Your Life Magazine Issue 5 2012
How do you get to School? Madame Curie : remarkable woman List of all universities and FETs and much more inside
Fun, serious and always here for you
WIN
ers! 5 p m &4 l Ha Coo ges 44 pa See
CONTENTS 4 Editor’s Letter Sybil has her finger on the pulse.
06 Publisher’s Feed Back Put it in writing!
08 Contributors
4
Meet our fabulous contributors.
09 Holla @ US Connect with us.
10 School Uniforms - Yes or No? Which way should we go?
15 How Do You Get To School? We have a huge problem in this country getting our scholars to and from school. Let us have your feedback.
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20 Universities & FETs Important information about registrations around the country
24 In Our Next Issue Amongst other things, we will be doing an extensive article about drugs in South Africa. 2 > > > H ola MaH i g h -S ch o o l
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CONTENTS 26 How impotant is your first job? Tips on how to approach your first job.
30 A list of Selected Private FETs and Colleges. Take your pick and plan your future.
31 Getting from point A to point B We look at international transport vs South Africa
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34 The Quotes Game Have some fun and laughter and learn at the same time! Send us your quotes.
36 Books 31
Reviews of cool books to read and a competition to WIN one.
38 Marie Curie Get to know this extraordinary woman.
40 Ig Nobel Prizes A fun read!
42 The BIG Unknown Facebook, Twitter, YouTube???
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SMS Competition Win with Hola MaHigh-School! > > > H o l a M a H ig h - Sc h o o l
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From the Editor
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Editor’s note
eletso has left as our editor! It was a pleasure working with her, but alas, she does have a job. I have been trying to also fit in the tasks of an editor. Let me tell you a big secret: it is not easy to be an editor. There is a lot of work and coordination and liaison and all kinds of things to do. However, it is rather fun.
We are seriously looking for an editor. If anyone out there know someone who would be interested, please Contact us. Beware: it does take a lot of time! Exam time is really starting to get close. We have this Oct issue for you and the next one, which will be shortly before the holidays. We are again trying to provide good advise and good articles of general interest, but also easy reading. We should also have a bit of fun, even if it is exam time. Oct is transport month and the leading story is transport in all its manifestations. How to get to school, or around town or the country for that matter. What is good, what is bad. Let me take this opportunity to introduce our writing team: 4
Karabo Maila: seasoned, she has been writing for us from the very start. Her articles are always worthwhile. Rofhiwa Madzena: Studying foreign affairs. Immensely clever and knowledgeable. Hashim Chillemba: Budding writer. Still in grade 12, and showing signs of brilliance. Thabisile Masimula: Journalist graduate. Clear well-constructed articles. This person will go far! We have more writers coming “online”, so look out for them. Although I like writing an article once in a while, I like to see YOU doing it. After all, that’s what it is all about. As promised, we have an article on Madame Curie. Wow. That is a lady we can learn something from. Enough on that. November will be focused on the immediate future: what should you do during the summer holidays? Preparing for grade 11 and 12. And also: now what after grade 12. Please comment on all of it. We are on Twitter, Facebook and have a gmail account.
H co nu op
F A
se
Sybil
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10835 Ho
Food For Thought Finally, I found a poem somewhere. Not sure where. So, Let us start with a poem for once. The days are getting longer and exams are not only looming, they are here.
But no regrets Because you wanted to at that moment Like today, now Tomorrow is a distant plan Not yet here It can change Plans are not reality So why worry about it Meet it when it arrives
Maybe this will cheer you up a bit? Yesterday is gone, never to come back Today is here, right now, and that is all important Tomorrow has not even arrived yet, maybe it never will Yesterday cannot do anything for me, it is over I can learn, never to do the stupid things all over Repeat the good ones But I cannot take it back It is over If I only had.. is meaningless Because I didn’t So learn
Right now is important My thoughts and feelings and actions are real Right now Nothing else matters ‌ but remember, my actions will forever echo in the universe It is deep. And so true.
Sybil From the exciting, edge-of-your-seat world of stockbroking to the highly valued practice of financial planning, the Finance, Accounting,
Finance and Accounting sector?
Services (Fasset) Sector has a career for every aspiring number cruncher. Just some of the many careers in the finance and accounting sector include accountancy, bookkeeping, debt collecting, tax practitioning and accounting technicians. There are so many opportunities available in the fields of finance and accounting that the possibilities are truly endless.
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10835 HolaMyHighSchool Sept 12.indd 1
BLACKMOON 10835
Have you considered the number of career options within the
Management Consulting and other Financial
5
2012/08/25 2:58 PM
Publisher’s Feedback
PUT
T
IT
IN
WRITING
his is a fun little piece to write. It should not
The idea is still very much to base it on Androids and to use devices to use our services rather than log in into a web site. This www.something is not cool anymore.
First, however, if you would like to try your hand on writing an article, please come forward. It is not more difficult than writing an essay in school (OK, it is). It will look good on your CV and we will post your bio and pic in the magazine.
We will try to create a “closed community”. Something where we can guarantee that the content and the discussions are safe for those who are not-yet-adults.
overlap with what our editor is talking about. Let me therefore try to open with what we are trying to do on the digital side.
We are desperate to see young writers coming through
I know this is a bit problematic and even to suggest that, well, there is an age restriction of 18 on a lot of things can get the hackles up on any good teen. I do remember that myself, to be treated as a kid when I was an adult in my own opinion at least. OK, I can’t make it any better. It is like that. Can we get some comments on this? I would love to see a school trying to create some Androids. And why not?
on this project. It is out of two reasons: we believe you can tell the story and you can talk about the things of concern to you. The other reason is that we are keen to see young people getting exposed to the “real” world.
Do you like to read about a career? Should it be something fantastic and famous? Or what about the spaza shop owner? What would you like to read? There are plenty of opportunities.
The web-site: This is getting closer, but it is a process. We have had some clever people to look at it. The cost of putting it together is some hundreds of thousands! Yes, this will be great and so on, but this is real money.
Next issue will be the November issue and then we will see each other again in 2013.
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In www.ayandambanga.co.za 108963
We have received a lot of feed-back on the Quotes Game page. I like quotes myself. So we decided to make it a fixture in the magazine. You can use them if you like. Some are actually really good.
A
HAVE A GOOD READ!!!
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108963
CREATING FUTURES As a champion of innovation and technology education, CPUT is committed to producing the country’s next generation of qualified professionals. We believe in preparing students for industry by balancing theoretical knowledge and practical experience and this is exactly why our six world-class faculties have put thousands of graduates on the path to professional success. The University is also committed to promoting research and innovation and addressing skills shortages in South Africa. Applied Sciences
We’re in the business of creating futures.
Business Education & Social Sciences Engineering
Who better to trust with yours?
Health & Wellness
www.ayandambanga.co.za 108963
Informatics & Design
Contact Centre: 021 959 6767 www.cput.ac.za 108963 CPUT HOLA MA HIGH SCHOOL FULL PAGE 216x154.indd 1
2012/10/10 10:05 AM
Contributors
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS My name is Rofhiwa Madzena. I’m a young woman who is fun and approachable, I’m a budding feminist and I strongly believe that the worth of a woman is second to none, the trick is convincing the rest of the world-a challenge I’m ready for! I’m passionate about South Africa and the World and many call me naïve but I believe that we and generations that will follow will achieve world peace! My name is Hashim Chillemba. I am doing grade 12 at Athlone Boys’ High School. I am an outgoing person, strongly like meeting new people and I am a Hip Hop zealot. Drawing, writing and reading about anything and everything are my main activities. I enjoy free walking, playing street soccer and basketball at my leisure. One thing I really dislike is being normal, I find it boring. My personal rules of life are: Being rich is not always being happy but always being happy is being rich. When life is not fair, be unfair to it back by living fair. Thabisile Masimula. I find much pleasure in writing. I am a fun to be with type of a person (or at least I try, lol) and I love talking, although I am a bit shy. I live in Pretoria, and I am a freelance writer for a local newspaper. I love meeting new people and interacting with young people. I was born in Limpopo 22 years ago, and writing has always been my passion. I started writing at the age of 10 and I still write poetry. Challenges bring out the best in me, as I always do everything to the best of my ability.
Karabo Purple Maila. This is a recent picture of me. I’m a 22 year-old radio host and sports presenter at Capricorn Fm. I am currently residing in the beautiful city of Polokwane and have had an ecstatic time since deciding to stay here. 8
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WE ARE NOW ALL OVER THE PLACE From our Facebook page
Editor Sybil Otterstrom sybil@next-level.co.za holamahighschool@gmail.com Advertising Sales Next Level Management Services cc 011 614 5046/5076 076 360 1792 sybil@next-level.co.za Publishing Romele Publications cc PO Box 53056 Troyeville 2139 011 614 5046 Enquiries Romele Publications cc 32 Eleanor Street Troyville 011 614 5046 sybil@next-level.co.za
‘Hey u guys rock, keep up the good work’ - Thabiso Thabza ‘Best of luck with this wonderful idea’
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Neville Engelbrecht ‘I love the magazine fo sho!’
- Karabo
Maila ‘I kinda like it’
- Mawanda
Follow us on Twitter @holamahighsch
Production & Art Direction Sybil Schneider gaggle@icon.co.za Publisher Sybil Otterstrom Distribution On the Dot Printing Paarl Media
Show love: I’m in Grade 11 and live in Jabulani, Soweto. Well, I love your mag. It’s so interesting and I have told everyone I know about it – Musa Mbambo aka Clever Boi > > > H OLA M A H IGH - SC H OOL
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Have Your Say
School Uniform
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Yes or No?
i! It is I again, Hashim from the previous edition. I hope you enjoyed my last article. I must say it was a great experience and pleasure writing that article and the same applies for this one. Well, in this edition I will be addressing school uniforms. Let me begin by defining the school uniform: It is a standardised outfit worn as an educational institution emblem. In short, clothes for school. Today I am going to weigh the pros and cons of school uniforms. Like everything else in the world, the school uniform has its own history. If you ever wondered where they originated from, today is your lucky day.
to the public who can afford it. Let me lead you into the world of Yes and No to school uniform. Briefly, according to my results, majority of the youngsters say “yes” to school uniform. This was a bit surprising as school uniforms, to some at least, look more like a curse than a badge of pride. More about that later.
Yes to school uniform First and foremost it is about identification. It is easier to know which school one belongs to when one is in its uniform and that is a universal fact. Solidarity is another element. I personally think this is one of the
Britain is the mother. In the 16th century, school uniforms were only worn by orphans who represented the lower class. After it managed to pierce into the circle of the rich, the United State and the mother herself utilised school uniforms as a status symbol which symbolised superiority and this was only for the privileged private schools. In the 19th century, the popularity increased. In countries like Thailand, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and all the British colonised countries in general, school uniforms were introduced during this colonial period. In view of the fact that Britain ruled almost the whole world, it is no surprise that wearing school uniform is compulsory. Public schools began to institute school uniforms officially in 1979 in the US. This is a trend not all people recognise. Europe does not use school uniforms as a rule of thumb. Why? They were never conquered by Britain, nor have they had a tradition of private schools. It is this tradition of private schools which dominated the uniform concept. Go even one step further and look at cricket teams and rugby teams. The blazers and other attire look like school uniforms to me. It is typical British “public school” mentality. Private schools are called “public schools” in Britain because they are open 10
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reasons school uniform should never come to an end. Envisage there is a matching outfit for every genre’s listeners in a club. It is evident that one in the preferred genre’s outfit would rather “hang out” with the ones in the same outfit, consequently unity is formed. The same goes for school uniforms. Moreover there is more comfort with one’s school mates at a bus station. Order and formality plays a major role. It is a mustagree that a school with an established uniform seems to have more order and uniformity than one without. How to instil discipline? It always helps learners to never become strangers to obedience. If one can obey the rule of dress code, one can easily obey many other rules that come along because wearing uniform is one of the most basic. This cuts both ways.
Have our Say A shabbily dressed person, wearing a school uniform, automatically condemns the school. If a school cannot even get students to adhere to a dress code, the school itself cannot be up to scratch. Do we still have pride in belonging to a school? Oh yes we do. And by diving into the uniform every morning we show that we belong and that we are proud of it. It is strange but this pride may not have anything to do with the status of the school. We are still proud of the school we belong to, never mind circumstances. Protection is something every single being needs and uniforms have the power to give that. How? Good question. If you are seen by a police officer with a group of youngsters who are not in uniform like you, and you are all under suspicion by the police officer of smoking or gambling, the police officer will definitely pay most attention to everyone but you, because school uniform gives you the good boy or good girl look. Therefore, the uniform is your bulwark from appearing as a juvenile delinquent. Ultimately what I personally like to call Class Equalisation. You are not able to
as we must then look at casual clothes and the “war about labels” will start. Will I get bullied if Mom and Dad cannot afford the latest fashion? The Air Jordan takkies? This is exactly what European kids are experiencing. Can we handle this situation if school uniforms should go? Another thorn in the flesh which is indeed the saddest is the fact uniforms cost some kids their future. One can not be enrolled because one does not have the proper uniform or even worse does not have any. It is a rare case but I believe it is happening. Uniforms make us look the same. Our individualism goes. We cannot express ourselves via our preferred attire. That is of course relevant and it is true; hence European kids do not use uniforms. So it will be a trade-off. One thing that majority of school attending youngsters face is bullying. This type of bullying here is outside the school, not inside the gates. Again, you are with friends and two of you are in uniform. The bullies will target you two because uniform depicts vulnerability. Another fact I have found: Uniform compels us to appear younger than we really are which is not really positive for the self-critical learners. In my opinion, school uniforms promote immaturity. The opposite of school uniform is freedom. Not wearing uniform frees us from all the above mentioned.
Conclusion
identify the well-off and the financially challenged learners in a school by looking at their apparel because they are all the same.
No to school uniform Let us begin with something that is a thorn in every parent’s flesh when it comes to school uniform: cost. The same amount of money used to purchase one complete school uniform can buy casual clothes by the truck load. However, that might not be so clear-cut after all,
Is there really a conclusion? I am not sure myself. There is an initiative to standardise school uniforms: grey pants/skirt, white shirt, jersey, windbreaker (not blazer) and that is it. The only thing allowed to differentiate is a badge. THAT will cut the cost of uniforms down to something affordable across the board. But will the expensive private schools play ball? My “mini”-survey has shown that “yes” is weightier than the “no”. I conclude by saying, that the majority of students I have spoken to are “Yes to Uniform” supporters and the reason is simply representation. The majority cannot imagine the world without uniforms because they are incentives for the sense of belonging. It lets people know what you stand for and not only the school itself but the fact that the school is our future.
The REAL Nobel Prize
D
id you read the article about the Ig Nobel prize (see page 40.)? Well, here is a bit on the real thing. So, let’s start… and this is also inspired by Wikipedia, OK. “The Nobel Prize is a set of annual international awards bestowed in a number of categories by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and/or scientific advances. “The will of the Swedish philanthropist inventor Alfred Nobel established the prizes in 1895. The prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, Literature, and Peace were first awarded in 1901”. It goes far back in time. This was the time of great inventions. The world was moving in those days. But who was this Mr. Nobel? “Alfred Nobel was born on 21 October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden. He was a chemist, engineer, and inventor. In 1894, Nobel purchased the Bofors company, which he made into a major armaments manufacturer. Nobel amassed a fortune during his lifetime, with most of his wealth coming from his 355 inventions, of which dynamite is the most famous” Bofors? Dynamite? Arms trade? What is this now. Let’s dive into it: “Bofors expanded into weapons manufacture when steel began to be used for gun manufacture. The company’s first cannon workshop was opened in 1884. Bofors’ most famous owner was Alfred Nobel” and “The name Bofors is strongly associated with a 40 mm anti-aircraft gun used by both sides during World War II.” So, his money came from selling guns to all and sundry after all? Ok, dynamite then. By and large, the mines used black powder or nitro-glycerin. Those things are dangerous. They had a tendency to explode when they shouldn’t. So, Nobel invented dynamite. Far safer and easier to handle. So Mr. Nobel had a lot of money, but how did he get this idea of creating the Nobel Prize? Donating all his money created a fund which is right now sitting at some $450 million. 14
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“In 1888, Nobel was astonished to read his own obituary, titled The merchant of death is dead, in a French newspaper. It was actually Alfred’s brother Ludvig who had died. The article made him think about how he would be remembered. This inspired him to change his will” So, he read about how other people saw him, before he was even dead. That must have been a shock. Well, it was insofar as he did something about it. He created his own legacy in his own life time! Not many people can do that. Who are Nobel Prize winners?: Here are some: Mother Theresa: you know her; Erwin Rudolf Josef Alexander Schrödinger who developed quantum theory, which formed the basis of wave mechanics; Pablo Neruda: Writer; Ernest Rutherford was a chemist and physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics; Kuen Kao who pioneered the development and use of fibre optics in telecommunications. Kao is known as the “Godfather of Broadband”; Niels Henrik David Bohr was a Danish physicist looking into atomic structure and quantum mechanics; Nelson Mandela: Peace price in 1993; and many more. Is it all then plain sailing? It has caused more upheaval and grief and strife than any other prize. Some people were overlooked: Gandhi, Tolstoy, Václav Havel, Ken Saro-Wiwa, Sari Nusseibeh and Corazon Aquino as just a few. Some made a name for themselves by declining the prize, some were prevented by their governments to go and collect the prize. It is not easy to be good! Now, try to compare this to the Ig Nobel prize. I like both of them. Most fascinating is that some of the Nobel Prize winners are also Ig Nobel prize winners. Ig Nobel may be fun, but it is also serious. Question is: what can we learn? Is there something to learn? Oh yes. The ultimate achievement in whichever way you want to look at it is the Nobel Prize. You cannot aim higher. That is the ultimate. Finish and klaar!
HOW DO YOU GET TO SCHOOL?
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t is transport month and with more learners commuting to school these days, the issue of transport proves to be a significant part of their daily lives which impacts on their education.
There are some main types of transport used by school children which are train, taxis, buses and private cars, with a few using motorbikes and bicycles. Footing it to school is also a part of the picture.
What causes learner transport usage?
With the variety of transport modes available for daily use, learners use those that best suit their parent’s pockets.
Most parents seek better schools for their children and since most of these schools are far from their homes, they then resort to having their kids commuting to school. In rural areas, educational and learning facilities are very far from the homes. Getting to school for children in these areas poses a problem. Relocation/moving of families from one town to the other during the school year also lead to children having to commute to school, because most schools do not enrol learners after a set closing date. Merging of schools for reasons such as shortage of educators or school building renovations, and a whole lot of other issues, also lead to transport usage by learners.
What’s the government role? The provincial education district contracts buses in some instances to help the learners get to school on time safely. Although a lot of learners are able to get to school by the provided contracted school buses, most of them are not happy.
What are learners saying? Vusi Nkosi a sixteen year old grade 10 learner, had nothing good to say about how he gets to school. “Sometimes we get to school late, and in some cases the bus does not even arrive to pick us up! You then either walk, hitch-hike or miss school for that day and hope it will come the next day’’. > > > H OLA M A H IGH - SC H OOL
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Transport It is alleged that these contracted school buses are usually old and rusty, especially those in the rural areas. The education department has in the past promised to look into this matter, but nada! These old buses are still seen on roads carrying schoolchildren each day. Boitumelo Skhosana, a grade 4 learner boards a taxi to school. “I use a taxi every weekday to school and I am very seldom late, bur there are bad days’’. Skhosana blames the taxi drivers for the days she gets to school late. “Some taxi drivers do not have a drivers license and if he sees a roadblock in the morning, he would take
another route to avoid being caught, which is usually a much longer route, and as a result, I would be late for school and also, our lives are put in danger’’, she added. Boitumelo is not the only one who is not happy about having to use a taxi. Lebogang Moeng is a third year student and also boards a taxi to varsity. “I use a taxi and I am not happy with it. I am late most of the time; taxi drivers disregard passengers and drag on driving around looking for more passengers”. The good news is that Lebogang won’t be pointing up and down for too long. “I am getting my own transport soon and I cannot wait!” Taxi drivers cause a lot of the car accidents reported daily. They are always competing against one another in a bid to get a lot of what they call ‘checking’ (money made for the day). They forget that the passengers’ lives come first. Yes, you are always on time for school, but with a deep sigh of ‘thank God I made it’, the moment you get off and close the taxi door behind you. 16
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Irrespective of the mode of transport one uses to get to school, accidents happen anywhere and at anytime. Statistics have shown that driver error is responsible for at least 90% of all vehicle collisions, yes, that is the sad truth! Recently, there was a series of road accidents where many lives were lost including school children. Last month, eight children were killed in a horror school bus crash in Inonda, KwaZulu-Natal. Another recent accident occurred in Maraisburg, Gauteng, where 14 schoolchildren were hurt after the bakkie they were travelling in, skidded on spilt diesel fuel and crashed head-on with another vehicle. These
are just two of many other reported car accidents involving school children. Can you imagine how many other unreported accidents there are in the rural areas? Vivian Mabogoane uses a bus to varsity. “University is far from home, that is why I have to commute to varsity”. Mabogoane further said that it is her fault that she is sometimes late for class. “I hate having to wake up very early. I struggle, so I would miss the bus in the mornings. However, when I do manage to catch the bus, I find the driver and fellow passengers very friendly, the bus is in a good condition and it never breaks down”. This is a nice accolade to BRT and Metrobus. It actually works pretty well! For once it is not just bad news, but also honour those who deserve it. For Lucky Ntosh, the train is the way to go. “My parents give me a taxi fare, but I use a train to school every day. Unfortunately the train station is far and I have to walk a long distance’’, says Lucky.
Transport Paledi Chuene, a Grade 12 student, also boards a train to school, but unlike Lucky, she does not have another alternative. “The train is affordable and I use it every day. I always sit next to the security a guard because they mug people at the back. One has to be careful’’, he says. Portia Digomo is also a train commuter, but with different reasons from those of Paledi and Lucky. “I first catch a local taxi, and then get off at the train station. It makes things easier for me because varsity is nearby the train station. If I had to use a taxi, it would then mean that I would have to walk a long distance because I get off very far from the varsity”, says Portia, a first year varsity student. That is not the only thing
Portia had to say on being a train commuter. “The disadvantage about the train is that sometimes I am late for lectures when they do what is called ‘all change’ where we have to get of the train and board another one. It gets frustrating especially when it gets stuck. in the middle of nowhere. We just sit in the train with the hope of it getting fixed soon so we can get moving again. It can really get bad”. added Digomo. Portia’s story sounds familiar right? Well. There have been complains about the impossible train station routes that sees a lot of people having to walk long distances to get to the stations. The train is inflexible, it gets stuck in the middle of nowhere and you have to wait for hours before another one gets there. Another train commuter mentioned that they have to wait for more than forty five minutes or longer for the train. They are sometimes left stranded when the train does not come at all, without any prior notice. So that also makes the train unreliable. School children are exposed to all unnecessary daily
risks on the roads. If commuting by train is not safe for an adult, what about school children? There are also a lot of crimes committed on trains, such as cell phone and money theft, or whatever valuable you have on you, and oh, what about the overcrowding? Although the train has its negative elements, there were very few reported train accidents since the beginning of this 2012. Khana Ndumo, an eighteen year old Grade 12 student, gets dropped off at the school premises and picked up after her afternoon extra lessons by her mother. ‘’It makes things easier for both of us, but we have to wake up very early in the morning to beat the peak
hour traffic’’, says Ndumo. So although the ride may be comfortable, it is not all bliss. Peter Matsebula drives from Mpumalanga to Gauteng everyday. “I drive to varsity and I do not have any problem as having your own ride makes things easier. The only thing I have to deal with on a daily basis is the impatient fellow road users.” said the final year student. To complete the picture, 70% of South African school children walk to school. As shocking as this is, it’s a reality. These children’s lives are at risk. One can easily get knocked down by a passing car or get abducted. Luckily, there are traffic police who help these children to cross busy intersections. Snekhaya Jona says she walks to school every day. ‘’It is tiring and I get to school tired, I am tired throughout the first session, and when it’s raining it gets really bad’’, says the Grade 11 learner. Statistics shows, according to a survey by the South > > > H OLA M A H IGH - SC H OOL
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Transport African Civil Society Information Service, that only 200 000 learners are provided with transport in South Africa. Aug 6 2007, saw the birth of the Shova Kalula projects. The aim of this project is to address transport challenges in unde-serviced communities (www. kzntransport.gov.za/programmes/shova_kalula/ Shova Rollout Plan Final Amendments 06 Aug 2007. pdf). What happens is that learners are given bicycles to help them to get to school, instead of having to walk long distances. This is something entirely new and a very clever initiative. I wonder if it could spill over into Gauteng?
The minister of transport, Sbusiso Ndebele always urges motorists to be cautious on the roads. These rules must also be respected and adhered to. You cannot drive without an authorized and valid driver’s license, not only are you endangering your life, you are also putting other roads users’ lives at risk. The Department of Education needs to work together with the Department of Transport on the issue of learner transport. Learner transport should be made a thing of national interest as improving learner transport, gives access to education. Children are the future of our country, and the rest of the world, and they need to be respected and protected from these unnecessary daily risks on the roads.
What should be done?
On a lighter note
It should not only be the government’s duty in ensuring that children get to school safely. Parents should also get involved, and not leave it all to the government.
Patience Mare and Kamogelo Motsepe are taxi mates. They have their meeting spot where they then walk together to catch a taxi. Motsepe likes loud music while Mare prefers silence or just listening to the radio.
Some parents do not even know how their children get to school. They are not aware of the struggles their children have to face to get to school on a daily basis. Should something bad happen to their children, the parents look for someone to use as a scapegoat. An awareness campaign needs to be initiated to teach children how and where they can report bad driving by their school bus drivers or taxi drivers. They also have to report situations that may pose as a threat to their lives such as unroadworthy vehicles or buses and those in appalling conditions, and let us not forget the buses that never pitch, leaving the school children stranded! 18
“Every time I try to stop a taxi for us, my friend won’t get on it if it is quiet and the taxi is wrecked up”, says Mare, laughing. “So we always have to wait for a loud and nice taxi”, says Mare. Motsepe does not deny it. “If the driver is an old man, I will not get on the taxi. They drive slowly and the ride is boring”. It is clear that learners have their preferences when it comes to which taxis they catch, hence most local taxi drivers make sure that their taxis are nicely sported and always have the latest music collection blaring for their young and trend-loving passengers. By Thabisile Masimula.
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Bursa
Follow the dti Road to Career Success Undergraduate Bursary Opportunities
The Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) intends awarding comprehensive bursaries during the 2013 academic year to qualifying applicants wishing to further their studies in scares skills fields aligned to the mandate of the dti. Applications are welcome from across the nine provinces, as follows: Fields of Study BCom Economics BCom Econometrics BCom Statistics BCom Economics & Econometrics BCom Economics & Statistics
• • • • • • • • • •
Requirements English 60-69 level 5 Mathematics 60-69 level 5 English 60-69 level 5 Mathematics 70-79 level 6 English 60-69 level 5 Mathematics 70-79 level 6 English 70-79 level 6 Mathematics 70-79 level 6 English 70-79 level 6 Mathematics 70-79 level 6
NB! In addition to the above requirements, applicants should: • • • •
Currently be in the process of completing or has completed grade 12 but not registered at a University; Be South African citizens; Show proof of admission (provisional admission to a higher education institution where the applied field of study is offered); and Submit completed bursary application forms, available via the dti website: www.thedti.gov.za (Click on the following link: ‘Careers at the dti’).
Completed bursary application forms, together with copies of admission letters, ID photos and certified copies of certificates/performance results, should be directed to the following address: Attention: Mr Norman Hlungwani Department of Trade and Industry Private Bag X84 Pretoria 0001 For enquiries, contact Norman Hlungwani via telephone: (012) 394 3423 or e-mail: NHlungwani@thedti.gov.za Preference will be given to qualifying applicants from previously disadvantaged groups. Persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
The closing date for undergraduate bursary applications is 31 October 2012. Customer Contact Centre: 0861 843 384 ● Website: www.thedti.gov.za
Bursary advert 2012_210x148.indd 1
2012/08/28 9:55 AM
UNIVERSITIES University
Faculty
Closing Date
Registration date
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Univ 041 504 2075 www.nmmu.ac.za
All Programmes
01 Aug 2012
Still to be released
North West University 018 299 2601 www.nwu.ac.za
Selection Programmes All other programmes
30 June 2012 30 Sept 2012
Still to be released
Rhodes University 046 603 8148 www.ru.za
All Programmes
30 Sept 2012
Still to be released
University of Cape Town 021 650 2105/6 www.uct.ac.za
All Programmes 30 Sept 2012 Science, Commerce, Health Engineering Humanities Law
30 Jan 2013 29 Jan 2013 28 Jan - 6 Feb 2013 6 Feb 2013
University of Fort Hare All Programmes 30 Sept 2012 Guide sent to success- 040 653 2312 ful applicants www.ufh.ac.za University of Johannesburg 011 489 3000 www.uj.ac.za
Health Sciences 27 July 2012 Law 31 Aug 2012 Art, Design, Architecture, 28 Sept 2012 Economics, Financial Sciences, Engineering, Built Environment Management, Science Education 26 Oct 2012
University of Pretoria 012 420 4111 www.up.ac.za
Economic & Management 30 June 2012 Sciences (Selection Programmes) Economic and Management 31 July 2012 Sciences (All other Programmes) Education 30 Sep 2012 Engineering, Built Environment and IT (Selection) 30 June 2012 Engineering, Built Environment 30 Sept 2012 and Information Technology (All Other) Health Sciences 31 May 2012 Humanities (Selection) 30 June 2012 Humanities (All Other) 30 Sept 2012 Law 30 June 2012 Natural and Agricultural Sciences 30 Sept 2012 Theology 30 Sept 2012 Veterinary Science 31 May 2012
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Online 14 Jan 2013 Other 28 - 30 Jan 2013
28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013 28 Jan - 7 Feb 2013
University
Faculty
Closing Date
Registration date
University of KwaZulu-Natal 031 260 2227 www.ukzn.ac.za
Medicine All other programmes
30 June 2012 30 Sept 2012
41288 41298
University of Limpopo (MEDUNSA) (MEDUNSA) 015 268 2140 www.ul.ac.za
Medicine, Dentistry, Dental Therapy, Oral Hygiene, Pharmacy Radiography, Physiotherapy All other programmes
31 Aug 2012
Still to be realeased
31 Oct 2012
Still to be realeased
University of Limpopo (Turfloop) 015 268 2140 www.ul.ac.za
All Programmes
30 Sept 2012
University of South Africa All programmes 17 Sept 2012 012 429 3111 www.unisa.ac.za
Dates available November 2012
University of Stellenbosch Health Sciences 021 808 4654 All other programmes www.sun.ac.za University of the Western Cape All programmes 021 959 2911 www.uwc.ac.za
31 May 2012 30 June 2012
Still to be released
30 Sept 2012
Still to be released
University of the Free State 051 401 2114 www.ufs.ac.za
31 May 2012
Still to be released
28 Sept 2012
Still to be released
University of Venda All Programmes 015 962 8000 www.univen.ac.za
29 Oct 2012
Still to be released
University of Witwatersrand BA (Speech & Hearing), Health 011 717 1102 Sciences Programmes, and www.wits.ac.za Architecture All Other Programmes
30 June 2012
Still to be released
31 Aug 2012
Still to be released
University of Zululand Nursing 035 902 6624 Science & Agriculture www.uzulu.ac.za
26 Sept 2012 15 Oct 2012
Still to be released Still to be released
Walter Sisulu University All programmes 047 502 2200 www.wsu.ac.za
31 Oct 2012
Still to be released
Selection Programmes (Except Nursing) All other programmes (Including Nursing)
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21
UNIVERSITIES OF TECHNOLOGY
University
Faculty
Date
Registration date
Cape Peninsula University Nursing, Design and Architecture 31 July 2012 of Technology All Other Programmes 31 Aug 2012 021 460 3911 www.cput.ac.za Central University of Technology All programmes 31 Oct 2012 051 507 3911 www.cut.ac.za Durban University of Technology Somatology & Chiropractic 031 373 2411 Graphic Design www.dut.ac.za Dental Technology All Other Programmes Mangosuthu University of Technology Some Agric & Health & I T 031 907 7111 & Nature Conservation www.mantec.ac.za
Still to be released Still to be released
Still to be released
15 Aug 2012 31 Aug 2012 23 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2012
41288 41288 41288 41288
30 Sept 2012
41288
Tshwane University of Technology 012 382 5911 www.tut.ac.za
Medical Orthotics, Nature Conservation, Radiography, Dental Technology All Other Programmes
15 June 2012
Still to be released
15 Aug 2012
Still to be released
Vaal University of Technology 016 950 9214/5 www.vut.ac.za
All Programmes
30 Oct 2012
Still to be released
University of Johannesburg’s Auckland Park campus 22
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FURTHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING COLLEGES FETs Faculty Date Boland College Buffalo All Programmes Still to be released Capricorn All Programmes Still to be released Central Johannesburg All Programmes Still to be released Coastal KZN All Programmes Still to be released College of Cape Town All Programmes Still to be released Eastcape Midlands All Programmes Still to be released Ehlanzeni All Programmes Still to be released Ekurhuleni East All Programmes Still to be released Ekurhuleni West All Programmes 31 Oct 2012 Elangeni All Programmes Still to be released Esayidi All Programmes Still to be released False Bay All Programmes Still to be released Flavius Mareka All Programmes 01 Sept 2012 Gert Sibande All Programmes Still to be released Goldfields All Programmes Application forms only available during registration King Hintsa All Programmes Still to be released Lephalele All Programmes Still to be released Lovedale Public All Programmes Still to be released Majuba All Programmes Still to be released Maluti All Programmes Still to be released Motheo All Programmes Still to be released Northern Cape Rural All Programmes Still to be released Northern Cape Urban All Programmes Still to be released Northlink All Programmes Still to be released Orbit All Programmes Open Oct 2012 Port Elizabeth All Programmes Still to be released Sedibeng All Programmes Still to be released Sekhukhune FET All Programmes Still to be released South Cape All Programmes Still to be released South West Gauteng All Programmes Still to be released Taletso All Programmes Still to be released Thekwini All Programmes Still to be released Tshwane North All Programmes Still to be released Tshwane South All Programmes Still to be released Umfolozi All Programmes Still to be released Umgungundlovu All Programmes Still to be released Vhembe All Programmes Still to be released Vuselela All Programmes Still to be released Waterberg All Programmes Still to be released West Coast All Programmes Still to be released Western All Programmes Still to be released
Registration date Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released On letter of acceptance Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released NCV January, NATED January and July Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Registration now open Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released Registration opened 3 Sept 2012 Still to be released Still to be released Still to be released
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23
In Our Next Issue November is close to school holidays. And finishing exams in great style I should hope. We plan to have an article on the international drug trade. Who and where and how. Where does SA fit into it, and so on. This will be rather dramatic reading and please look forward to it. It is an article by Rofhiwa, our star writer on international aspects. We might also see a Beauty Supplement. It is something I have wanted to do for some time, but it goes with sponsorship. It will be a set of tips and advice from an expert group, and it will be for both girls and boys. Boys also use products! Our Person of Note article will be Marcus Garvey. Ever heard about him? Oh no? Just a few words: Marcus Garvey was a Jamaican political leader, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black nationalism and PanAfricanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). He founded the Black Star Line, part of the Back-to-Africa 24
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movement, which promoted the return of the African diaspora to their ancestral lands. Now that should be interesting reading. The main article will in all likelihood be on gap year considerations and summer holidays. Gap year is both a yes and a no. So we will try to go behind the easy answers and try to get some people to talk about it. There will be an article on indigenous languages. Actually a horrible word, really. In essence, the article will be on our South African reality: English is used more and more. Where will other official languages go? Die out? Or adapt? It leads to the other question: is it important? What if I cannot say “elbow” in Zulu? We may even see an article about how hard it is to do an article in SePedi. Book reviews are here to stay! The quote game is rather fun so those will always be there. The competitions are driving me up the wall. I promised we will be better at it. I have a hope that we will have all the prizes distributed in November. There are some nice one’s.
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Now, enough on this. Please look forward to the last issue this year in the first week of November.
Sybil
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Success Avenue is where we going. Join the Limitless Youth. www.nyda.gov.za 0800 52 52 52
Find us on facebook Search for National Youth Development Agency Check us on youtube; www.youtube.com/NYDASouthAfrica
Follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/NYDARSA
Tips on Careers
I
H ow I m porta nt
i s yo u r f i rst j o b?
am Thabisile Masimula, born on March 7, 1990 in Luckau, Limpopo. I was a very quiet and shy kid growing up. So, instead of playing house and with dolls, I would curl myself up with a book and a pencil and just write. After completing Grade 12 in 2006, at 16, I took a gap year and afterwards enrolled with Tshwane University of Technology where I studied Journalism. Finding out the importance of the very first job I was in my second year at varsity when I began job hunting. There was no pressure at first, but when I realized that the end of the year was approaching and I was not getting anything, that’s when I was like, ok, what now. I started getting worried. The first job is very important. It is whereby I had to apply all that I learned in the three years of studying. You have to put all your skills to practice and they have to prove to be valuable and efficient, and of course, good! I believe that the first job prepares you for many other opportunities that will come knocking at your door at the prime of your career. The first job either makes or breaks your career, and if you made a wrong career choice, that is where and when you will realize that you need to make a change. What I did to secure my first job Getting my first job was not easy, ok. I do not recall how many CV’s I sent out for employment, but there were many, with a few responses here and there. I used to buy newspapers every day, sent my CV and ... nothing! I would browse the internet for jobs in job portals, apply and then wait for that call. Although I went for a few interviews, I never succeeded. I was starting to think that I was cursed, hahaha. I never lost hope and I prayed a lot (I still do pray) and it helped me a lot in terms of having faith and the belief. Prayer kept me going strong and positive. I recall this one interview for a very good job. I knew 26
that I did well at the interview and you know what, I waited for the call until I couldn’t wait anymore. Ok, this is how I got my first job. I learned about this sports newspaper. I Contacted the editor, he asked for my CV, and then came the interview. He was impressed and as they say, the rest is history, right? How the first job got me to realise that working in a professional environment is very different My first job made me realize that working in a professional environment is so different to what I had in mind and to what we see in the media. Firstly, I was still a student and I had to adapt to the professional environment. Secondly, DEADLINES! They were nightmares but I made it my first priority to always deliver on time. DISCIPLINE also played a major role in terms of work and having to meet your targets. Being a journalist means going out there, getting the story, talking to people and submitting your article. I did all that and I also had to juggle both work and my studies. That wasn’t easy but because I was doing what I love, I enjoyed every second of it. I happened to work with veteran journalists and as overwhelming as it was, I had to develop a strong character and keep my eye on the ball. My colleagues inspired me a lot, you know what they say “Positive thinking gets contagious”, and so I guess it was rubbing off on me. My advice to others I advise learners to be careful when choosing a career, be sure it is what you really want to do, not because your friend is also doing it or your family wants you to. While you are still studying, find out about companies who hire/specialise in what you want to do, Contact them and build a rapport with them. Talking and surrounding yourself with people you look up to will also prove to be advantageous when you start job hunting. Stay positive, know what you want, keep your eye on the ball and work hard.
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NYDA
Wherever you are headed, contact us to guide you there. Be the best you can be.
National Youth Development Agency
@nydaRSA
08600 YOUTH (96884) • www.nyda.gov.za
NYDA_Matrics_HOLAMATRIC.indd 1
OUR YOUTH. OUR FUTURE.
2012/10/12 3:03 PM
Study Loan
NEED A STUDY LOAN OR A BURSARY? — Slindokuhle Mbuyisa looks at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), which combines the idea of a loan and bursary for the benefit of the student.
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IF YOU ARE: • Still at school and figuring out how to fund further studies; • Currently studying and needing funds to continue or further your studies; • A young adult wanting to study further but needing financial assistance; or • An employer who would like to find a way for his or her employees’ children to have brighter futures, then this Q & A will guide you and give you a sense of the role that NSFAS plays.
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Note: Application for a study loan should be made at the institution where you would like to study, not at NSFAS.
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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a loan and bursary administration scheme, operating in terms of Act 56 of 99.
A n
ACT A NSFAS study loan or bursary is for those who do not
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Study Loan have the financial means to fund their studies and / or cannot access bank funding, study loans or bursaries. What is a student loan? The money that you borrow to cover the costs associated with your tertiary studies. The study loan does need to be repaid WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT A NSFAS STUDY LOAN? The student loans attract a very low interest rate. We will grant study loans without need for guarantees or sureties. Depending on the student’s academic results, portions of the loan can be converted to a bursary. A very reasonable repayment plan, based on your earnings. All repaid student loans are recycled to fund more needy students. WHO DO WE ASSIST WITH A STUDY LOAN? Academically deserving students who meet the following criteria:
• A South African citizen; • Registered at a South African university or university of technology; • An undergraduate, studying for a first higher educational qualification; or • Studying for a second higher qualification (if necessary to practise in your chosen profession. Eg: LLB or HDE); • Able to demonstrate potential for academic success; and • In need of financial assistance. HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT GETTING A STUDY LOAN? NSFAS does not allocate funds directly to students but here’s the plan: • First, apply at the educational institution where you are planning to study. Some institutions will issue you with an application for study together with an application for financial aid. You need to enquire from the institution about their processes and deadlines for both. • Submit both applications to the institution and if you have any questions contact the Financial Aid Office (FAO) on campus who will evaluate your ability to succeed in your chosen study direction.
Study Loans
Here is a comprehensive list of a select few Private FET’s and Colleges which may be of interest to you! Avusa Media Limited Contact: Mr R Morena Tel: 011 280 3000 Fax: 011 328 2754
Life Healthcare Group (Pty) Ltd Contact: Anupa Singh Tel: 011 219 9000 Fax: 011 219 9001
Birnam Business College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr J Muchivete Tel: 011 887 2540 Fax: 011 887 4678
Regenesys Management (Pty) Ltd Contact: Welhelmien Hanger Tel: 011 669 5000 Fax: 011 603 0301
Boston City Campus and Business College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr R Wright-Parkin Tel: 011 485 2838 Fax: 011 485 4591
SA Maritime School Contact: Ms M Fitt Tel: 031 337 7889 Fax: 031 337 0556
Ekurhuleni Computer College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms Nolubabalo Mcinga Tel: 011 740 5902 Fax:011 740 5902
Brooklyn City College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr Ivan Senyomo Tel: 012 342 0206 Fax: 012 324 3465
Sanamik Financial Training and Services (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr M C Chikeka Tel: 011 339 6688 Fax: 086 562 4331
Hatfield Tuition and Skills Development Center (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr Frederik J Burger Tel: 012 323 5665 Fax:086 537 0452
ESDA Nursing Education Institution Contact: Ms Yolanda Els Tel: 011 817 2395 Fax: 011 817 5480
Sanlam Life Insurance Limited Contact: Dr J Van Zyl Tel: 013 752 5430 Fax: 013 752 7199
FirstRand STI Administration (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms K Selamolela Tel:012 673 3268 Fax: 012 660 6501
Shoprite Checkers (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr J W Basson Tel: 021 980 4000 Fax: 021 980 4050
Jeppe College of Commerce and Computer Studies (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr H Hlatywayo Tel: 011 333 7846 Fax: 011 337 0379
South African Academy for Hair and Skincare Technology (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mrs Sonja Wilders Tel: 086 375 5283 Fax: 086 375 5283
Gijima Holdings (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms A Verster Tel: 012 657 5000 Fax: 012 675 5400 Intec College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr Theuns Laubscher Tel: 021 419 6700 Fax: 021 419 1210
City View Business College (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr U Mwebe Tel: 011 333 8757 Fax: 011 333 8757
Khulisane Academy (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms M P Burden Tel: 087 751 3576 Fax: 086 693 3918 Shell and BP South African Petroleum Refineries (Pty) Ltd Contact: Kumaran Gungarajoo Tel: 031 480 1713 Fax: 031 480 1654
Damelin (Pty) Ltd Contact: Dr L Nair Fax: 011 796 2069 Edcon Retail Academy (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms Nivy Moodley Tel: 011 495 6000 Fax: 011 837 5019
La Louve Private Hair Academy (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms D Cilliers Tel: 012 548 1199 Fax: 086 565 2519 Masstores (Pty) Ltd Contact: Ms G Malada Tel 011 797 0000 Fax 011 339 3657 Mediclinic Ltd Contact:Miss Avril Lynne Stroh Tel: 021 809 6500 Fax: 021 886 6233
Clicks Retailers (Pty) Ltd Contact: Mr W Jordaan Tel: 011 222 5700 Fax: 086 631 8272
Menlyn Technical College (Pty) Ltd Contact:Mr B A Yasin Tel: 012 320 7111 Fax: 012 320 7111
CRL Beauty School Contact: Mrs C R Lategan Tel: 051 634 2074 Fax: 051 634 2074
Momentum Group Limited Contact: Ms Jeanette Hobson Tel: 012 673 7380 Fax: 086 647 3003
GET EDUCATED!!! 30
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Have Your Say
I
From point A to point B
n South Africa, this is easier said than done! This month is transport month. This is the month where we get to reflect upon and appreciate the transport systems of this country, our country, and how they get us from one point to the other.
system and its performance based on that of other countries. What I can say however, is that three years ago, when I was afforded the opportunity to travel to Austria and I experienced the transport system, the main system (trams), that form part of the main roads.
Perhaps one of the questions we should focus on this month is whether or not the transport systems to which we are exposed are associated with efficiency, safety and reliability.
Trams are no more than eight minutes apart and that, to say the least, was impressive. The tram system was efficient. It was safe. It was reliable. It basically encompassed the
South African taxis, busses, trains and even the aeroplanes are riddled with a number of problems, problems that our government desperately try to right the various wrongs through various initiatives, some of which have been a success and others, well the others have left much room for improvement.
A Tram in Vienna, Austria.
I was fortunate enough to have grown up in an environment where I was not obliged to make use of taxi’s, buses and the like; however, that is not to say that I have necessarily missed out on some of the experiences with making use of a taxi. Recently I engaged with the public transportation system in this country and not only did I learn to appreciate little pleasures like riding a bicycle or walking when the situation allows for it. Now, I have not been afforded the opportunity to travel as much as I would like so it would not be fair to judge South Africa’s transport
bulk of the criteria that one would think is an essential factor of ensuring that the transport experience of the masses that rely on it is both beneficial and serviceable. The situation is not quite the same in South Africa. I’ve made use of the Metro Bus system in Johannesburg and I, like most South Africans, have had less than pleasant experiences. Not only are drivers discourteous, but the level of efficiency leaves much to be desired; why have a bus timetable if the busses never keep to the schedule? The inconvenience caused by the unreliability of the buses and train
system makes people weary of the systems and discourage people from utilising them. So what are some of the solutions? The government is to be commended for its efforts to facilitate the transport issues that are rife - it introduced the Rea-Vaya which is both safe and efficient and caters for many people in our society who cannot neccessarily afford transportation like the Gautrain. Gautrain is another innovative initiative to improve the low levels of transport in the country and also the traffic issues that are a great topic for discussion. I took my first trip on the Gautrain a few days ago and although it was an enjoyable experience, it happened to be a costly one as well. It cost me just under R50 to travel to and from Sandton. It would have cost just under R30 if I had taken a taxi but the question of safety would have come up. While it is a fact that we cannot compare our transportation systems to those in more developed countries because we are a country in transition, we are making our way forward to the developments that Western societies enjoy. But, shouldn’t we be able to trust all sources of transport, and one would assume that these are the kind of issues that need to be addressed, to ensure a pleasent experience for all South Africans when we travel from point A to point B. By Rofhiwa Madzena
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31
Quotes
The Quotes Game
S
omehow, we got a lot of feed-back on the
quotes game. I liked it very much myself. This is fun, so we will make it a part of the magazine. Here are the Oct quotes:
President Ronald Reagan
“It is time for us to realize that we’re too great a nation to limit ourselves to small dreams.” This shows something. A vision and a determination to go places! More of that, please! “General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”… and that was the end of the cold war. Just like that. It took a few more months, but it was over! However, as much as Reagan came out as a hawk, he settled the cold war. Amazing what a career in Hollywood can lead to! “Freedom is the right to question and change the established way of doing things”. Don’t tell me that I can’t do it! “The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is a friend and an ally — not a 20% traitor.” This is deep! Value people who are with you, but also people who can tell you if you are wrong.
George W Bush
“Promising too much can be as cruel as caring too little.” A person with a heart! “The road to tyranny, we must never forget, begins with the destruction of the truth.” The truth is universal. Look after it! “Yesterday is yesterday. If we try to recapture it, we will only lose tomorrow.” Go forward!
Ms. Margaret Thatcher
“Defeat – I do not recognise the meaning of the word!” She never did. And she still scares me! “I fight on, I fight to win.” Defeat was never an option.
General Patton
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” Do not micro-manage. Give people a task. But don’t start telling them how to do it. If you do, you can just as well do it yourself! “A good solution applied with vigour now is better than a perfect solution applied ten minutes later.” I love this one! Waiting for perfection? It might just as well never happen.
Churchill (The master of English) I have to do this. No way out of it!
“What we Republicans should stand for is growth in the economy. We ought to make the pie higher.” Did he really say that?
“The Times is speechless, and takes three columns to express its speechlessness.” Decipher this one please. It is called sarcasm
“More and more of our imports come from overseas.” Ahwee! It hurts to read.
“We know that he has, more than any other man, the gift of compressing the largest number of words into the smallest amount of thought.”… and it gets better!
“I will have a foreign-handed foreign policy.” What?! “They misunderestimated me.” Sure! “Liberty can be delayed, but it cannot be denied.” He did have a point sometimes. After all.
Bill Clinton
Clinton was a different president to try and gauge. Look at his quotes and forget the bad publicity for a moment. 34
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“Truth is incontrovertible. Panic may resent it, ignorance may deride it, malice may distort it, but there it is.” Do you need to look up a few words here? “For myself, I am an optimist – it does not seem to be much use being anything else.” Me too. Sign me up.
Send us your favourite quotes to holamahighschool@gmail.com
Be clear about your future. Apply to UJ now! Once reaching the third term of their Grade 12 school year, learners should know what future they hope to pave for themselves. It is crucial that matriculants become pro-active about their futures right now. Matriculants not being sure about what they want to do after completing their secondary education has often been cited as the reason for late or walk-in applications. This is why we are sending the message to encourage all those matriculants wanting to further their studies, to be clear about their future. Make sure you know what you want to study while you are still in Grade 12. Don’t wait for your results in January. You will be doing yourself a huge disservice. University entry in South Africa is competitive and space at UJ is always limited, as the demand is often much higher than the numbers we are able to admit. The Department of Higher Education and Training is in the process of rolling out a central applications system, which, once implemented, will be the first step towards totally eliminating physical walk-ins at tertiary institutions across the country. In line with this plan from the DHET, UJ also embarked on a campaign to promote early applications for students’ first year of study at the University. You’ve seen the notices and billboards across town. You’ve also heard the radio ads appealing to learners to “Be clear” about their future and to apply on time in 2012. Also introduced this year was UJ’s online application system where applicants can check the status of their application once it’s been submitted, as well as a toll-free number, made available to assist learners and their parents or guardians with the application process. Earlier in the year UJ spokesperson Herman Esterhuizen informed media that application deadlines vary for different programmes. “In some programmes the selection process may include the assessment of a portfolio of work as in art and design, for example, followed by an interview with the applicant”, he said. UJ has opened many doors for many of its students. So it is important for learners to apply on time so that they don’t miss out on those opportunities. For more information, visit the UJ website at www.uj.ac.za or call 0861 00 00 UJ (85). We also have a mobisite, which learners can access from their mobile phones at uj.mobi Remember, if you plan to begin your studies in January 2013, you need apply before the end of September of your Grade 12 year. No physical walk-in applications will be accepted in January 2013.
Books
Book Reviews by Thabisile Masimule
Don’t Tell Mummy - Toni Maguire Toni had the best childhood and lots of great memories growing up in England. Things changed for the worst as her father retired from the army. The family eventually moves to the Northern Ireland where Toni’s life is destroyed forever by her father, a man she never saw as her own parent, but only as their visitor and a man who made her mother very happy. This heartbreaking story of this little girl will make you cry and most definitely keep you turning the book’s pages in anticipation of what happens next. You are sure to be glued to the book as it is very well written. It will inspire you and change your life.
Black Diamond - Zakes Mda Black Diamond is a novel that tells the story of Don, an ex “guerilla” fighter during the apartheid years. He joined the force as a young boy but in the new South Africa, while some are reaping their political connection rewards they made during struggle times, he chooses to not have any of it, but to work his way up through hard work and earning his worth. Don Mathera is now a security guard dating an ambitious ex model who is determined to turn Don into a black diamond like some of his ex-guerilla friends, something that Don is not particularly keen on becoming. Zakes Mda really outdid himself with this novel. He did his research and told the story like a seasoned writer. Black Diamond is another typical black South African story of a certain group of people who are classified as, and some aspire to be. If you have read any of Zakes Mda’s previous books you will recognize his way of writing. He always maintains a stance of comical and vivid descriptive content which makes 36
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for an appealing read. Not only will you learn a lot about life after apartheid, law, about standing for something, self control, greed, trust, love, honesty, ambition, family, danger but you will also learn some very useful township lingo. Beautiful read!
Don’t Choke - Gary Player Gary Player is a golf Champion. Over five decades of his golfing career, Player relates his life as a golfer, his championships and what and how he was able to handle the pressure that came with it. The lessons that Player shares will not only be beneficial to golf players, but also to any other ordinary individual as well. Each chapter relates his championship golfing matches and the ‘choking’ challenges and how he managed to get past through those and actually win. It is an inspiring book, but not ideal for someone who is not fond of sport. But hey, try it and you might enjoy the read or become interested in sport!
Hate List - Jeniffer Brown Hate List is an alluring read. The book itself makes it very hard to put down. The opening lines of the book will most definitely grab your attention as Brown gives a vivid description of the Garvin High School shooting scene. Valerie Leftman, a teenager, helps boyfriend Nick compile a list of people they hate at school. Valerie doesn’t know Nick’s plan and after the shooting by the boyfriend who also dies, Valerie has to live with the guilt while she tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. The book is well written, it flows well and it is easy to read and understand. Hate list will be one of your all time favourite reads, that is a promise!
Books
New Novel Goes Straight To The Heart Writer and human rights advocate Kagiso Lesego Molope has published a poignant new youth novel, This Book Betrays my Brother, with publisher Oxford University Press Southern Africa. Set in the shifting South African landscape of the mid1990’s, the book delves into black middle-class life through the eyes of teenager Naledi, the narrator and protagonist. The story explores the bonds between Naledi and her charming and outgoing brother, Basi, whom she admires and who is adored by the rest of his family and community. After she unexpectedly witnesses him committing a crime, she is burdened with a choice between sibling loyalty and breaking the silence on sexual violence. About the author Kagiso Lesego Molope was born in 1976 in Atteridgeville, and graduated in English Literature from the University of Cape Town. Her first novel, Dancing in the Dust, was chosen as the South African English representative for the IBBY (International Board on Books for Young People) Honours List
in 2006, and has been translated into IsiZulu and IsiXhosa. Her second novel, The Mending Season, is also widely read in South African schools. She has worked as a counsellor and educator in human rights and violence against women. Book review quote from South African academic Professor Pumla Gqola, Associate Professor at the WITS School of Language and Literature Studies: “In a country where we speak ad nauseam about breaking the silence of sexualised violence, but seldom support those who speak out, Molope suggests that we need so much more than an obsession with silence and voice. She insists that we need a willed betrayal of the violent beloved and to refuse complicity. Molope goes to the very heart of the beast in South African contemporary life with unflinching gaze.”
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Marie Curie
A WOMAN ON A PASSIONATE MISSION
M
arie Skłodowska-Curie (7 November
1867 – 4 July 1934), was a French-Polish physicist and chemist, famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only woman to win in two fields, and the only person to win in multiple sciences. She was also the first female professor at the University of Paris (La Sorbonne), and in 1995 became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris. Her achievements included a theory of radioactivity (a term that she coined), techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes, and the discovery of two elements, polonium and radium. Under her direction, the world’s first studies were conducted into the treatment of neoplasms, using radioactive isotopes. She founded the Curie Institutes in Paris and in Warsaw, which remain major centres of medical research today. During World War I, she established the first military field radiological centres. Curie died in 1934 of aplastic anaemia, brought on by her years of exposure to radiation.
Let’s look a bit closer. During her studies in her early years, she subsided on her meagre resources, suffering 38
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from cold winters and occasionally fainting from hunger. Pierre Curie entered her life in 1894. Their mutual passion for science brought them increasingly closer. Eventually Pierre proposed marriage. She wanted to work and study in Poland, but she was denied a place at Kraków University because she was a woman. In December 1903 the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded Pierre Curie, Marie Curie and Henri Becquerel the Nobel Prize in Physics. At first, the Committee intended to honour only Pierre and Henri, but one of the committee members and an advocate of woman scientists, Swedish mathematician Magnus Goesta Mittag-Leffler, alerted Pierre to the situation, and after his complaint, Marie’s name was added to the nomination. Marie was the first woman to be awarded a Nobel Prize. International recognition for her work grew to new heights, and in 1911 the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded her a second Nobel Prize, this time for Chemistry She set up France’s first military radiology centre and directed the installation of twenty mobile radiological vehicles and another 200 radiological units at field hospitals in the first year of the First World War.
Success It is estimated that over one million wounded soldiers were treated with her x-ray units.
own money to provide equipment for the wounded soldiers.
In spite of all her efforts, Curie never received any formal recognition from the French government for her contribution during wartime. She was interred at the cemetery in Sceaux, alongside her husband Pierre. Sixty years later, in 1995, in honour of their achievements, the remains of both were transferred to the Panthéon, Paris. She became the first – and so far the only – woman to be honoured with interment in the Panthéon on her own merits.
Did she set out to prove that women can be just as good scientists as men? I am not sure of that either. How humiliating it must have been! She was the driving force behind the discoveries and they only wanted to recognise her husband (although involved, not the major force in this). He was invited to London to speak, not her. He was going to get a Nobel prize, not her.
Because of their levels of radioactivity, her papers from the 1890s are considered too dangerous to handle. Even her cookbook is highly radioactive. Her papers are kept in lead-lined boxes, and those who wish to consult them must wear protective clothing. What can we learn from her? Let us look at some of her achievements: • • • • •
First woman to get a Nobel prize. The only woman to win in two fields. The only person to win in multiple sciences. The first female professor at the University of Paris. The first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Panthéon in Paris.
I somehow know what I would have said, but we must also realise that the world at the turn of the century was much different. Maybe it was a mix of all of it. Passion for science and a determination not to get discouraged because of sexism. Do we still see this type of raw humiliation? Must women still prove themselves? In certain instances, yes. It is not always accepted to have a female chief. So, can we learn something from Madam Curie? The final thing to learn would be not to let go of the important focus. In her case it was science. She could have turned into a person hating men and the male
This is a lot of firsts! On top of it all, she had a family and in those days, the woman was supposed to keep the house going. How she juggled it all is not easy to imagine. Did she set out to be all these “firsts”? That I don’t think. She just did the right thing all the time. Her passion was science, and in pursuit of science, she achieved all these goals. I think those were by-products of her actions, not the end goal.
environment in which she operated, but she didn’t. It probably meant very little to her.
If this is now more spot-on, we have to look into what drove her. She was a fierce Polish nationalist but became a French citizen. She changed her loyalties to France, even to the extent where she used her
So, in short: keep focused on what’s important, let go of “baggage” which will drag you down and keep going. As Churchill said: “If you are going through hell, keep going!”
Keeping the eye on the ball is a nice term. In her case it might have been exactly what she did. Did she then become complacent? No, as France wanted, very late in the day, to give her a medal, she actually told them what to do with the medal! So she did have her convictions after all.
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Current Affairs
THE BIG UNKNOWN
W
hen you think of the term ‘power’ what
exactly comes to your mind? Influence, control, governments, rulers and what impact they have on our current society? When we think of the term ‘power’ we certainly don’t think of Facebook, Twitter or even blogging. Social networks have become a powerful platform on which people can interact, share the various elements of their lives, form friendships and much more. Social sites, including the most prominent –Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, have contributed to the world becoming more integrated and have put a blur on new trivial barriers like the distance between people. Interconnectivity is forming a vital part of our current society right now. In recent years we have seen the influence of the internet and social networking grow to heights and depths that surpass making friends; the simple act of ‘liking’ a page on Facebook or ‘re-tweeting’ a tweet on Twitter can lead to curing someone of cancer or as we have seen closer to home, cause the demise of governments. The internet is a force that cannot be stifled and we are more frequently than not seeing the changes impacting different governments around the globe and posing as a potent solution to the injustices of the world. Social networking did not start with Facebook, as we would like to think. We weren’t born the young adults that we are today. Just like a human, social networking was born, passed through infancy, adolescence and teenage-hood and is now a fully-fledged adult who is conquering the world through one computer, cellphone and iPad at a time. What started out as making and receiving telephone calls and faxing rapidly developed into texting by the use of cellphones. Emailing and blogging through desktops and laptops quickly turned into a web of connectivity that amazes everybody. At the time the mentioned forms of networking and communication seemed ingenious until the creation 42
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of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; not only did it suddenly become simpler to communicate with people from all corners of the world, but we were able to keep up with what was happening in the rest of the world as it happened! How? Through constant status updates and the comments that followed and new Twitter feeds. It’s a rare occurrence now that an individual has to switch on the radio or television, or browse through the pages of a newspaper or a magazine for the latest news and social feeds; we just logon to a social network and browse. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube along with the internet, have not only given rise to an environment where the world is literally at our fingertips, but has also presented itself as a pool filled with political liveliness with a budding relationship between we, the people, social networks and of course politics. Social Networking and the internet have had great influence on the establishment and the activities of civil society groups and social and political movements. While mass popular protests are by no means a new occurrence, gadgets are aiding more and more protests, particularly in the middle east and north Africa, where concepts like democracy are not so well entrenched. Here’s something to think about: The Middle East and
Current Affairs North Africa region has one of the most youthful populations in the world, with people under 25 making up between 35-45% of the population. This implies that the region is the one packed with young people who have been sensitized to concepts like human rights and suffrage and as it would appear, they want it all. Young people make up the majority of social media users, including millions of Facebook users, thousands with Twitter accounts and all have constant access to the internet according to the Arab Advisors Group. So add to your thinking the fact that it is understand-able that social networking and the internet would carry with it the colossal power we see unfolding right now. The Arab Spring, which has also been referred to as the Arab revolution, can be distinguished by the youth-led demonstrations and protests occurring in the Arab world that began on 18 December 2010. Now, pay close attention to the power and domino effect of social networks and the internet: In December 2010 in Tunisia, an ordinary man, who’s now considered to be extraordinary, Mohammed Bouazizi, set fire to himself. It was a desperate act of defiance following his failed attempts to work as a street vendor to support his family. This scene was captured by passers-by on video and the incident was posted on YouTube. You can only imagine the uproar this caused, and the protests for regime change that surfaced. On January 11th protests reached the centre of the capital city Tunis, and Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali responded by sending troops to contain the mass action but that did not deter the people from their mission for change.
President Ben Ali fled the country. Tunisia’s population of only 10 million became the first group of people in the Arab world to take to the streets and ‘boot out’ a president, driven by a single video which landed on the screens of virtually all the citizens. Tunisia’s government practiced some of the most repressive Internet censorship, but to no avail. Social media is simply too difficult to suppress, hence it is a factor to be reckoned with. Naturally this caused a domino effect and also opened the eyes of other populations. And so the Egypt revolution was born, one of the most widely publicised revolts by the people in recent history. An Egyptian businessman by the name of Khaled Said died after being beaten by police. He had stumbled upon a video that police had taken of themselves taking confiscated marijuana. His hope was to draw attention to police corruption so he posted it on YouTube, which you’ve already guessed, went viral. A Facebook page called ‘We Are all Khaled Said” was created to honour Khaled’s act of bravery. It featured horrific photos, shot with a cellphone. Those pictures contradicted the official explanations of his death. A little reminder of Steve Biko? The Facebook page attracted over half a million members. The Egyptian citizens in their thousands filled Cairo’s Tahrir Square under the watchful eye of a military which we saw in various news reports as reluctant to turn on the citizens. As with Tunisia the government sought to block access to Facebook and Twitter and severely restrict access to the Internet. That strategy failed just like in Tunisia, and another president was ousted by the sheer determination of the people and of course, social networks and the internet. The question that beckons is a crucial one: what will become of the other states in the world? Surely they have taken serious note of the powers that lie within posting videos, Facebook status updates and tweeting and that the internet is a force to be reckoned with! So what does this mean for other countries? Will China’s efforts to censor the internet, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube assist in keeping the current government in form or is it just a matter of time? Will Facebook and Twitter be our new way of spreading news? Is this the evolution or the revolution of interaction? Judge for yourself. > > > H OLA M A H IGH - SC H OOL
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