gemma Barkhuizen is the current chairperson of Rhodes Organisation for Animal
Rights (ROAR).
Illustration: KYLA HAZELL
Ben Rule
Rhodes is spending preposterous amounts of
money building residences for new students.
What good are more students if none of them
are socialising with each other? We should be
focusing on the one thing that this institution
does best: drinking.
Te recent closure of Te MonAstery has
resulted in a crisis of faith for a portion of
Grahamstowns nightlife. Its quite clear that there
is a demographic which simply wont go out if
MonAstery isnt open (for convenience I shall
term these MonAstery people. Tere are also
Prime people and Friars people). By the end of
the article, I think we will all agree that, in order
>> Battle of the Acoustics coverage and gallery
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>> Red Bull Campus Clash coverage
featuring Rhodes top DJs
>> Alcohol dependency study fndings
>> Chemical warfare in Algoa Bay according
to Prof Mike Davies-Coleman
A
national election is a moment to contemplate change: what
we hope to see, what is promised and what we cannot aford
to do without. Watching the ruling party retain their major-
ity these past few days has resulted in some feeling uncertain about
what realistic change will be seen in the next fve years, while others
celebrated that governance remained the same. What is undeniable to
all, however, is that much requires revision if we are to walk in to the
2019 general election as a more just South Africa, regardless of who
constitutes Parliament until then.
We would like to suggest that amendment of the sort demanded by the
current South African socio-economic space cannot come from Parlia-
ment alone. As the University marked Community Engagement Week,
our attention needs to be turned to how students can contribute to the
kind of change which creates, contests, and builds capacities. Transforma-
tion is a process not a policy and ofen requires painful work beyond
simply participating in party politics. Whether or not you voted in last
weeks election, this is work you can be part of.
During his farewell address delivered to Student Forum on Tursday 8
May, Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat refected on the transformation
that Rhodes itself has undergone during his eight-year tenure and looked
ahead to what he hopes is yet to come. He emphasised the pursuit of
greater equity in higher education, highlighting the Universitys signif-
cantly increased investment in fnancial aid and commitment to Com-
munity Engagement.
Part of Badats message was that despite a few upcoming departures
and new appointments in senior positions within the Universitys leader-
ship, Rhodes overall aims are clear and will be sustained. In addition to
this, he suggested that there is a lot students themselves can do to see
their University transform. Citing the failed attempt to garner support
amoung academics for implimenting a common course when he arrived
at Rhodes, Badat said that he now realises such projects might be more
successful if requested by the students themselves.
And indeed there is much that students do currently do to change
things in their various areas of interest. As a student media society, one
such initiative which has caught our attention is new publication Te
Progressive, which burst onto campus amidst contention last week. As
the third student publication at a very small university, the fact that
Te Progressives editorial team felt a new voice was needed suggests the
belief that something was missing in existing student journalism. We had
hoped to interview Editor Mark Woodland about this, but our request
has been declined until a later stage. In the interim, we eagerly await their
next edition and look forward to seeing how this newcomer wishes to
transform campus media.
Illustration: KYLA HAZELL
Opinion
14 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 7
signifcant other involves profound inconsistency. I imagine
that youre right in saying that personal conscience-clearing
is at work in cases such as those. However, I should add that
being inconsistent in your attempts to prevent animal abuse
is better than not attempting to do so at all.
Vegetarians come in many diferent denominations
vegans, vegetarian, pesceterian, Presbyterian and Epis-
copalian. Since all of these are citing ethical reasons for
their faiths, does that mean that they all think the others
are wrong? Is this a sliding spectrum of ethics? Or is this
all just convenience?
All of these groups that you have mentioned are indeed
following their particular lifestyles based on ethical com-
mitments. Tese ethical commitments are broadly the same
an obligation to not harm other sentient creatures, an
obligation to be environmentally responsible, etcetera but
the diference lies in their implementation. Each group, I
think, claims to be doing as much as they personally can to
make a diference. Vegans recognise that it is both possible
and reasonable to avoid participation in the purchase of all
animal-based food products (meat, dairy, eggs) as well as
animal-tested cosmetics. Vegetarians and pescetarians are
willing to make concessions with regard to participation
in animal cruelty. In many cases this is, I think, based on
personal convenience. Some animal rights activists cite
their love of cheese as their reason for why they cannot
be vegan. I think that a recognition of animal sufering
should trump any consistent animal rights activists feeting
culinary pleasure defences like the love of cheese or other
foods are therefore both annoying and unreasonable. How-
ever, I think that people should just try to do as much as
they can in this regard. If giving up red meat is all that you
feel you can do, then at least youre still making a very
small diference.
From the Horses Mouth
Ben Rule
Rhodes is spending preposterous amounts of
money building residences for new students.
What good are more students if none of them
are socialising with each other? We should be
focusing on the one thing that this institution
does best: drinking.
Te recent closure of Te MonAstery has
resulted in a crisis of faith for a portion of
Grahamstowns nightlife. Its quite clear that there
is a demographic which simply wont go out if
MonAstery isnt open (for convenience I shall
term these MonAstery people. Tere are also
Prime people and Friars people). By the end of
the article, I think we will all agree that, in order
to transform, Rhodes University should defnitely
be funding the opening of a number of additional
drinking establishments in town.
It is well-documented and generally accepted
by society that everybody at Rhodes drinks. Te
various bars in town are integral to our identities.
If you like to pretend that you live the excessive
materialism of hip hop music videos, you party
at Prime.
If you shout at the sports teams on the televi-
sion, drink with your parents and sing the songs
from their generations, you drink at Te Rat. If
you prefer drugs to alcohol, have no sense of time
and are convinced that society cant possibly ac-
cept you, you spaz out at Mon.
If you have Prime sensibilities, but a smaller
budget and a better taste in music, you go to
Oldes. If you breathe smoke clouds, try to be
intellectual when drunk and wouldnt look out of
place on a motorbike, you jam at Champs.
If you dont ft into any of the above, you sort
of foat between them depending on where your
friends are, but this means that you are hardly out
and therefore unlikely to engage with the various
peoples who inhabit these spaces.
Te beauty of having a number of bars in
town is that they bring people together. If you
pop into the Rat, youll meet the Rat people. You
might also meet some Friars people and Champs
people. Youll meet a number of people who are
sitting on the fence between the bars.
But if you go to Te Rat this weekend, there
are too many people who you wont meet. Tis
is because they are not out. Te reason some of
them are not out is that MonAstery is closed. Te
reason most of them arent out is because there
isnt a bar which complements their identity.
Now it is clearly in the interest of the Universi-
ty and its social transformation that the diferent
groups in the student body integrate.
Tey will better integrate if more of them are
out. More of them will be out if there are more
bars in town.
Terefore, the University should fund the es-
tablishment of more bars in town. Tis would be
a much better use of funds than building lecture
theatres or residences. Afer all, drinking is what
Rhodes University is all about.
Rhodes should be building bars instead of residences
Amanda Kepe
The Oppidan Press Intern
It is said that strong walls shake but
never collapse. It is ofen the case
that if a young person addresses a
serious issue to the youth, it is more
likely that they will respond more
positively and engage with the issue
more strongly. Young people listen
to their peers more than they do
their elders.
I am a teenager, pregnant and
fnishing Grade 12. On that note, I
wanted to address the issue of teen-
age pregnancy to bring to light the
fact that pregnancy changes your
life completely: whether for better or
for worse. Before you know it, you
will be living your life according to a
schedule diferent from the one you
planned for yourself, as you now have
another life to think of.
Te efects of teenage pregnancy
difer from one person to the next.
Some may sufer from depression
due to the pressure that the schedule
of pregnancy demands. As teenag-
ers, we are meant to be living life to
the fullest, not jumping into par-
enthood. If we make this jump too
soon, in the long run we will have a
problem. Mentally and emotionally,
teenage pregnancy robs one of peace
and stability. It disrupts the develop-
ment of the body it rushes sensitive
processes.
Why cant we seemingly control
ourselves despite constant warning
from our elders? I dont know what
went wrong if it was alcohol, igno-
rance or the arrogance that comes
with the attitude that I know it all
and have everything under control.
I have seen and heard of how teen-
age pregnancy comes about; how it
destroys ones life. Most of all I have
heard of how to prevent it. Not once
or twice, but many times over. But
here I am, pregnant.
Despite this, I have decided to ac-
cept it and work my way back to the
plan I had for myself and live up to
my ambitions for my future life. I will
not let pregnancy determine my fu-
ture or who I am. Know this: we take
actions, make decisions and it is dif-
fcult to live up to their consequences.
We can accept the situation and take
responsibility and by doing so, we
are taking control of our lives. I am a
woman, and women are thought of as
strong. Tey never let the hardships
of life get to them and they go on to
accomplish what they want.
For those of you who have not had
to face this issue, be careful. It is not
about knowledge or pride but rather
an awareness of reality. To those of
you facing the issue, I encourage you
to be resilient. Get up and go about
your life as you always do, no matter
the situation. Take action before you
end up like I did but know that even
if you do, it is not the end of
the world.
Imagine the end of the world
Emily Corke
It has been two weeks since thedeath
of a second-year student at Rhodes
Universityand the community is
still trying to come to grips with the
incident.
We were still attempting to adjust
afer hearing the news when the
bandwagon brigade rolled in. While
members of Amanda Tweyis fam-
ily mourned the sudden loss of their
daughter, sister, granddaughter and
mother, speculation as to what the al-
leged murder-suicide meant for us and
society trended on nearly every
social network.
On social media, there were broadly
three responses to the shooting:
gender-based violence is a scourge
with Tweyi being its latest victim; gun
violence in South Africa is outrageous;
and Rhodes University should take
responsibility for her death.
Upon the opening of an inquest
docket to establish what happened, the
incident was termed a murder-suicide.
Soon afer, Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem
Badat, the Student Representative
Council (SRC) and gender activist
groups like the Gender Action Project
(GAP) called it another incident of
gender-based violence. Afer that,
some students and commentators
speculated that the fact Tweyi was
found in another mans room meant
that she was cheating on Nkosinathi
Nqabisa and that this was why he
allegedly murdered her. Tis only
added fuel to the fre from gender
activists, who accused people of
victim-blaming.
I should mention here that I have no
dispute with the possibility of gender-
based violence; I myself have a history
of working with the GAP at Rhodes.
I just fnd it hard to believe that any
person can condemn an incident and
charge a person as guilty of gender-
based violence before the facts have
surfaced. Even worse were those who
claimed that Tweyi was responsible
for her own death. No facts were
established, so surely both individuals
should be presumed innocent until
proven guilty? Such is the law of South
Africa.
Rhodes is a small community, but it
struck me that Tweyi was never men-
tioned as a human, a person who had
a smile and a son rather than someone
who was just a symbol of another hor-
rifc crime, another incident of gender-
based violence, another reason why the
gun laws in South Africa are lax and
another reason to beef up security
at Rhodes. Too many people were so
quick to jump onto these broader is-
sues that they neglected the humanity
and the all-too-real sufering of Tweyi
and those close to her.
Before the facts of the incident
even surfaced, Tweyis death was
immediately appropriated into a set
of existing controversial agendas,
drawing the conversation away from
Tweyis untimely death and her familys
undue sufering and giving all of us
the opportunity to further prove the
arguments for our own causes.What
is lef is that Tweyi is remembered as a
representation or a set of symbols, not
as a person. Our reactions to her death
seemed to explore every possible side
of the story except her own.
A longer version of this article frst
appeared on Saturday 3 May for Eye-
witness News and can be found on their
website.
When the bandwagon brigade rolled in

Too many
people were so
quick to jump
onto the broader
issues that they
neglected the
humanity of
Tweyi and those
close to her.
Emily Corke explores the media hype
surrounding the death of Amanda
Tweyi. Photo: SUPPLIED
Amanda Kepe on her experiences
as a pregnant teenager in
Grahamstown. Photo: GABRIELLA
FREGONA
With the recent closure of MonAstery, bars like Champs fnd themselves bustling with more patrons. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
A satirical look at fnancial management on campus and exercise in the illogical reasoning of stereotypes.
Arts & Entertainment
8 Te Oppidan Press 14 May 2014
Pumla Kalipa
Arts and Entertainment
F
irst Physical Teatre has re-
opened its doors this year afer
fnancial difculties kept them
silent during 2013. Te company
re-opened with an impressive line-up
and plans on continuing to showcase
both new and seasoned choreograph-
ic talents alike.
Performer and company mem-
ber Maipelo Gabang explained how
the company did not close but was
rather in a dormant state. In 2013 the
company did not have enough funding
but continued to hold their training
classes, Bodyforms, for the public, she
said. Tanks to the National Lotteries
Distribution Trust Fund, this year the
company has been able to re-establish
a small performing company pres-
ently consisting of three performers:
Nomcebisi Moyikwa, Talia Laric and
Maipelo Gabang.
In May, two of the companys
performers will be performing a duet
called Caught, choreographed by
Moyikwa at the Detours Dance Festi-
val in Johannesburg. Te company will
also welcome back Hong Kong-born,
South African-raised choreographer,
dancer, physical theatre performer and
Rhodes University Alumni Acty Tang
with his choreographed collaborative
piece Hunger.
As the winner of the Standard Bank
Young Artist Award in 2007 for cho-
reography, Tang has made a name for
himself in the performing arts for his
captivating performance style which is
inspired by the Japanese performance
style of Butoh. He is now a dancer,
choreographer and teacher at the Hong
Kong Academy of the Performing Arts.
Afer being away for so long, Tang
appreciates working with First Physical
Teatre again. South African per-
formers are so remarkably energetic
and are always willing to take risks:
they just throw it out there, he said.
Tangs piece Hunger explores the
concept of physical and mental hunger
in the South African context and ques-
tions what makes individuals in soci-
ety physically and mentally hungry.
Could it be the pressures that society
places on you to go higher in terms of
status or to climb ahead? What is this
hunger? asked Tang.
Im coming back to South Africa
and using this opportunity to think
about where I am in my life and also
where South Africa is, explained Tang.
A lot of things have happened in
politics and society and this is a chance
to think about these things and talk
about them.
A small excerpt of the production
will be performed in First Physical
Teatres production Six For Gold, a
triple bill of Acty Tangs Hunger, Athi-
na Vahlas Deadringer and Nomcebisi
Moyikwas Caught which will take
place during the National Arts Festival.
Te full showcase of Hunger will be
performed on 22 to 24 May.
Having performed in Tailand,
Hong Kong, Beijing and Taiwan, Tang
plans on going to Japan for a tour afer
this production. As for First Physical
Teatre, we can only wait in anticipa-
tion to see what they will be ofering
the public in the future.
Physical Theatre is
back on the scene
Fringe festival debuts in Mother City
Lauren Buckle
Arts and Entertainment
Te Cape Town Fringe - a spin-of of the Grahamstown
Fringe Festival - is a new, week-long festival which has
been created by National Arts Festival (NAF) organis-
ers to diversify their business and showcase the talents
of performing artists. Te Cape Town Fringe will be
held between 25 September and 5 October 2014 with a
programme expected to include jazz, cabaret, theatre,
dance and comedy.
Cape Town, known for presenting excellent theatre and
attracting large audiences, will provide more opportuni-
ties for performers to access new markets which Graham-
stown may not necessarily provide. Te bigger city will
provide a larger playground for the performances to take
place as well as provide theatre-goers with more transport
and accommodation options, allowing a variety of people
to attend the festival.
Te Grahamstown National Arts Festival is our fag-
ship project - were very proud of what weve built there
over the last 40 years and the city is our home. So, no, we
arent planning on leaving Grahamstown any time soon.
Were just extending our brand in new and exciting direc-
tions, said CEO of the NAF Tony Lancaster.
A Fringe Festival is made up of small performances,
ordinarily by independent practitioners. It typically uses
small and unconventional spaces for the performances in
which the practitioners aim to have between six and eight
performances a day per venue,which makes it cheaper for
everyone who participates.
Te concept of such a festival was created just afer
World War 2 in Edinburgh, by a group of independ-
ent artists who were barred from joining the Edinburgh
Festival. In protest they created their own festival, which
has now become one of the biggest and most well-known
in the world.
South Africa only has one true Fringe Festival and that
is in Grahamstown each year. It is an open-access Fringe
which means that anyone can perform; they just have
to fll in a form and arrive. Cape Towns Fringe will be
structured slightly diferently as it is modelled on Fringe
Festivals in New York, Prague and Amsterdam, explained
Lancaster.
Te Cape Town Fringe will be a much smaller event
than the NAF, although the organisers are hoping to
increase the size of the event in future years. Tey have
defned the NAF and Cape Town Fringe as two separate
events. Te Drama Department at Rhodes University will
not necessarily be taking the acts from the NAF to the
Cape Town Fringe. Prarochna Rama, Teatre adminis-
trator at Rhodes University, commented, We [Rhodes
Teatre] only have shows in the Grahamstown National
Arts Festival.
One of the venues for the Fringe includes the Gal-
loway Teatre at the Waterfront Teatre School. Kim-
berley Buckle, a student at the school commented, Te
students are thrilled to be hosting the Cape Town Fringe
at the Waterfront Teatre School, even though we are not
performing for the event. [We are] hoping to perform
next year.
Lili Barras-Hargan and
Mikaela Erskog
Environment
Kisma & Co., a handmade gifs
and accessories store next to Mad
Hatters Cofee Shop, provides a
useful, quirky and environmentally-
conscious way for people to dispose
of old clothes, jewellery and even
food wrappers. By repurposing and
upcycling second-hand materials for
the creation of new merchandise,
Kisma & Co. is promoting the re-use
of unwanted commercial products.
Kisma & Co. owner Tracy Jefery
frst began her crafing career in
2001 with Kisma Kreative. However,
afer a few years she and a few other
contributors started a craf market.
Tere wasnt really anywhere for local
people to display their products, she
explained. Ten years later, she was able
to open Kisma & Co.
According to Jefery, A large
number of products sold in Kisma
& Co. are made from materials that
would otherwise end up in landflls.
Products such as denim teddy bears,
jewellery stands made of records and
food-wrapper purses are but some of
the innovative creations.
Tis repurposing prevents
potentially harmful waste from
accumulating in landfll sites.
Furthermore, through creating
a platform for the people of
Grahamstown to showcase and sell
their creations, a sustainable talent is
also being encouraged in the town.
In 2002, Kwandwe Private Game
Reserve created the Angus Gillis
Foundation which has a programme
that seeks to educate the communities
within or bordering game reserves
about sustainable ways of living. One
of their projects, which co-ordinates
very closely with Kisma & Co., is the
production of Uthando Dolls.
Tese dolls, whose name comes
from the Zulu word for love, are
produced by a number of women from
various communities involved with the
foundation.
A percentage of the profts from the
sale of each doll is donated and used
for the ongoing establishment of self-
help-facilitated income.
Trough repurposing and com-
munal ownership over the produc-
tion process, Kisma & Co. and other
Makana artisans encourage a more
sustainable consumptive culture. Teir
means of production helps to mitigate
the environmental problems related
to mass production and even recycling.
Many environmentally-minded
people argue that it is more important
to reduce your consumption and reuse
your products than to recycle.
Director at the Environmental
Research and Learning Centre, Rob
ODonoghue advocates that recycling
should be avoided because it main-
tains the commercial status quo and
consumes high amounts of energy.
If we buy into recycling, we buy into
buying, commented ODonoghue.
Te likes of Kisma & Co. are part of
a larger consciousness that is moving
towards greener production by provid-
ing more options for those interested
in preserving their environment.
Repurposing: changing our consumer culture
Materials are repurposed by Kisma & Co. as a means of being environmentally
aware of commercial products. Photo: LILI BARRAS-HAGAN
First Physical Theatre (pictured: Maipelo Gabang) has come back in full
force after fnancial difculties kept them relatively inactive in 2013. Photo:
SUPPLIED.

South Africa [still] only

has one true Fringe
Festival and that is in
Grahamstown each year
- CEO of NAF Tony Lancaster
Arts & Entertainment
14 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 9
Lili Barras-Hargan
Te International Library of African
Music (ILAM), which can be found at
the Rhodes University Department
of Music and Musicology, functions
as a research centre, archive and
library for African indigenous music
and instruments. Te ILAM, frst
founded by Hugh Tracey in 1954, has
been instrumental in the creation
of the ethnomusicology course now
ofered at Rhodes.
Traceys passion for indigenous
instruments was taken one step further
when he established the African Musi-
cal Instruments company (AMI). Te
AMI aims to produce high-quality
kalimbas, (an instrument that dates
back 3000 years and originates in Sub-
Saharan Africa) as well as popularise
the djembe drums and marimba.
Tracey also managed to integrate Af-
rican music into schools through AMI,
as kalimbas are regarded as a useful
introductory musical instrument for
younger children.
Te kalimba is also known as the
thumb piano, referring to the arrange-
ment of keys on a hollow piece of
wood. Although the keys were origi-
nally crafed from bamboo, nowadays
metal is more commonly used.
Te kalimba translates to an indig-
enous name for the thing that makes
walking easier because it was used to
entertain communities on their jour-
neys by foot and it was also used for
singing songs and sharing stories.
One of the largest collections of
kalimbas in Sub-Saharan Africa is
displayed on the wall in the ILAM.
What is most impressive about these
instruments is the variety of shapes
and sizes that exist, which is relatively
rare in terms of more modern instru-
ments such as the harmonica.
According to Director of the ILAM
Diane Tram, First and second
year ethnomusicology students are
encouraged to learn the kalimba,
as it is so signifcant in terms of its
background.
However, frst-year students ofen
begin their ethnomusicology course,
an option for those studying BMus
at Rhodes University,by playing the
djembe drum.
Tis goblet-shaped drum is usually
played with the hands as opposed to
some drumming techniques involving
sticks and is ofen used during drum
ensembles because it is loud enough to
be heard over the other instruments.
Te name djembe originates from
a saying meaning everyone gather
together in peace.
Te djembe allows you to practice
hand coordination, as well as [to]
relieve stress once you master a dif-
fcult rhythm, explained BMus student
Megan Kingon.
Another part of the ethnomusicolo-
gy course includes travelling to under-
resourced areas and introducing the
local people to music documentation,
with which people can learn to record
and archive the history and evolution
of music.
Tram commented, An essential
part of studying ethnomusicology is
feld work, as it is a fantastic way for
students to give back to the com-
munity. Ethnomusicology Masters
student Elijah Madiba also explained
that it was essential for people to docu-
ment their music so that their lives and
cultures can be remembered.
In light of the recent Commu-
nity Engagement week, circulating
knowledge of indigenous instruments
is a brilliant way to spark enthusiasm
for musical heritage and to pass on a
useful skill.
Back to our musical roots with ethnomusicology course
Materials are repurposed by Kisma & Co. as a means of being environmentally
aware of commercial products. Photo: LILI BARRAS-HAGAN
Making Grahamstown the Creative City
Jade le Roux
I
n March this year, the National Arts Festival (NAF)
launched the Creative City project with the aim of making
Grahamstown known as the creative capital of the country
by 2020. Te project aims to use the Arts to increase economic
growth, create employment and boost tourism in Grahams-
town by holding festivals throughout the year, instead of just
hosting the NAF once a year.
Last year, the 11-day NAF contributed R90 million to Graham-
stowns economy. Last month the NAF announced their partner-
ship with the European Union, which has led to R6 million being
invested in the Creative City project. Project Manager Caroline
Stevenson explained that this money is going towards setting
up an Arts Academy that will equip people with skills in dance,
drama, music and fne art.
Te projects frst event was the Masicule Concert, which
featured over 500 singers of all ethnicities. Te concert, described
by Stevenson as bringing together people who have never had
the opportunity enabled the project managers to identify voices
to train and use in the future. For now, however, training has
been put on hold until the team can recruit staf who can provide
proper training for the others.
One of the most signifcant purposes of this project is to gener-
ate programmes that stimulate creative entrepreneurship, which
involves training people to make art and crafs for a craf shop
endorsing Created in Makana merchandise. Te NAF has taken
over the lease of Fiddlers Green, where it plans to host day and
night markets for these entrepreneurs to show of their wares.
According to Makana Tourism, the Executive Mayor of Gra-
hamstown Councillor Zamoxolo Peter hopes that the Munici-
pality will contribute by making the city conducive to creative
industries needing a platform to thrive on. Peter explained that
this would mean a huge economic boost for the creative sec-
tor and allow Grahamstown to maintain its reputation as the
festival-friendly city.
However, due to the lack of specialised staf and trainers, it
remains uncertain that the project will be able to construct the
proposed open-air Amphitheatre in the Fiddlers Green. Tis
would go a long way towards nurturing artistic talent in the poor-
est areas of Grahamstown by encouraging public participation in
creating art. Te project is hoping to give back to the community
through the cultivation of talent in Grahamstown.
As far as upcoming events are concerned, Stevenson comment-
ed that there are many projects scheduled for later in the year.
A Gala Concert will be held on Saturday 17 May at the Settlers
Monument as part of the Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) and
St Andrews Festival. Te Gala will be in collaboration with the
Eastern Cape Eisteddfod, allowing the Johannesburg Youth Wind
Orchestra the opportunity to perform in Grahamstown.
While the Creative City project is only in its beginning stages, it
promises to have a great impact on Grahamstown.
Te biggest challenge is to set people on their feet, said
Stevenson.
Elijah Madiba, sound technician at the ILAM, plays the traditional Amadindi, which is one of the many instruments
found in the library. Photo: SARAH WARD
The Creative City project aims to make Grahamstown the Arts capital of South Africa by 2020 through the empowerment of local artists and performance groups. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
Environment
10 Te Oppidan Press 14 May 2014
Lauren Buckle
S
outh Africa is currently sufering from
a shortage of skills in the biodiversity
sector. Te Groen Sebenza Jobs Fund
Partnership Project aims to address this prob-
lem by providing unemployed graduates and
matriculants with skills that will enable them to
contribute to the biodiversity sector.
Started by the South African National Biodi-
versity Institute in association with Custodians of
Rare and Endangered Wildfowers (CREW), the
project seeks to display how environmental work
goes hand-in-hand with socioeconomic equity.
Te project aims to provide 800 South African
citizens with sustainable job opportunities at the
end of their two and a half year training. Tecan-
didates, referred to as para-ecologists, are selected
from previously disadvantaged backgrounds and
are then trained by professionals in the biodiver-
sity feld.
Rhodes Universitys Inkcubeko Nendalo
project is working in association with CREW to
implement Groen Sebenza in the Eastern Cape.
Mentoring the para-ecologists are Curator of
the Selmar Schonland Herbarium Tony Dold,
member of the Institute for Social and Economic
Research (ISER) at Rhodes University Dr Mi-
chelle Cocks and Albany Museum Entomologist
John Midgley.
Te bottom line is that millions of South
Africans only understand the natural environ-
ment to be a resource for free and indiscriminate
plunder, commented Dold. Although this is just
a drop in the ocean, we have already seen that
our young para-ecologists have come to under-
stand that these resources are fnite and that they
need to be used sensibly and sustainably. Groen
Sebenza para-ecologist Mzukisi Beja elaborated:
I used to harvest sea food illegally and hunt
animals, but through the Groen Sebenza project I
know now that these play a role in the ecosystem
and that we might run short of these resources in
the near future.
Other para-ecologists being educated through
Groen Sebenza in Grahamstown include Landiso
Mila, Siphosethu Moshani and Someleze Mgcu-
wa. Te students are from Ngqinisa and Pirie
Mission, two rural areas rich in biodiversity.
Te para-ecologists are encouraged to help
educate the people in their communities on
nature conservation.
Te project has shown me the importance of
studying, commented Moshani. I now know
the importance of the environment and how to
take care of it. Now I know what to do and how
to teach the people in my community how to
protect the environment.
Although there are currently only four partici-
pants in Groen Sebenza Grahamstown, Dold said
that, We have to start somewhere and hopefully
it will have a ripple efect on their own local com-
munities already they are young role-models in
the villages.
When the Groen Sebenza project came into
my life everything changed for me. I can now put
a plate of food on the table for my family. Te
project taught me to appreciate nature, because
nature is life, explained Mgcuwa. I plan on
teaching my children and my community what I
have learnt from the Groen Sebenza project.
Groen Sebenza exhibits a sustainable, practical
and thoughtful means by which to tackle youth
unemployment and socio-economic inequality
through the promotion of environmental educa-
tion. It shows how environmental sustainability
programmes can facilitate social empowerment.
Afer the frst stage of the training Mila said,
Tis opportunity has inspired me to
dream again.
Biodiversity training changing lives
Elisa Edmondson and Mikaela Erskog
Rhodes Universitys Environmental Sciences Department
recognises the need for greater environmental respon-
sibility in urban planning and construction. Like many
urban-situated environmentalists, it continues to pro-
mote the need to move towards greener cities and is doing
so by encouraging participation in an Urban Forestry and
Greening course which will take place in August.
Te course is meant to provide an overview of global and
local urban forestry, and will aim to promote understanding
of the ecological, social, and economic benefts that urban
forestry and greening can have for environmental sustain-
ability. According to project administrator Kate Benyon,
the course will involve participants studying some of the
methods for assessing urban forestry in Southern Africa and
working with the latest data. Tey will also embark on feld
trips to collect further data.
Te importance of this work is stressed by the World
Health Organisations Global Health Observatory, which
states that, since 2010, there have been more urban than
rural-based people in the world. A popular text by urban
theorist Mike Davis, Planet of the Slums, exhibits how urban
spaces are becoming increasingly detrimental to human
society and the environment as urban life increases. Almost
every large Tird World city (or at least those with some
industrial base) has a Dantesque district of slums shrouded
in pollution and located next to pipelines, chemical plants,
and refneries, wrote Davies.
Urban architecture is central to the issue of slum cities
and environmentally-unfriendly urban spaces because the
way that urban spaces are set up contributes to the poor
health of the surrounding environmental resources. Respon-
sible urban planning includes considering how all aspects
of city life can be more sustainable in the long term. Urban
planning covers a range of areas such as energy, waste, and
transport and cities need to better consider how all these
aspects function in relation to environmental stability.
With regard to South African cities, Professor of Envi-
ronmental Science Charlie Shackleton explained that, Te
importance of urban forestry is not recognised by urban
planners and managers. Tis attitude is attributed to the
idea that making a city green is costly and impractical due
to the close proximity of urban buildings and houses.
However, the most highly urbanised areas can become
green through small-scale means such as roof gardens, ver-
tical gardens and through conscientious planning. In addi-
tion, there needs to be a reorganisation and re-imagination
of what should be considered protected environments.
Professor in the Department of Computer Science and
supporter of green politics Philip Machanick advocated the
importance of expanding the popular conception of con-
servation to include urban spaces. Preservation should not
simply focus on untouched, beautiful land that still prospers
in nature, he commented.
Arguing that urban poverty is a more pressing issue is a
skewed logic, Machanick explained. Greener planning will
lead to physical and psychological liberation in community
members, he said. Machanick further stated that communal
and urban cohesion and uplifment go hand-in-hand with
environmental uplifment, as both need to be sustainable in
order to be efective.
Te ideas behind this course indicate how important it is
to tackle the very locus of shallow environmental practices.
Urban sustainability is one of the most pressing environ-
mental issues of our time, said Shackleton.
Any interested persons are encouraged to apply for the
course through the Environmental Sciences Department.
Painting the whole town green
Tamryn Iyer
Te dietry needs for vegans are of-
ten not catered for. in the residence
dining halls at Rhodes University.
However, in recent years, Rhodes
Organisation for Animal Rights
(ROAR) has been campaigning for
a more vegan-friendly campus and,
although they have not convinced
Rhodes food planners to fully im-
plement a vegan meal plan, their
promotion of Animal Rights Week
(11-16 May) and the global Meat
Free Monday campaign may be a
foot in the door.
Acting Manager of Food Services
Simon Wright stated that vegans are
currently able to choose from the
vegetarian option or discuss plans
with the relevant caterer. If it is with-
in the food cost, they are prepared to
accommodate the students. Rhodes
ofers a variety of meal options on
the current menu but it is arguable
that more can be done to accommo-
date the vegans on campus.
Chairperson of ROAR Gemma
Barkhuizen saidthat introducing
a vegan meal option will be a long
and bureaucratic process. Although
ROAR has attempted this in the
past without success, they are trying
again now. We need to get statistics
indicating precisely how many
students per dining hall would be
interested in the option, so we are
putting surveys in dining halls for
people to fll out. Once we have that
info, we need to work with catering
to work out a meal plan that will ft
into the existing budget, Barkhui-
zen stated.
If there are not enough stu-
dents per dining hall who want it,
continued Barkhuizen, then we
have to make incremental changes
by making more of the vegetar-
ian options vegan or modifable to
vegan, or by setting up a system
whereby vegan students can order
special meals based on their ethical
commitments.
Although there are few choices for
vegans and the process of remedying
this may take some time, Meat Free
Mondays and week-long campaigns
such as Animal Rights Week may
prove to be a means of speeding up
the process. ROAR invites students
to attend a range of talks and events
that are creating awareness about
what veganism means in the bigger
picture. If you are not convinced
to go meatless, check out the vegan
treats that ROAR has to ofer at the
Kaif on Tursday 15 May between
1pm and 2pm. As a student, one
should be taking the opportunity to
see how one can support the organic
integration of vegan lifestyles at
Rhodes University.
Vegan voices are heard
through Animal Rights Week
South African eSports: A view from the inside
Mobile technology dissected
An Urban Forestry and Greening course due to take place
in August aims to promote environmental sustainability
in urban areas. Photo: CHRIS KEYWOOD
The Groen Sebenza job fund partnership project trains and educates para-ecologists in
Grahamstown to promote environmental sustainability and socioeconomic equity.
L-R: Vathiswa Zilushe, Landiso Mila, Siphosethu Mashani, Mzulisa Beja and Jamelea Mngcuwa.
PHOTO: SARAH MIDDLETON.
Rhodes Organisation for Animal Rights (ROAR) is attempting to introduce
vegan meals to residence kitchens. Photo: DANIELLA PALLOTTA
Scitech
14 May 2014 Te Oppidan Press 11
supporter of green politics Philip Machanick advocated the
importance of expanding the popular conception of con-
servation to include urban spaces. Preservation should not
simply focus on untouched, beautiful land that still prospers
in nature, he commented.
Arguing that urban poverty is a more pressing issue is a
skewed logic, Machanick explained. Greener planning will
lead to physical and psychological liberation in community
members, he said. Machanick further stated that communal
and urban cohesion and uplifment go hand-in-hand with
environmental uplifment, as both need to be sustainable in
order to be efective.
Te ideas behind this course indicate how important it is
to tackle the very locus of shallow environmental practices.
Urban sustainability is one of the most pressing environ-
mental issues of our time, said Shackleton.
Any interested persons are encouraged to apply for the
course through the Environmental Sciences Department.
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
E
Sports, or competitive
video gaming, is an occupa-
tion which confounds many
people. However, this fast-growing
industry is one of the most acces-
sible sports in terms of experience
required - especially in South Africa.
To get some perspective we asked Mo
James, a competitive gamer, to give
us some insight into his experience
with eSports and how he copes with
the dual pressures of university and
professional gaming.
Mo James plays DotA 2: Defence of
the Ancients competitively for Bravado
Blue in the Premier Division of the
Do Gaming League (DGL). James has
firted with the competitive scene since
2011, when he encountered the origi-
nal DotA as well as local tournaments
such as the Organised Chaos LAN (lo-
cal area network-based gaming events)
in Cape Town.
I really enjoy sport, and in competi-
tive gaming I saw similar qualities,
said James.
Since then, eSports has changed to
a more online-centric model. Tis has
meant that games such as DotA 2 and
League of Legends have been trans-
formed into massive spectator sports
which can generate a lot of money.
Companies started investing a lot of
money into establishing servers, James
explained. Sponsors began to see the
potential of such a profession.
Playing at such a high level is a
daunting experience and James still
has to juggle his coursework with his
gaming. Tis is something he has done
with relative ease. I didnt play much
last year, but university has ironically
meant that Ive spent a lot of time play-
ing, he explained.
Im satisfed with my performance.
I do well in the subjects I chose, but I
think Ive got a reasonable balance.
When asked about local tourna-
ments and their level of organisation,
he emphasised that most local events
bear no relation to Mind Sports South
Africa (MSSA), South Africas ofcial
eSports representative body which
has recently received much criticism.
James cited a lack of competent leader-
ship as one of the many reasons why
the organisation failed to adequately
provide for the needs of gamers locally.
However, James was quite impressed
by Telkoms DGL organisation. Teres
a lot of past tournament formats
around the world to take note of, he
said. Te DGL have done this, and its
a reasonably efcient system.
With eSports becoming more popu-
lar, we may see more competitors play-
ing from their residence rooms and
travelling to tournaments. Mo James is
certainly a good example of how this
pressure and that of university can be
handled simultaneously.
Additionally, he is a prime example
of how accessible competitive
gaming is to the online masses and
of a new breed of sportsperson - one
whose battlefelds exist in pixels and
animations.
South African eSports: A view from the inside
Bradley Prior
Cellphones are a crucial part of 21st century life
and many would feel completely disconnected
from the outside world without one. Despite
cellphones being deemed so important, very few
people actually know how their cellphone work.
Speed
Arguably the most important part of your
phone is its microprocessor. Every little bit of
work that technology does in order to fulfll your
requests is done by this component. A micro-
processor is simply a small processor, built to ft
mobile phones. Without it, a cellphone is nothing
more than a lump of weight inside your pocket.
Processor speed is measured in gigahertz
(GHz). One hertz is the measure of one action
done per one second and a gigahertz is equivalent
to a million hertz. Te more actions that can be
done per second, the faster your device runs and
the more capably it can handle multitasking.
Tere are also dual-core and quad-core proces-
sors. Tis refers to the connecting of two (or four)
separate processors to form one, more powerful,
processing unit. Te idea is that with two proces-
sors, tasks can be done twice as quickly. Although
a doubled level of speed is not usually attained, the
speed is still signifcantly increased.
Space
Storage space is hardware on which data, such
as music and photos, is stored. Most popular
smartphones currently come with between four
and 64 gigabytes of memory available to the user,
but some cellphones have expandable memory.
Tis means that it is possible to add your own
memory to the existing amount - generally with
the use of MicroSD cards. Usually these cellphones
have less memory to start with but once memory
is expanded they ofen exceed their non-expanda-
ble counterparts.
Obviously, the potential to have more storage
space makes expandable memory an attractive
option. However, expandable memory slots are
somewhat unreliable, and the memory cards can
dislodge themselves. Tis can mean that data gets
corrupted, or that you have to keep restarting your
cellphone to fx it.
Selfes
With regard to cameras, we primarily judge
cellphone camera quality by the number of meg-
apixels the camera has. Te term megapixel refers
to the number of little dots which make up the
picture. Te more megapixels, the more accurate a
photographs details will be.
However, sometimes two diferent cameras
of the same megapixel rating can produce very
diferent quality photographs. Tis is because
they use diferent sofware to process the photo-
graphs. Tis sofware reduces the resolution of
the photographs, making each individual pixel
clearer. While buying a cellphone, the advertised
megapixel rating may make for appealing reading,
but a quick online comparison of a phones camera
against that of its competitors can ofen tell you a
lot that statistics cannot.
Much of this information may seem useless
when phones can seem like glorifed WhatsApp
and Twitter devices, but having a general overview
of these attributes can make buying a phone so
much simpler.
Knowing the diferences between phones can be
the diference between buying a phone which can
handle everything but your emotional baggage
and buying a phone which contributes to your
emotional baggage.
Mobile technology dissected
An Urban Forestry and Greening course due to take place
in August aims to promote environmental sustainability
in urban areas. Photo: CHRIS KEYWOOD

I do well in the
subjects I chose,
But I think Ive
got a reasonable
balance.
Mo James (far-right) and his team playing Dota 2 for Bravado Blue at LibertyLAN in Johannesburg. Photo: SUPPLIED/
Bravado Gaming.

Without a
microprocessor, a
cellphone is nothing
more than a lump of
weight inside your
pocket.
- Mo James
Sports
A theatre
reawakening
Green city is slicker
Cellphones: how
they work
8 10 11
Muhammad Hussain
A
fer a less than perfect
start to their frst Varsity
Cup Hockey Tournament
campaign, the Rhodes First XI
believe that they can only get better.
In the opening weekend, starting
Friday 2 May at the University of the
Witwatersrand (Wits), Rhodes lost two
games and drew one.
In their debut game the men in
purple crashed to a 7-1 defeat against
current University Sports South Africa
(USSA) Champions, the University of
Johannesburg (UJ). Daniel Jackman
scored Rhodes frst goal of the
tournament, but by that time UJ had
already taken a commanding 4-0 lead.
Te team sought to redeem
themselves in their second game and
Jeremy Hart scored the opener against
the University of Cape Town (UCT).
However, the boys had their hearts
broken in the last 20 seconds as UCT
equalised. SA u19 player Cody van
Wyk was the standout performer for
Rhodes and earned himself the Super
Striker award.
Captain Brendon Smith said that
the game was the highlight of the
tournament because it showed that
Rhodes has the pedigree to hold their
own against an opposition like UCT.
In the third and fnal game of the
weekend Rhodes faced of against old
rivals Nelson Mandela Metropolitan
University (NMMU), but were
comprehensively beaten 5-0.
Defender Greg Keyter received the
Super Saver award for a magnifcent
clearance of the line.
Preparations for the next leg of the
tournament are well under way.
We have video analysis of our
previous games and have set a game
plan for each of the teams. We just
have to keep the positives in mind,
said Smith.
Leg two began on 10 May at
the University of the Free State in
Bloemfontein, and the fnal leg is
scheduled to take place at UJ on the
weekend of 17 May.
Take two: Rhodes hockey
ready for Varsity Cup
Douglas Smith
Anyone who has ever attempted to play water polo will
know that it is one of the most physically challenging
sports out there. Whether you are a proud couch-potato
or ft enough to run a marathon, treading water for longer
than fve minutes is exhausting. Matt Stapleton however,
mastered the skill when he was just 11 years old.
Stapleton, a frst-year BCom Law student, started playing
water polo when he was in Grade 5 at Grey High School in
Port Elizabeth. He moved to Grahamstowns Kingswood
College in Grade 7 and played for the schools water polo
frst team from Grade 8.
Stapleton has represented Eastern Province (EP) water
polo since he was 13. Last year he earned his place in the
EP u21A side which competed at the Currie Cup water polo
tournament. His move to Rhodes was an academic one, but
his water polo achievements were recognised before he even
arrived. Te Rhodes frst team contacted him in January to
invite him to training, and he has since helped them win the
Port Elizabeth Water Polo League this past season. However,
he now wants to put his studies frst. In frst and second
year I want to take a backseat, but I love polo its my
dream sport, he said.
Although his water polo career currently comes second to
his studies, Stapleton has hopes of pursuing it in the future.
He has been training with Zolt Desi, a Hungarian coach
who is involved with the South African water polo side. Desi
believes that Stapleton has the potential to one day make the
national squad.
A call-up for the South African 2020 Olympics team
would be a dream come true for Stapleton, but in order to
perform at the level that he hopes to reach he will have to be
in top physical condition.
Before a tournament I change my diet, he explained. I
eat high carb suppers, things like pasta, and then protein at
lunch. Fruits and vegetables are good as well.
Aside from the dietary requirements, it takes a serious
training programme to get into water polo shape. Water
polo ftness has got a lot to do with swimming technique
and stop-start ftness, explained Stapleton. You only have
possession of the ball for 30 seconds at a time, so you are
always attacking and then defending.
Stapleton is currently progressing with his of-season
training, which involves running in the mornings and going
to gym in the afernoons, in order to maintain both the
cardiovascular ftness and strength that his sport requires.
Stapleton emphasised that the most important technique
for aspiring water polo players to master is the ability
to push themselves out of the water, which increases shot
power and is useful in defence. Te technique involves a
combination of upper-body and core strength.
However, he says that water polo players should avoid do-
ing weighted leg exercises, because it messes with
your treading.
Treading is not for everyone. Stapleton himself admits
that it is just something that you either can or cannot
do. For those who can, water polo is a highly satisfying
sport - for those of us who cannot, we will have to be
satisfed with watching from the side-lines.
A well-shaped column: our water polo prodigy
Gabi Bellairs-Lombard

During any soccer match, the
referee plays a pivotal role in the
outcome of the game. Yet players
in the Premier League and La
Liga are ofen seen throwing tan-
trums on the feld and verbally
abusing referees. It seems that
even players at university level
engage in this ill treatment of
match ofcials.
Mandla Hebron Nkondo, a
Rhodes frst team player and vice-president of the Rhodes Soccer Club,
is a referee for the internal league. Nkondo recalls an occasion when he
was sworn at by a player who he then yellow-carded. Te team that is
losing the match tends to become desperate to turn the match around and,
unfortunately, this frustration is taken out on the ref, he went on to explain.
However, referees sometimes become equally frustrated with players.
Brynmor Hemro, who coaches both the Rhodes Ladies frst team and Spurs
soccer sides, says that referees are ofen treated harshly by players for making
terrible calls. In turn the refs lose their objectivity and give cards out as a
means of revenge and a power trip, said Hemro.
Tolo Lerotholi, a student completing his fnal year Bachelor of Econom-
ics degree, has been refereeing internal league matches since 2012. Lerotholi
is friendly with a number of the internal league players and has had more
positive experiences as a referee. Tere is a certain level of mutual respect.
I am very frm when it comes to decision-making during the match, and I
think this discourages players from being rude or disrespectful, he said.
Aside from the attitudes of the players, there have been issues for Rhodes
Soccer at an administrative level. Internal league referees are supposed to be
paid a set amount per match, which they receive as a lump sum at the end
of each month. Nkondo, however, claimed that he has heard a few referees
complain that they were not paid what was owed to them from last year.
Lerotholi was one of the referees who was not paid timeously last year. In
2012, we were paid R50 per match, and last year the fee was reduced to R40
per game without the referees knowledge, he said. Te agreement for this
year is that each referee will be paid at the end of every quarter, but whether
this will be fulflled remains to be seen.
However Lerotholi added, Te Rhodes Soccer Committee this year has
been impressive, and the lines of communication between the committee
and the referees has improved.
Respect lacking for soccer referees
Matt Stapleton took his place in the u21 Eastern Province water polo team last year and is continuing with his of-
season training. Photo: PENNY MADDOCKS

The team that

is losing tends
to become
desperate...this
frustration is taken
out on the ref
- Mandla Hebron Nkondo