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Culture Documents
Mabizela
Doctors, teachers
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Grahamstown
map inside
News Features
Family is very
important
to me. Im
very much
a mommy
to my two
daughters.
Dr Colleen Vassiliou,
Director of Student Affairs
Dr Colleen Vassiliou was appointed Director of Student Affairs last year after the resignation of
former Dean of Students, Dr Vivian de Klerk. Photo: SOURCED
New and returning students will have to face a year-long balancing act in 2015 between academia and health on the
one hand and recreation on the other. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
because when you exercise you feel
the need to be all round healthier.
Geldart went on to add that to attain
her degree she placed academics
first while other aspects of her life,
said Mabutyana.
That, however, is not the only way
students can skew their balancing
beams. It can be just as easy to get
caught up in their academics. If you
work excessively, that leads to stress
and can have a negative effect on you,
whether its insomnia, low immunity
or even homesickness, said Geldart.
The costs of that are that the students
marks and general lifestyle deteriorates, she added.
Leading a balanced life is important
not only for the individual concerned,
but also for those around them.If you
are living in a res situation, youre all
living together essentially and what
you do can impact those around you,
said Geldart. Friends also create support systems for those around them
and can be affected by a deterioration
of their lifestyles too.
While the university balancing act is
one that can be overwhelming to think
about, planning and prioritising can
make all the difference. Its important
to get into a routine, said Geldart. By
aiming to go to the gym a few times a
week, and having a timetable for work
and socialising it can help with balancing out your life.
News Features
This is one
of the best
universities, if
not the best
university, in
this country
Dr Sizwe Mabizela,
Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor
eyeSt re
the
An accomplished academic, Dr Sizwe Mabizela was appointed the new ViceChancellor of the university after his predecessor, Dr Saleem Badat, resigned in
2014. Photo: SOURCED
optometrists
046-622 2828
info@theeyestore.co.za
News Features
The Rhodes Dictionary
The ultimate guide to speaking the language of South Africas quirkiest university
(s)
/:bt(r)ri/
(s)
Barratt
/bart/
/b mz/
(singl.)
(pl.)
/bi: | pi: | r n/
v
BP run
dawnie
/d :ni/
(s)
A lecture taking place in the first period of the day from 07h45 to
08h30.
...she overslept and missed the dawnie...
flames
/flemz/
(pl.)
bombs
(s)
for days
/for | dez/
10
11
12
13
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
23
24
25
26
27
28
gees
...Ive
/i.es/
khwaps
/kw ps/
mystery meat
/mst()ri | mi:t/
naps
/naps/
(pl.)
up the hill
/ p | | hl/
v
arb [credit]
/krakl/
vv
crackling
/ gr( )tat/
aegrotat
(singl.)
7 February 2015
Politics
Kim Nyajeka
he Rhodes University student body has not been known to take much interest in student
governance. However, after the above-average performance of the 2014 Student Representative Council (SRC), the election process for the 2015 council saw an increase in interest
levels, sparking the question of whether or not this years SRC will live up to expectations.
Almost all the posts in the SRC were contested during the 2014 elections, with a variety of students
from all walks of life vying for positions. Unsurprisingly, the Presidency had the most contenders with
four candidates applying for the position. There was an unexpectedly high voter turnout in 2014, with
over 2 000 students voting on the first day alone.
Since the election results were announced, there has been much speculation over how the 2015 SRC
will measure up to expectations. One of the main reasons some lost faith in the effectiveness of the
SRC in the past was due to elected councillors stepping down before serving their full term. So far,
the 2015 Council has faced two such losses, with the Residence Councillor stepping down not long
after being elected and the Vice-President resigning just three weeks before the start of term, causing a
reshuffle of the SRC Executive. It remains to be seen whether or not this will negatively affect students
current faith in the SRC.
While all SRC councillors actively engage with the student population throughout the year, some are
more visible than others. The Oppidan Press has compiled profiles on seven of these councillors to help
you get to know your representatives a little more.
Siyanda Makhubo: President
Makhubo completed a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Industrial Sociology and Legal Theory in
2014. This year, he will be studying towards a Post
Graduate Diploma in Media Management. Since
his enrollment in 2012, Makhubo has held various
leadership positions at Rhodes. These include
serving on the House Committee of his residence
Piet Retief, working as the Head News Anchor on
Rhodes Music Radio and serving as the 2014 SRC
Academic Councillor. His vision as the President
for 2015 is that SRC will also stand for Students
Remain Central, promising that this year will
indeed be a year of note in student governance at
the university.
Zikisa Maqubela: Vice-President
Maqubela has completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Accounting and is
studying a Post-Graduate Diploma in Enterprise
Management this year. In 2013, Maqubela was the
Prayer Intercession Leader of the Voice of Glory
(VOG) gospel choir on campus, as well as the Student Christian Organisation Evangelism leader. He
is a Candidate Fellow with the Allan Gray Orbis
Foundation and has also served as the Vice President of VOG as well as the River of Life Churchs
Social Justice Project business skills instructor.
Maqubela was appointed as Vice-President following the resignation of Grace Moyo from the
position due to personal reasons, and will officially
take office on 22 February.
Abigail Butcher: Secretary General
Butcher is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Legal Theory and
Politics and International Studies. In 2014 she was
President of the Debating Society as well as the
Community Engagement representative for The
Oppidan Press. In the latter capacity, she headed a
development project for aspiring young journalists living in Grahamstowns Joza township. Since
Butchers election as SRC Secretary General, she
has attended a South African Student Leaders
Conference in Israel and Palestine with members
of SRCs from other universities around South Africa. The idea of the conference was to help young
leaders in university better understand the IsraeliPalestinian conflict so as to be able to engage with
the issue with greater insight and knowledge.
Godfrey Kadzere: Treasurer
Kadzere is studying towards a Bachelor of Commerce in
Management and Economics. In 2014, he was a member of
the Stanley Kidd House Committee as well as the President
of the Zimbabwe Unlimited Society. He is also the founder
and Chief Executive Officer of his own media company, Liyon
Media, which he started on campus. Kadzere also co-produces the weekly student-run programme Likers of Things
Television, which reviews upcoming social events on campus
as well as promoting student musicians. The former Sports
and Societies Councillor, Kadzere was appointed as the SRC
Treasurer after Maqubela was elevated to Vice-President. He
has the challenge of ensuring that the 2015 SRC does not fall
back into the mammoth debt created by their 2011 predecessors that has loomed over the council ever since.
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Features
There are many social and political issues of importance to Rhodes students, such as the fight for gender equality, as exemplified by the annual rape awareness protest march. Photo: SHEILA DAVID
Grahamstown is a city of contrasts and apparent contradictions, where old and new, poverty and wealth, and a range of
other opposites combine to create a space unlike any other. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
scattered across its streets, pavements,
flowerbeds, rooftops and everywhereelses. Well, not officially, but surely
it must. Just have a look around you
next time you take a walk virtually
anywhere in town and you will see
what I mean. Once, I even found Chinese porcelain dating back to the peak
years of the Ming dynasty, around the
16th century BCE. How I knew that it
7 February 2015
SA labour market
facing skills crisis
Nathi Mzileni
only 14 percent of
the 511 564 students
who enrolled in
the engineering
discipline between
1998 and 2010
actually graduated
Image: SOURCED
Business
Gauteng tops
salary charts
Nathi Mzileni
KwaZulu-Natal has the ideal subtropical climate. The Western Cape
has one of the worlds seven natural
wonders. But when it comes to getting the best salary, Gauteng comes
out on top, according to Career Junctions latest salary review. The review
compared salary offerings across
these provinces for the countrys top
ten employment sectors for the second and third quarters of 2014.
According to the review, people in
Gautengs engineering sector earned
18% more than their counterparts in
Kwa-Zulu Natal and 35% more than
those in the Western Cape. The survey
also showed that project engineers
were the highest paid, with salaries
for first time project engineers ranging
from R445 692 to R646 464.
More experienced project engineers
earned a starting salary of R590 292
per annum. Automotive engineers,
meanwhile, were the lowest paid, taking home between R262 500 and R556
248 annually.
The manufacturing and assembly
industry is South Africas third largest
employment sector with more than
1.9 million employers. Plant managers
were the highest paid in the industry,
taking home annual gross earnings of
R436 752 to R637 596 depending on
their management level. Assemblers
and fabricators, however, got the short
end of the stick, earning just R5 714 to
R9 514 a month.
Map
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Coffee
1 - Homeground Coffee Roasters
2 - Red Caf
3 - Mad Hatters
4 - The Day Kaif
5 - Handmade Coffee
6 - The Blockhouse
7 - The Provost Caf
8 - Haricots
9 - Caf Dvine
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1 - The Highlander
2 - Olde 65, Prime and The Rat & Parrot
3 - Champs Action Bar
4 - Friar Tucks Pub & Grill
Be
Food
1 - Spar (at BP)
2 - Peppergrove Mall (Pick n Pay, Wimpy,
Revelations Caf, KFC, Twing Sushi)
3 - Checkers
4 - Ginos Restaurant
5 - Relish
6 - Debonairs Pizza
7 - Steers
8 - Caf Delizzia
9 - Morgans Restaurant
in
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Opinion
The Oppidan Press publishes letters which are bona fide expressions of opinion provided that they are not clearly libellous,
defamatory, racist or sexist. We publish anonymous letters, but as
an act of good faith on your part, we require your full name. We
reserve the right to shorten letters due to space constraints and to
edit them for grammatical inaccuracies. Letters that do not make it
into our print edition will be published on our website.
The offices of the Charlie Hebdo magazine shortly after an attack on the publications employees by Islamic
fundamentalists in Paris. The attacks have sparked both outcry and debate over the nature of violence and free speech.
Photo: SOURCED (NEW YORK DAILY NEWS)
If youre interested in joining our team, please send a CV and motivational letter to
editor@oppidanpress.com by 20 February.
11
Opinion
Deane Lindhorst
university
taught me to
painstakingly
question
every belief
and piece of
information
that would
place itself in
front of me
too great and the snooze button will be hit. Deadlines will
seem so far away that they will be forgotten and only frantically remembered the night before (arguably when most
students produce their best work). The lesson here is that
self-discipline, while being the hardest skill to master, will
without a doubt be your most important ally in the hunt for
that elusive DP.
I used the term art throughout to refer to different skills
you will learn. This is because the pursuit of a degree is an
art in and of itself. There is no one recipe for success and
you have a blank canvas in front of you. Find the balance
between your social life, your hobbies, and your studies
and, most importantly, find what works for you and make
the best of your time at Rhodes.
Students new to the world of university academics will soon learn that without
proper research and referencing, not even the best work will satisfy tutors and
lecturers. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
Deane Lindhorst
The Rhodes University motto
Where leaders learn is being actively practised in a number of areas
within university administration
and daily life. One of the first places
new students are introduced to those
learning to lead is in the residential
system, where a number of older
students serve as house committee
members and sub-wardens.
Each residential House Committee
is a team tasked with looking after the
residence and its inhabitants. In Orientation Week, this involves welcoming
new students and introducing them to
the unique cultures and traditions that
are part and parcel of every residence
across campus. House Comm members are in a privileged position in
which they have the means to pass on
positive traditions and cultures, and to
challenge and change those that need
changing. In doing so, they contribute
to what might be a young and growing
legacy or retain a very old and established one.
A massive challenge that these student leaders face in Orientation Week,
and indeed throughout their term of
office, is finding ways of creating commonalities and lasting bonds between
students from diverse backgrounds.
The end of apartheid paved the way for
a new society, one that would be built
on the grounds of mutual respect for
all people. This new society did not
just happen with the flip of a switch,
however. Instead it is being slowly built
Environment
lthough many South African universities have implemented environmentally-focused initiatives and studentdriven campaigns, the extent to which they
actually influence the daily lives of students
remains questionable. The University of the
Western Cape (UWC) won the award for Africas Greenest Campus at the third national
African Green Campus Initiative conference,
having won the award for a second time since
the initiatives inauguration in 2012. Perhaps
Rhodes can learn something from UWC in
terms of environmental initiatives.
UWC is involved in a number of environmental and sustainability-focused initiatives,
including maintaining a 30 hectare nature reserve
rich in biodiversity and launching a successful
recycling programme in student residences. Both
projects are driven by active student participation. Additionally, sustainable transport was a
focus with solar-powered golf carts helping out
with campus-based travel.
A key factor in UWCs success is student
enthusiasm and participation. Active campuswide involvement in recycling churns out 70 tons
of recyclables every month and has created jobs
for 120 previously-unemployed individuals. The
nature reserve is also maintained by students who
perform tasks like weeding out alien vegetation.
Rhodes University itself has numerous environmental initiatives, and actively encourages
Although Rhodes has initiated several environmentally friendly projects and policies, it still lags
behind other institutions like the University of the Western Cape. Photo: BRONWYN PRETORIUS
recycling by having separate bins for different
wastes in most residences. While the facilities
may exist, student commitment is still an issue.
Michaela Baker, Environmental Representative
on her House Committee for 2015 said that: I
dont think that people in my res were actually
committed to recycling at all. People werent
been using. Be aware that things are not as they should be, and
then act, she said. McKrill also believes in citizen science as an
effective tool for change. If I can understand a way a system works
then I can take that across to
ellan Botha
somebody else and I can
to: K
o
h
P
teach them about that,
she explained.
Zimbini
Gcadinja (BSc
Environmental Science,
PGCE)
Through
her studies,
Gcadinja
found that
everything
revolves
around the
environment,
nothing is outside it. She has
become critical of
Pho
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In 1896, scientist Svante Arrhenius proposed that the excessive use of fossil fuels could result in enhanced global warming.
However, it took almost a century for a world-wide interest in
our planets ecological state to appear. The fight for environmentally sustainable living has now taken the world by storm on an
individual as well as an academic level.
At Rhodes University, the Environmental Sciences Programme
was established in 1998 to facilitate learning opportunities for
students interested in environmental issues. The programme
evolved into a fully-fledged department in 2002 and provides students with the opportunity to learn more about
the environment that they live in. The department
is currently involved in the guidance of 110 undergraduate students and 40 postgraduates, including
18 Honours students.
Students wishing to study Environmental Science 201 and 202 need to have obtained a credit in
either Geography, Anthropology, Botany, Geology
or Zoology. The Environmental Science department focuses on understanding and managing the
complex social-ecological systems within Africa. It
includes studies regarding biodiversity, ecosystem
service, landscape change, non-timber forest product
use, invasive plants, and climate change adaption.
The department provides students with an opportunity
to become involved in their environment as well as
the chance to attain practical knowledge of the field, making
it one of the more active courses at Rhodes University
and a well-recommended subject for students
interested in cultivating a brighter, greener
a
th
future for South Africa.
Bo
The Oppidan Press recently spoke
to a few students studying in the Environmental Science department to get
their views on why the subject is so
important for South Africas environmental future.
Zona Dotwana (Masters in
Environmental Education)
Dotwana discovered her passion
for biodiversity after her gap year led her to notice the lack of black
females in the sector. Having worked with smaller communities in
her Honours year, Dotwana explained that she wants her studies to
have a strong social component. I like doing environmental studies, but I dont want to do it alone, she stated. The environment
and people need to coexist. Dotwana said she has one message
for climate change sceptics, governments and corporates: Mother
Nature is our breadwinner.
Karabo Chadzingwa (Masters in Environmental Science)
Chadzingwa is an advocate
Ph
for sustainable development,
ot
o:
viewing it as the only
B
way to create balance.
We are one with the
environment. If its not
healthy then we are
not healthy, she said.
Chadzingwa believes
Africa is capable
of implementing a
sustainable economy
and saving the planet
despite the fact that
scientific data predicts
a bleak future. We
can chart a way
for a new kind
of sustainability,
she said.
Leanne McKrill (Masters in Environmental
Education)
McKrill champions an inclusive conversation rather
than what
she views as
the chauvinistic approach
Greenpeace has
7 February 2015
13
Scitech
With gaming in both digital and traditional formats being a popular past time for many, Rhodes GameSoc remains one
of the larger groups on campus and offers a wide range of games to the student community. Photo: KELLAN BOTHA
Gaming at Rhodes:
where and how?
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
Make sure
that your
downloads
do not
spill into
other time
brackets,
or the total
data will be
split in half
between
them
Features
Technology at Rhodes:
our recommendations
Bracken Lee-Rudolph
Scitech
University is quite a daunting place to arrive at, and new students frequently
wind up having brought too many or too few possessions. The former is doubly true for technology, as students often bring items they do not need. In this
article we will take a look at what is important and what you can do without.
Laptop/PC: Advised, but not crucial
Rhodes does have several computer labs open, some
for 24 hours, where students can go to work, use
the internet and print out assignments. However, it
is advisable to get a laptop as it is far more convenient to have a device that can be taken to the library
or lectures than it is to have to go to the labs for
every assignment.
It is also preferable to have a laptop over a PC, as
having a portable device is invaluable if you need
to do group work or want to work somewhere else.
Transporting and setting up a desktop PC would simply be impractical.
A wide selection of restaurants and cafs in Grahamstown means vegetarian and vegan students need not go hungry
when out on the town. Photo: BRONWYN PRETORIUS
The speeds
are just
unparalleled,
and its
very easy to
connect to
Brad Lang,
Linguistics student
15
Drinking, dancing,
gaming, performing:
societies made to entertain
Demi Drew
Rhodes University has a number of
clubs and societies geared towards
Arts and Entertainment, all of which
offer students the chance to unwind
and socialise.
In order to join their society (or societies) of choice, students must pay an
annual membership fee which societies
use to fund various events throughout
the year. The following list introduces
just some of the societies on offer.
Wine Tasting Society
The Wine Tasting Society aims to
cultivate friendships and create a space
for wine lovers to interact and enjoy the
experience of learning about new wines
through weekly and monthly tastings.
The society also holds a picnic twice a
year which includes all members and
their guests.
The Wine Tasting Society should
never be mistaken for a drinking society, but rather a place for members to
learn about the art of wine, said chairperson Zoe Tobie. It is an extremely
educational experience.
GameSoc
The Gaming Society aims to provide
a steady source of entertainment for all
its members. The society has weekly
events including Meta Mondays, casual
card and board gaming nights as well as
table-top gaming.
Aside from their weekly events,
GameSoc also hosts LANs once a term
during which members can bring their
Were
coming
in hard,
witticism
a-blazing,
tongues
firmly in
cheeks and
funny as hell
Hannah Lax,
The Amazing Other
Show 2015 Director
The Amazing Other Show has been an important teaching tool for new Rhodes students
for a number of years, with annual alterations
keeping the show relevant for new audiences.
Image: SOURCED
Rhodes women on
green frontlines
Sports
Kimara Singh
Rhodes underwater
hockey teams shine
13
The mens underwater hockey team left Stellenbosch this December sporting
silver medals after competing in the B League, while the womens team came
sixth in the A league. Photo: GABI BELLAIRS-LOMBARD
Gabi Bellairs-Lombard
12
The silver
medal was
well earned
by the Rhodes
team who
played some
very physical
and demanding
hockey over the
three days
Jonathan Bellingan,
Underwater Hockey
mens captain
Rugby
Rhodes hosts an internal rugby
league that runs from the beginning of the year to the end of term
three. Signing up for this league
will give you game time and
exposure if you wish to play
for one of the Rhodes rugby
teams which are also active
during the first three terms
and compete in various
tournaments throughout
the year.
Hockey
The universitys mens and
womens hockey teams focus more
on representing Rhodes than on
internal league games. The club
offers opportunities to play hockey
both socially and competitively.
According to Rhodes hockey chairperson Michelle du Toit,
The hockey club is renowned for its spirit. Joining the hockey club is like
joining a family. Du Toit
added that, Sport brings
people closer together
and this unity is
personified in
the hockey
clubs nature and spirit. Rhodes
hockey player Cody van Wyk was
chosen to represent South Africa at
the Youth Olympics, as well as winning the Rhodes Sportsman of the
Year award in 2014.
Soccer
The soccer club works with an
internal league competition that
runs parallel to a league cup
campaign. Both competitions
run from the beginning of
the first term to the
end of the third term.
Rhodes boasts both
mens and womens
soccer teams. Marc
Lovatt, former
internal league and
referees coordinator said, You
can participate in the internal
league, whether it is for your
res side, or external club. It also gives
you the opportunity to try to represent the university in your sports
code of choice which comes with
different tours and Intervarsity.
Rowing
The highlight for the rowing club
and Rhodes students alike is the annual Boat Race event which happens in early September. A lot of
practice and preparation for this
event takes place
throughout the
year. As a
Cricket
The cricket club provides opportunities to play in both the longer
and shorter formats (40 overs and
20 overs respectively). Joining any
sports club allows first years to meet
many other people in a different
environment compared
to that of the lecture
venue or on campus, said
2013/2014 cricket chairperson Shane Murphy.
Murphy went on to add
that cricket is a very
social game, making
it a great way to
get to know
different
people.
Athletics
Athletics is the
oldest sporting club
at Rhodes University.
The club started in 1909
with only road running,
but has grown to also
include track and field,
triathlon and cross-country events. The club caters
for both social and competitive
athletes. Neo Mohapi, chairperson of Rhodes University Athletics
Club said, First years should join
athletics because it is amazing!
Underwater Hockey
Captain of the mens underwater
hockey team Jonathan Bellingan said,
We offer something completely
different to anything the majority of school students would
have been exposed to before. As
a club we offer dive courses and dive
trips and underwater hockey, a great
way to experience water-sports and a
change to the repetitiveness of swimming lengths in a pool. As a first
year student you are at university to
broaden your horizons and try new
things and the underwater club offers
you that perfect opportunity.
While this is just a small selection
of sporting clubs that Rhodes has to
offer, it is clear that joining any of
the sports clubs at the University is
a great way to meet people outside
of the lecture theatre. So if you have
the passion and dedication for any
particular sport, make sure to sign
up and enjoy the journey that it takes
you on throughout the year.