Activate Edition 2 by Activate Newspaper

Activate

Edition 2, 25 February 2014

INSIDE Call to legalise medicinal weed Page 4

LGBT party to contest elections Page 5

Human Chain a success? Page 6

Tunnel Vision Festival approaches Page 11

Eastern Cape enviro budget disappoints Page 13

RU Hockey goes national Page 15

Rhodes Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Independent Student Newspaper

Est. 1947

2 Editorial

25 February 2014

Activate Editor-in-Chief: Matthew Kynaston Deputy Editor: Rhea MacDonald Print Content Editor: Leah Solomon Online Editor: David Mann Finance Manager: Kamaria Balkisson Deputy Finance Manager: Alisha Basdow Art Director: Niamh Walsh- Vorster Chief Photo Editor: Michaela Weiffenbach Deputy Photo Editor: Megan Fisher On the cover: children wave South African flags during the Human Chain event on Friday 21 February. Above: children take shelter from the rain during the Human Chain event, Friday 21 February. Pictures: Niamh Walsh-Vorster.

Multimedia Editor: Tebo Ramosili Deputy Online Editor: Stephanie Shumba Chief Sub-editor: Heather Cameron Politics Editor: Nicholas McGregor Features Editor: Fundiswa Ndlovu A & E Editor: Sebastian Burger

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From the Editor The Human Chain last Friday was not the resounding success we had hoped it would be. The rain decided to dampen spirits and fewer than 2 000 people turned out - a far cry from the jubilant 5 000 originally hoped for. I don’t think that thousands more people would have arrived if the weather had been warm and sunny. I don’t think that we should get carried away feeling that lives have been changed. The danger is that people may go away from the event thinking that something more than holding hands has happened. No problems have been solved. I understand that the Human Chain was meant to commemorate the life and achievements of Nelson Mandela, and perhaps for some people it did that. But for others - people whose houses were being damaged by the rain that fell, or who could not take time off work because they need every rand they can earn - the event may have meant almost nothing. And it is these people who should be benefitting from the legacy of our former President.

You can read about our coverage of the event on page 6, and see videos and galleries on our website. Also in the paper on page 13 you will find a breakdown of how the Eastern Cape’s budget is spent in relation to envirnomental concerns. Of the massive R59 billion they had for 2013, less than R100 000 was spent on environmental governance outside of nature reserves. In a time of growing public understanding of the necessity for being environmentally concious, this tiny figure - just 0.168% of the total budget - is quite shocking. The Rhodes 1st hockey team was promoted to play in the Varsity Cup this year. They are going on a nation-wide tour in May and will be playing against the biggest sporting universities in the country - a tremendous achievement. Read about it on page 15. Make sure you check out our website for daily Rhodes news. With that, I hope you enjoy the paper! @MatthewKynaston

Lifestyle Editor: Sara Steiniger Environmental Editor: Jane Berg Sports Editor: Julia Fish Deputy Sports Editor: Nandi Pape Deisgners: Kuvaniah Moodley Cindy Archillies Tininka Nuen Cait Dominy Community Engagement Rep: Kuvaniah Moodley Distribution Manager: Fezikile Cokile Contacts: Editor: activate.editor@gmail.com Deputy Editor: activate.deputy@gmail.com Printed by Paarlcoldset, Port Elizabeth

Edition 2

News

Rhodes rocks out at Great Field party

The annual Great Field party, hosted by the SRC on Saturday 22 February, saw several renowned South African artsits perform to more than 4 000 overall-clad students. Picture: Michaela Weiffenbach.

SA authors discuss our political future By Matthew Kynaston The Fall of the ANC – What Next? is the title of a recently published book co-authored by Prince Mashele and Mzukisi Qobo. They spoke at Rhodes University on Wednesday 19 February and discussed the ideas in the book and took questions from the audience. Qobo was quick to highlight the reason they had written the book. “Something is fundamentally wrong in South Africa today, and specifically in our public spaces,” he said. “We want to make a contribution to our public discourse and deal with the myth that the ANC is untouchable.” Mashele was born in Mpumalanga and has studied his Masters in politics at Rhodes. Qobo is from the Western Cape and has a Ph.D from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.

The event was hosted by the Unit for the Humanities at Rhodes University (UHURU), a recently established centre for research in the Faculty of Humanities. Professor Michael Neocosmos, Director of UHURU, introduced the speakers and chaired the event. “The whole point of UHURU is to rethink emancipation in South Africa, Africa and globally,” he said by way of introduction. The book contains extensive research on the history of the ANC and investigates its reason for existence. “Before practical life, the ANC existed as an ideal. This ideal centred on the lives of others,” said Qobo. He argued that the ANC had been a selfless organisation for many years. At this point, Mashele and Qobo identified what they called “the two ANCs”. They argued that it is clear

• Home Baked Cakes, Pies, Quiches and Biscuits • Frozen Meals • Platters for Parties • Individualised Birthday Cakes

that the ANC now is different to what it was many years ago, which was “an organisation with the highest values”. If there has been a change from these lofty heights, it can only have been a change for the worse. “Zuma represents the worst of the ANC,” said Qobo. “The leaders are in it for themselves and their stomachs. You only have to look at Nkandla.” They suggested two things that led to this collapse: factionalism and corruption, which was branded as the “new DNA of the ANC”. In answer to a question from an audience member, Qobo looked back to the birth of democracy in ancient Greece. “There were two things that disbanded tribalism and helped the move to democracy,” he said. “These were population growth and education. In 20 years time, there will be no one to claim credibility for the Struggle. We don’t know what our politics will look like then.” When asked what they would replace the ANC with, Mashele and Qobo were quick to say that that was not the purpose of their book. They touched on other political parties and what they stood for, but they did not want to suggest who people should vote for in the May election. “This is about the current state of the ANC,” said Qobo. “We want to open up the topic for discussion.”

R1.1 million spent on Rhodes water truck By Julia Fish Rhodes University has laid out R1.1 million for a water tanker. The tanker, painted purple and bearing the university’s mascot, has already been seen about town delivering water. The Makana water crisis reached critical levels last year, as ViceChancellor Saleem Badat threatened to close the university due to extended outages. In March last year the health and safety of students was put at risk due to an almost two-week dry period. Then in November 2013, more than ten residences were without water for 15 days, and other departments had intermittent supply. The failure of the municipality to deliver cost Rhodes R115 000 a day. The cost came from providing students

with drinking water in residence, buying plastic disposable cutlery for the dining halls and providing water or sand for firefighting and for research specimens in the universities labs. High-lying areas such as Desmond Tutu Hall and the Post Graduate Village (PGV) have suffered most as when the water pressure drops the flow recedes faster from these areas. Since the acquisition of the new tanker, PGV has already received its welcome assistance to counteract pressure issues. In an interview with Grocott’s Mail, Dr Ian L’ Ange, head of Infrastructure, Operations & Finance at Rhodes, insisted that the new tanker was not intended to undermine the municipality. “We have every confidence that the Makana Municipality has the water situation under control,” Dr L’ Ange said.

The water tanker will deliver water across campus. Picture: Grocott’s Mail.

4 Politics

25 February 2014

LGBT party comes out By Nicholas McGregor

rchbishop Desmond Tutu, an internationally respected leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has always been a firm believer in the improvement of LGBT rights, has called for the creation of the world’s first ever LGBT political party. Tutu famously said the following in 2013, “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven… No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to hell… I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.” A hoax last year gave hope to those who felt marginalised by existing South African political

parties. A new LGBT rights party called Democratic Religious Alliance Against Minority Antagonism (DRAAMA) was sarcastically launched. The party aimed to make Gay Marriage polygamy a right to all gay men to tone down the amount of infidelity in the community. Somizi Mhlongo was named the party’s spin doctor and David Tlale was said to be designing an outfit to create a unified attire to rival the EFF’s red beret. It sounded too good to be true for South Africa’s LGBT community and, as it turns out, it is. Lifestyle Tabloids, a satirical website, has duped unwary South Africans on the subject. Websites and news publications such as The Zimbabwe Mail, Mzanzi Online and Ghanaian

The colours of the rainbow shine bright in support of pride. Picture: FLICKR/David Yu

news source TV3 were all fooled by the story and printed the Lifestyle Tabloids article verbatim, which sent many into a spin. However on 1 February 2014 the truly legitimate Equal Rights party was established. Spokesperson Michael Herbst said the party would contest the next elections on behalf of the LGBT community, but had values that appeal to a wide range of voters. Herbst announced at the parties launch that government did not speak out against corrective rape. “We need someone in parliament who will speak out on gender and sexual issues,” said Herbst. Look out for the Equal Rights party logo on the ballot sheet on 7 May.

South Africa’s growing electoral smorgasbord By Nicholas McGregor In the run-up to the 2014 elections South Africa has seen an explosion of new political parties including the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), AgangsSA and the Patriotic Alliance. The common perception is that in the past there has been a limited number of political parties to vote for. The African National Congress (ANC) powerhouse seemed to trample its adversaries. While the Democratic Alliance (DA) tried desperately to expand their seats in parliament and their share in the vote. Percentage wise, they seemed to be failing. But why has the political soil of South Africa become so fertile of late? I would love to believe that it is because South Africans are becoming more educated and opinionated and are starting to debunk their living situations. Alas, despite the 2013 Matric pass rate (skewed or not) I cannot fully support this idea as I believe many of us are still lost in the illusion of the ruling parties’ past pretences. I think it comes down to Zuma’s ANC just buggering up one-too many times. Zuma, a man who is incredibly charismatic and probably far more intelligent than we give him credit for, soiled his post right from the inception of his presidency. In the midst of corruption and rape charges, he did not have a smooth introduction to governance. Somehow the populist President remained triumphant over the courts and his opponents. The praise singers were finally silenced when the Mail & Guardian broke the story on Nkandla. Former supporters called for impeachment of the Presdient as they realised he had practically embezzled from every tax payer in the country. Ladies and gentleman do not get me wrong, I am not against the ANC. I was there at FNB Stadium to mourn Nelson Mandela. I was there when President Zuma’s speech was interrupted three times by vicious booing from the crowd. It was not just the EFF or Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) supporters as Mac Maharaj suggested, but the whole stadium. From prince to pauper, Soccer City echoed with the sound of dissatisfaction. This sound resonated through the ears of egotists and liberal lefties. They know that the weight of Jacob Zuma’s transgressions are slowly sinking the ANC ship, a vessel that is already battered and bruised and taking in water by the “fire pool-load”. As it sinks it allows space for more ships to pull into the harbour. The new parties show that no party, especially the ANC speaks to the population as a whole. As we see the cracks in the ruling party, I wonder if further dividing the vote is the answer.

Edition 2

Politics

State of the nation address: uncovered By Nicholas McGregor

n 13 February President Jacob Zuma delivered the State of the nation address in Cape Town. He had much to say about the optimistic feats managed by government in the past five years. Let’s unpack what the State of the Nation actually means. Firstly and most noticably, Zuma

claimed that while in charge of the country, the African National Congress (ANC) has created 3.7 million ‘work opportunities’. This a problematic statistic considering that this does not equate to permanent jobs. A ‘work opportunity’ could be a temporary position such as a contract that only lasts a couple of months,such as those of construction

workers during the 2010 World Cup. A misguided statistic mentioned in the President’s speech was that the much-debated matric pass rate had soared to 78.2% in 2013. One of the glaring omissions of this information is the level of high school dropouts. The amount of children entering into the school system in grade 0 is almost halved by the time they get to matric.

The Presidency also claims that during the ANC’s tenure, they have built or refurbished more than ten hospitals. This number sounds incredibly low considering the vast and ever-growing population of South Africa. On 22 February, Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced that the government will be building 43 hospitals over the next

Jacob Zuma delivered his annual state of the nation address earlier this month, highlighting the progress the ANC-led government has made in the past year. Picture: FLICKR/Umusuto

Legalisation of medicinal dagga brought to parliament for approval

By Nicholas Mcgregor Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Mario Oriano-Ambrosini has put forward the notion to legalise marijuana in South Africa. Oriano-Ambrosini, an Italian born lawyer who has been suffering with lung cancer for most of his adult life, told reporters that the illegalisation of the drug was “an impairment to progress” for the medical world. Oriano-Ambrosini said that it should only be used for medical use and was not supporting the idea of using the drug recreationally. “This bill wants to remove the problems created by the law, creating a space in which doctors can follow the dictates of their professional experience in cases where there is nothing else better to be given…It will shield doctors from liability.” He went onto say that the drug has actually

increased his life span while being illegally treated in cash-only hospitals around Europe. “I received treatment that extended my life expectancy beyond what the statistics say. I am now in the 0.01 percent survival rate because of doctors who administered bicarbonate of soda to me in my thoracic cavity, and did so illegally.” Mangosutho Buthelezi, leader of the IFP, agrees with the notion and feels it will benefit medical practices, as well as the lives of South Africans affected by cancer. “He has taken on one of the most fearsome monsters at this time and I do hope that he will do something, not only for himself but the whole human race with what he’s started through this bill,” said Buthelezi. In Oriano-Ambrosini’s final words to parliament he stated “This is my contribution to something that had to be done. I did not look for this fight... It found me.”

five years, an amount that incriminates the powers that be, considering that these hospitals were not established in the last 20 years. It must be said, however, that Zuma’s greatest feat as president is lowering the infection rate from pregnant mother’s to their children. A direct quote from his speech on the matter: “Mother to child transmission of HIV has declined sharply and we have doubled the number of people who are receiving antiretroviral treatment, from one-million to 2.4-million people in 2013.” The World Health Organization has backed this up as the body announced that motherto-child transmission of HIV in South Africa dropped from 8.5% in 2008 to 3.5% in 2010 and 2.7% in 2011. The thorn in the side of the Zuma presidency is the issue of Nkandla. The complete omission of anything to do with his homestead seemed insincere. The President’s mutterings on corruption were the least eloquently delivered stanza of his speech and considering the national and international interest in the saga it should have been the most important and eloquently delivered in order to state his case. The State of Nation was greeted with mixed reactions, but the fundamentals about how the government intends to move forward with our taxpaying money are important to digest.

6 Features

25 February 2014

Residents of Grahamstown take part in the Human Chain. The event was held to commemorate the life of Nelson Mandela. The organisers anticpated 5 000 people to form an unbroken chain. The rain and wind kept many in their homes, however. In the end, fewer than 2 000 people turned out. Picture: Niamh Walsh-Vorster

The missing link By Matthew Kynaston The Grahamstown Human Chain on 21 February was designed to reflect on the legacy of Nelson Mandela. Citizens from different parts of town were to come together and symbolically bridge divides that still exist 20 years after democracy. However, the chain did not extend across the planned five kilometres, as fewer than 2 000 people turned out in the rain. The streets near Rhodes campus saw quite a few people, but from Albany road onwards there were large stretches of road with no-one in sight. Diana Hornby, Director of Community Engagement at Rhodes University, said that the event was intended to get people to reflect on what community means and about their place in it. When asked about what the Human Chain hoped to accomplish other than feelings of reconciliation, she said she hoped people would reimagine the public spaces in town and realise that changing society was not government’s job alone. “Everything begins with a relationship,” she said. “We can’t stand by when there are things we can do.” South African flags were handed out to everyone who arrived and the national anthem was sung. After the event people headed to Church square and the Cathedral for a non-faith based event. To see pictures and video of the Human Chain, head to activateonline.co.za. Students were given time off from class to join in the rememberance of Madiba. Picture: Sara Steiniger

Participants outside the Cathedral of St. MIchael and St. George. Picture: Michaela Weiffenbach

Enthusiastic Rhodes students gather in support of Nelson Mandela’s legacy and the continued struggle for social justice Picture: Sara Steiniger

Edition 2

Features

Rhodes graduate heads to the University of York for doctorate

Fundiswa Ndlovu

hando Njovane, the Lusikisiki-born scholar, who graduated with a distinction in Masters in English at Rhodes University in 2013, is heading to the University of York in the United Kingdom in March this year to start her doctorate. “I was absolutely thrilled. It was definitely one of the highlights of my entire life. The ViceChancellor, Dr Saleem Badat, was also very kind and understanding when I started to cry. It was absolutely amazing,” said Njovane upon hearing that she is the recipient of a two year international Flanagan Scholarship.

Njovane was determined to do her PhD at York, where her proposal on child-focused trauma fiction from Africa had already been accepted. However, she had no idea how she would fund her studies. “I’m working in the field of Trauma Fiction which I discovered while doing my Masters. I will be exploring the links between violence, affect, and subjectivity in trauma fiction hopefully to show the paradox of victimhood and survival in African fiction, while paying particular attention to the fact that Africa is by no means homogeneous,” said Njovane. Njovane gives credit to her MA supervisor who was as excited and enthusiastic about her work as she was. “I have my amazing Masters supervisor in the English Department at Rhodes, Sue Marais, to thank for all this. She saw me when I was invisible; she encouraged me to develop confidence in myself and to pursue my postgraduate studies. She has been supportive above and beyond the call of duty,” said Njovane. Njovane will be supervised by Professor David Attwell at the University of York. It was during her Masters that Njovane met

Professor Attwell, who is well known for his work on South African author JM Coetzee. “Sue gave me the opportunity to attend and present at conferences as a Masters student and to start networking with local and international academics. I met Professor Attwell at a conference hosted by Rhodes in 2011 where I presented a paper and chaired a panel,” said Njovane, whose Honours in English and undergraduate BA degree were also completed at Rhodes. “I have also been publishing the work I did for my MA. I have an article published in 2012, another two coming out in 2014, and another one in the pipeline for 2015. I also have a chapter in an Institutional Culture book which comes out later on this year,” said Njovane. Njovane has been fond of English and reading since early childhood. Both have been an integral part in her life, so the path she’s taking now feels extremely natural to her. The Flanagan Scholarship, the full title of which is The Patrick and Margaret Flanagan Scholarship, was presented to South African women scholars in the 1982 will of the late Margaret Flanagan. She recognised the need for South African

women to be educated and to be given the opportunity to pursue their postgraduate studies in any field of study at leading international universities. In her will she wrote: “My underlying intention in making provision for the award of scholarships is my belief that the future of any country is, to an important extent, dependent on the women of that country being educated…” She further stated that she would like to give preference “to women of South African descent, without restriction as to creed or colour.” Of the 30 candidates who have been awarded this scholarship since its inception in 1985, 13 are Rhodes University graduates. When asked if she had words of encouragement for other students who wish to further their studies overseas, Njovane responded: “I think the first step is to find what makes you tick, something you’re interested in and give it all you’ve got. I was lucky to have a lot of cheerleaders who believed in me.” Several prestigious postgraduate international scholarships are offered through the Research Office of Rhodes, including the Flanagan, Rhodes Trust and Commonwealth Scholarships.

RatChat: right as rain Fundiswa Ndlovu As a destination for Rhodents to chat, enhance their student lives, academic resources, knowledge and friendship, RatChat comes out right as rain. RatChat is a social discovery network exclusive to Rhodes University students. According to the founders of the network, “Every Rhodes student who joins is automatically friends with everyone else on our site. They will follow everyone else and be followed back.” This means that when you post something, there will be more interactions with what you have to say; more people will add to the conversation and more people at Rhodes will get to know you. With a logo that reads: “Network without your parents watching,” RatChat is a place for Rhodents to have fun. “It makes it easier to meet other students for friendship or fun. I think that’s what they had in mind when they created the network,” says second year Pharmacy student, Sisanda Dyantyi. Hloni Seemene, a third year Economics student says, “RatChat looks like an upstart. It has great potential because that is how Facebook started. I will definitely be using it to sell my textbooks and interact with other Economics students”. RatChat has a classified section where you can buy and sell textbooks and clothes to other students. You can use the academic resources to find people on your course with the information you might need. “No one knows who started this social network, I’m just glad that Rhodents are innovative,” says second year BComm student, Anelisa Tembu. RatChat ensures you that your student posts and pictures remain a part of your university

experience and are less likely to be found by parents or future employers as is the case with posts on other social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. According to the RatChat Facebook page, “People use us for student networking, accommodation advertising/searching, classifieds advertising/searching and as a means of creating and marketing an effective CV (for job searching). You can also use us to advertise your skill set - such as if you have a trade or specific qualification - and thus find people searching for someone like you.” RatChat aims to provide you with interaction and answers. You could ask something academic related about your course. You could ask people where the best place to go out is or what is happening near you. You could even ask for advice regarding a personal dilemma. So how can one keep safe on the website by staying ahead of scammers, criminals and other shady characters? According to the RatChat website, “We have things going on behind the scenes to keep them out and keep our users safe from them but, as with using any other networking website there are things you should do to keep safe”. They urge students never to trust or meet anyone without at least speaking on the phone and preferably speaking through Skype. If you are meeting someone for the first time for a sale or to buy something, meet in a public place. Students are urged never to give money to anyone they have met through the website whether this person claims to be offering you a job or has a ‘heart-breaking’ personal crisis. If you’re selling something wait for the money to clear first before sending the goods and if you’re buying something, as mentioned before, try and meet in person in a public place.

8 Photo Story

25 February 2014

Getting back to mah roots Photographs and words by Kate Janse van Rensburg

outh African Traditional Music Achievement Award’s (SATMA) nominee and 2013’s Mzantsi Reggae Dancehall artist of the year, Jahkongo ‘Kongo’ Shango is making a name for himself out of his local habitat of Grahamstown. His song ‘Bambulele’ put him on the map and appealed to the ears of the public with its catchy Xhosa lyrics and soulful beats. Born in Johannesburg and raised in Khayalitsha, Cape Town, Kongo recognizes the value of traditional music within today’s world. ‘It teaches us to keep and preserve our culture,’ he says. The musician grew up listening to traditional music and labels it as his main source of inspiration once he began singing in 1999. A favourite hangout and performance hotspot for the artist is Champs Action Bar for its intimate venue. Another much-loved location is Olde’ 65 for its ‘maRasta Thursdays’. This goes hand in hand with the other inspiration behind his music, a Rastafarian lifestyle where no eating meat, smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol occurs. ‘I don’t take any substances, only natural herbs,’ says the artist. Kongo’s other muse is the Grahamstown Botanical Gardens which he labels as his ‘number one spot’. ‘You don’t even need to listen to a beat,’ he says when referring to the gardens where he enjoys being alone and adoring the splendour of the flowers, birds and trees around him. Kongo can be seen here writing the lyrics to his songs or quietly sitting alone or taking a stroll. Overall, the musician enjoys walking within Grahamstown which he says is the only place where he feels safe to walk from the location into town. ‘There is a country vibe, there is an uptown vibe,’ says the artist when referring to the difference between central Grahamstown and the Joza Township. It is often these walks which inspire him musically. The Grahamstown surroundings are authentically South African in terms of the rich culture and diversity abounding within the area. Kongo just got back from Botswana and is currently touring Cape Town to promote his album ‘Jahkongo’. He plans to return to Grahamstown in April to play at, Olde’ 65 and Champs.

Photo Story

Edition 2

Captions 1. Local musician, Jahkongo Shango poses against a wall covered in graffiti. Shango is friends with many artists in Grahamstown and says the art such as the graffiti in this image often inspires his music. 2. Jahkongo Shango stands outside his friend Feni’s home in Joza. The house has two bedrooms and a kitchen with a garden outside.

3.Jahkongo Shango and Feni sit outside on a couch in the garden. Chatting outside in the garden is a favourite pastime of the two musicians. 4.Jahkongo Shango raps outside Feni’s home in Joza. 5.Jahkongo Shango working in the studio. Most of the editing for his music takes place in a studio in Port Elizabeth, but this will soon be changing as he has recently bought equipment to be used in Grahamstown. 6.A poster of J Dilla on the wall in Feni’s house. J Dilla is a musical inspiration to both musicians. The equipment is part of the new studio equipment which will be used in Grahamstown. 7. Jahkongo Shango walks outside Prime nightclub on New Street. Shango has performed at Prime as an opening act for South African artist Kuli Chana. 8.Jahkongo Shango works on writing lyrics to his songs in Botanical Gardens. Shango draws much of the inspiration for his music from the Grahamstown Botanical Gardens as it is a quiet place where he is surrounded by nature.

10 Arts & Entertainment

25 February 2014

Reviving the Vic to its former glory

By Sebastian Burger

nown as an old favourite by many Rhodents and locals alike, the Victoria Mews Hotel has recently started undergoing a revival that sees it once again becoming one of the major music venues in Grahamstown. Anastasia Zacharellis, the owner of the old family-run hotel, has decided to take the bar and lounge area back to its glory days which saw it swarming with students enjoying the warm

and cozy vibe that only the Vic could offer. This revival as a live music venue started with three local blues bands taking the stage on Friday, 14 February. Fishwives were the headline act and were backed up by other local artists. The atmosphere in the lounge is possibly the best place to spend a cold and rainy Grahamstown day with great décor, comfy couches and a well-equipped bar to keep your ears warm. The decorations have been tamer over the last

ten years with Zacharellis remembering how past students would cover the walls in paintings of Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix. Zacharellis said that she is keen on bringing back that old appeal as business picks up again. She even noted the possibility of reviving the pool parties the Vic used to host with live bands and plenty of refreshments which could be a big hit during the heat waves in summer. To kick-start the revival, as many local bands and acts as possible are being brought in.

The Grahamstown Jazz Society will play the first Sunday of each month and Acoustic Café (which used to take place at La Trattoria) will take up the spotlight every second Thursday, starting on 27 February. These regular acts will be complimented by bigger acts such as Steve Newman on 8 March and an assortment of acts during the National Arts Festival. The Vic lounge and bar is located at 8 New Street and is open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 16:00 to 00:00.

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The Vic has begun to restore its former glory in being a platform for local bands and musicians. Picture: Michaela Weiffenbach

Gig Guide Everybody Swing at Champs

I psy with my middle eye

Friday 28 February Venue: Champs Action Bar Time: 21:00 Theme: The Swinging 20s Entrance: R20

Saturday 1 March Venue: 23 Van der Riet Street, Port Alfred Time: 21:00 Entrance: R30

Steve Newman at The Vic Hotel Saturday 8 March Venue: 8 New Street

Tunnel Vision Festival Friday 14 March – Sunday 16 March Venue: 3 Chimneys Farm Time: Friday 18:00, Saturday 11:00am Entrance: R60-R150 Tickets available from Under the Arch.

Edition 2

Arts and Entertainment 11

Tunnel Vision Fest: prepare for mayhem By Rhea MacDonald It’s a wonderful place full of magic and light, Where fireballs spin and stompers delight, The bass runs thick and the flames burn bright, The sheer, raw energy will thrill and excite. The music will take you, it will free your mind, All thirsts are quenched, no matter what kind, All your cares in the world will be left far behind, It’s the perfect gathering to let go and unwind. Unleash your psyche and reach dizzying heights, Forget all your worries and embrace the night, Chill at the bonfires or grab a quick bite, There’s so much to do, there are no wrongs or rights. You’ll meet fascinating people with insights to share, None of this crowd give a damn what you wear, The vibes found here are the rarest of rare, So gather your mates and get down for a mare. Let your heart guide your head and your soul will be free, If you find you are lost, just hang on and you’ll see, Don’t fret, let your journey unfold, that’s the key, Your weekend will end how it’s meant to be.

Tunnel Vision Festival takes place twice a year at 3 Chimneys Farm. The first event will be held on 14-16 March. The weekend will kick off with local bands, featuring DJs of every genre, and end off with psychedelic trance going long into Sunday evening. You aren’t a true Rhodent until you’ve walked home at 10am from Tunnels covered in mud. Gather your friends and get ready for the party of the year. Tickets are available for purchase from Under the Arch or you can contact Rob Davies on 083 670 5695. Photo: Rhea MacDonald

Folk filled memories at The Lowlander By Sebastian Burger

South African musician Gary Thomas played an intimate set The Lowlander on Friday 21 February. Picture: Michaela Weiffenbach

“Sorry about the weather, I tend to bring the rain on the road” Lit by a solitary light at the front of the stage, Gary Thomas once again took the stage at the Lowlander on Friday, 21 February, captivating the crowd with his reverberating folk sound. Marking the fifth stop in his country wide tour, the Lowlander gig saw the cosy environment filled with his enchanting lyrics as he belted out work from his new album, “My Memory’s Death”. The album consists of an EP that was released a while back and many B-sides from his career as a musician. It is partly what he describes as “a rock opera thing of thinginess”. His impressive drum strumming was complimented not only by the stomp box that he uses for percussion, but also by his twin microphone set-up, which, thanks to some slight delay and reverb gives his voice a grand echo and essentially allows him to sing alongside himself. All these facets combined to give his music a grand, almost mystical feel, the type of sound that would be at home in a misty mountain range. Thomas is no stranger to the Grahamstown stage; he has captured many a heart at The Lowlander and regularly plays at the National Arts Festival to sold-out shows thanks to his loyal fan base and raw talent. He once again took the opportunity on Friday to make some memorable banter with the crowd and show off his brand spanking new guitar, adding simply: “It makes me happy”. So if you feel like you missed out and also want to be mesmerized by one of South Africa’s folk legends, catch him at this year’s National Arts Festival, where he will once again be rocking out to audiences with his mad skills and entertaining banter.

12 Lifestyle

25 February 2014

Freedom in digs vs res

Living in digs gives you the freedom to decorate how you want. Photo: Sara Steiniger

Nontobeko Gumede The idea that students living independently in digs have unlimited freedom is often far from reality. We all like making our rooms a representation of ourselves, but with residence and digs restrictions on what we can and can’t do, we are left with very little room for expression. Khanyi Majokweni, an Honours student in Political Science who lives in digs, stated that students need to understand that there are rules and regulations involved which are equivalent to those of residence. “If you are being completely unreasonable in utilizing the place, a warning will not suffice and this means you can get evicted,” says Majokweni. With the growing number of students moving from res to digs over the past few years, freedom and independence are the dominant factors in the change. However, the level of freedom that comes with living in digs has been exaggerated. Clarris Magadza, who is a warden at Ellen Khuzwayo House, argued that some complexes are stricter about noise and smoking especially if the lessor lives close by. “There have been a lot of

incidences where apartments were on fire because students were careless with their smoking, so even more lessors will be stricter about it,” says Magadza. When it comes to décor, Majokweni, who has lived in digs since 2010, explained that one of the more serious restrictions in digs is re-painting walls. “It is not your building so you don’t have the right to paint it. Also, the owner will need to make sure that the next tenant is satisfied with the apartment,” says Majokweni. Simpiwe Ndlovu who has lived in res for three years and has moved into digs this year, argues that even though he sees why some people may say that the level of freedom is comparable, he still does not agree. “Living in digs grants me my own choice of food, living space and lifestyle.” By having the freedom to design his own living space as he pleases, Ndlovu also mentions that he cannot repaint the walls or bang nails into them, but that does not mean that the level of freedom is even remotely the same as in res. “If I were to buy an apartment and decorate it as I pleased, it would not look much different to the way ours does now”, he says.

Residences have rules about putting up stickers and sticky hooks, but if you leave these in the room, or damage any property in the room, the amount gets charged to your student account as damage, which one can argue is the same in digs or a flat as if you damage something you lose a certain amount of money or you might have to pay in. When it comes to lifestyle, Mahlohonolo Lakaje, a third year Journalism student also living in digs, explains that she is able to do more in digs than in res. “I don’t have to limit my noise output as much as I did in res nor do I have to attend meetings and abide by res rules,” says Lakaje. Ndlovu expresses how living in digs grants him the freedom to live by his own rules. “The three of us who live together only have each other to answer to, not an entire res full of people and a warden looking over everything,” he says. So for those of you who are in digs or plan on moving into digs in the near future, make sure you’re clued up on the rules and regulations of the place you move into to ensure that you can make the most of your living situation.

IGive5: yabafundi isuka Neknomination: more harm than fun kwabanye abafundi imbasa. Kulo nyaka, iveki yeGive5 iqhuba ukususela nge-3 ukuyotsho nge-7 kweyoKwindla, ize iveki igqityezelwe ngeFire Walk, apho abafundi bathi banikwe izixa Ukuqala kwenyanga yoKwindla kuphawula ukuqala zemali ezahlukeneyo ukuze bahambe ngaphezulu kwephulo leGive5 eliqhutywa minyaka le kwaye kukhangeleka ngathi eli phulo lizakunyusa ingxowa-mali kwamalahle atshisa bhe ngenjongo yokunyusa ingxowa-mali yale projekthi. “Akukho mceli-mngeni eninzi kunaleyo yonyaka odlulileyo. okanye ngxaki ingenakoyiswa xakuthathwe izimvo IGive5 liphulo eliqhutywa ngumbutho wabafundi ezilungileyo”, utsho uTerryl McCarthy ongumongameli neofisi yeRhodes Alumni Development (RAD) weAlumni Public Relations, nanjengoko abafundi ngenjongo yokunyusa ingxowa-mali elungiselelwe abangama-37 namalungu esebe bethe bathatha abafundi abakwisibonelelo semali kwaye abangenako inxaxheba kwiFire Walk. “Ukuhamba emlilweni yenye ukufamana imali yokuzigcina qho ngenyanga. Le yaleyo misebenzi ethi incede abantu ukuba bacinge projekthi ibonelela abafundi abangathathi-ntweni lukhulu kwaye baqonde ukuba bangakwazi ukwenza ngemali yokuzithengela izinto ezibalulekileyo qho ngenyanga. Aba bafundi bangenakubizwa ngamagama into ebekubonakali ngathi ayisokuze yenzeke” , utsho uGorden Cooper ongumseki nomongameli abo bathi babengabamkeli beAnnual Pocket Money wePhoenix Foundatiion. Fund. Le yindlela abathi abafundi bakwi Dyunivesithi Kunyaka odlulileyo, iveki yeGive5 inyuse imali yaseRhodes babuyisele ngayo bekwanceda abanye emalunga nama-R48 000. Kulo nyaka bathemba abafundi abazifanela nje nabo. Injongo yeyokuba ukumisela iinjongo eziphezulu, kwaye banyuse imali abafundi abafumana imali yokuzigcina banikele nje eninzi kakhulu kunakunyaka odlulileyo. nge-R5 ize babengamaqhawe. IGive5 liphulo elihle elivumela abafundi ukuba Iveki yeGive5 ikwangumceli-mngeni kuzo bancede ezinye iiRhodents. “Liphulo laseRhodes zonke izindlu zabafundi, kuquka abo bafundi sele ngenene apho abaqeshwa benkxaso nabemfundo benezidanga, iipost graduates ukutsho namaholo, ephakamileyo, amagosa nabafundi bathi badibane ukunyusa eyona mali ininzi inyuselwa le nkqubo babebanye ukunyusa imali benyusela omnye wabo”, yeGive5. Abafundi abakhulu nabo bamele iphulo lokuzibandakanya ekuhlaleni kwindlu yabafundi nganye utsho uMcCarthy. Uze uqinisekise ukuba ukhangela abameli bephulo bazakulungelelanisa uqgatso lokunyusa ingxowaleGive5 apha kumhlaba wesikolo okanye kwindlu mali ukufaka isandla kule nkqubo. IBotha House yabafundi ohlala kuyo , unikele nge-R5 nangaphezulu yaphumelela umabonakude oseludidini oluphezulu, ubeliqhawe. iflat-screen TV yaze iFounders hall yona yazifumanela NguSara Steiniger yaze yaguqulelwa nguNtombovuyo Ngaphu

By Sara Steiniger Seeing someone chugging a beer at the Rat and Parrot on a Friday night is all too common here in Grahamstown, but Neknominations have taken the art of downing a beer to a whole other level. The hashtag Neknominations, or neck and nominate, started in Australia and moved to the UK in January 2013 and have since invaded social media sites such as You Tube and Facebook all around the world. This new trend is a drinking game in which participants video record themselves necking a beer or any other form of liquor and nominating a friend or two to do the same. With participants challenging each other to drink more or do something crazier than the last, people have gone to extreme measures to stand out, either by pulling off crazy stunts or consuming large amounts of alcohol. In one video, a beer glass is filled with half beer and half urine, while another video involves a man downing a beer then swallowing the skull of a dead chicken. There is also a video where a man is chugging back a cold one whilst having things thrown at him and then has his pants set alight. Driving neknominations have become quite popular, raising the danger factor even higher. But this fad is not only damaging lives and livers; it is also creating a form of cyberbulling, for the people who reject their nominations. With the slogan of a Neknomination page “don’t break the chain, don’t be a d**k,” causes some concern with people who don’t do their nomination. The trend is slowly dying down just like the Harlem Shake and other social media sensations, but the damage has already been done - New York Daily reported that there are five deaths linked to Neknominations. Not all nominations are bad however, as the trend has taken a turn in the right direction. The nominations have been evolving into forms of random acts of kindness by people opting out of drinking culture and choosing rather to help someone less fortunate. People choose to hand out food to the less fortunate, sing for old age home residence, take homeless people out for a meal or just donate something to a good cause. Some have even challenged big corporations to perform acts of kindness by making monetary donations. Only time will tell just how much good or bad this trend will breed.

Edition 2

Enviroment

Environment: hardly a priority Analysis conducted by the Public Service Accountability Monitor (PSAM) revealed that the budget allocation for environmental management in Eastern Cape is vastly insufficient compared to the tasks it faces. With the budget speech due on Wednesday 26 February, here is a look at what the government spent on the environment last year. By Jane Berg.

Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEDEAT) Budget

Environmental Affairs Budget Under half a percent of the Eastern Cape’s budget is put towards delivering its core environmental services; not much more than the amount which is transferred by the department to the liquor and gambling boards.

“All that remains is to point to the severe disjuncture between Sub-program allocations and the onslaught against the Province’s environment. If the Eastern Cape Government is at ease with these allocations then presumably it can only be either grossly ignorant of the environmental state of play in the Province, or unconcerned about it.” Nicholas Scarr , Public Service Accountability Monitor

Reduce stress, plant some trees Lawrence Sisitka, a consultant on natural resources in Grahamstown who started looking into the broader social impact of urban greening in 2011. Studies have shown that greener environments “Not only for schools, but there can be improve learning capabilities in students. improvements for a whole range of issues. It could Trees and vegetation provide relief from mental fatigue and reduce stress. These improvements were critically improve the quality of life for most people if first documented in workplace and residential areas. we could build green spaces into our development planning,” said Sisitka. He points out, however, that Recently, attention has turned to how exposure to there is no conception of greening in most urban nature improves education. development. He attributes this partly to a lack of A study by Rodney H. Matsuoka at the University of Michigan linked vegetation levels at different high local research on the topic. “These ideas are still school campuses to student performance. The study peripheral, mostly restricted to the NGO sector and have yet to be adopted by the government in any showed that larger classroom windows and more systemic way,” Sisitka said. trees enhanced student academic achievement. Neither Makana municipality or Rhodes has a Schools less verdant or with only wide monotonous formal tree policy which might prevent historic lawns saw poorer grades, less self-discipline and trees from being felled by private property owners. more disorderly conduct. However, in response to environmental groups at “Psyco-evolutionary theory posits that natural Rhodes protesting the removal of trees at Rhodes settings have a stress- reducing and calming effect in October last year, university staff members have on an individual (due to) subconscious emotional promised to install more formalised procedures for Studies have shown that students perform better when classroom windows show trees. responses,” states Matsuoka’s report. Picture: Flickr/Nicholas Tonelli the removal of trees on campus. “All the research is remarkably consistent,” said By Jane Berg

14 Enviroment

25 February 2014

App-lying Climate Science Uncertain where you stand in the climate change debate? SkepticalScience.com might help you make up your mind. The blog is reen activists have taken hold of the famous for its long index of arguments by internet and smart phone technology to climate nay-sayers paired against scientific bring the latest scientific information right to findings which prove the opposite. The our fingertips. Here are some great ways to comments sections are full of lively debate and keep updated with environmental news and you can even choose an information level. For information digitally. example, beginner, will explain the science very Find out how many earths it takes to sustain simply. your lifestyle with the Global Footprint Some popular sites like Sceptical Science Network (footprintnetwork.org). This website are also iPhone and Android apps, most are uses local data to measure ecological free too. NASA has produced an app called overshoot, which is how fast we are using up Earth Now in which a brightly coloured globe our global resources before the planet can keeps constant track of air temperature, renew them. carbon dioxide, sea levels and much more. You can take the quick Personal Footprint Just Science, and EarthObserver are similar. In Quiz in either English or Afrikaans and read Painting With Time (for iPad) you brush away at useful tips on how to reduce your footprint. an old image of a location to see how much it Breathingearth.net is a beautiful real-time has altered by now due to climate change. simulation which shows how many tonnes Climate Counts encourages conscious of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) different countries consumerism by rating brands according to are constantly emitting and stare as the how they are performing ecologically. A local fascinating sparkles all over the globe plot version of this is The Green Business Guide app. the hundreds of births and deaths each However, it takes a while for any data to load minute. on the latter, and while buying smart is great Google’s Earth Engine has put what it in theory, consumers should do extra research calls an “unprecedented amount of satellite in order to prevent businesses from greenimagery and data” online to help scientists washing for publicity. analyse the climate. There are apps that give you short documentaries, race against the clock games, some help you If you want local info, perhaps the best South African platform is environment.co.za. It’s a particularly choose light bulbs or calculate if your roof is the right size for a solar heater. People are finding new, comprehensive and frequently updated site which covers all our major environmental issues, which practical and pocket sized ways to address our environmental crisis. can even be searched by region.

By Jane Berg

2013: the environment in review By Alizwa Mnyatheli

2013 was a year of environmental protest, the search for unconventional energy and green intervention.

At home

•1004 rhinos were killed in 2013. This shows that poaching is continuing at an accelerated rate. •Mid-year, Rhodes University, together with the Grahamstown community marched in protest against the robbery of a basic human right, clean water. The town had been experiencing especially severe delays in service delivery. •The intention to create four new game reserves in the Eastern Cape was declared in December. The Lambasi Game Reserve, as large as 8810 hectares, is already up and running. It includes tourist hotspots such as Tina River Valley and Tsitsa. Small communities such as the Mhlontlo community will reap the benefits of the Agricultural and ecotourism prospects. •Globally, the expansion of wind power increased by 20%. The Eastern Cape is joining the green effort, wind-farms are currently under construction in Jeffery’s Bay and Cookhouse.

Abroad

•Fracking licenses were granted for a wildlife reserve in Botswana. Indigenous protesters in Canada fought against the expansion of shale gas operations. Other protesters stormed into global headlines at the biggest fracking protest in years outside Cuadrilla’s test drill site in Sussex. Vast reserves in Australia have also been identified as potential fracking sites. •The two biggest CO2 emitters, China and the US, have made some joint gestures to work against climate change. These entail cleaner vehicles, smart grids and energy efficiency. •Japan had to rely on foreign fossil fuel when nuclear reactors went offline amid a number of repeated leaks of radioactive material. •The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on climate change concluded that without a doubt human action is to blame for global warming. •Coal is so cheap that the UK’s greenhouse emission jumped up by 4.5% while China was found to be burning more coal than the rest of the world combined.

Despite growing pressure on the big users of fossil fuels around the world, issues such as fracking and the use of coal have not dropped significantly - but steps are being taken to allow for change in the future. Picture: FLICKR

Sport 15

Edition 2

Playing in the big leagues By Julia Fish

hodes hockey is the largest sports society on campus. In their own words, ‘they bring the gees’. However despite their two-toned onesies, the club is incredibly professional. As proof the Rhodes first men’s team will be competing in the Varsity Cup this year. Varsity Sports sees the top South African universities competing against each other in the disciplines of football, netball, athletics, 7s rugby, beach volleyball and hockey. It offers an exciting platform for students and university teams to compete and for

their campuses and supporters to get behind them. The prime objective is the support and development of sport in South Africa. The competition attracts big name sponsors such as FNB and Cell C. For Rhodes sport this means a much higher level of professionalism. From basically coaching themselves with the help of the occasional international coach, Greg van Molendors has been hired full time. Thanks to sports admin the team also have a full time physiotherapist and biokineticist at their disposal. Inclusion does however mean a lot more travelling. Venues for the

May fixtures are the University of Johannesburg, University of the Free State and Wits. The tour takes place on consecutive weekends from 3 to 19 May. The cost of flights and accommodation is completely covered by the sponsors, but players will need to pay for other exepnses such as food and entertainment. Dean Johnson, club chairman says the side is naturally very excited. “Inclusion in the varsity cup has been three years in the making, and plenty of hard work,” Johnson said. “There is a lot of responsibility for us as we are the first Rhodes sports side to compete at this level ever.” To qualify the team

Amazing or Amusing race By Julia Fish

had to place in the top eight in USSA events. During the road to Varsity Cup, Rhodes rugby has reached two semifinals and a final, thus this year claiming their spot in the big leagues. The biggest change for the side is the ability to now attract big names to the university. Cody van Wyk has been granted a sports scholarship for his first year at Rhodes. Despite many bids for the young player, he chose Rhodes over other instiutions. Van Wyk currently plays for the South African national U21 side and may represent us at the Olympics after qualifiers in Zambia. The transfer is a massive boost to an already inspiring side.

After a stellar 2013 season, the Rhodes 1st hockey team, pictured here after being promoted to the A section, made it into the Varsity Cup 2014. Picture: Sourced

For me res sport was always a chore. Unless it was something quite random, like archery, I would only get involved if literally nobody else was available. So the Amazing Race, scheduled at the end of a hard living O-week, was most definitely out of the question. Imagine my surprise when making my way to curriculum approval, I saw a flood of first years enthusiastically hurtling their way past Eden Grove quite. My appreciation for their athleticism was soon squashed, however. Echoing from the alumni building came renditions of the South African national anthem, sung in Beyonce style or “do it sexy like” in the words of one of the stewards. And don’t even get me started on the need to shout “watermelon” at the top of their lungs. Like seriously, what for? Tutting and shaking my head I made my way past the clock tower, only to find another batch of first years having to perform choreographed dance moves. All this while someone sat on the floor filming them with his I-pad. Am I the only one who thought: where the hell is this recording going? Do we call this research or blackmail? There is a serious competitive edge to The Amazing Race, and the teams get very upset if denied a podium finish by a matter of seconds. For instance, our Editor still remembers, with sadness, that he lost out on third place by a handful of seconds in his Amazing Race - after running around like an escaped convict for 45 minutes. Rhodes sport is not taken seriously at the best of times. Inter-res events are an opportunity to excite and entice by showing the variety on offer. Even though the Amazing Race is more of a treasure hunt or get to know your campus event, it still falls as the introductory inter-res sport activity. So are we doing ourselves and our sports teams a disservice with this innocuous sprint around the varsity? Is the race becoming more of an outdoor daytime RU Jamming than a good morning jog and bonding session? I personally think we make the first years sing enough! Let them run!

Fixture

3-5 May

10-12 May

Venue

Wits

UFS

Travelling team

Maties

NMMU

Rhodes

Tuks

UCT

UFS

Wits

Rhodes

Tuks

UFS

Wits

Fixture

17-19 May Venue

Travelling team

Maties

NMMU

Rhodes

Tuks

UCT

UFS

Wits

Sports Admin report The Amazing Race:

let the first-years Page 15 run!

Page 15

Edition 2, 25 February 2014

Upcoming campus events February - March

Gym sign-up 24-26 February

Rhodes rugby revamped

Sports sign-up 25 February 17h00-20h00

The Rhodes 1st team gathers for a pep talk before a match. They will benefit from an updated support sytem at Rhodes. Picture: Ashliegh Morris

By Nandi Pape

he Rhodes Rugby Club has taken on the challenge of restructuring its internal management system in preparation for the upcoming 2014 season in an attempt to boost results. In addition to increased funding from former Rhodes student Mike Whiting, which has resulted in a new warm-up kit and various equipment for the teams, significant changes are being made to the structure of the club. According to Head of Sport at Rhodes, Mandla Gagayi, a management committee consisting of Rhodes staff members has been introduced to take charge of tasks such as managing kits, internal club affairs, and the logistics of the various matches; all tasks that previously belonged to students. “We believe that some committee responsibilities tend to affect players’ focus and affect their form,” says Gagayi. Gagayi also stated that the head coach will now be given more power within the

club. “Previously the coach reported to the chairperson, who also at times happened to be the captain,” explains Gagayi. “This therefore limited the coach’s authority.” Despite these plans, there are still some concerns surrounding the club. Because of Rhodes’ notorious reputation, Gagayi has stated that one of the most important measures that will be taken will be to “change the club’s culture of drinking and simple participation to one that will take the sport more seriously and have the motivation to win matches. Brandon Yates, lock for the U/21 team, noted some problems in this regard. “Some players would come to practice and it was clear they had a big night out the previous night.” Another common problem, possibly as a result of Grahamstown’s abundant nightlife, is a difficulty in getting enough people to participate in matches. “We had U/21 players also doubling up as first and second team players, and this at times led to us forfeiting matches because we did not have numbers,” explains Gagayi.

With varsity and partying vying for playersattention, an apparent disconnection between management and the teams themselves, as well as management being disorganised did not help with boosting numbers especially later in the season. “Because Rhodes doesn’t compete as seriously as other universities do, it’s not always taken that seriously,” comments Yates. “If management is well organised and takes the matches seriously, commitment from the players will follow.” Despite these problems, the Rhodes Rugby Club has produced a few good results in recent times. In the 2013 Inter-Varsity tournament, the first team beat Fort Hare’s Varsity Shield team, who finished fourth on last year’s log. University Sport South Africa (USSA) has also awarded the club the rights to host this year’s National Institutional Tournament in July. With the new funding and equipment, as well as a new internal structure, 2014 hopes to see a new and improved Rhodes Rugby Club truly take on the upcoming year.

Rhodes Sports evening 26 February Great Field

Societies sign-up 4 March