Die Matie - 16 February 2022

Koshuishoof oor k-woord bekyk

MARYNA ADSHADE

H

uis Marais-manskoshuis se inwonende hoof, dr Johan Groenewald, het onlangs glo die k-woord gebruik in ’n vergadering met die koshuis se studenteleier skap. Ná die voorval het die leierskap ‘n klag teen hom by die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se eenheid van gelykwaardigheid ingedien wat ondersoek ingestel het aangaande die konteks waarin die woord gebruik is.

Martin Viljoen, die US se media bestuurder, het die volgende oor die voorval gesê: “Die US bevestig ’n voorval in ’n koshuis waarin ’n in wonende hoof die k-woord gebruik het en die ongelukkigheid wat dit onder inwoners veroorsaak het.”

Viljoen het gesê “die US plaas ’n baie hoë premie op die skep van ’n kultuur van respek en menswaar digheid onder personeel en stu dente. Juis omdat die universiteit diep bewus is van die pyn wat die

gebruik van die woord tot gevolg het, beskou die universiteit die saak in ’n baie ernstige lig.”

Volgens Viljoen het die US se eenheid vir gelykwaardigheid dringend ondersoek ingestel en na die betrokke personeellid asook moontlik geaffekteerde studente in die koshuis uitgereik om met die voorlopige ondersoek te begin. Hy het verduidelik dat die betrokke studentegemeenskap ’n tydperk gegun is om meer inligting aan die eenheid te stuur voordat die een heid ’n aanbeveling sou maak.

“’n Deeglike ondersoek is ge doen en onderhoude met die geaf fekteerde partye is gevoer,” het Viljoen gesê. “Die eenheid vir ge lykwaardigheid het sy verslag met aanbevelings voltooi en dit aan die viserektor vir leer en onderrig en die senior direkteur vir studente sake verskaf. Sodra die verslag be studeer is, word ’n besluit aan die betrokke partye oorgedra.”

Rakende die konteks waarin die woord gebruik is, het Viljoen gesê: “Alhoewel die gebruik van die woord ongetwyfeld onaan vaarbaar in ons samelewing is, is dit die universiteit se verstaan tans dat die woord nie as ’n skeld woord gebruik is nie, maar in ’n baie spesifieke konteks, naamlik in ’n gesprek wat gehandel het oor wat onaanvaarbare verwysings en gedrag in studentegemeenskappe sou wees.”

Groenewald wou nie verder oor die konteks of die gebruik van die woord uitbrei nie en het na die US se amptelike verklaring verwys, soos ook weergegee deur Viljoen. Volgens Jaco Joubert, die prim van Huis Marais, is die konteks egter meer kompleks as dit. “Ek was nie fisies by die vergader ing gewees nie. Ek het ’n prim komitee-meeting gehad en toe ek terugkom, lees ek die minutes Toe kon ek sien dat daar was baie

mense wat ontsteld was en toe besef ek eintlik wat aangaan,” het hy verduidelik. “Ná die tyd het baie mense met my kom praat om te sê: ‘Dis nie reg wat gebeur het nie’.”

Hoewel hy nie dié tipe woordge bruik ondersteun of regverdig nie, het hy gemeen hy is al gewoond aan die koshuishoof se manier van sake verduidelik. Vir van die stu dente wat die koshuishoof egter nie so goed ken nie, kan die ge bruik van hierdie tipe woorde baie ontstellend wees.

“Ek ken nou al vir Johan; dis maar hoe hy operate,” het Joubert gesê. “Sy perspektief op die goed is nie heeltemal hoe die universi teit of die koshuis se perspektief oor die goed is nie. So dis moeilik vir ons om so iets te neem vir wat hy eintlik bedoel het. Hy het dit in konteks gesê, maar nog steeds, jy sê nie so iets nie.”

Soos Joubert dit verstaan, is die woord gebruik toe die koshuishoof

die ongewensde gebruik van ’n ander woord wou illustreer. “Dit gaan daaroor dat al die koshuise gebruik die woord ‘jar’ of ‘djar’ vir hulle eerstejaars. Almal het ’n term wat hulle gebruik as ’n collective vir die eerstejaars. Vir hom is dit ’n baie intimiderende, amper soos humiliating woord om te sê,” het hy verduidelik.

“Persoonlik sien ek nie ’n fout daarmee nie, want as ons onsself ‘Maties’ kan noem, hoekom kan ’n groep eerstejaars hulleself nie ‘jarre’ noem nie? Maar dit was [Groenewald se] opinie en toe ge bruik hy die term in ’n vergelyking met die term wat in apartheid ge bruik was,” het Joubert gesê.

Joubert het gesê die een woord word nie aanbeveel op kampus nie terwyl die ander deur die regering verbied is. “Die twee weeg nie op nie,” het hy gesê. “Maar dis [Groe newald se] konteks en van die mense is ontsteld.”

HUIS MUIS IN DIE KAAS ‘n Skadu hang oor Huis Marais nadat hulle HK hulle koshuishoof by die eenheid van gelykwaardigheid aangegee het. Dit is nadat hy tydens ‘n leierskapsvergadering die k woord gebruik het as ‘n voorbeeld van onaanvaarbare woorde. Foto: Aurelia Mouton

Campus gears up for another socially distanced semester

SLADE VAN ROOYEN

T

he implementation of COVID-19 safety measures featured prom inently in student communities’ plans for the annual welcoming programme. The nature of so cial interaction and academic life have changed considerably since the start of the pandemic, and this year’s welcoming week, which ran from 31 January to 12 February, was no exception. Student lead ers from around campus shared with Die Matie some of the ways in which safety and enjoyment were prioritised throughout the wel coming period.

According to Franco Swanepoel, the vice prim of Pieke Private Stu dent Organisation (PSO), they “decided on taking a very similar route to COVID-19 compliance as in the previous year…upholding all rules and regulations to host a safe Welcoming, while still bring ing the spirit and energy of all the years before”.

“Our policy is very much the same as last year, as we still want to ensure the safety of all community members, as well as the rest of the university,” continued Swanepoel.

“We have been given more in-per son active gatherings this year, as well as Vensters (Connect) in per son, so we need to have more set guidelines in terms of what can and cannot happen, especially dur ing the welcoming period.”

He added that “concise rules regarding general daily activities” had been formulated to ensure that safety protocols were being adhered to. These rules covered as pects such as greetings and social distancing in groups.

This approach is similar to that

adopted by Metanoia Residence which, according to prim Dave Binza, continued to implement the policies set out prior to Wel coming last year. According to Binza, student communities re ceived “structured frameworks” setting out factors to be taken into consideration when planning Welcoming activities.

“We received [a framework] for level one… and from there we [adapted] that into our own con text of our community and [tried] to ensure the most safe environ ment possible,” he said. “We ba sically had to make a Welcoming programme for [alert] levels 1–5 and then … if anything were to change … we could adapt quick ly and respond to that.”

According to both Swanepoel and Binza, basic COVID-19 pre cautions such as mask require ments were still the order of the day, and newcomers were regularly reminded to maintain adequate physical distance. “We will still ensure that masks [are always] worn, unless eating or drinking, and we know water will be used often in the swelter ing heat, so we will be making sure that [newcomers] return their masks over their nose af ter they have taken a sip of wa ter, as well as [making] sure that the students will not share their water bottles,” said Swanepoel.

Binza explains that Meta noia Residence appointed safety marshals to sanitise newcomers’ hands upon entry into various venues, such as the dining hall during welcoming, and to mon itor the maintenance of a 1,5 m

physical distance between new comers when they collect their meals.

“Masks are the main priori ty at this point in time … every now and then [mask wearing] does fall short, but we do try and rectify as much as we can,” said Binza.

In reference to assistance pro vided by Stellenbosch University (SU) to facilitate a COVID-19-safe Welcoming, Binza explained, “Last year there wasn’t that much provision in my opinion, but now … the university has of fered [tents] where people can sit down, and that does offer a lot of space for big groups, so it works well for us.”

Whilst questions are of ten raised about the impact of COVID-19 regulations on new comers’ enjoyment of the Wel coming experience, Swanepoel is

positive that the spirit of Welcom ing week remained intact, despite the need for precautionary meas ures.

“Pieke has always had great en ergy and spirit, especially during the Welcoming period. We have or ganised … many fun-filled, as well as educational, activities that any one that is new to the Stellenbosch environment can and will enjoy to [their] full extent, while also [ad hering] to the rules and regulations provided,” he explained.

“These activities take some of our favourite traditions and put a new spin on them so that they are a bit more health- and safety-con scious.”

With the Welcoming pro gramme having drawn to a close, attention is due to shift to the im pact of COVID-19 regulations on academic life in the new semester. SU made it clear in communication

with students on 28 January that university management “intend [on] returning to full face-toface mode as soon as possible”.

Augmented remote teach ing, learning and assessment (ARTLA) is set to continue for the duration of the first semes ter, and assessments “will take place in sit-down mode on campus and will be invigilat ed”, according to the aforemen tioned communication. It was further emphasised that venues would be “utilised to the maxi mum permissible capacity”.

Despite lingering uncer tainty, communications by the university and student leaders would suggest that attitudes have begun to shift in favour of returning to a degree of nor mality, whilst fundamental pre cautionary measures are set to remain in place.

Nuwe US-taalbeleid beoog meertalige aanslag

meertaligheid te bevorder, en ped agogies verantwoordbare leer en onderrig te fasiliteer” ook sentraal.

Wat leer en onderrig betref, ver duidelik ’n amptelike opsomming wat op die universiteit se webwerf beskikbaar is dat daar vir voor graadse klasse drie taalbenader ings gaan wees.

Die eerste benadering sluit klasse in waar daar afsonderlike lesings gehou gaan word in slegs Afrikaans of Engels, maar sal stu dente van verskillende taalgroepe in ander leergeleenthede (soos tu toriale en groepswerk) kombineer.

studente akademies vaardig is in die ander taal/tale”.

Die US se doel is dus om deur middel van die goedgekeurde be leid ruimte te maak vir meertalig heid en ’n meer inklusiewe instan sie vir studente, personeellede en die breë universiteitsgemeenskap. Die voorafgenoemde opsomming stel dat die universiteit die “buig same gebruik van veelvuldige tale in die gees van transtaligheid” wil bevorder.

Indien studente voel hulle word

te na gekom, kan hulle volgens die opsomming van die vertaal-, tolken redigeerdienste op kampus ge bruik maak. Klagtes kan egter aan die studente se betrokke fakulteite deurgegee word, waarna dit vol gens die fakulteite se klagteprose dures deurgegee sal word aan die betrokke personeellede, departe mentele voorsitters, of dekane.

Sowel die taalbeleid self en die amptelike opsomming is in Afri kaans, Engels en Xhosa beskikbaar.

DYLAN LEE

DIE Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se nuwe taalbeleid het vanjaar in Januarie in werking getree ná ’n hersieningsproses wat al sedert Oktober 2020 in aanvang geneem is. Die beleid is op 2 Desember ver lede jaar goedgekeur.

Verlede jaar is ’n taakspan aan gestel om die beleid te hersien, soos dit elke vyf jaar gedoen moet word in oorleg met die beleid, waarna ’n eerste en tweede konsep-weergawe beskikbaar gestel is vir openbare

terugvoer.

Die taalbeleid het ten doel om “uitvoering te gee aan artikel 29(2) van die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet en aan die Taalbeleidsraamwerk vir Openbare Hoëronderwysinstel lings (2020) wat betref taalgebruik in die universiteit se akademiese, administratiewe, professionele en sosiale kontekste”.

Nog ’n doelstelling is “om bil like toegang tot die US vir alle stu dente en personeellede uit te brei, meertaligheid én waardering vir

Die tweede benadering het weer klasse waarin die gebruik van Afrikaans en Engels saam in die klas gebruik gaan word met “alle inligting in Engels [en] met op sommings in Afrikaans”. Studente sal vrae in beide tale kan vra mits die dosent gemaklik is in die taal waarin die vraag gestel is.

Die laaste benadering sluit klasse in wat net in een taal aange bied gaan word en sulke gevalle word bepaal deur die “aard van leesstof, taalvaardigheid van dosent [en] stemming deur stu dente”. Dít is ook die enigste be nadering waar Xhosa as ’n opsie uitgelig word. Wat nagraadse leer en onderrig betref, sal “Engels of enige ander taal/tale gebruik [kan] word, mits die dosent(e) en alle

MOVING WITH THE TIMES Metanoians participating in a socially distanced gees session. Photo: Uyanda Tyusha

WELKOM IN JOU TAAL ‘n Bord op die Rooiplein heet studente in ‘n verskeidenheid van tale welkom. Foto: Ben Wiese

NUWE JAAR NUWE TAALBELEID Vanjaar se eerstejaars sal die eerste jaargroep wees wat onder die nuwe taalbeleid gaan studeer. Foto: Carmi Wentzel

Opgeknapte biblioteek gereed vir studente

ILA ALBERTS

Die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US)

Biblioteek is gedurende die af gelope jaar opgeknap te midde van die COVID-19-pandemie. Luidens persverklarings op die biblioteek se webtuiste het die proses op 29

Maart verlede jaar begin en was be plan om finaal teen einde Januarie vanjaar afgehandel te wees, betyds voordat klasse weer begin.

Volgens ’n berig op die US se webtuiste van 12 Mei verlede jaar vorm die opknappings deel van die Kampusvernuwingsprojek en is R20,5 miljoen daarvoor begroot.

Die Kampusvernuwingsprojek is in 2014 van stapel gestuur en be planning vir die opknapping van die biblioteek het al in 2018 begin.

Die opknappingsproses is in drie fases verdeel, waarvan die eerste een hoofsaaklik op per soneelwerkruimtes op die boonste verdieping gefokus het, sowel as die studente se kleedkamers op die onderste verdieping. Die tweede fase, wat verlede jaar Augustus begin het, het splinternuwe werk areas vir besoekers geskep. Hierna

het die laaste fase gevolg, waar die ingangsportaal en sekuriteit van die biblioteek verbeter is.

Japie Engelbrecht, fasiliteits bestuur se direkteur van projek bestuur, het in die bogenoemde berig van 12 Mei gesê dat studente veral kan uitsien na outomatiese uitleengeriewe en ’n nuwe kliёnte dienstoonbank, sowel as verbeter de leesareas.

Saaniyah Yacoob, finalejaar na graadse LLB-student, wat voor die pandemie die biblioteek daagliks besoek het, beskryf die biblioteek as “’n fantastiese studiearea omdat dit so sentraal geleё is”. Die aanlyn besprekingstelsel, wat verlede jaar geïmplementeer is, waar die kapa siteit van die biblioteek en toegang daartoe hewig beperk is, het haar egter verhinder om die biblioteek se geriewe verlede jaar te nut tig, aangesien baie studente lank vooruit sou bespreek sodra gleuwe oopgemaak het.

Talle studente waarmee Die Mat ie informeel gesels het, was onbe wus van die opknappingswerk aan die biblioteek. Mari-Liza Coetzee,

’n tweedejaar-BIng (Bedryfsinge nieurswese)-student, sê sy was nog nie sedert die universiteit se oped ag van 2019 weer in die biblioteek nie en het nie kennis gedra dat dit opgeknap word nie. Sy het nie vandat sy begin studeer het in die biblioteek gewerk nie, deels om dat sy nie van die besprekingstel sel gehou het nie en deels omdat die ingenieurswese-fakulteit se studieareas reeds voldoende was,

alhoewel ouer studente haar dik wels sê hoe baie hulle studiesessies in die biblioteek geniet het.

Volgens Delene Pretorius, hoof van inligtingsdienste by die bibli oteek, sien die biblioteekpersoneel daarna uit om vanjaar meer stu dente te verwelkom. “Om fisiese distansiëring te verseker, sal slegs die helfte van die biblioteek se studiesitplekke beskikbaar gemaak word. Studente sal steeds die aan

lyn besprekingstelsel moet gebruik vir gewilde areas soos die leersen trum en die navorsingsruimte. Die ander areas sal egter oop wees op ’n eerste-kom-eerste-bedien-ba sis,” verduidelik Pretorius.

Die grootste uitdagings in die bouproses was, volgens Pretorius, deur die COVID-19-pandemie veroorsaak. “Die grendeltyd wat in die middel van 2021 strenger toegepas is en die beperkings op die aantal persone wat in die US Biblioteek toegelaat kon word, het vir besondere uitdagings gesorg,” sê sy. “Op ’n stadium mag slegs 50 persone in die biblioteek gewees het. Dit het die spoed waarmee die kontrakteur kon werk gekniehalter omdat die hele span nie gelykty dig in die biblioteek kon wees nie. Wêreldwyd is skeepsvragaflewer ing ook vertraag. Dit het byvoor beeld baie langer [geneem] as wat verwag is vir die badkamerteëls om van oorsee te kom.”

Tog is die projek tydig afge handel. Studente kan uitsien na verbeterde studieareas, meer krag proppe en moderne badkamers.

SRC serves students during Welcoming

FLAVIA DAVIDS

IN line with its mandate to serve the students of Stellenbosch Uni versity (SU), the Student Repre sentative Council (SRC), in collab oration with the Academic Affairs Council (AAC), assisted students with outstanding debt by prepar ing appeals for readmission to the institution. In addition to this ini tiative, the SRC’s Transformation Office assisted newcomers with transport during the annual Wel coming period, which was under way from 1–13 February.

The SRC is key to the function ing of the SU student body, and its primary purpose is the representa tion and promotion of student in terests during discussions with SU administration, management and executive bodies.

Similarly, the AAC has been mandated by the Student Consti tution to represent the students’ academic interests to the executive management of the SRC and the university’s management. They also serve to promote the students’ rights to quality education and ac ademic support, and to ensure that assessment procedures are trans parent and justifiable. The bodies have attempted to achieve their respective objectives by means of their joint initiative to assist stu dents with readmission.

George van Dyk, chairperson of the AAC, headed the readmission initiative but was unavailable for comment. According to an Insta gram post on the SRC’s account (@stellenbosch_src), the initiative aimed to ensure that students who wanted to reregister to the univer sity had their appeals “presented in a manner where [the appeal] can be judged on its merits, with full supporting documentation”. The post also communicated that it was the SRC’s belief that the project would assist these students’ chanc es of successful readmission to the

university for this year.

The SRC’s Transformation Of fice also launched its transport initiative. Zander Niemand, the SRC’s Transformation Officer for this year, along with fellow SRC members Chris Briel and Alex Vink (who head both the student well ness and the womxn and queer empowerment (WAQE) portfolios respectively), headed the New comer Transport Initiative.

This initiative began on the eve of SU’s annual Welcoming period, 1 February, and was under way until 10 February. It was born from the newcomers’ need for as sistance to get to their various stu dent communities after travelling to Stellenbosch from all over the country. This project was the idea of former transformation officer Viwe Kobokana, who is the current chairperson of the SRC. The driv ers for the initiative provided new comers with lifts to their residenc es and private accommodation, and picked them up from airports and bus and train terminals from in and around Stellenbosch.

“We wanted to ensure that ar riving newcomers had access to

safe and cost free transportation. I’m very happy to say that we’re continuing the initiative again this year, and we’ve made the addi tional provisions to ensure that newcomers arriving to Tygerberg can also make use of free and safe transport,” said Niemand.

Briel, Niemand and Vink have great expectations for this initia tive, which has seen the interplay between the SRC and various stu dent leaders of House Committees and private student organisations (PSOs).

“We’ve asked that the various student communities aid us in this project, that they help us capture the details of students who are requesting assistance. We hope that this collaboration with House Committees and residence leaders will ensure that all newcomers are aware of the initiative that the SRC is running and that they are aware there is help if they need it,” added Niemand.

Niemand explained that they hoped this initiative would “help to spark collaborative leader ship between the SRC and House Committees”.

Verhogings dalk op horison

DR Blade Nzimande, die minister van hoër onderwys en opleiding, het onlangs voorge stel dat die land se 26 universi teite hulle fooie met onderskei delik 4,3% vir klasfooie en 6,3% vir studenteverblyf verhoog. Verlede jaar se verhogings was onderskeidelik 4,7% en 6,7%.

Prega Govender het op 14 Januarie in ’n TimesLIVE-artikel berig dat dié verhogings die de partement van hoër onderwys se oplossing is om die nodige R10,1 biljoen tekort in befonds ing vir Nasionale Skema vir Finansiële Bystand vir Studen te (NSFBS, oftewel NSFAS) te werf.

Volgens Martin Viljoen, Uni versiteit Stellenbosch (US) se mediabestuurder, gaan die US ook hulle fooie verhoog. Hy het gesê dat daar vanjaar ’n ba sis-studentegeldeverhoging van 5,35% gaan wees op beide vooren nagraadse vlak (insluitende internasionale studente), ’n 7% styging in verblyfgelde (vanweë die styging van onder meer die koste van nutsdienste), en ’n verhoging van tot 4,5% in sala risvergoeding.

“Dit is belangrik om ken nis te neem dat die US se fooie nie van die hoogste in die sek tor is nie. Ook belangrik is dat 2021 se fooiaanpassings laer was as die sektorale ooreen koms (die Social Compact) vir 2021,” het Viljoen gesê. Verlede jaar se verhogings was 3,66% vir klasgelde (met die sektorale ooreenkoms wat 5,4% was), 5,9% vir verblyfgeld (met 7,4% as die sektorale ooreen koms) en 3,2% in salarisver goeding.

“Alle fakulteite en profes sionele en ondersteuningsdien ste-omgewings het aan hierdie gedetailleerde beplanningspro ses deelgeneem en die proses het

uitgebreide konsultasie met stu dentegemeenskappe ingesluit.

Studenteleiers, en spesifiek die Studenteraad se verteenwoor digers op die studentegelde komitee, het saam besluit en ingestem tot die US se voorge stelde verhogings,” het Viljoen verduidelik.

Verhoogde klas- en koshuis fooie is egter nie die enigste verhogings op die horison nie. Eskom het in Desember ver lede jaar aangekondig dat hulle aansoek doen om ’n 20,5%-ver hoging van elektrisiteitstariewe. Carol Paton het op 17 Janu arie op fin24 berig dat die ver hogings, volgens Eskom, die gevolg is van dié twee faktore buite hulle beheer: die ver hoogde vereiste om aankope van krag van onafhanklike kragprodusente en die ver hoging van koolstofbelasting. Dié verhogings is veronderstel om op 1 April in werking te tree.

Gesie van Deventer, uitvoerende burgemeester van Stellenbosch, het egter in ’n persverklaring van 17 Januarie haar afkeur van hierdie verhoging laat hoor. Sy het gemeen die verhogings wat vir die volgende drie jaar beplan word, gaan ’n nadelige impak op die ekonomie hê aangesien elektrisiteit menigte sleutelsek tore onderlê.

“Ons inwoners kan een voudig nie hierdie verhogings bekostig nie. Dit is ongeregver dig en onregverdig,” het Van Deventer in die verklaring gesê. “Stellenbosch Munisipaliteit verwerp hierdie voorgestelde verhoging en versoek dat dit teruggetrek word.”

Hoewel Van Deventer die verhogings verwerp het, sal die gemeenskap eers later hoor of haar verwerping ’n verskil in die verhogings kon maak.

KARLA VAN DER MERWE & MARYNA ADSHADE

REG VIR DIE NUWE JAAR Een van die opgeknapte areas van die biblioteek wat al klaar deur studente benut word. Foto: Ben Wiese

Photo: Carmi Wentzel

Tantalising your taste buds 101

DANIELLE JOUBERT

Stellenbosch’s student life is back at full throttle, and you can earn those extra credits of fun by visiting the much sought after “weekend-classes”!

WINE TASTING

This curriculum requires no prior registration, although a minimum of three wine tasting modules is recommended to enhance the true Matie experience. JC Le Roux offers a variety of champagne pairings, such as a nougat experience, which is a must-do for every Matie!

At Blaauwklippen, there is a family market on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 15:00 and a selection of phenomenal tastings, such as the pairing of red wines and homemade fudge.

The third module can be

attended at Postcard Café at Stark-Condé Wines. As its name suggests, it boasts one of the most picturesque views in Stellenbosch.

Mia Groenewald, a second-year BA (Language and Culture) student at Stellenbosch University (SU), recommends this café to all new Maties, saying, “Blaauwklippen is one of my favourite spots on earth!

I can’t wait to visit again!”

With the necessary dedication and hard work, students will be able to master all three modules in one weekend!

PICNICS AND SUNDOWNERS

For the devoted students wishing to ace this course, there are several evening classes focusing on picnics and sundowners. These classes can be attended at Botmanskop, Coetzenburg and the reservoir, which is located just outside of Stellenbosch.

Don’t forget to bring your own equipment for class, such as a picnic blanket, snacks and a bottle

of wine. Be sure to arrive early, though, as these popular spots are usually packed!

Theresa van Staden, a secondyear student at the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography, says that she rarely misses one of these “classes”. “I truly can’t decide what is better: the stunning sunsets or amazing stargazing opportunities at Botmanskop!”

COFFEE PIT STOPS

For the much-needed caffeine boost in-between these classes, students can gather at the popular Juvenate Conscious Eatery.

Located in Dorp Street, they are well-known for their amazing coffee art, and their smoothies will lift your spirits! Franco Swanepoel, a second-year BSc (Molecular and Biotechnology) student at SU and previous master of this course, advises all first-years to go and relax at Juvenate, dubbing it “the perfect place to study or

[socialise]”.

Another excellent choice is the Katjiepiering Restaurant situated in the Stellenbosch Botanical Garden, where they serve a decadent selection of cakes and coffee.

No wine? No problem—socialising the sober way

WITH its rolling hills of vineyard, world-renowned produce and just over 100 wine farms, one would not exactly be wrong in associating Stellenbosch with wine. In truth, however, whilst the wine farms certainly add to the incredible scenery that Stellenbosch University (SU) students are lucky to behold, the experience of living in Stellenbosch goes far beyond fermented grapes alone.

For those wishing to immerse themselves in the town’s culture, offerings and people whilst remaining sober, socialising is made easy. One can never grow bored with the abundance of events that are not only student-budget friendly but creative, engaging and memorable as well.

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list, the following occasions promise to start students off well in true Stellenbosch fashion:

ROOT44

As a long-standing feature of the Stellenbosch market scene, Root44 has become a fan favourite amongst SU students. Chantal Hendriks, a key roleplayer in the market’s management, best describes Root44 as a space “where taste meets expectation” and where students are drawn by the look, feel and variety of food on offer.

If the proof is in the pudding, SU students are definitely going back for seconds, as the market receives a noteworthy number of visitors each week. Aside from catching up with friends over a good meal—be it Asian, Mediterranean or African inspired—the accompanying

live music creates the perfect atmosphere to socialise after a long day. The market can be visited on Fridays from 15:00 to 21:00 and on both Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00.

feast their eyes on the creativity, innovation and homemade goodness of products, such as trendy room decor and artisanal food and drink. For a pit stop, nearby stores provide the perfect opportunity to sit around a table with friends for a “Paint and Plant” experience or live music performance as offered at Adam and Eve and Casa Cerveza respectively. This market takes place every Sunday from 09:00 to 15:00.

SOKKIES AT KRUISKERK

twice a week on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

More information can be found @stellies_sokkie on Instagram.

SPIER SUNSET SESSIONS: LIVE MUSIC ON THE WERF

Before ruling wine farms out altogether, Spier is but one of the surrounding wine farms that cater to all by providing students with the holy grail of outdoor socialising experiences: good food, good views and good vibes.

This course will equip you with the needed wine tasting and culinary knowledge to excel in Stellenbosch, and students who successfully complete the course may proceed to more advanced modules.

CAMPUS QUOTES

“I wish I could direct you, but me and Google Maps…”

– One newcomer to another on the Rooiplein.

“Ek het ‘n koppyn vir middagete gehad.”

– Joernalistiekstudent op die eerste dag van klas.

“How was Valentine’s day?” “Oh, I sprained my wrist.”

– One queer friend to another.

“I’m about as salty as the ocean.”

DORP STREET SUNDAY MARKET

Unlike the seasoned veteran, Root44, the Dorp Street Sunday Market first graced our streets in 2020 but has brought just as much character to the Stellenbosch community. The market embodies the appeal of small town life, as one is likely to see a familiar face (whether it is a classmate, fellow residence member or friend) whilst walking down the decorated sidewalks of Dorp Street.

Visitors stroll alongside one another in conversation as they

A good sokkie remains one of the best ways to introduce oneself to Stellenbosch culture—a sentiment that the sokkie evening organiser and MEng (Mechatronic) student, Manie du Toit, can attest to. As an avid music lover and fellow Matie, Du Toit shares that “sokkie brings like-minded people together; it forms a community of its own.” With a degree under his belt, Du Toit is no stranger to academic stress and therefore values that “the sokkie gives students the opportunity to have fun and sometimes break away from noisy, crowded pubs in town.”

Since being inspired to host sokkie sessions after the closure of Opskop in 2019 and the temporary closure of Catwalk in 2020, Du Toit has utilised Kruiskerk’s space as a platform to aid socialising amongst students. With regards to the attendees, Du Toit says, “Some just come to catch up with some friends, others teach dance moves, but most of them live for that one sokkie evening somewhere in their busy week.”

This “one-man operation” promises a fun time and the opportunity to meet new people

Roughly a 12-minute drive away from campus, the accessibility of the farm is further supplemented by the free entry events, which promise to make a spontaneous, after-class rendezvous absolutely worth it. As what PR and Social Media agent Mishqa Slabbert regards “a long-standing supporter of the arts, Spier understands that creative works entertain, inform and educate”. The Spier Sunset Sessions offer a laid-back afternoon with live music performances from artists that vary from week to week and with several food options too. Whether the mood favours a light, summery picnic consisting of treats such as charcuterie and cheeses; a good old woodfired pizza; or a unique assortment of goodies from the Farm Café, one is sure to be fully satisfied.

Although eclectic bars and wine production can serve as a large part of the small town’s appeal, Stellenbosch remains a treasure trove for those willing to explore and find their place in it all. With so many different opportunities to connect on offer, one’s perception of socialising in Stellenbosch stands to be pleasantly transformed—one memorable, social event at a time.

– Annoyed HC during Welcoming.

“Hoe sleg dit met jou gaan hang af van watse jaar jy is.”

– Gatvol honneursstudent.

“You can’t just drink from a bottle of wine.”

“Sure you can, this is Stellenbosch.”

– Students in liquor shop.

“Aggenee, nou’s daar vodka op my plakkie.”

– Student wat haar vodkaspecial in De Akker gemors het.

“Emotionally, I don’t exist anymore, but I do feel for you.”

– Student comforting her friend who just spilled Coke on her white dress.

“Ek gaan vir myself ‘n roos en ‘n dop koop.”

– Enkellopende student op Valentynsdag.

“Dit gaan afdraand, maar dit beweeg.”

– Dieselfde gatvol honneurs student.

NEW ROOT The newly renovated Root44 space promises to enhance visitors’ experience. Photo: Rolize Joubert

KULANI NGOBENI

NIGHT OUT Students enjoying the buzzing town life of Stellenbosch. Photo: Carmi Wentzel

I

1987 se Studenteliefde

KARLA DE BOD

n die dae voor WhatsApp, Insta gram DM’s en Tinder was daar slegs braaie, telefoonhokkies, danse en vertroue dat jou bewonderaar op die afgespreekte tyd gaan op daag. Waar studenteverhoudings vandag staatmaak op sleutelbor de om nuwe mense te ontmoet, te leer ken en te kommunikeer, het studente sowat 30 jaar gelede slegs staatgemaak op mekaar.

Die jaar is 1987: Simons berg-manskoshuis hou hulle week likse Vrydagoggend sjampan je-dans met Nemesia-vrouekoshuis en studente staan vroeg op om be tyds te wees vir die dans voor die dag se klasse begin. Twee van die studente wat dié dans bygewoon het, is Pieter de Bod en Irene de Bod (née Bester) min wetende dat hulle daardie oggend hulle lewensmaats gaan ontmoet.

“Ons het ontmoet toe ek in my vierde jaar was en Irene in haar tweede jaar,” vertel Pieter. “In ons tyd het die manskoshuise ge woonlik Vrydae-oggende ’n sjam panje-dans met die vrouekoshuise gehad voor klasse begin het.” Hier die weeklikse sjampanje-danse het elke Vrydag om 06:00 begin, waar tydens daar sjampanje en ontbyt bedien is met musiek in die agter grond waarop studente volstoom gedans het. Wanneer die klok 08:00 geslaan het, het die dans geëindig voordat die dag se klasse begin het.

Volgens Pieter moes die mans altyd netjies aangetrek gewees het as hulle die sjampanje-danse wou bywoon, maar dat sy planne op dié spesifieke oggend dit nie so mooi toegelaat het nie. “Die oggend van die sjampanje-dans was ek en my vriende bietjie laat gewees aan gesien ons die vorige aand met whiskey en lemonade gedeurnag

het,” het Pieter gesê.

As gevolg van die deurnag was Pieter se uitrusting nie heeltemal gepas vir die oggend se geleent heid nie, maar dit was ’n uitrusting wat Irene nooit sal vergeet nie. “Hy het daar opgedaag met ’n swart oefenbroekie, ’n T-hemp met ’n das om die nek en tekkies sonder sokkies, maar flip hy het mooi ge lyk!” het Irene vertel. “Sy hare was gesny soos die modehaarstyl van daai tyd, die ‘MacGyver’, met ’n ligte mullet in die nek.”

Pieter het vertel dat hy dadelik vir Irene gesien het toe hy by die eetsaal ingestap het soos sy besig was om met ’n tweedejaar te dans.

“Toe die mooi meisie gaan sit het toe sê ek vir haar dat ek volgende met haar gaan dans,” het Pieter vertel. “En so het ek heeloggend

met haar gedans, plaat ná plaat.”

Vandag se studente het nie die probleem van name vergeet nie, aangesien die naam met ’n nom mer op die foon gegee is of gesien kan word op ’n Instagram-profiel, maar dertig jaar gelede was dit ’n ander storie. “Vir ons eerste date het ek gegaan om vir Irene op te tel by haar koshuis, Nemesia, maar toe ek daar kom, het ek vin nig besef dat ek nie haar naam kan onthou nie, net dat dit een of ander vrouekoshuis se naam was,” het Pieter vertel.

In daardie oomblik kon Pieter nie op sy foon se kontaklys of Ins tagram-soekgeskiedenis staatmaak nie, en moes sodoende die koshu is se lys van name gebruik het om meisie-vir-meisie af te roep om uiteindelik by Irene uit te kon kom.

“Ek het na die voordeur toe gegaan en by die lys afgegaan en elke meisie geroep wat ’n vroue koshuis se naam het. Ek het eerste ’n Erika afgeroep en nadat sy ge kom het en ek besef het dat dit nie die meisie is wat ek soek nie, het ek agter die pilaar weggekruip en gemaak asof dit nie ek is wat die meisies afroep nie,” het Pieter ver tel. “Nadat ek ’n Nerina afgeroep het en weer agter die pilaar weg gekruip het, het ek uiteindelik ’n Irene afgeroep en toe kom die mooi meisie af met ’n rooi sweetpak broek en ’n geel trui en ek vra toe of sy met my ietsie sal gaan drink by Lanzerac.”

Met selfone wat eers teen 1994 in Suid-Afrika beskikbaar geword het, kon studente in vroeër jare slegs telefoonhokkies gebruik om oor ’n afstand te gesels en het hulle meestal in persoon afgespreek wanneer hulle mekaar weer gaan sien en vertrou dat die ander per soon sou opdaag.

Volgens Irene het dié kommu nikatiewe belemmering veroorsaak dat studente mekaar meer kon sien en eintlik beter kon kommunikeer. Sy het gesê: “Ons het langer by me kaar gekuier en ons het mekaar in die oë gekyk wanneer ons gesels het, so ek dink verhoudings daai tyd was meer opreg en intens.”

Pieter het vertel dat alhoewel die lewe daardie tyd dalk makliker sou wees met selfone, dit nie naas tenby so diep sou wees nie en dat hy sodoende baie geleer het. “Ons het geleer hoe belangrik dit is om te kommunikeer in persoon; as jy nie ’n persoon in die oë kan kyk nie, dan kan jy nie die sentiment of die deernis of die gevoel sien nie, want jou oë is tog jou hart na buitentoe,” het Pieter gesê. “Ek dink die feit dat ons gedwing was om te kommuni keer in persoon het gehelp dat ons sterker verhoudings kon bou.”

Met betrekking tot raad vir die studente van vandag, het Pieter gesê dat die verhoudings wat ’n mens tydens jou studentelewe bou, die verhoudings is wat jy vir die res van jou lewe gaan hê. “Dis belan grik om jou kêrel of meisie te betrek in jou vriendekring en dat hulle oor die weg kom met die mense wat reeds deel is van jou lewe,” het Pi eter gesê. “Die hegste vriende wat ek vandag het, is my vriende wat ek tydens my studentelewe ont moet het en [die] meeste van hulle is vandag getroud met die meisies wat hulle daai tyd na die braaie toe gebring het.”

Vir baie studente sal Stellen bosch altyd bekend staan as die dorp wat gevul is met studentepret en waar jy vriendskappe en ver houdings bou met mense van ver skillende agtergronde, wat elkeen bydra tot die genot van student wees. “As jy jou [lewensmaat] op Universiteit Stellenbosch ontmoet het, het jy nie net pret in ’n plek gevind nie, maar ook in ’n persoon, en dit is iets wat jy nie moet laat gaan nie. Moet nooit die pret ver loor nie,” het Irene gesê.

Met hulle 32ste huweliksherden king wat om die draai is, geniet dié De Bod-paartjie dit om dikwels ter ug te dink aan hulle studentedae waartydens hulle storie begin het. Elke storie en herinnering wat te doen het met hulle geliefde akker boomdorpie bring ’n glimlag op albei se gesigte soos dit hulle ter ugneem na daardie oggend in Si monsberg-manskoshuis se eetsaal in 1987.

“Ek voel asof ek nog steeds ’n student is en ek is nog steeds so lief vir Irene,” het Pieter gesê. “Ek sal enige dag weer die hele land drostuin se blomme gaan pluk en vir haar gaan serenade onder haar koshuiskamer se venster.”

Pret vir Pasmaats: Die Stellenbosse Liefdeslysie

MARDENE VAN SCHALKWYK

DIT is die maand van liefde, en romanse blom in Stellenbosch. Van bergklim tot wyndrink is daar altyd iets prettig om met ’n pasmaat te doen.

Daar is egter ’n paar dinge wat al amper tradisie vir gelief des op kampus is. Die Matie het hierdie lys van tradisies saamgestel om te verseker dat elke paartjie die volle Stellen bosse feëverhaal kan uitleef.

SOEN IN DIE LAAN

Die Laan is ’n eikeboom-be dekte straat langsaan die Eerst erivier wat so romanties is dat dit ’n bekende vryplek onder studente geword het. Tot en met 2010 het die verliefdes van Stellenbosch elke jaar bymekaar gekom vir die SR se Soen in Die Laan-fondsinsameling. Vandag word hierdie tradisie steeds deur geliefdes geëer.

dent, sê dat dit feitlik verpligtend vir paartjies is om saam na ’n wyn plaas toe te gaan.

STAP COETZENBURG UIT

“’n Mens moet na die Tweede Kruis toe hike,” sê Lara Breyten bach, ’n wderdejaar-BA (Visuele Kommunikasieontwerp)-student.

Die Tweede Kruis is ’n bekende Coetzenburg- staproete wat ge woonlik minder as drie ure duur.

SKEMERKELKIES MET ’N UITSIG

As stap nie jou ding is nie, kan jy nog steeds die prag van Coetzen burg waardeer. Breytenbach stel voor dat diegene wat nie in ’n hike belangstel nie, ten minste ’n skemerkelkie aan die voet van die berg geniet.

ROOMYS IN DORPSTRAAT

Tyla Peens, ’n tweedejaar-BSc (Wiskundige Wetenskap)-student sê dat sy en haar geliefde graag roomys eet.

“Die eerste ding waaraan ek dink as ek aan dates dink, is om roomys by Crème de Levain te kry.”

Ander roomysplekke in die area is Swirl’n, Gelato Mania, Flame & Ash, Dinky’s, Marcel’s en De Vrije Burger.

WAARDEER DIE SONSONDER GANG

Robynne Lewis, wat onlangs haar BA (Visuele Kommunikasieont werp)-graad voltooi het, sê: “Cou ples kan ná ’n lang dag saam op die tennisbane gaan sit en die lug se pragtige skakerings van goud, oranje en pienk waarneem.”

Die Stellenbosse sonsondergang is altyd ’n romantiese gebeurtenis.

STERREKYK OP DIE ROOIPLEIN

Nadat paartjies die asemrowende sonsondergang geniet het, kan hulle die naglug se prag bekyk. Peens sê: “Dis altyd lekker om op die gras by die Rooiplein te lê en sterrekyk.”

STAP IN JAN MARAIS PARK

Peens geniet dit om met haar kêrel in die natuurreservaat te gaan stap. Lewis het ook die park genoem, maar sy het ander planne.

BUIT AL DIE DORP SE SPECIALS UIT

Aangesien Stellenbosch uit en uit ’n studentedorp is, is daar geen te kort aan spesiale aanbiedinge nie. Dit maak ’n aand uit saam met jou geliefde goedkoper en meer pret om te kyk hoe ver jy dié lae pryse kan uitbuit. Met verband tot die spesiale aanbiedinge, sê Johnston: “Eet vir seker die sushi-buffet by

Watami.” Peens verkies Woens dae se halfprys-Java-pizza.

So, of paartjies die rustigheid van Stellenbosch se kosbare uit sigte geniet, of eerder deur die gesellige Stellenbosse strate met ’n roomys in die hand wil stap, is daar altyd vele romantiese aktiwiteite wat kenmerkend van die Stellenbosse liefdesver haal is.

STUDENTELIEFDE Pieter de Bod en Irene de Bod by Simonsberg-man skoshuis se huisfondsdans in 1987. Foto: Verskaf

LIEF EN LAG Studente vier Valentynsdag met hande vol rose en wegneemkoffie. Foto: Carmi Wentzel

Working students reach tipping point

SKYLA THORNTON

Awell-known struggle of stu dent life at Stellenbosch Uni versity (SU) is a lack of funds. Many students attempt to rectify this problem by working part time. For the most part, they work as waitrons or bartenders, but this proves to be more challenging than it would seem from a cus tomer’s perspective. Tipping even ten percent on bills is scarce, and working students have to develop patience in order to deal with crass customers and their superiors in the workplace.

Sophie, a third-year BA (Hu manities) student, who preferred not to disclose her surname, worked as a waitress at Flame & Ash on Plein Street. Regarding the culture around tipping in Stellen bosch, she said, “Sometimes when serving students, it would be a 50/50 whether they’d tip or not.

Bartenders sadly didn’t get tipped often where I worked because most people don’t think that they need to.”

Nikita Roberts, a third-year BSc (Food Science) student, who was previously employed at Flame & Ash and now works at Decam eron, said, “I’ve had customers,

students usually, that are very de meaning with no human decency. In my opinion, if you can’t afford to tip 10% you shouldn’t go out, especially in Stellenbosch where most of a server’s income relies on tipping.”

Despite the number of students who work part time in Stellen bosch, the owner of certain estab lishments has—according to these two students—been known to mis treat the student employees.

“The owner was an unpleasant man who often made servers cry, or insulted them,” said Sophie. Roberts shared the same senti ment, “[It was a] really disrespect ful work environment where the waiters were expected to do a lot of intense physical labour for no money.”

To other students, some estab lishments have a welcoming work space, such as Decameron. “I feel like I’m part of a family and have made some very great friends here. … It’s my home away from home,” said Roberts.

Jordan Engelbrecht, a sec ond-year BSc (Biodiversity and Ecology) student and bartender at De Lapa says, “We are all treated very well by our managers and we are very fortunate in this regard. They are lenient when it comes

How to: IT Hub

ARSHIA RAMLUCKUN

IT has been two years since the IT Hub has seen lines with waiting periods of up to four hours. This is because stu dents have had to make appointments to receive help from the IT Hub due to COVID-19. This resulted in many stu dents asking other students to assist them with IT-related issues and has led to a number of them having forgot ten, or not even heard of, the IT Hub.

The IT Hub is the first point of con tact for all IT-related inquiries. Its staff provide support for Microsoft Office software, and network and hardware incidents to the staff and students of Stellenbosch University (SU).

Basically, if students are having

any problems with their computer hardware or software, the IT Hub is the place to go first. It is also the first place recommended should you have any IT-related problems, since their services are free to all SU students.

The IT Hub can be found on the righthand side of the Admin A building where the entrance faces the back of the Admin B building.

To this day, the IT Hub is still not open for walk-ins. Students are re quired to make an appointment or log a request on the ICT Partner Por tal (which can be found by typing the phrase “Stellenbosch Service Desk” into Google). Alternatively, students can email help@sun.ac.za or phone

Kos vir ’n koning

LIZE BEKKER

KONINGSKOS is beslis nie die eerste ding wat ’n mens in gedagte het as jy aan ’n Stellenbosse stu dent dink nie. Praat net een keer met ’n student en jy sal oortuig wees dat Stellenbosse studente slegs op 2-minute noodles, beskuit en koshuiskos leef. Alhoewel die meeste studente wel op hierdie stapelvoedsel leef, is daar steeds studente wat daagliks uiters smaaklike maaltye op klein stofies aanmekaarslaan.

Die grootste probleem vir stu dente is om maklike resepte te vind en tyd te maak om kos voor te berei. Studente moet aan kosmaak dink as ’n studiebreek tussen mas sas werk. Resepte is egter ’n perd van ’n ander kleur. Om ’n resep te vind wat min bestanddele benodig

om geld te spaar asook beperkte kombuistoestelle verg, is ’n groot gesukkel; 2-minute noodles eet is daarom maar die ding om te doen.

Sjef Phillip Nel werk agter die skerms aan die smaaklike kosse wat by die bekende Stellenbosse restaurant, De Volkskombuis, be dien word. Nel het van kleintyd af gebak en brou in die kombuis en werk al vir ’n jaar en drie maande by De Volkskombuis. Hy beveel die restaurant se gewilde pork bel ly aan vir honger studente.

“Om kos te maak vir goedkoop is nie so moeilik soos wat mense dink dit is nie, veral met groente. Koop die groente los by die winkel. Goed soos rys en pasta is gewoon lik nie te duur nie, so koop groter pakkies droë bestandele, want jy kan dan meer as een keer daarvan eet,” vertel Nel. “Koop ook minder

to exams, test week and our busy schedules, which may affect how often we can work.”

A word of advice for students looking to work part time is that one should be mindful of time management, ensure that studies come first, and remain aware of deadlines. It is, however, manage able to work part time, stay on top of studies, and even have a social life, which Engelbrecht said “is all about time management and self-discipline”.

Sophie added that students also need to “be careful [and] make sure that [they] have some form of written word about your terms be cause it’s very easy [for employers] to take advantage and underpay or overwork them.”

So, keep student waitrons, bar tenders and other employees in mind when going out this year, and never underestimate the pow er that even a small tip has.

“I urge all students to tip their bartenders and waiters/waitresses as this is what makes long hours and late nights worth it for us,” said Engelbrecht.

If one plans to start working part time, be strategic and do re search to avoid any uncomfortable experiences.

the IT Service desk on 021 808 9289 Monday–Friday from 08:00–12:45 and 13:45–16:30.

The ICT Partner Portal is a plat form that students can use to get the required support. This can be ex tremely helpful because it provides a place where students can not only log a request for assistance but also find guides on how to help themselves with problems they may experience. This can teach students how to help themselves rather than being de pendent on others. Should a student not know into which portal category their request falls, they can simply search the key terms or phrases in the search bar.

1. Ensure that the computer software is updated.

2. Have a basic firewall that is also updated.

3. Search “RegisterMe” in the search bar of the ICT Partner Portal to get access to the instructions on how to register a device or connect to Eduroam, the campus WiFi.

4. Patience is key! Do not keep pressing the refresh button or any other button should the page be taking long to load; this may confuse your device and may result in an even more unpleasant experience.

5.Connect your devices to the printers around campus to print directly from these devices. Search “SafeCom Printer Setup” in the search bar of the ICT Partner Portal to find the instructions on how to do so.

Volgens Nel is brood nie gesond nie en “studente moet verkieslik dit nie op ’n daaglikse basis eet nie”. Nel sê ook dat groen groen tes baie goed is om bloeddruk en vertering te reguleer. Hy beveel studente aan om eenvoudige disse soos gebraaide hoender en groente te maak.

RESEP: HOENDER EN GROENTE

Nel bied vir Die Matie ’n resep vir hoender en groente aan wat die skottelgoed minimaal hou – ideaal vir studente, want niemand wil hope skottelgoed aanpak nie.

METODE VIR PAN

1. Voorverhit die pan op medium hitte as jy van ’n pan op ’n elek triese plaat gebruik maak.

2. Spesery die hoender deeglik en sit dit in die warm pan met die velkant na onder. Wanneer jy die hoender omdraai in die pan, sit die groente rondom die hoender en braai dit saam.

3. Die hoender en die groente be hoort rondom 15 minute saam te braai in die pan. Nadat dit reg is, kan dit weer gesout en gepeper word en kan ’n bietjie botter by gevoeg word.

METODE VIR OOND

vleis, want jou liggaam het nie elke dag vleis nodig nie. Daar is ander maniere om die proteïene vir die dag in te kry, byvoorbeeld kweper, ertjies of bone. Koop dit in blikkies aan en stoor dit wat jy nie eet nie in ’n bakkie in die yskas.”

BESTANDDELE

Hoenderstukkies van jou keuse

Groente van jou keuse (murg pampoentjies, rissies, uie, wortels, ensovoorts) soos jy verkies Speserye vir die hoender soos sout, peper en botter

1. Voorverhit die oond 180 °C en plaas die groente rondom die hoender op ’n oondplaat of ’n oondbak.

2. Bak dit vir 25 tot 30 minute so dat alles terselfdertyd reg is. Roer die groente so twee tot drie keer terwyl dit bak.

STUDENT STAFF Student waitresses at Flame & Ash eagerly await the arrival of new customers. Photo: Skyla Thornton

TIPS FOR NEWCOMERS AND RETURNING STUDENTS:

ETENSTYD De Volkskombuis se lieflike ruim gebou met gedekte tafels. Foto: Lize Bekker

Die nuweling se gids tot ’n nuwe begin

JEAN-MARIE UYS

’N vars begin kan gevoelens van opwinding en entoesiasme meebring vir die nuwe student. Nietemin, is dit nie kort voor lank voordat die skaduwee van uitgawes, organisering en wat dit eintlik beteken om student te wees, ver strek oor die eerste paar weke wat een in Victoriastraat afloop nie. Die goeie nuus is egter dat daar wel maniere is om kop bo water te hou wanneer die strome van studentelewe-uitdagings dreig om een diepkant in te sleep. Hier die touwyswenke kan strek van die eerste intrek, tot die boeke en tot die buitemuurs.

Die dag is uiteindelik hier. Va kansie is verby en die kar is oor laai met al wat ’n boks, PEP-sak of plant is – reg om Stellenbosch toe te gaan waar dit net weer uitgepak gaan word. Dit is natuurlik om te dink dat die ergste verby is nadat alles wat saamgesleep is ’n unieke plekkie ingeneem het in die nuwe woning. Soos daar meer geleef word, word daar egter meer werk geskep wanneer daar eers opge merk word hoeveel klein beno dighede nog aangeskaf moet word.

Die ongerief van af en toe die win kels invaar agter hierdie nuttighede aan kan egter ontduik word.

Campuskit is ’n aanlyn win kel wat onlangs geloods is en tans bestellings neem vir 2022 se akademiese jaar. Hulle verskaf

’n verskeidenheid pakkette wat die basiese noodsaaklike items vir elke studentewoning bevat teen bekostigbare pryse, sonder om kwaliteit af te skeep. Uit dié pakkette kan studente op ’n ver bruikersvriendelike webtuiste kies tussen Campuskit se kombuis-, badkamer- of slaapkamerpakkette waar daar ook die opsie aange bied word om die pakkette pas te maak uit ’n lys van opsionele bykomstighede. Alle bestellings word aanlyn geplaas en landwyd vervoer. Volgens hulle webtuiste (https://campuskit.co.za/) raak hulle ontslae van die moeite wat dit verg om al hierdie items indiv idueel aan te koop of om alles van die huis af te bring.

Daar moet nie net aan wonings benodighede aandag geleen word nie, maar ook aan akademiese

noodsaaklikhede. Bo en behalwe skryfbehoeftes, is handboeke in hierdie lysie wat lank genoeg kan raak om ’n groot hap uit enige beursie te neem, ingesluit. Dit is juis om hierdie rede dat daar vele instansies bestaan wat probeer om handboeke meer toeganklik te maak vir die student se begroting.

Een só ’n instansie is Protea Boekwinkel, met verskeie takke landwyd en ook in Stellenbosch in Bergzicht Plaza op Andringa straat gebaseer is. Dié handels merk verskaf ’n verskeidenheid nuwe, sowel as tweedehandse boeke en handboeke. Nóg meer, Protea Boekwinkel se voorraad is ook aanlyn beskikbaar by Takealot. com, waar daar elke nou en dan ’n verdere afslag toegedien word.

Tweedehandse handboeke kan ook verwerf word via Textbook

Trader se webtuiste (textbooktrad er.co.za) waar kopers kan kies tus sen ’n verskeidenheid winskopies wat opgelaai word deur die eien aars van die handboeke. Soos ge adverteer op Textbook Trader se webtuiste, word boeke gratis binne vyf dae afgelewer nadat betaling ontvang is. Hierdie instansie bied nie net ’n platform vir dié wat handboeke benodig nie, maar ook vir dié wat hoop om ontslae te raak van hulle ou handboeke en so ook ’n loontjie te verdien in die pros es. ’n Verdere hulp tot handboeke is ook WhatsApp-klasgroepe of fakulteitsgroepe waar studente hulle handboeke adverteer ná die voltooiing van ’n module.

Alhoewel oriënteringsweek ge noeg is om enigeen voor te berei vir die oorgang tot klasdraf en integra sie tot kampus, mag daar steeds ’n paar ongemaklike onsekerhede op die verkeerde oomblik opduik. Mi skien vind jy jouself in ’n situasie waar jy reeds laat is vir klas, maar nie die vaagste benul het waar jou klas is of hoe om daar uit te kom nie. Dit mag miskien glad nie as ’n verrassing voor kom nie, maar Google Maps sal jou ook in hierdie geval kan kry waar jy moet wees.

Om só ’n noue ontkoming verd er te vermy, stel Jeanne Dreyer, ’n derdejaar-BCom (Regte)-student, die Class Timetable-toep voor “aan enigiemand met vaste afsprake of klasse”. Persoonlike roosters kan ingevoer en verander word op dié

toep, met die opsie om notas, asook bestemmings, by elke inskrywing te voeg. Dreyer is verder daarvan oor tuig dat Class Timetable uitstaan bo ander digitale kalenders: “Ek kan my rooster kleurkoördineer. Ek verkies om my modules verskillen de kleure te gee.” Verbruikers kan volgens hulle unieke kleurskemas ook op hierdie wyse beter tred hou met hulle klasse of vaste afsprake.

Class Timetable is gratis verkryg baar vanaf Google Play of Apple se App Store.

Laaste, maar nie die minste nie, is die aanvraag na student specials en studentevriendelike buitemuurse aktiwiteite. @stellies_ does_deals op Instagram, of hulle webtuiste, doesdeals.co.za, verskaf gereelde inligting oor die nuutste afslagpryse van verskeie Stellen bosch-besighede en hoofsaaklik restaurante.

’n Opname geneem in Maart 2020 deur die Instagram-blad, SU Just Kidding (@sujustkidding), stel vele aktiwiteite voor in en rondom Stellenbosch wat nie die bank sal breek nie. Onder andere, ’n be soek aan die Universiteit Stellen bosch Botaniese Tuin, die Rupert Museum, Jonkershoek Natuur reservaat, die Root44-mark en nog vele meer. Nog idees vir ’n uitstap pie, sowel as ander nuttige inlig ting en memes rakende student wees, is beskikbaar op SU Just Kid ding se story highlights, gereelde plasings en interaktiewe stories.

The ins and outs of dating safely as a Stellenbosch student

KEZIAH MEYER

P

eople often say that a per son’s varsity years will be the best years of their life. The experiences they have in their varsity years may stick with them, whether they want them to or not.

For many students, dating is a significant part of the varsity experience. Unfortunately, dat ing is no longer as carefree as it once was and can come with some uncomfortable and pos sibly unsafe encounters. This means that it is important to know how to enjoy dating as a young adult whilst still being cautious and remaining safe.

Every year, there is an influx of wide-eyed first-years who may be eager to meet new peo ple and possibly date some of them too. Some students may unintentionally find themselves in some sort of “situationship” (which is a romantic relation ship that has not yet been labelled as an “official” rela tionship) in their varsity years. Because of this, students should approach the dating scene in Stellenbosch with some insight into the precarious world of university dating.

Third-year BScAgric (Animal Science) student Shanice Kan tuchitani suggests that students who are actively looking to date in town “put themselves out there”.

“It doesn’t hurt to have op tions to choose from, so join so

cieties, catch lunches at the Neelsie, and form intentional connections with your classmates [between lec tures] and [fellow students] during [Orientation] Week socials. At least you’ll make some great friends; and, at best, you might just find someone special!” says Kantuchitani.

Third-year BOccTher student Shivani Naidoo emphasises the necessity of truly getting to know people before fully trusting them, saying, “I think it’s really impor tant to get to know the compa ny you keep, especially in a new town. Be open to making new connections, but also be cautious because not everyone has the best intentions.”

Although plenty of students will opt to meet people the old-fash ioned way, many others will join dating apps, such as Tinder; and there may come a time when they will be going on a first date with someone whom they may not know very well. In these cases, it is espe cially important to remain vigilant and to meet up in public places.

Kantuchitani suggests that be fore students meet up with Tinder dates, they “make sure that their profile is verified and do a little cy ber-stalking on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook beforehand, and let a friend know the specifics of the per son, like their name,…number and when and where the date will be”.

“Share your live location with a friend for the entire duration of the date, and don’t forget the essential pepper spray and taser,” Kantuch itani advises.

Second-year BSc (Human Life Sciences) student Thapelo Mawanga warns against getting too comfort able online or on dating apps, and warns that students “[should not] exchange nudes on apps and…send money until [they] link up. [They should] meet up sooner rather than later for coffee. That way [they] can kind of ensure that [they] don’t be come a victim of catfishing”.

When students do meet up, Naidoo suggests that they inform their friends, saying, “For a first-

in public, like the mall or a coffee shop,...don’t [go] alone, and ar range for your friend to meet you after.”

“Spaces such as Pulp cinema or the Neelsie food court are the best for meeting up with people, maybe even meeting at the hub nearest to you—not really the most romantic of scenes, but safety comes first,” Kantuchitani suggests.

Mawanga adds, “If you met the person online, like through Insta gram, and want to meet up for the

of “hookup culture”, and after the pandemic, students may be more eager than ever to make up for lost time. If students do choose to become intimate with romantic partners, it is extra im portant that they protect them selves. “You are responsible for your own sexual health. Don’t always trust what the other per son says, and always just bring your own protection,” says Mawanga.

It’s also important that stu dents remember that they are under no obligation to engage in activities they do not feel comfortable with. “Make your boundaries and expectations known. Speak up when you feel uncomfortable, and know that you don’t owe anything to any one. I cannot express the impor tance of always carrying a taser and pepper spray with you enough. Remember to report cases of [gender-based violence] to campus security and the po lice,” says Kantuchitani.

At the end of the day, dating is a natural and fun part of the university experience. Students should know that there is no pressure for them to date if they are not ready or interested, but if they choose to date, they should remember to do so cautiously and look out for red flags.

time meet up, definitely tell your friends and maybe even bring a friend or two along just to scope out the person you’re meeting up with. Also, make sure to meet

first time, I’d say go to En Route or maybe even the Neelsie. You’ve gotta be careful these days.”

A lot of the time, dating in varsi ty comes with the added pressure

Although students might not meet the love of their life, they will still learn a thing or two and have some great stories at the end of it.

SOSIALE TYE Toeps maak die lewe draagbaar. Photo: Carmi Wentzel

COVID CUPID Illustration: Robynne A. Lewis

DAG&NAG

Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands

VER[r]AS met nog ’n Penseel

MARYNA ADSHADE

Ná ’n paar maande se werk en

gewag, kan die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se studente uiteindelik die Penseel studentebundel van 2021 onder oë kry om die gedigte en kortverhale deur van hulle medestudente te waardeer.

Dié bundel verskyn jaarliks as een van die projekte van die US se departement Afrikaans en Nederlands se studentekomitee, die Vereniging vir Afrikaansstudente, oftewel die VER[r]AS-komitee. Die redaksie wat aan verlede jaar se bundel gewerk het, het onder die leiding van prof Andries Visagie, ’n dosent in die departement, gewerk en was bestaande uit die volgende studente: Rentia Meyer, Madeleine Kruger, Anouk Cronjé, Duné van Jaarsveld, Pippa Bester, Charlton Andrew, Karla van der Merwe (assistentredakteur) en Maryna Adshade (redakteur).

Penseel het ’n lang geskiedenis in die departement nadat dit aanvanklik in 1969/70 gestig is en bykans elke jaar daarna nog

verskyn het.

Oor die bundel se geskiedenis, het Visagie gesê: “Bekende skrywers het al in die verlede ’n eerste buiging in publikasies soos Penseel gemaak. Hopelik is die 2021-uitgawe ook die begin van nog baie verdere kreatiewe uitsette van die studente wat gedigte en kortverhale voorgelê het.”

’n Paar bekroonde skrywers wat al in Penseel gepubliseer is, sluit in Marlene van Niekerk, Joan Hambidge, Etienne van Heerden en dr Alfred Schaffer, ’n dosent aan die departement.

Verlede jaar se proses om die bundel tot stand te bring, is in Oktober afgeskop toe enige USstudente, ongeag hulle fakulteit en jaargang, enige oorspronklike Afrikaanse gedigte of kortverhale kon inskryf. Ná die sperdatum vir inskrywings het ’n paneel keurders die beste werke uitgewys, met die paneel wat bestaande was uit dosente van die departement Afrikaans en Nederlands, naamlik dr Amanda Lourens, dr Alfred Schaffer en Marius Swart.

Anouk Cronjé, ’n tweedejaar-

PENSEEL 2021 Lynkuns pronk op die voorblad van die nuwe Penseel. Foto: Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands

BA (Geesteswetenskappe)-student, was deel van die redaksie, maar het ook van haar werk ingeskryf en is gekeur. Rakende haar ervaring het sy gesê: “Om deel te wees van die redaksie van Penseel was ’n heerlik verfrissende oefening! Dis nogal bemoedigend om te sien

nie net hoeveel inskrywings daar was nie, maar hoeveel inskrywérs daar was – Afrikaans is beslis nie dood nie, ook nie onder studente nie. Ek sou enigeen wat graag hul skryfwerk die lig wil laat sien, aanraai om vir die volgende uitgawe in te skryf. Jy het niks om te verloor nie en die keuringspan is regtig van hoogstaande gehalte, so dis ’n goeie platform as jy nog die skryfwaters wil toets.”

Vir ander studente wie se werk gekeur is, het die bundel weer die geleentheid gebied om hulle liefde vir skryf en woorde te kan deel.

“Ek het ingeskryf vir Penseel omdat ek lief is vir digkuns en geweet het dit die beginpunt is om ander ook in te laat in my passie vir skryf en my uitsig van die lewe. Die gedigte en digters wie se werk saamgestel word, is elke jaar divers en die bundel se gehalte is onmeetbaar. Dit is ’n voorreg om te weet dat van my gedigte ook gekies is vir publikasie, want ek weet woorde dra baie krag en dat dit op hierdie manier meer en meer mense sal kan bereik,” het Kerscher Don, ’n HonsBA

2022 Vensters from the inside

FOR the first time since COVID-19 hit, the first-years of Stellenbosch University were able to participate in Vensters in person at Coetzenburg Centre. The event on 12 February brought Welcoming Week to a close with a bang and showcased the hours of practice and hard work the newcomers of residences and private student organisations (PSOs) put in to pull off outstanding acts combining dancing, acting and storytelling.

The excitement of having Vensters in person was evident when in-person tickets sold out days before the actual event. On line tickets were also available for those who wanted to support from home.

This year’s theme was “Imag ination: Back to the Future”, which each team interpreted in their own way. Silystia— made up of Simonsberg Men’s Residence, Lydia Women’s Residence and Venustia PSO— incorporated it using time trav el, whilst IsaMoRene (which

consisted of Isa Residence, Oude Molen PSO and Irene Women’s Residence) created main charac ters who explored their own pasts by telling their life stories. Many groups used their scripts to inter rogate social issues, such as xe nophobia and the climate crisis, whilst other acts entertained the

audience with lighthearted Stel lenbosch cultural references, like many students’ love of My Brew and plakkies

The dances and songs covered a wide range of genres, so there was something for everyone to en joy. The song “Industry Baby” by Lil Nas X and Jack Harlow had to

be used in every performance, but each group made it their own with unique choreography. The dancers were cheered on by their friends and family in the audience, with some even dancing along at the back.

Haley Lewendal, a mentor from Venustia PSO, watched their men tees perform and said, “Vensters

(Sielkunde)-student, gesê.

Soos vir Don, is publikasie in die bundel ook vir Hanrié Viljoen, ’n derdejaar-BA (Politieke, Filosofiese en Ekonomiese Studies)-student, ’n voorreg en iets waaroor sy baie opgewonde is.

“Ek sal enigiemand wat ernstig voel oor en ’n liefde het vir skryf altyd aanraai om in te skryf vir soveel as moontlik publikasies. Al word daar nie altyd veel daarvan nie, is die idee van jou woorde wat selfs een ander persoon aanraak só kosbaar vir ’n skrywer. Met moderne media deel ons nie meer ons idees op optimistiese en sagte maniere nie en poësie veral is so ’n mooi en sagte, maar tog kragtige, manier om by te dra tot gesprekke.”

Die departement Afrikaans en Nederlands se Instagram-profiel (@departement_afr_en_ndl) en Facebook-blad (@USDeptafrndl) kan dopgehou word vir verdere inligting rondom die aankoop en bekendstellingsgeleentheid van die bundel.

Die bundel is beskikbaar teen R70.

was an amazing experience. Seeing the first-years practise every day and finally perform on an amazing stage was truly heartwarming. Not going to lie, I cried a little.”

Vensters has been a way to welcome newcomers to Stellen bosch for years, and it was clear to many people what it meant to the first-years who were able to participate in the tradition this year. The event seemed to symbolise a much-needed emer gence from the last two years of isolation, and this showed in the enthusiasm and emotion of both the audience and performers.

Bella Mazzullo, a performer for Capri PSO, described what being able to participate meant to her by saying, “I think Vensters was the highlight of my O-week. It was so much fun seeing everyone step out of their comfort zones. It was a nice icebreaker and I met so many new friends.”

The top three acts, each of whom will receive R5000 (cour tesy of Standard Bank, the event’s headline sponsor) are yet to be announced.

ANSELA SLOMAN

SHAKE THE ROOM Ensthusiastic first-years dance their hearts out at Vensters. Photo: Mala Mahlulo

What happened to The Square?

After years of rumours and a hard blow to club culture during the first national lockdown, a new development project brought the last ever rounds to the Drostdy Square on Bird Street.

Due to the lockdown regulations and complete restrictions on social gatherings at the time, many prominent nightclubs and bars like Terrace, Tin Roof, Stones and Catwalk were forced to close. Soon afterwards, Cubaña, the social café and eatery on the corner of The Square and next to the Drostdy Theatre, also made way for yet another chain restaurant.

Today, many Maties have likely been in the unfortunate situation of explaining to those not local to the Stellenbosch student nightlife that The Square, as it used to be, no longer exists. Students who want to “Uber tot De Lapa”, as artist Jan Bloukaas raps in his hit song “Stellenbosch”, will now find cranes and construction where their favourite spots used to be.

The Abacus Development Company (ADC), a property developer specialising in luxury apartments and retail developments, aims to see the Drostdy Square redeveloped into a fresh, new space for co-living by the end of the year. Co-living, according to David Ludditt, the chief executive officer of Abacus Development Company, is something that works well in Stellenbosch.

“It’s an environment for, I suppose, the Generation Z,” says Ludditt, whose company has done a lot of research into the needs and desires of their demographic.

“All the directors [and] all the shareholders of Abacus live in Stellenbosch, so we’ve got a heart for Stellenbosch. We want to protect our town and we want to develop the right things,” he adds.

ADC’s co-living projects in Stellenbosch, branded as MySpace residences, are “[spaces] where you can live, but also spaces within the greater environment that encompasses your community”.

The MySpace@Drostdy, the development where The Square used to be, will be one of these new co-living residences. On track to be completed by next year, the accommodation will offer laundry facilities, WiFi, access to communal study and entertainment areas, a deli, some vending spaces, a gym,

and even a Netflix account—all included in the monthly rent, which Ludditt argues compares well against the more affordable alternatives that don’t offer as many advantages.

According to Ludditt, this all-encompassing “Abacus coliving concept” suits the younger Stellenbosch student as well as

The developer acquired Drostdy Square when buying the property rights for Eikestad Mall and some surrounding areas.

Some establishments previously housed by The Square, like Catwalk, have managed to secure new venues and are back in business elsewhere in Stellenbosch, and a number of

would be] something that would lower the number of offerings in town,” says Werner de Swardt, coowner of Centraal. The plans for its redevelopment have been in the works for about a decade, and it happened to coincide closely with the opening of Centraal. According to De Swardt, Centraal’s success is proof that the nightlife in

an abundance of establishments, and other times students have had to travel to Cape Town to make up for a lack of local nightlife.

Sidumiso Vuma, a third-year BSc (Molecular Biology and Biotechnology) student, was part of the last Stellenbosch University first-year group to experience nightlife at The Square before the first national lockdown and the start of the redevelopment project.

“There’s some part of me that feels like something was taken away from me,” says Vuma. “I came to Stellenbosch, having a sister who had been here for three years, and you could hear the stories that came out of it, and it was one thing that I was actually looking forward to.

“As much as it would have been great to go out on a certain night in The Square, now that it’s actually being used for something that is going to benefit the youth, I do believe that it might be a better path to take.”

When asked about the alternative venues in town that have opened since The Square’s closing, Vuma commented that the limited options of new establishments, like Centraal, are strained to accommodate larger numbers.

“I think the wait is definitely worth it,” is De Swardt’s response to the usually daunting line outside Centraal. The current renovations will mean that Centraal could potentially almost double their current number of guests. Alongside more moderate COVID-19 regulations, De Swardt is optimistic that it would also mean less of a wait outside.

“Stellenbosch is in for a fantastic time. There are a few golden years in store for Stellenbosch,” says De Swardt.

“The campus will grow; the calibre of students will always improve and nightlife will bloom. I have no doubt that there is a wonderful time for kuier and nightlife for Stellenbosch and for Maties.”

those who decide to stay in town after graduation as postgraduate students or young professionals.

ADC started with mainly retailrelated projects like CapeGate Shopping Centre in the Northern Suburbs of Cape Town and the local Eikestad Mall, amongst other notable projects nationwide.

STELLENBOSCH Street Soirees het onlangs weer met ’n lewendige straatfees afgeskop. Die eerste straatfees van hierdie jaar het op 26 Januarie plaasgevind, en verder kan ’n mens hierdie fees elke tweede Woensdag in Drostdystraat - die hartjie van dié geskiedkundige dorp - vind. Dit beloof om ’n genotvolle tyd saam met medekos- en -wynliefhebbers te wees met ’n ingangsfooi van R150.

19 Februarie is om die draai met die Fool’s Day Out-fees op die Ruitersvlei-wynlandgoed. Maak jou reg vir ’n dag gevul met musiek

new places have sprung up since the return of students. Centraal in Mill Square, arguably the most popular of the new additions to the student town’s nightlife scene, saw opportunity amidst the closing of The Square.

“I always knew that the [Drostdy Square development

deur plaaslike musikante soos Dwson en Kid Fonque. Kaartjies is R200 vir diegene wat vroeg koop, en toegangskoste beloop daarna vanaf R250 met die musiek wat om 12:00 begin.

Die bekende Suid-Afrikaanse Kaasfees is terug ná twee jaar, met ’n verskeidenheid van nuwe wyne en kase. Die pieknieks wat hierdie jaar se Kaasfees kenmerk, skop Saterdag 2 April by die Warwickwynlandgoed, aan die voet van Simonsberg tussen Stellenbosch en Klapmuts, af. Dié pieknieks vind plaas gedurende die vier naweke van April, elkeen by ’n ander

Stellenbosch will find ways to survive.

De Swardt, who is a former Matie from a generation before The Square even became the hub of student nightlife in Stellenbosch, has seen different eras come and go over the years. He says that some years Stellenbosch has had

bestemming.

Die popduo, Neon Dreams sal op Sondag 20 Februarie by Nooitgedacht Estate optree. Dit begin om 12:00 en die kaartjies beloop tussen R220 tot R300 per persoon. Moenie hulle trefferliedjie “Life Without Fantasies” misloop nie!

Van 18 Maart to 18 April sal besoekers die jaarlikse Spier Light Art kan besoek. Op dié jaarlikse geleentheid sal ’n verskeidenheid interaktiewe kunswerke regoor die plaas vertoon word. Meer inligting oor die kunstenaars sal mettertyd beskikbaar gestel word. Toegang is

De Swardt says that the town and its nightlife will blossom after two years of lockdowns, which he admits are a big part of students’ youth today. “Post [COVID-19], I predict that there will be a boom, a rejuvenation when it comes to exuberance and jollity and cheerfulness and finding enjoyment; and I think young people deserve it.”

gratis en besoekers kan vanaf 18:30 begin arriveer en tot 21:00 bly.

Kom geniet ’n aand saam met Koos Kombuis, Dana Snyman en Erns Grundling soos hulle die verhoog betree vir ’n onvergeetlike tyd. Die drie kaalkoppe, soos hulle bekendstaan, gaan uit hulle boeke voorlees en die gehoor kan uitsien na ’n paar liedjies deur Koos Kombuis.

Die produksie is van 18 tot 19 Maart in die Drostdy Teater op die planke vir slegs R220. Moenie die Drie Kaalkoppe Kuier Tesame misloop nie en kry jou kaartjies so gou as moontlik.

TIAAN

POST-SQUARE A rare sight of Centraal without a line. Photo: Carmi Wentzel

UN(WINE) IN THE BOSCH Students exploring finer ways of enjoying their free time. Photo: Carmi Wentzel

’n Gids vir ’n aand uit in Stellenbosch

SIBELLA SWANEPOEL

Stellenbosch se kroeë, klubs en restaurante bied studente verskeie geleenthede aan om ’n aand in die dorp deur te bring. Sodra die son sak, is daar ’n oorvloed van vermaak, musieksessies en live optredes

‒ en alles binne loopafstand van mekaar. Verken Stellenbosch se weeklikse vermaak met hierdie gids van die dorp se aangrypende naglewe.

MAANDAG

Lag jou blou Maandag weg met Dorp se komedie-aande wat die eerste Maandag van elke maand plaasvind. In samewerking met South African Comedy Shares bring hierdie punk kroeg vele opkomende en bekende komediante na hulle verhoog. Hierdie plaaslike komediante sal seker maak dat jy lag of ten minste giggel.

DINSDAG

Bohemia het tans elke Dinsdag vanaf 20:00 akoestiese sessies met Karel Bester en Jeandré Swanepoel. As jy van lang hare, kitaar-riffs en rock ’n roll hou, moet jy nie hierdie duo misloop nie. Hulle neem graag versoeke, en toegang tot hierdie vertonings is gratis.

As studente self die mic wil optel, kan hulle op Dinsdae hulle gunstelingliedjies Aandklas toe bring vir karaoke. Karaoke is ’n perfekte stresverligter ná ’n lang dag van klasdraf. Dit is nie net pret nie, maar ook goed vir jou gemoedstoestand.

Studente van 20 jaar en ouer kan die passievolle en energieke Hip Hop-kultuur elke Dinsdag by Fool’s Gold Social Bar se Hip Hop Tuesdays kom verken. Elke speellys is noukeurig deur Fool’s Gold se platejoggies saamgestel sodat studente die moderne asook klassieke stemme van Hip Hop kan verken.

WOENSDAG

De Stomme Jonge is ’n restaurant in die dag, maar verander in ’n snoesige en gesellige kroeg in die nag. Hulle het elke tweede Woensdag live musiek en stel die vele verborge talente in Stellenbosch se strate bekend. Hierdie warm atmosfeer is ideaal vir studente wat eerder ’n wyntjie op die stoep as die harde musiek en flitsende liggies verkies.

Jy kan ook elke tweede Woensdag by The Meeting Place ’n draai maak en die nuwe musiektalent verken. Hierdie restaurant se Bedroom Superstarsaande is ideaal vir passievolle musikante wat ’n naam vir hulleself wil maak. Stellenbosch se music scene is oorlaai met entoesiasme en kreatiwiteit, en daarom sal geen plaaslike groep of musikant teleurstel nie.

DONDERDAG

Op Donderdae nooi Aandklas alle vasvra-liefhebbers uit om deel te neem aan hulle weeklikse Quiz Night. Vat ’n studiebreek en toets liewer jou algemene kennis. Die vasvrakompetisie begin om 19:00 en daar is groot pryse om te wen.

Fool’s Gold Social Bar vat ons elke Donderdag terug in tyd met hulle Throwback Thursdays. Hierdie stylvolle klub se inwonende platejoggies word versigtig gekies om studente die beste kwaliteit musiek te waarborg. Die treffers is oud, maar goud.

VRYDAG

Skop die naweek af met Stellen bosch se groot verskeidenheid platejoggies regoor die dorp. Elke Vrydag is daar talle platejoggies by verskeie klubs wat die beste musiek vir jou dansbegeertes bied. Hierdie klubs sluit Dorp, Centraal, Courtyard Café en vele ander in.

SATERDAG

Maak ’n draai by Balboa Balcony Bar en ondersteun die plaaslike asook opkomende musiekgroepe wat elke Saterdag op Balboa se stoep optree. Met ’n ouderdomsperk van 21, is hierdie stylvolle kroeg meer gewild onder die nagraadse studente.

SONDAG

Op Sondae is die spanning hoog en die biere koud vir Bohemia se beroemde Bingo. Vergeet dat môre Maandag is en ruil jou blou pen vir ’n kleurkryt. Bingo begin om 18:00 en daar is groot pryse om te wen.

Sunday Trance Nights by Die Mystic Boer is vir die studente wat die week op ’n hoë en vinnige noot wil begin. Die platejoggie maak elke week nuwe en unieke speellyste vir hierdie Sondagaandgeleentheid. Mystics maak sy deure vir enige iemand oop en is net ’n tree van kampus af.

Fearless expression for Tee Sawce

STELLENBOSCH hip-hop band Dank Neighbourhood (DN) re leased their first single, titled “Tokyo Drift”, in September of last year. Two months later, the band’s producer and DJ, Thomas “Tee Sawce” Edwards, also known as Sauce Side Up, released his very first extended playlist (EP) titled Irene Park in December last year.

The four-track EP spans a to tal of 12 minutes and features songs titled “Juss Jazz (Intro)”, “What’s It All For, Baby?” (fea turing Easy Tiger, another mem ber of DN), “Peanut Butter Choc olate” and “Caramel Dreams”.

Edwards explained that the sounds of the EP were inspired by artists like King Krule, Home space and Tom Misch. The EP was driven by Edwards’ desire for fearless artistic expression and to express his “funky” ide as. “At the end of the day I just want the music to be something people can put on and vibe out to by themselves or with their homies,” said Edwards, who completed a BEng Mechatronics degree at Stellenbosch Universi ty (SU) last year.

Edwards explained that he would not have been able to pursue his idea for a solo pro ject without the support and en couragement he received from his Dank Neighbourhood band mates. “Just having a group of friends who love hanging out and making music is real ly a blessing, and I don’t think I would’ve had the inspiration to pursue my own solo project without the inspiration from other members in DN pushing

me to do it!” said Edwards.

Irene Park is but one of Edwards’ projects that has been driven by his love for music. After learning to play guitar at 10 years old, he then started producing “wonky beats” on his home computer at 13, and his immersion in the world of mu sic ultimately began. “I’ve always kept music close and continued to change the music I made as the music I listened to changed. [Music has] always been the number-one thing for me to do when I’m bored or just wanna let off some steam,” said Edwards.

He has communicated how hon oured he is to be “one of the mense in the neighbourhood”.

“[It] has just been an awesome journey for us all from the start to where we are now,” he said.

Whilst EPs are often under stood to be precursors to al bums, Edwards has decided to focus in the meantime on ad justing to his new life in Cape Town after graduating last year. “I would also like to focus on making some new, and hopeful ly saucy, music this year. I want to spend some more time col laborating with friends on new projects.”

Irene Park is available on all streaming platforms, including Spotify, SoundCloud, Apple Music and YouTube.

ON TOP Tee Sawce (or Tom Edwards) chilling after the creation of his album Irene Park. Photo: Ben Pama

Out with the old, in with the new

OUT

LIVESTREAMS

As the year kicks off, Die Matie considers the year past and the year ahead in trends! It is a new year, which means that there are new trends all round, from music to fashion to social happenings.

LIVE SHOWS

IN

As showgoers and party people settle into the “new normal” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, new (and old) forms of safe and socially distanced entertainment emerge sans a laptop screen and struggling Wi-Fi. Swop out sad nights reminiscent of lockdown and hit the streets! Just don’t forget your mask, and get that booster shot to ensure some safe partying.

DOOMSCROLLING

Avoid spending hours on end with your eyes glued to your cell phone screen. Doomscrolling—the act of excessive consumption of negative news and social media discourse— leads to an increase in anxiety, depression and harmful thoughts.

BROOKLYN NINE-NINE

Say goodbye to our favourite detective, Jake Peralta, as cop-comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine wrapped up its eighth and final season in September last year. Side note: There is nothing wrong with a little nostalgic bingewatch every now and again!

DRAKE

As last year wrapped up, Spotify and Apple Music announced Drake as the top trending artist in South Africa, only for him to be quickly replaced by American rapper Gunna upon the release of his album DS4EVER this year.

TREND SHOPPING

Whilst it might be tempting to splurge on the latest Instagram-worthy “fits”, take a second to consider the longevity of the pieces of clothing and whether the trend will stick around long enough to make it worth your bucks.

It is estimated by The Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Company that, should high consumerism demand continue at its projected rate, one quarter of the total impact of climate change could be attributed to unsustainable fashion shopping by the year 2050. By that time those neon plastic plakkies will be ancient history atop a pile of fashion waste.

Also beware of those cute online thrift stores with hefty price tags! Oftentimes, pieces that are sold as high-end thrift items have been bought at a fraction of the price from a hospice or charity shop; they are then sold as “sustainable”, despite having undergone severe price hiking.

What’s trending this year

Pop in for movies under the stars at Boschendal’s drive-in cinema on Saturdays at 20:00, or keep an eye out for live music performances at some of the local pubs like Aandklas, Bohemia or The Daisy Jones Bar. Check out the official Rocking the Daisies 2022 website as the festival just might be making a comeback in the latter part of the year!

THE CENTRE FOR STUDENT COUNSELLING & DEVELOPMENT (CSCD)

Rather focus your nervous energy on a good old counselling session! Stellen bosch University’s CSCD offers psycho therapeutic as well as academic support free of charge to all its students.

EUPHORIA SEASON 2

Don your glitter and get ready for the drama as Rue and Co kick off a new sea son of club-meets-high-school-halls. Fair warning: this show is nothing like the average high school experience and comes with quite a few trigger warn ings.

LOCAL IS LEKKER!

As South African amapiano artists, such as Major League DJz, DJ Maphorisa and Uncle Waffles, make up much of the live acts for Afro Nation 2022, the SA deep house genre is taking its place on the world stage.

On local charts, Stellies student Will Linley, third-year BCom (International Business), is heading straight for SA’s top track spot with his song “miss me (when you’re gone)” on both Apple Music and Spotify charts.

CONSCIOUS SHOPPING

Some sustainable and budget-friend ly ways to combat contributing to fast fashion include doing research into the seasonal lines of your favourite shops. Check ahead to ensure you secure only what is necessary for the season and what fits your wallet, as well as your tastes.

Avoid falling for the trend train and rather invest in staples that will always be in fashion (think classic white tee, bucket hats and Birkenstocks). A trend buy here and there cannot do too much harm, but make sure to not fall into trend traps!

Other forms of sustainable shopping include checking out hospice shops, thrifting from reputable sources or sim ply revamping old pieces in your closet in new ways. Consider what is fashion able AND useful!

Dreamwalk brightens Victoria Street

THIS year’s Welcoming pro gramme for the newcomers of Stellenbosch University (SU) started on 31 January but with most of the newcomers moving in on 2 February. Victoria Street was filled with cheerful individ uals ready to embark on a new journey of their lives.

Every year during Welcom ing, the university, with the help of some SU senior students, en sures that there are different activities for the newcomers to participate in. These activities include the Dreamwalk, various socials with different residen ces and private student organ isations (PSOs), Societies’ fair and Vensters. All activities take place before the academic year starts so that the newcomers can experience the fun and impor tant part of making new friends, becoming acquainted with the buildings on campus, student life, coffee shops, etc.

The Dreamwalk, which took place on 3 February, was one of the highlights of Welcom ing in SU. According to Cor porate Communication, this is the fourth year that SU has had a Dreamwalk since it was launched in 2019. The Dream walk is an emblematic walk

down Victoria Street whereby newcomers write the dreams they want to achieve on a piece of paper called a “dream card” and hang them on the trees along Victoria Street.

This marks the start of the academic journey of the new comers of SU, as well as their first walk down Victoria Street as Maties.

When asked about the Dreamwalk, Carleigh Marshall, a second-year BA (Social Work) student, said, “This year was my first time attending the Dream walk, and I enjoyed every mo ment of it because I was part of the Hype Squad of Nerina, which made it more special to me. This is really an activity that should be done every year be cause it makes you feel like you really are a Matie.”

Sisanda Dlamini, a first-year BCom (Actuarial Science) stu dent said, “The Dreamwalk was beautiful. The lights, the resi dences and the singing added something magical to the night. It was a great time to socialise naturally, and I met people who were so kind. The highlight for me was when we got to the ban ner that said ‘Your dreams start here’. I knew I had become a Matie and got inspired to make the most of my time at SU”.

A NEW CHAPTER FOR FIRST-YEARS VicMeyr cluster during Dreamwalk. Photo: Seyanne Govender

LIYABONA MQINA

Putting a face to the name

W

hen you have spent countless hours behind your computer screen typing away at articles in the name of student journalism, you sometimes forget that some students have only ever seen Die Matie in passing on the Rooiplein. This student newspaper becomes a big part of your life when you start to schedule interviews in between lectures

and you confuse small talk for a potential lead. The editorial team almost always have notifications related to the paper and sometimes even answer them from karaoke nights at Aandklas. Some early winter mornings even see the journalists pulling themselves out of bed for newspaper distribution to all of town and gown.

Most don’t know about this part

of Die Matie. It is easy to distance the publication from the campus when you don’t have a face to the name, and when you haven’t had the full campus experience, but this newspaper is made up of the people around you. We share the same lecture halls; we walk down the same Victoria Street; and all of us feel that we’re expected to be more than we feel capable of being

GORRELKOP

ARTLA-probleme

Gorrel is nog gewoond aan ’n liniaal en papier nader skraap om ’n rooster op te trek en ’n LAN-kabel én Inetkey om die internet bill te betaal. Die laaste ding wat Gorrel se argaïese toestand nodig het, is aller hande onnodig ingewikkelde akronieme. Wat is ARTLA en hoekom moet Gorrel soontoe gaan? Hoekom wil Gorrel se Nokia nie aan Eduroam kon nekteer

Lang rye in die Dorp

Gorrel is nou hopeloos te oud om wingerdgriep te kry. Maar ’n borrel bier het vir ou Gorrel nog nooit seergemaak nie. Gorrel dink nog aan ’n stoute Stella Artois, net om vas te staar in binnelandse sake wat verhuis het na Eikestad Mall. Wat maak newcomers anyway by Brazens?

Eerstejaars

Die laaste ding wat Gorrel se

babelas nodig het, is die gluur van ’n Sonop-“piepiepet”. Gorrel is nou so moeg vir merch dat Gorrel sommer die lang rye in die dorp sal aandurf om te “vergeet”. Darem is die PSO-studente se drip-gang couture verdraaglik teenoor die manskoshuise se kostuums.

Inentings

Gorrel is ingeënt en trots. Gorrel oorweeg selfs sy booster Gorrel is soms verbaas om te

sometimes.

As one of the younger editors to have braved taking on this role, I feel a slight bit of imposter syndrome in greeting you on behalf of Die Matie. Our team is made up of students who have been here for several years, and some who’ve only been here for a bit more than one. We have some experience, but we have a lot to learn, and as

students we’re very keen. In the interest of starting the new academic year off on a good note, however, I feel that a reintro duction from my side is in order for all new and returning students.

We’re the independent student newspaper of Stellenbosch Univer sity; we’re 81 years young, and we are very excited to see Maties on a campus coming back to life again.

Die kommentaar waarvoor almal bang is. Gorrel is nie verantwoordelik vir enige ongerief veroorsaak nie.

sien hoe min studente met hulle maskers loop. Dis dié dat Gorrel homself teen die virus en ARTLA wil beskerm.

Hitte

Gorrel het in die vakansie Don’t Look Up gekyk en is geweldig bang oor die versengende hitte wat oor die Rooiplein hang. Gorrel se bors sukkel reeds in die hitte en nou maak ’n masker Gorrel net nog ongemakliker. Gorrel

sidder om te dink hoe dit moet wees om in ’n apokalips te leef.

Valentynsdag

Gorrel sien daar is klomp nuwe trendy wynkroeë in die ryk deel van Stellenbosch. Dis net jammer dat Gorrel nie onthou het om vir Gorrelina op Valentynsdag te bederf met ’n ete onder die eikebome nie. Darem moes Gorrel se beursie nie hoes vir overpriced wyn en verlepte rose nie.

Karla van der Merwe

Karla

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE AND REPORTING ERRORS

Die Matie is onderhewig aan ’n gedragskode wat by die SR-lid vir Media beskikbaar is.

Alle klagtes word deur ’n regsdosent ondersoek, waarna

Die Matie voor die Mediaraad kan verskyn. Klagtes moet volgens die uiteengesette prosedure binne veertien dae ná publikasie aanhangig gemaak word.

Die Matie subscribes to the South African Press Code that prescribes news that is truthful, accurate, fair and balanced.

If we don’t live up to the code,

please contact the Ombudsman.

You may also lodge an internal complaint or report factual errors by contacting the SRC member for Media.

Also following the procedure explained above.

Die Matie is accountable to its readers and will correct errors where necessary.

Please send any complaints to the paper’s ombudsman/ public editor, George Claassen, at gnclaassen@sun.ac.za or 083 543 2471.

KONTAK

/

Potential vaccine mandate: A law student’s perspective

CLAIRE RANKIN

Under Stellenbosch University’s (SU) proposed vaccine mandate, students and staff will be required to be fully vaccinated to continue their studies and employment at the university, unless they have been granted an exemption on valid medical or religious grounds. The main reason cited by SU for the mandate is to allow for a return to face-to-face learning.

One might easily conclude that the policy is unconstitutional be cause it appears to limit numerous rights. It seems to force individu als to get vaccinated, limiting their freedom of choice and control over their bodies. Where the mandate blocks students from registering, it would also seemingly block stu dents from accessing higher edu cation; but just because it may be easy to reach that conclusion, does not mean it is correct.

Firstly, the mandate does not force individuals to get vaccinated. It merely requires them to make a choice between getting vaccinated and being able to access the uni versity, or remaining unvaccinat ed and not being afforded similar access. An individual’s ability to choose not to get vaccinated,

and thus their bodily integrity, is still preserved. The fact that their choice may now limit what they are able to do is not in and of itself unconstitutional. The Constitu tional Court has previously held that where an individual is forced to make a choice that may limit what it is they are able to do, the limiting effect of that choice does not limit their rights.

But assuming that, in being forced to choose between vaccina tion or university attendance, one’s right to bodily integrity is in fact limited, a policy’s limitation of a right does not automatically ren der it unconstitutional. The Consti tution and the courts have made it very clear that no right is absolute, and all rights may be subject to justifiable limitations. Section 36 of the Constitution provides several factors to be applied when deter mining whether a limitation of a right is justified.

Firstly, the purpose of the limi tation must be considered. Gener ally, a vaccine mandate can serve to protect individuals from several risks associated with contracting COVID-19. Viewed from that per spective, the mandate is similar to other laws that prevent individuals from making certain choices that

Claire Rankin is currently completing her LLM in Public Law at SU

expose them to greater risks, such as not wearing a seatbelt, drinking and driving, or using one’s cell phone whilst driving. It also serves a public purpose: decreasing the risk of severe COVID-19 infections reduces the strain on the healthcare system. Considering the limited re sources available to the healthcare

system (something the courts have taken judicial notice of on multi ple occasions), reducing the strain placed on it by COVID-19 serves a massive public benefit. The reduc tion of severe COVID-19 cases and a reduction in the transmissibility of the virus also allows for a move away from the use of national lock downs to try and curb the effects of the virus.

Lockdowns have massive conse quences for the ability of the South African population to earn a live lihood. Specifically, the purpose of SU’s mandate allows for students to access the education they pay for more easily and in a manner that makes it less likely that they will fall through the cracks of the system.

The link between the purpose and the limitation, as well as whether there are less restrictive means through which the purpose can be achieved, are also important considerations.

Given the overwhelming scien tific evidence about the efficiency and safety of the vaccine, increas ing the number of vaccinated in dividuals has the strongest chance of achieving the purposes already discussed. It is difficult to conceive of a less restrictive way through which the same objectives can be

achieved and the same negative consequences already discussed can be avoided.

The nature of the right being limited also needs to be considered alongside the nature and extent of the limitation. Here, it is important to reiterate that a vaccine mandate does not force individuals to get vaccinated. The choice not to get vaccinated does remain.

This in turn limits the extent of the limitation on the right to bod ily autonomy. But even if that ar gument seems simplistic, given the strong body of evidence support ing the safety and efficiency of the vaccine and the fact that students can obtain an exemption where they may require it for valid med ical or religious reasons, requiring students to get vaccinated does not really have much of a negative ef fect at the end of the day.

A vaccine mandate is not a novel policy. Proof of vaccination against a variety of other diseases is al ready required to register children at schools, and proof of medication or the consumption of certain med icine is also commonly required for entrance into numerous countries.

One cannot forget that rights do not exist in a vacuum, and the ex ercise thereof can be constrained in order to protect the public good.

Blast the problems away—Shell is just the beginning

MANY South Africans celebrat ed the outcome of a second court hearing in December last year which halted Shell’s plan to search for oil and gas reserves off the Wild Coast. Shell stated that it may leave the entire operation behind after the interdict granted by the Makhanda High Court.

The plan was initially to under take a seismic survey of an approx imately 6 011 km² area between Port St Johns and Morgan Bay on the east coast of South Africa. This would have involved the use of air guns to send sound waves through the ocean to map the ocean floor and retrieve signals for any valua ble oil deposits.

The effects of seismic surveys are detrimental to most marine life because of the impact on soft tissue in certain marine mammals. Some larger mammals experience inter nal organ trauma, along with wide spread disorientation and impaired navigation. Fish experience internal organ trauma too, whereas crabs and other crustaceans remain slight ly safer due to their hard shells.

The marine food web as a whole is also in danger due to the direct

destruction of phytoplankton and zooplankton (microscopic plants and animals). This hinders not only ecological and marine health, but the communities that rely on the coast for income through their fisheries and tourist attractions.

To counter the unavoidably harmful effects on the marine life that inhabits and breeds in the

ued use of airguns and the explora tion of the sensitive area.

Though this survey has pro voked massive public outcry and thus gained a lot of attention in the public eye, it is far from an unusu al event in South Africa’s offshore exploration history.

There are certainly some eco nomic benefits to this survey in

though, that a financial package of $8,5 billion has been granted to South Africa to help retrain work ers in the fossil fuel industry, retire coal plants and focus on renewable energy— not for further fossil fuel exploration, and especially not for oil or gas exploration.

area, Shell promised to employ marine observers during the sur vey and to halt their work as large mammals pass by. It is unknown, however, at what range seismic blasting may affect these animals; thus, environmental and conserva tion groups did not agree that this was enough to warrant the contin

the country’s current climate in which leaders call the change to renewable energy a potential “en ergy apartheid”, Eskom falls short of meeting our power needs, and many South Africans go without electricity on a daily basis. More oil and gas surveys mean more eco nomic growth. It should be noted,

Although a grant for renewa ble energy sounds like good news, South African ministers and the delegates at COP26 (last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference) decided that the use of natural gas as a buffer between the renewable targets and move ment from coal would allow for a just transition. As a means to tran sition to renewable energy and still provide jobs (in the interim) whilst renewable infrastructure is put in place, Operation Phakisa has focused much of its resourc es into drilling 30 new wells, and exploring 98% of our 3 900 kilo metres of coastline and the 1,5 million square kilometre Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of our ocean. This means that companies such as Shell, Total and BP can continue to search for oil and gas in our oceans.

The west coast of South Africa is currently facing the same survey ing prospect by Australian-based

Searcher Seismic, and heavy min eral mining is already underway. The west coast is affected by a cold-water current (the Benguela current), meaning that this part of the ocean is especially productive and imperative to marine health. It is thus sensitive to the change that seismic blasting and subsequent drilling will cause. Do we choose to support our fisheries, and ma rine and environmental health, or our mineral resource sector?

Our coastal waters are at great risk of being exploited. Whilst we will need environmental assess ments if these projects do continue, it would make more sense to fasttrack renewable and clean energy (such as wind, hydroelectric and solar power) instead of focusing efforts on oil and gas (fossil fuels). South Africa cannot justify both economically. The question is thus whether we plan to follow through with the promises made at COP26 and in the Paris Agreement (which agreed to limit global warming to 1,5 ⁰C), or whether we plan to fast-track quick economic growth in lieu of future environmental and social improvement, and ig nore the dangers that come with a changing climate?

Jayde Bromwich, MSc candidate in earth science with a focus on marine geochemistry

Inside the engine room: The leadership behind Maties Sport

leadership in its midst.

JAN-HENDRIK PRETORIUS

T

he pandemic brought much stagnation to extracurricular activities over the past two years. In many ways, it forced them to transform and adapt so as to avoid potential failure and disintegration. In the wake of the lockdown-biennial, Maties Sport’s triumphs seem to indicate that they chose to adapt to the pressure.

A quick glance back at last year confirms this: the women’s netball team taking silver after their monumental Varsity Cup onslaught; the women’s and men’s water polo teams, respectively, achieving gold at the University Sport South Africa (USSA) annual water polo tournament; the men’s cricket team ending as runners-up in the USSA final in December; the men’s rugby team only just losing out on a Varsity Cup final by 44–35 to Tuks—a commendable ending; the sevens team bagging silver at the FASU-Africa University Sports; and the Maties men’s football team being promoted to the ABC Motsepe League.

To top it off, several student-athletes shone at the Paralympics; these students included Kerwin Noemdo, Anika Pretorius, Anrune Weyers, Charl du Toit, Dyan Buis, Zanele Situ and Reinhardt Hamman.

The consistency in performance seen at Maties Sport may very well be attributed to the strong

Maties Sport Chief Director Ilhaam Groenewald was awarded with the Stellenbosch University (SU) Chancellor’s Award of Excellence on 14 December last year. Groenewald had been involved in sport over the past three decades and has been awarded many accolades in her life—amongst which is the Sport & Recreation South Africa Ministerial Award in 2019—for her contribution to sport in South Africa.

According to an article published on the Maties Sport webpage (found on the university’s website) about Groenewald’s award, she follows a holistic approach to sport for her student-athletes and staff, and views transformation as “being of utmost importance”.

Dr Gustav Venter, head of the Centre for Sport Leadership at SU (which was founded in 2019), notes that holistic and multidisciplinary development is at the core of teaching and learning at SU. This is one of the reasons why sport is such a valuable activity for university students.

The Centre for Sport Leadership not only provides research into important topics, such as transformation in sport at Stellenbosch and other places around the globe, but also offers the opportunity for students to pursue multidisciplinary studies with sport as a theme.

“One of the primary functions [of the centre] is sports-related re search, which falls under a theme of thought leadership,” says Ven ter. “We strive to contribute to interesting debates surrounding

sport and getting the necessary ac ademics involved.”

According to Venter, the centre aims to roll out short courses with themes that tie into sport leader ship and introduce students to a multidisciplinary academic field. SU’s School of Data Science and Computational Thinking, which was launched in July 2019, also col laborates with the Centre for Sport Leadership to allow for innovation and world-class research to thrive at SU and across the world.

Speaking on behalf of his team, the Maties Men’s Rugby Varsity Cup captain, Adriaan van der Bank, who is studying a BEdHons (Education Development and Democracy), says he and his team are grateful for the opportunity to play at home again. “I don’t believe [playing in front of supporters at Stellenbosch] adds to pressure on the team [to perform],” he remarks. “We will definitely use it as extra motivation.”

His vision for his team is to win the 15th iteration of the Varsity Cup and to grow both individually and as a team. “I will lead the team by trying to be a good example of our team’s values, which are: ma turity, attitude, trust, integrity, en joyment and selflessness.”

According to Van der Bank, they have a leadership group that helps to guide the team on and off the field. “A strong leadership group is usually the key to success,” he finishes.

Sian Moore, Maties women’s netball captain, will be leading the charge in this year’s Netball Varsity Cup. According to Moore, a final-year BSc (Sport Science) student, the netball team is still

young. “There’s going to be a lot of developing, a lot of understanding, and growth that’s going to need to take place,” according to Moore. She believes that unity and cohesion in her team are their biggest assets and were largely the reason for their success last year.

“Our goal is to go out and win Varsity Cup and win USSA.”

Though with the team selection still being finalised, they will need to come together as a team and decide on smaller goals to reach their ultimate goals for the year, according to Moore.

With students returning to campus, and the hopeful prospect of having supporters attend games, Moore remarks, “The crowd is always such a vibe, so I definitely think that I’m excited to have them back and just feel the love and support up front.”

Maties Cycling chairperson, Michael Sutton, a fourth-year LLB student, concedes that the cycling team has taken a hit due to the effects of the pandemic but that he and his committee are working hard to ensure a strong continuity in the team. “We have had some of the best riders in the country come from Maties, such as Mariske Strauss”, who is known for crosscountry mountain biking.

Sutton hopes to lead his team to compete strongly in most of the local races. Following a holistic developmental thread, Sutton hopes to grow the social aspect of the cycling club. They “plan on doing a few social weekends away” where they camp and ride their bicycles. “There are also plans in place to have social rides and events with UCT,” says Sutton.

On leadership in sport, Sutton remarks that it “becomes most apparent when the chips are down. A great leader will be able to bring the morale up in tough times and get everyone to pull together”.

Maties Rowing also had a shining year in the water last year. Caileigh Forsyth, Maties Women’s Rowing Team captain and second-year BSc (Human Life Sciences) student, is grateful for the strong executive committee working “collectively to better Maties Rowing”.

“Personally, I am looking to keep our team committed and excited to come to training on and off the water, to achieve not only the goals as a club, but… each individual’s personal goals too,” she said.

Forsyth believes that sport leadership is important for teaching important qualities such as sportsmanship, commitment and the ability to handle pressure.

“The skills you learn from being part of any team are the building blocks to becoming a good leader. This will include basic communication skills as a team and the sense of responsibility towards your team mate—these are all beneficial skills.”

Maties can look forward to a year of live sport and active lifestyles under strong research, innovation, leadership and guidance after two years of “first-year spread” and cramming in lecture recordings the night before an examination.

Stellenbosch Football Club starts training at ‘iconic’ Danie Craven Stadium

EMMANUEL EKENE OKERE

THE Stellenbosch University (SU) leadership team has collaborated with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) home side, Stellenbosch Foot ball Club (SFC), to bring the action closer to the Stellenbosch sporting community. This is a promising development, as it means that the senior league contending side now trains in the campus’s backyard.

According to a press release made by SU on 12 October last year, SU and SFC have partnered to allow SFC to use two prominent footballing facilities on campus to train over nine seasons for their PSL campaign. The two sports are nas that have been agreed upon are the Lentelus Football Complex (next to Goldfields Residence and opposite the department of food science building) and the Danie Craven Stadium (next to the Coet zenburg auditorium).

News of the collaboration coin cides with the team in good form: SFC are currently third on the log after 18 games. The current winner is Mamelodi Sundowns, a club that

chief executive officer of SFC, took time to reiterate how fortunate his organisation is to be based in a town with a rich sporting herit age and to have the university and other key stakeholders partner

casion to reiterate the importance of sports and sporting activities in creating social cohesion and bring ing people together. As reported in the aforementioned press release, during the signing of the memo randum of understanding (MOU)

between the university and the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS), De Villiers said, “Football is

ing a platform in Stellenbosch to create career opportunities for talented young players will have munity, our town and the Western Cape.”

Speaking to one Maties FC soccer player, Grace Ombaku, a fourth-year BEng (Mechanical Engineering) student, regarding the development, he said, “I think the collaboration paid off

in terms of talent recruitment and grooming, since technically they are supposed to be watching Maties and scouting players from us here and there, and from time to time we use some of their players. But this is to be confirmed. Our current team in the ABC Motsepe League is composed of 10% of the SFC players.”

He went further to highlight that, “at the moment, the SFC main keeper and team captain is in charge of coaching all the Maties keepers”, enabling SU to use SFC’s knowledge and experience to de velop the Maties soccer team.

Due to the pandemic and the subsequent change in the way things are done, there have been restrictions on fans’ physical presence in the sporting arenas.

The SFC team still trains behind closed doors, but sport lovers and fans will likely have more access to watch live games and training once all the lockdown regulations are over—something which both new and returning Maties can look for ward to this year. It will be exciting to witness match day action live as SFC lock horns with the other 15 teams in the PSL.

DANIE CRAVEN STADIUM The new homefield of Stellenbosch Football Club. Photo: Vicky Hendrikz

Maties se Protea-netbalspeler

blink uit

ANÉ HAVENGA

By die onlangse Netball Quad Series het Nicola Smith haar buiging vir die Proteas gemaak.

Dié toernooi het tussen 15 en 19 Januarie in Londen plaasgevind het.

Hierdie vierdejaar-BEd (Inter mediêre fase)-student het behoor lik as verdediger uitgeblink teen die wêreld se beste spanne wat Engeland, Australië en NieuSeeland insluit. Sy het haar buiging teen Australië gemaak waarna sy weer twee keer teen Nieu-Seeland gespeel het.

Die Proteas het in hulle laaste uitspeelwedstryd op 19 Januarie net-net uitgemis op ’n plek op die podium toe hulle vierde geëindig het in ’n naelbytstryd wat 51‒50 deur Nieu-Seeland gewen is.

Die span is in Desember 2021 bekendgemaak en Smith was behoorlik op haar senuwees veral omdat hulle die wêreld se bestes sou aanpak in Januarie se toernooi. Smith vertel gretig: “Dis ’n groot voorreg om in Londen te kan wees alhoewel die isolasie en koue weer nie ideaal is nie. Dit het vir my onwerklik gevoel toe ek in my eerste wedstryd teen Australië uitdraf, veral omdat hulle nommer een in die wêreld is.”

Smith vertel graag oor die

Proteas: “Ons het ’n week voor die toernooi in Engeland aangekom en elke dag twee sessies in die gimnasium gehad en twee op die baan. Gedurende die jaar as ons nie op toer is nie, kom ons een keer per maand bymekaar vir ’n oefenkamp wat gewoonlik so vyf dae duur.”

Gelukkig draf sy nie net vir die Proteas uit nie en is sy nog hierdie jaar te sien in Maties se maroen. Smith vertel: “Maties se spangees en die goeie verhoudings tussen die spelers is vir my bitter spesiaal.”

Sodra sy klaar die Proteas verteenwoordig het, sluit sy by die

Maties-span se oefening aan.

Ná hierdie jaar sal sy graag wil kyk of sy ’n geleentheid kan kry om oorsee te gaan speel, maar fokus nou daarop om in die Proteaspan te bly, veral omdat die 2023 Netbalwêreldbeker in Kaapstad plaasvind.

Smith sê dat haar ma haar inspirasie is vir alles wat sy doen en dat sy haar ma bewonder.

Dit is duidelik dat Smith nog groot drome het en hard werk om dit ’n realiteit te maak, veral as ’n mens haar gunsteling aanhaling hoor – “Hard work beats talent

Health & Wellness: Take a hike

ANÉ HAVENGA and may also come across some of the many little passages leading to new waterfalls and caves.

STELLENBOSCH and its sur roundings are perfect for keeping one’s new year’s resolutions and hopes alive. Whether it is to be more active, get more fresh air or to see some Instagram-worthy views, the Stellenbosch hiking routes will keep a person on top of their hik ing game!

THE BEST ROUTE FOR DOG LOVERS: PIPE TRACK

The Pipe Track, which is situated in Cape Town, is the perfect route to enjoy if you have a dog or if you want to ease yourself into the new life of hiking. It is a relatively easy and flat route that is enjoyed by the young and old alike. The route is at the back of Table Mountain to wards Camps Bay and has amaz ing views of the sea and Lion’s Head.

THE BEST HIKE WITH FRIENDS: JONKERSHOEK

NATURE RESERVE

Although there are numerous hikes in Jonkershoek Nature Re serve, I recommend doing the hikes to the first and second water falls, which are both on the same route. It is the perfect day hike to do with friends, since it is close to campus and there is so much to do. Hikers are constantly able to stop for a swim and some snacks,

THE BEST VALUE ROUTE: COETZENBURG MOUNTAIN

Coetzenburg Mountain is the route with the best value because it is close to campus and does not call for a long hike to get to its top, which has the most astonishing views. The route starts next to the Maties gym, and the end destina tion is known as the Tweede Kruis (the “Second Cross”). The view in cludes an awesome aerial view of Stellenbosch.

THE BEST SWIMMING SPOT AND WATERFALL: KROM RIVER TRAIL

Situated 30 minutes outside Stel lenbosch, this gem is can leave one breathless. It is quite a long hike, so start early—especially in summer months—and be aware of baboons along the way. The hike runs along the river for the whole route, mak ing it perfect for taking quick dips along the way and for refilling water bottles. The route ends at a beautiful waterfall, but hikers can reach a second and even better wa terfall via a chain ladder—words cannot describe its beauty.

THE BEST HIKE WITH A SCE NIC DRIVE: HAROLD PORTER BOTANICAL GARDEN

This trail in Betty’s Bay, which can be reached by driving along the coast on Sir Lowry’s Pass. This bo tanical garden is ideal for picnics but also has three hiking routes to choose from. I enjoy the Leopard’s Kloof Trail, which ends with the most serene waterfall (unfortu nately no swimming is allowed, though).

one walks through a forest and then hikes up a mountain where there’s a small waterfall and a great view of Table Mountain in the distance.

THE BEST HIKE FOR A WEEK END: GREYTON MCGREGOR HIKING TRAIL

THE BEST VIEW: PAARL ROCK

I have always referred to this hike as my “moon landing”, as one walks over boulders with craters in them, and I always convince myself that that is what the moon

must look like. A big advantage of this hike is that one can drive to the top and then take a mere 15-minute hike up to these boulders, which are massive! Hikers get a 360° view including Wellington,Stellenbosch, Paarl and Cape Town.

THE BEST HIKE WITH VARIATION: PARADYSKLOOF FOREST

The most popular route to take is the one leading to the waterfall, which is marked clearly at the entrance to Paradyskloof Forest. This is a relatively short hike, but

This hectic trail is also known as the Boesmanskloof Hiking Trail. It takes a few hours and ascends pretty much the entire time with no shade; however, the hike pro vides breathtaking views, as well as the best waterfall and swimming spot five kilometres from the end.

Another big treat is the cottages, which can accommodate up to 30 people, and the braai area. There, hikers can stay overnight in one of the wonderful rooms and have their pre-booked groceries waiting for them when they arrive.

IN AKSIE Nicola Smith verteenwoordig die Protea-netbalspan. Foto: Netball South Africa (@Netballsa)

THE BEST ANGLE A picturesque view of the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. Photo: Marthinus Havenga

CHASING WATERFALLS One of many waterfalls at Harold Porter Botanical Garden. Photo: Ané Havenga

SPORT

Maroon Machine turns tables on Tuks

T he FNB Maties rugby team faced Tuks in a competitive clash to kick off their first Varsity Cup game of the year. On Monday 14 February, the two teams faced each other for the first time since Tuks knocked out Maties in last year’s semi-finals. This took place during the Pretoria University side’s tri umphant onslaught in last year’s Varsity Cup. A final score of 19–9 for Maties turned the tables, and could be an early indicator of a competitive season.

Even though FNB Maties could edge out their opponents in terms of possession, the stalwart teams were even where it counted at the end of the first half. An unrefined Maties squad could not capitalise on many opportunities, leading to the eventual 6–6 halftime score.

What started as a nail-biting second half later turned in favour of the Stellenbosch visitors when Maties took a gamble by opting for an attacking lineout rather than an easy penalty kick. A powerful rolling maul by the Matie forwards initiated the first try of the match,

which was scored by replacement hooker Sean Swart. For his monu mental contribution to his team’s successful start, Juan Beukes was named the FNB Player that Rocks for this match.

“The award is a very big hon our for me. It’s a huge privilege for players to be awarded [Player that Rocks], so I am very happy to be chosen. It’s also a great person al victory, as I tore my ankle lig aments on this exact field during my first game for the Maties team, and I had to face this field again,” said Beukes.

Despite both teams losing sev eral senior players since the start of last year’s season, Adriaan van der Bank leads this young Maties team in his first year as captain. FNB Maties coach, Norman Jordaan, remarked, “He’ll definitely be one to watch … but ‘Bankies’ is an in spirational figure within the setup, and we’re confident about what he can do as the leader of a younger, yet talented, group of players.”

Back in Stellenbosch, having the team play away from home did not deter Matie supporters from show ing their love. As the first day of

classes for the year commenced, a wave of maroon Matie shirts could be spotted across campus—even at the 8 AMs. Later that day, the town was filled with students and fans who gathered to watch the exciting kick-off of the Varsity Cup’s 14th season.

Maties will take on UFS Shimlas on 21 February live on SuperSport. Matie fans will have to hold out a little longer to watch the Maroon Machine in person. The first Var sity Cup game to kick off at the Danie Craven Stadium since 2020 will take place on 28 February.

TRY

TRY AGAIN Maties player Masande Mtshali in action during a practice session prior to the Varsity Cup match. Photo: Francois Lombard