Unique Perspectives of Student Culture - PDBY

PDBY media - juLY 2021

f o s e v specti

T N E D U SS T E R U T L U C

20 21

r e P e u Uniq

PDBYMedia 2021

EDITORIAL

Kayla Thomas Leah Rees Nokwanda Kubheka Bianke Neethling Dani van der Horst Caitlyn Walsh Vasalya Moodley Kendall Behr Kelly-Anne Kong Giovanna BZ Janos Lucky Griffen Kendra Connock Carel Willemse

CONTENTS From the editor

Student 17 Hookup Page 17 Culture The Decolonisation of Higher 39 Education

The student income gap 12

4

THE HUMAN STUDENT 24

Discussions of Sexuality, Race, and Gender

d n a n o i t i d a r T n o i t s a Re m r o f s n Tra 33 FROM FEES MUST FALL TO COVID-19

6

From the Editor

T

here is something quite unique about being a student. You are in a weird space between adulthood and adolescence, and you can fall on a wide spectrum of experiences in terms of levels of independence, having to work, managing family, types of degrees and various personal hardships. It is difficult to fully represent and encompass such a broad and diverse range of experiences, but in your hands you hold our attempt to do this – at least to some degree. PDBY presents Unique Perspectives of Student Culture, a publication that seeks to reflect some of the unique and less considered aspects of being a student at the University of Pretoria in 2021.

It was important to me to capture some of these aspects in a publication that would last beyond our bi-weekly newspaper or a social media post, and rather serve as a snapshot of student history.

Students, and what they are involved in, care about, and influence, are continuously changing, and the less public aspects of these changes are often lost to history and lost in the details. The details of change and the often small steps of

04

progress are not the main points in history, but form the daily lived experience for many students across the generations. Student culture is unique in 2021, and will inevitably change – perhaps even by 2022 – and so we feel it is important to reflect, track and preserve these changes on behalf of students. This publication is in its 83rd year, and has seen generations of students move through UP. PDBY strives to inform and entertain, but it also serves the important purpose of archiving student history directly from the student perspective, and as it happens. The university’s history is told and documented in different ways, and by many different actors in the institution, but only a limited few are offered directly by the students who form UP’s history. PDBY is an official student contribution to UP’s history, and this magazine offers a freeze frame of student culture in 2021.

Another important inspiration to this magazine was the hope of keeping student culture alive during the pandemic. This has been a significant challenge over the last year, as student culture seemed all but dead without access to actual students.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

Campus life thrives on the presence of a mass body of students, but instead we have each been isolated and individual figures, connected only through screens. It felt like we may forget the unified whole we as students form and with this, forget the culture that is so unique and typically accessible to us. No other group in the country has the same experience as students. But in 2020 and 2021, even students haven’t had this experience. As students ourselves, also cut off from our campuses and our student experiences, PDBY offered both journalists and readers a way to be involved in student culture and speak to each other in a time where we are all separated and isolated. It is with this in mind that the articles were chosen to discuss and explore aspects of student culture that are ever-changing, still developing and certainly a sign of the times.

I hope our readers enjoy them for what they are: a slice of student history as experienced and interpreted by students of the time. I also hope this magazine offers insight to future readers into student culture as it exists today.

Finally, the third inspiration for this magazine was to firmly establish PDBY’s print legacy. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed student media into a digital future we were only beginning to prepare for. News and entertainment media need to adapt to online spaces, and will one day only exist as digital media. Mainstream news publications have already experienced this, and national print runs have been shrinking at an alarming rate.

Student media is fortunate to be flexible and open ended, allowing us to benefit from the changes in mainstream media and adapt accordingly. But the closure of UP campuses in March 2020 forced PDBY entirely online, and effectively killed our print run. While this is the future, and we have learned a lot about publishing news online, it makes me incredibly sad to think our printing days have come to an end. This is why PDBY has started publishing these magazines. More than 80 years of print history shouldn’t end so abruptly, forced by a situation beyond our control. The PDBY magazines (this one, and a special 2020 issue, Pandemic: a student media perspective) offer a legacy of print for the publication, while also giving our bi-weekly news the space and time to grow online and in the digital space.

These magazines are not scheduled or planned like the newspaper, but are rather passion projects for PDBY journalists, designers, artists and editors, to firmly establish our printing legacy.

Beyond being my own passion project (and essentially keeping me sane in a twisted, insane way during the pandemic), this magazine was born through the blood, sweat and literal tears of my editorial team. I share much of this experience and the success of publishing this magazine with

my Digital Manager, Leah Rees. Leah, thank you for all of your help, support and friendship as we put this publication together. We often joke that these magazines are our babies, but it really does feel that way. So congratulations on the publication of our second baby! To the rest of our hard working team, thank you for your dedication and commitment to this publication, even through one of the most difficult years of our lives. The bold and edgy layout of this pop-art themed design is brought to life by Head Layout Editor, Kelly-Anne Kong, and her team of designers. The articles of our journalists are elevated and finetuned by the dedication of our subeditors, led by Head Copy Editor, Kendall Behr, and the design of the magazine is complemented by visuals and artwork from our multimedia team, under the guidance of Multimedia Editor, Vasalya Moodley.

I would also like to offer a special thanks to all of the staff, lecturers, professors and students who shared their knowledge and experience with PDBY and our journalists. Your contributions are integral and essential aspects of our content, and provide the validity and personal significance to this magazine as a snap shot of student history and student culture.

To the reader, I hope you will enjoy this publication and the work of the team of student journalists who put it together. Student culture will inevitably change and look very different to the experiences reflected in this magazine, so my hope is that this will be read as a reflection of the uniqueness of student culture as it is now, in 2021.

Until a future page of PDBY . . .

_ Kayla Thomas Editor

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

05

from Fees must fall to COVID-19 The LOST STUDENT SOCIETIES in the Cacophony of Campus

BY SUSANNA ANBU VISUALS BY FEZEKILE MSIMANG, KAYLA THOMAS AND KENDRA DEAN

S

tudent culture is a multifaceted concept encompassing a myriad of student diversities.

Arguably, campus societies that have been created and dismantled over the years offer insight into the transience of student culture trends, and the associated pressures exerted on them. UP features an array of Day Houses, Sub-committees and societies that aim to cater for diverse student needs.

However, a closer inspection of the aforementioned divisions is warranted to analyse the extent to which unprecedented situations like the Fees Must Fall (FMF) movement and the COVID-19 pandemic, has shaped the existing figures of student societies, and the subsequent student cultures that have emerged from them.

The Influence of Campus Biometrics Biometrics at South African institutions has been a debatable phenomenon. In 2017, UP installed its first set of campus biometrics on Hatfield Campus. Johan Boonzaaier, Director of Security Services at UP, ascertained that the impetus for the installation “was primarily done to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff and to protect UP property”. Before the onset of biometrics, Boonzaaier explains that, “students used to access the campus with only their student cards. This meant that cards could be used by

00 06

anyone if it was lost and picked up, for example”.

Campus biometrics serve as an important symbol to unpack the discussion of student culture, due to the influence of restricting campus access solely to UP students. A research article published in Biometric Technology Today, asserts that “[campus biometrics] generate real-time attendance data providing a crucial insight into student behaviour”. The study acknowledges that tertiary institutions “need to create an open and stimulating environment that encourages learning, whilst ensuring that the students, staff and equipment within are protected”.

With the onset of COVID-19 cases in March 2020, UP disabled biometrics on all of its campuses. Despite the disabling of biometrics during the pandemic, Boonzaaier explains that “challenges still remain but the fact that the number of pedestrian gates has been reduced to coincide with the limited number of students and staff allowed on campus, has helped to deal with some of these challenges. The permit system also assisted us with controlling access to campus”.

In the years leading up to FMF, students described a communal ambiance on campus. Former PDBY editor, Michal-Mare Linden, explains that student culture encompasses organised campus culture that takes the form of organised events and societies, and institutional culture which comprises the miscellaneous attitudes of the student body. Linden ascertains that “the introduction of biometric systems has not made an impact [on organised student culture] except to exclude members of the public from spontaneously attending events. […] Access would have to be organised for visitors, which, apart from being an

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

Image: Fezekile Msimang and Kendra Dean

administrative hassle, does not limit societies from hosting guest speakers or members of the public. It is reasonable to say that the introduction of biometric systems may have even made campus safer, although I have never felt ‘at risk’ from an external threat”.

Linden asserts that biometrics have impacted institutional culture, in that, “apart from keeping the public off the campus, students are subject to more stress and frustration about ensuring that they have their access cards on them at all times”. Linden describes that “prior to the biometric systems, there was a laid back attitude to letting others on to campus; we trusted those that claimed they [were] students and let them in. This is no longer possible as you can only swipe in a particular direction once […] I think a biometric system also encourages a fear of ‘the other’- the nefarious member of the public who is supposed to be breaking on to campus for sinister reasons”.

Student culture after Fees Must Fall (FMF) In commenting on the impact of FMF on campus societies’ activities, Linden explains that “in 2016, an SRC couldn’t be elected and that obviously had a knock on effect to the following year. It is my impression that the TSC [Temporary Student Committee] faced more difficulty in motivating and connecting with students on campus than a democratically

elected SRC would have [had]. As overseers of campus’ societies, this difficulty might have made the formation and maintenance of some societies tricky, however, I would assume that it was the smaller societies that were worst affected”.

Michael Bongani Reinders, 2016 SRC member for residences, explains that “the first main impact was that many society activities could not take place due to the shutdown of campus and increased militarisation of the campus. Additionally, UP limited access to campus and was very aggressive in preventing any form of gathering that they felt could become a protest. The political societies on campus were particularly affected by this due to the university victimising many of their members and supporters.

As a result many society activities took place off campus or in informal ways”. Director of Student Affairs, Dr Matete Madiba, refuted the notion that political societies were victimised by explaining that “the relationship between the student body and the Department of Student Affairs (DSA) during the FMF protest was one of support, guidance and mediation”. She further said that, “during the Fees Must Fall Campaign the DSA engaged with the SRC and student activists. The aforementioned engagement was conducted with transparency and with [the] aim that student voices were heard. The Department created the necessary opportunities and appropriate channels where political activists could voice out their frustration and feelings of misplacement during the Fees Must Fall Campaign”.

Reinders explains that there were “targeted efforts [by UP management] to demobilise politically affiliated societies

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

00 07

Image: Kayla Thomas and Kendra Dean

Images: Fezekile Msimang and Kendra Dean

00 08

(who were often the forces behind the student protests)”. He cites that “a clear example of this was when the university named political societies and their members in the interdict against protesting and gathering on or near campus”. In commenting on the decision to formulate the interdict, Dr Madiba affirmed that “Executive Management of the University of Pretoria took the decision to do so as they were grappling with the conflict and the safety of students and staff and university property”. Reinders explains that many political societies were ‘kicked out’ of their oncampus offices, following the events of FMF in an effort to “stem protest and political gatherings”. When asked for the impetus behind the change in offices, Dr Madiba explained that the Department of Facilities Management requested that all houses and buildings that were used by societies, day houses and key committees as office space, “be given back to deal with challenges related to office space in the university. The offices were no longer sufficient to serve societies, that is, given the growth that has taken place over time.” Dr Madiba adds that “the DSA is working with Facilities Management to explore other ways of supporting societies”.

In commenting on the comparative difference between traditional events of UP campus culture prior and subsequent to FMF, Linden cites that this phenomenon could not have been attributed to “[changes] following FMF”. Linden mentions that “there’s been a long-term project at UP to remove or alter events associated with alcohol, something already in effect from as early as 2012”. She adds that “each men’s residence had a clubhouse that closed at 02:00 - most had been shut except for special occasions by 2015”. She explains that this project is more likely to have affected the types of events held or promoted by UP with preference given to ‘dry’ events. In commenting on whether there was a deliberate attempt to discourage alcohol affiliated events and societies, Dr Madiba ascertained that “all societies are given equal opportunity to host events, on condition that all rules and protocols are followed”.

The phenomenon of trying to deter events or societies associated with alcohol was also witnessed in the eventual deregistration of the UP wine tasting society. Lizaane Fouries, who served as the last chairperson of the UP Wine tasting society in 2017, cites that, “ it was very difficult to get an approved alcohol license to use on campus”. Fouries explains that the rules changed on a weekly basis, and we had to look for venues outside of campus, which also made the attendance reduce”. PDBY asked Dr Madiba for clarity on what rules govern a society such as the UP-Wine Tasting Society to host an event on campus. Dr Madiba said that “all events on campus are governed by the UP Events Committee, this also includes events organised by societies.

There is a specific events application form that is used for societies to apply for their events. If alcohol will be served at an event, there is an application for serving alcoholic beverages on University premises that must be co-signed by a patron of the society”, with approval being granted once the form is appropriately completed and submitted.

Fouries said that the main reason that the society had to be deregistered was “UP not wanting any alcohol consumption on campus”. Dr Madiba refuted this claim by stating that according to records held by the DSA and the SRC, “the UP-Wine Tasting Society was not deregistered. The members [of the] UP Wine Tasting Society did not apply for re-registration of their Society and their registration and recognition as a society on campus lapsed”. Fouries says that “there was an attempt to try to keep the society running but that “we had no support from UP”. She explains that

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

the membership of the society boasted approximately 250 members and that “the Wine Tasting Society was a society where wine farms came to teach us more about how they make the wine, the history of the wine farm, what taste we can expect and why. It was very interesting to learn how the processes work and how unique each wine farm is. It was more about educating people about wine and it was fun to learn”.

Linden explains that following the FMF movement, students became more aware of social issues, which could have stimulated an increased interest in societies that subsequently promoted social engagement for social justice.

Linden concedes that “it is hard to ascertain this as a simple observer as societies are typically quite small and insular”.

… there was a deviation from the potentially large political gatherings on campus and concerns around TuksRes events.

Reinders says that after FMF, there was a change in the kind of activities held, citing that there was a deviation from the potentially large political gatherings on campus and concerns around TuksRes events. He mentions that “many of the Res events of the time were seen by some of the political organisations as problematic and outdated. This resulted in a few instances where students from various political organisations attempted to disrupt some of the Res events”.

Reinders explains the FMF movement instilled a “progressive awakening and amplification of many students' voices on campus” ,which caused many of the Residence events to be placed under increased scrutiny.

Reinders cites the example of the 2017 Serrie that constituted a longstanding tradition where male residences would perform at all the female residences and vice versa.

Reinders explains that, “one of the extremely problematic traditions was that the male residences would make grotesque and misogynistic signs, do vulgar actions and say vulgar things to try and distract the female residences while they performed”. In 2017, this was photographed and distributed online which resulted in an outcry about the tradition.

Reinders explains that “[the tradition] has been happening for years, but I believe it came under more scrutiny due to FMF”.

Following this incident, he mentioned that a lot of other events were called into question such as the “heteronormative and patriarchal 'serenading' of the female residences by the male residences”, and the “residence traditions involving initiation of first or second years, the broad racism, sexism, and homophobia in residences, and the inequality between residence students and day students”.Following the unfolding of the events, a statement published by STUKU informed of the cancellation of the 2017 Serrie finals, explaining that the decision was made “in light of the offensive placards and conduct of student spectators during the Serrie Pelims […]”.

The statement went on to implore the student body “to ensure that future student culture events will not be marred by repeats of insensitive, disrespectful or offensive behaviour”.

In 2019, PDBY reported on the International Students’ Day celebrations hosted by the International Student Division at UP. It was understood that International Student’s Day was an annual event at the University of Pretoria. However due to the disturbances created by the FMF protests, all gatherings had been suspended until further notice but the event eventually fell away from the UP calendar. According to Itumeleng Njoro, senior international postgraduate consultant, and one of the organisers of the event, “it had

been way too long and further notice had passed” – hence the team decided to set in motion a plan of action to execute International Student’s Day for 2019, and push for an annual place on the UP calendar going forward.

Accelerated trend in the dismantlement of international societies In the years following FMF and leading up to the pandemic, a significant number of international student societies at UP have fallen away. An analysis of lists encompassing registered societies over the years shows that in April 2017, eight international student societies had been registered at UP – namely: Moz@Tuks, Namibean Society (NAMSOC), Tuks Asian Society, Kenyan Student Society, University of Pretoria International (UPI), Friends of Pakistan, UP DRC and ZimSoc. As of date of publication of this article, only UPI and ZimSoc were retained in 2021, with the Nigerian Student Society, Eswatini Society and Francophone Society being the only new additions since 2017. The aforementioned confirmation was obtained by PDBY upon reaching out to the respective chairpersons of the societies. As of 6 May, the final list of societies for 2021 is

The possible causes of this [international student societies at UP being dismantled] are attributed to three main factors, namely lack of support, poor leadership and minimal funding. yet to be published, and the aforementioned figures pose the potential to change.

Commenting on the possible causes of this phenomenon, Former UPI chairperson Elma Akob, attributes the decline in student societies to three main factors: a lack of support, poor leadership and minimal funding. Akob explained that there was a lack of support in terms of assisting these societies to find members. Akob further mentioned that UP’s privacy policy denied UPI access to the email addresses of all UP international students, which UPI had requested in an effort to inform and get in touch with international students. Akob ascertained that the lack of face-to-face marketing on campus limits societies in advertising their existence to new students, thereby reducing opportunities to recruit new members who are vital for the continued existence of a society. Akob concludes that international student societies “have no way of accessing students that [UPI] are supposed to represent.

[Hence], there have been many international societies that have had to fall away because they haven’t been able to find their members”.

The Tuks Asian Group (TAG) was an international society that ended at the end of 2019. Outgoing Chairperson of TAG, Hansen Li, describes that, “a large issue that occurred in TAG was that we were on the decline and the main problem was that not even members were attending events and there was just a general lack of interest”. Li cites that the society’s executive chiefly focused on existing members as opposed to recruiting new members, “and as a result we could not get new members into the society”. Despite the society’s

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

00 09

10

dismantlement, Li ascertains that he would “definitely like to see a new group that fills this gap left by TAG by the new generation of Asian Youth but [he] believe[s] the impact is more for new Asian students looking for a community to find others”. Li further says that TAG was an independent society with its own Executive Committee and explained that by the time he took over, “the society was already on a fairly steady decline which is why after my year we decided not to carry on”. Out of the 100 registered members of TAG for 2019, Li states that only 50 members were active, thereby attributing the eventual dismantlement of the society to lack of participation.

Akob articulates that the many chairpersons of societies will finish off with a society and leave it without passing it on to the next executive, and as a result there is no one to take the society forward. Akob says that she does “think that there needs to be adequate handovers, adequate training for the leaders of these societies so that they are able to maintain the standard and pass on the standard as well”. Akob also cites the fact that many international student societies have small memberships that are usually less than 250 members, thereby limiting the amount of funding that they can have.

She asserts that this limit in funds thwarts these societies from undertaking socials and other events for their members thereby promoting an eventual trend of dismantlement of the said societies. Akob expresses that “one thing that we all as societies are thinking about is the fact that[...] they want to cut down on funding for all societies. There are millions that are given out to student societies and now that they want to cut down on funding, we really haven’t been given clear guidelines as to where that money is going”.

Akob explains that with the onset of the pandemic, many international students had “no time to think about a social club” due to the array of financial pressures and other issues they were facing. She says that this drastically decreased student participation in existing societies, as “there really is no time to think about a social club, a society where they can mingle because I mean at the end of the day they have bigger problems”.

Akob mentions that “the pandemic has affected all societies, which is very unfortunate because it is one thing not to have a crisis management plan in writing but it is another thing not to have a recovery plan. She says that when the pandemic hit, people understood that activities had to change as people adapted to “all these Zoom discussions”, but that she “would have expected that societies would by now be in function, but the registration for societies hasn’t even started yet, so I must say I am a bit disappointed that […] the recovery plan is not working as good as it should, and so because of that a lot of societies have suffered”. While society registration later opened in May, Akob says that many students “will never be able to experience the UP culture or just have that full UP experience”.

When asked whether there has indeed been an accelerated decline in international societies being registered at UP, Dr Madiba refuted this claim by saying that “there has not been a decline in the registration of international societies at UP”, asserting that “all students have the right to become a member of or to register a student society (interest group) given that they adhere to the stipulated criteria, institutional rules and policies”.

Following the pandemic, societies were forced to adapt a hybrid model of engagement for their activities, which was rooted in online platforms. This vastly cut down on the SRC Society portfolio’s expenditure. As per the 2020 SRC’s financial budget provided to PDBY by Shaheen Deonarian, SRC Treasurer for 2020, the SRC societies portfolio was allocated R14 250, with R321.33 being previously inherited.

In response to claims that if the money allocated to a SRC portfolio is not utilised fully by the respective SRC member, the funding assigned to that particular portfolio will be revoked as per how much was not in use. Due to the low expenditure expressed by the SRC Societies Portfolio in 2020, it was understood that funding for societies in 2021 was drastically revoked. Dr Madiba said, however, that “the funding allocated to the 2021 Societies Budget remains the same as it did in previous years”.

WHAT DOES POST-PANDEMIC STUDENT CULTURE LOOK LIKE? Linden predicts that in a post pandemic setup, “student culture will go where the conversation goes, whether it is the Jukes’ courtyard or a Tuks meme page on Instagram.”

Linden asserts that “organised and institutional culture facilitated this [social connectivity] through societies, events, class discussions, and socialising on the grass”. She mentions that “while societies and groups have tried to move online or connect members as best they can, the reality is that many of these societies and groups, as well as general institutional culture, are not ‘online activities’”. She cites that newer students show a tendency to cling to their high school friends as opposed to making new social connections in a tertiary setup.

[the pandemic presents] an opportunity to foster a new, inclusive campus culture when we return.

Linden ascertains that, “often it is the learning we do apart from our academic projects that moulds and builds us most; I can’t see how this could happen in isolation from the very place that breeds this culture”, further predicting that many “former events have reached their expiration date, with the pandemic presenting “an opportunity to foster a new, inclusive campus culture when we return”.

Akob ascertains that “it is going to be very hard to find each other [international students] because everyone has now been sort of separated and had to find their own way so it’s going to be a little bit difficult for international students to realise that there is this community of international students that exist, but again, there is going to be a great desire and a longing for it ”. She explains that “initially the culture of international students is going to be hard to find because everyone will be still trying to find a place in the university”.

Campus properties are devoid of student cultural activities - save for residence associated activities such as RAG and the first year’s concert. The physical setup of campus provides the platform for student cultural activities with the student centre in particular serving as the pinnacle of student activity at UP. In instances where the physical access has been restricted, due to the onset of protest action or an unprecedented pandemic, students lose out on the opportunity to connect with campus activities with the external stressors outweighing simple student pleasures. Despite campus properties being devoid of student cultural activities, online interactions provide a hybrid form of interaction that serve to keep student culture alive amidst the pandemic.

Subeditors:Tiara Joseph, Maryke Steynvaart, Kendall Behr and Kayla Thomas Layout: Kendra Dean

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

#FEESMUSTFALL at up: 2016 . . .

The COVID-19 pandemic: 2020 . . .

how will student life have changed?

Images: Top - Fezekile Msimang and Kendra Dean Bottom - Tshepang Rihlampfu and Kendra Dean

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

11

Image: Giovanna Bruna-Zita Janos and Kayla Thomas

A Financial Crisis

The student income gap

BY NOKWANDA KUBHEKA AND KIRSTEN MINNAAR VISUALS BY MASEHLE MAILULA, KAYLA THOMAS AND GIOVANNA JANOS

T

he topic of finances amongst the South African student population continues to be a present and highly controversial topic of discussion, and its importance has become more apparent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to online learning, the disparity between students of different financial backgrounds has become clearer. Students at the lower end of the financial scale have faced constant struggle in order to achieve academic success. Meanwhile, students who fall in the middle of the financial scale are often disregarded, despite the fact that they are often also unable to afford university fees.

For many years, South Africa has been considered one of the most unequal countries in the world in terms of income inequality. Despite the promise of equality that came with South Africa’s democratisation, findings from a preliminary paper written by Aroop Chatterjee, Léo

12

Czajka, and Amory Gethin, shows that the wealth gap has not improved since 1994. Income inequality has, in fact, deepened, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The preliminary paper further reports that 15% of South Africa’s wealth was held by a mere 3500 people, even prior to the pandemic.

By July of 2020, the National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey, conducted by thirty social science researchers across five South African universities, reported that 3 million South Africans had lost their jobs whilst many of the 1.5 million people who remained employed did not have an income during level 5 of the national lockdown.

The survey additionally found that the majority of South Africans that were most significantly impacted by job loss during the pandemic were those already in an “unfavourable position in the labour market”, such as informal workers.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

The extreme difference between the way in which people of varying financial classes were impacted by the pandemic was not only evident in South Africa, but across the world. While some people suffered from job loss, starvation and illness, many of the wealthier members of society were able to go on with their lives as though the world had not been upended within the span of a few months. Many affluent people could pay for the privilege of pretending that the pandemic did not exist and called for solidarity while not doing much in the way of supporting the more marginalised members of their communities. In the November 2020 publication, Pandemic: a student media perspective, PDBY explored the trend of celebrities calling for solidarity and adherence to COVID-19 regulations. The often ill received messages were labelled insincere by many as the affluent members of society advocated for solidarity from positions of extreme financial security while many poorer South Africans could not social distance or self isolate safely.

This extreme disparity in which the pandemic has affected people of different financial standings can easily be observed among university students. While students

"

on the lower end of the financial scale have always faced a more difficult path towards academic achievement, access to campuses has always helped to mitigate that disadvantage. Campuses provide all students with access to the same facilities - including libraries, Wi-Fi, computers, and direct contact with academic staff and tutors. When online learning initiatives were implemented in 2020 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the lack of access to campuses stripped away any semblance of equality between students of different financial backgrounds.

While wealthier students have had the resources they needed to achieve academic success from their homes, other students have had to struggle for the most basic necessities to continue with their studies. PDBY reported on some of the measures that the University of Pretoria implemented in April 2020 to try and assist students of lower socio-economic background – this included the loaning of internet-enabled devices and providing students with zero-rate data for certain websites such as ClickUP. Unfortunately, these aids have either taken a very long time to reach students, or have not come close to meeting all of the needs of these students.

the lack of access to campuses stripped away any semblance of equality between students of different financial backgrounds

Image: Masehle Mailula

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

13

However effective these provisions might have been, they did not combat any of the other issues that financially vulnerable students struggle with.

Students at the lower end of the wealth gap still had to cope with problems such as hunger, cramped and overcrowded spaces, family members becoming unemployed, or a lack of amenities like water and electricity. Students living on the lower end of wealth distribution have less chance of engaging in fair academic competition through the platform of online learning - yet, that is often what they have been forced to do. PDBY asked the UP SRC about the differences between students of different financial backgrounds, and of the impact of online learning on students from low income households. As of 10 May, the SRC has not offered a response or comment, despite multiple requests for statistics on student poverty and feedback on the effects of online learning on low income students.

The wealthy can afford university fees, whilst the lower-income student population is typically funded by NSFAS. However, middle-income students find that lack of funding is still an issue. When former president, Jacob Zuma, announced free education for lower-income and working-class students, it was a life-changing announcement for many. However, the group of students whose household income was just above the threshold of R350 000 annually, were left unaddressed.

According to the NSFAS website, a student can qualify for a bursary if they are a South African citizen planning to study in the following year, if they are already studying at a public university or TVET college, and if they meet one or more of the following requirements: - The student is a SASSA grant recipient - The student has a combined household income not more than R350 000 per year - The student has a disability and a combined household income of not more than R600 000 per year or - The student began their university studies before 2018 with a household income that is not more than R122 000 per year

14 00

A UP student shared that“"not being funded

by NSFAS has caused [her] serious daily stress. [...] I struggled to focus on my assignments and exams as I had no idea how I would be able to pay for my studies".

Although NSFAS considers students who earn above the threshold as those able to afford university fees, it is often not the case. In the 2019 article, “The massive debt problem dancing middle class South Africans in 2020”, Business Tech reported that the middle class of South Africa is in debt, and that a shortage of end-of-year bonuses and salary inflation meant that many households were borrowing money to cover basic expenses like food and transportation. NSFAS does not consider how much debt each household has, but only the income of the household.

The article by Business Tech further reported that those in bad debt spend, on average, 63 percent of their after-tax income on repayments. This means that an individual who is in debt and earns R30 000, spends, on average, R20 100 on debt repayments per month. Ntsako Maswanganyi, a third-year BCom Economics student at UP, whose application for funding was rejected by NSFAS, said that she does not think NSFAS considers household debt when looking at an application from a household that earns above the threshold. Pertaining to her parents’ ability to pay for her university fees, she said that “they are trying all they can to pay, I have no idea how they do it but I can tell that it stresses them”. She also said that she thinks it would be better if NSFAS could cater for middle class students and contribute to their university tuition fees.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

S

tudents in the middle-class face issues without having proper representation and are often excluded from solutions created by the Department of Higher Education. These issues include homelessness, historical debt, and ultimately resorting to lying in NSFAS application forms – students may exaggerate their circumstances in hopes of getting funding. IOL reports in “NSFAS goes after 5000 students who ‘lied’ to get funding”, that NSFAS found at least 5000 students who had lied in their NSFAS application forms after information from the South African Revenue Services (SARS) revealed that they had an annual household income of over R350 000.

Among students who were defunded by NSFAS is a UP student who agreed to share her expereince anonymously. She said, “I applied for NSFAS because I am unable to afford my studies without financial aid as my father is on pension. NSFAS said that my father’s pension income was above their maximum threshold - although we did declare that when I applied, and the amount that the income [that] was above threshold was only about R1 000 per year which makes no difference in my ability to afford my studies”. When she appealed NSFAS’s decision to defund her, she says she did not receive a response and her funding was not reinstated. She has said that being awarded a performance bursary as well as a loan from the University of Pretoria is the only way that she has been able to afford to pay for her fees. With regard to how losing her funding has affected her student life, she shared that “not being funded by NSFAS has caused [her] serious daily stress”. She adds that she “lost a significant amount of weight that was stress-related and [her] anxiety levels were through the roof”. “I struggled to focus on my assignments and exams as I had no idea how I would be able to pay for my studies”, she added.

Whilst NSFAS students receive an annual lump sum of over R5000 at the beginning of the academic year, students without funding often resort to pirated online textbooks, settle for outdated editions or rely completely on lecture slides.

Other items that students who are not funded by NSFAS often cannot afford include stationery, clothing to attend contact classes, laptops, transport to campus and, frequently, basic necessities. The UP student, who was among the 5000 students who lost funding by NSFAS in 2020, admitted that she has been forced to live at home with her father because they cannot afford other accommodation and that she is dependent on her father, who is a pensioner. Not being able to afford student residences closer to a UP campus is among the many issues that the forgotten middle-class students face.

NSFAS bursary requirements: - The student is a SASSA grant recipient - The student has a combined household income not more than R350 000 per year - The student has a disability and a combined household income of not more than R600 000 per year or - The student began their university studies before 2018 with a household income that is not more than R122 000 per year

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

15 00

Image: Kayla Thomas

Whilst most universities offer financial aid or bursaries, the students who qualify for these have to be high achievers. For example, sport bursaries are available to sports achievers who obtained at least provincial colours in a specific range of sports offered by UP, during their Grade 11 and/or Grade 12 year, and who will continue to actively participate in their sport for a UP club while studying at the University of Pretoria. To qualify for one of the UP support bursaries, you have to be financially needy and/or academically deserving. As much as university managed bursaries and financial aid exist, they are limited in terms of how much they can give towards every student’s fees, and only the highest achievers in academics and/or sports qualify.

Individuals at the lower end and the middle of the wealth scale face a tremendous amount of challenges as university students. Students who come from lower-income households are given insufficient aid (if any) in order to succeed during online learning. Middle-income students are often left unconsidered in conversations regarding financial support - even though their financial status places them at a higher risk of being financially excluded from NSFAS funding. Despite pleas for help and constant battling against the South African government, universities and NSFAS, it seems as though the plight of these students continues to go unheard and unaddressed.

Subeditors: Tiara Joseph, Kayla Thomas and Kendall Behr Layout: Kayla Thomas and Bellinah Zwane

16

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

Student Hook-up Culture The good, the bad, and the dirty

By Bianke Neethling Visuals by Cassandra Eardley, Leah Rees and Kayla Thomas

D

iscussions of “student hook up culture” often provoke strong emotions. The topic is usually met with either staunch opposition or strong approval, with very few finding themselves in the middle-ground. People often find themselves in, or are placed in, one of two camps:

pro or anti. Logically, this polarisation makes sense; the idea of a hook up culture is linked to moral, physical, religious, psychological, and various other very personal implications.

However, upon closer inspection, hook up culture among students is a more nuanced topic than most give it credit for. Therefore, it is one worthy of more nuanced discussions.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

17

1.

T

Defining Hookup Culture

he term student hook up culture can mean different things to different people. To simplify, the definition can be broken down into its three separate elements: “student”, “hook up”, and “culture”.

In this discussion the first element, “student”, refers to young adults who find themselves in a university/college environment and who have not yet entered the workforce. While high school students and older adults may also partake in some typical “hook up behaviours”, their experiences differ from that of university students. Their experiences are often defined by a limitation of freedom. School responsibilities and a lack of freedom of movement are often obstacles for

18

high school students, while adults in the workforce often have work and familial responsibilities in their way.

University students most often find themselves in an environment and culture that may enable, and in some ways encourage, typical “hook up” behaviours.

The meaning of this second element, “hook up”, is often a controversial topic as there is no universal definition, and many differ on what the term means to them. Sources that try to define exactly what the term means most often differ regarding the exact level of intimacy “hooking up” entails. Some sources, like the Cambridge Dictionary, take a more modest route by simply stating the definition as: “to begin a romantic or sexual relationship with someone”. Other sources are slightly more explicit, though still vague, such as Illustration: Cassandra Eardley Merriam-Webster, which defines “hook up” as “a casual sexual encounter”. Urban Dictionary, a more explicit and informal source, draws an interesting distinction between how various age groups use and understand the term, ranging from simply “[spending] time with someone”, “[making] out”, to “[having] sex”. In a poll held on the PDBY Instagram page, 56% of 537 voters understand “hooking up” to mean “having sex”, while the other 44% understand it as “making out”. Some also stated that their understanding of the term can change based on the context in which it is used. Therefore, in general, the consensus seems to be that “hooking up” refers to casual, intimate behaviour with another person.

“Culture”, the third element to this topic, is one that is often overlooked, but may be the crux to understanding what a hook up culture truly entails. Oxford Languages defines “culture” as “the

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

2. ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society”. It is clear that this definition emphasises the entrenched nature of a culture, in other words, the fact that a culture establishes, and often encourages, certain behaviours and ideas that are found within a specific group. In an article on Contexts.org, entitled “what’s so cultural about hook up culture?”, Lisa Wade, a sociology professor at Occidental College, explains that “[when] students arrive on campus, they don’t just encounter the opportunity to hook up, they are also immersed in a culture that endorses and facilitates hook ups. Ceding to or resisting that culture then becomes part of their everyday lives”. Taking this view into account and considering the strong opinions that surround student hook ups, as well as UP’s own structures that facilitate and address the prevalence of hook ups among students, it is not an exaggeration to call this behaviour a true “culture”.

Therefore, when speaking about hook up culture, it is important to view it as a set of behaviours and a way of living that is an established part of student life, rather than an exception to the rule.

Physicalrisks, risks, Physical benEfits,and and benEfits considerations considerations

WHAT IS CONTINUOUS CONSENT?

what are the benefits of a healthy sex life?

Is It Normal to Have Sex Every Day?

HOW CAN I BE PROTECTED AGAINST HIV?

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TREAT SEX AS A TABOO?

WHAT ABOUT OTHER STIS?

A

rguably, the biggest physical risk related to frequent hook ups is sexually transmitted infections (STIs). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “[young] people are at greater risk of getting an STI for several reasons”, one of which being that “[some] young people have more than one sex partner”. For many students, the importance of practicing safe sex has been explained, emphasised, and encouraged throughout their lives by parents, teachers, and various other members of their community. This information could have taken many forms, from preaching abstinence to explaining proper condom usage. However, when students are thrust into university life and are faced with more freedom to explore their sexuality than ever before, this information often takes a backseat. Luckily, certain structures are in place to guide students along the safer path. These guides include, amongst others, the Campus Clinic, the Centre for Sexualities, AIDS and Gender (CSA&G), the CrossRoads pregnancy counselling services, and the Student Counselling Unit. In 2018, UP also launched a condom distribution program, which installed condom dispensers in key points all over the university campuses and residences.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

19

Illustration: Leah Rees

PDBY spoke to Chris Joubert, the Facilitator and Counsellor of the CSA&G at UP, about the interconnections between student “hook ups” and sexual health among students. Joubert mentioned that, while proper knowledge of physical safety about sex is important, it is often the mental and social aspects of hook up culture that are overlooked. He emphasised that, while education about proper condom usage and other similar aspects of safe sex are important, more all-encompassing knowledge should also be included in syllabuses. This information can include the importance of continuous consent, nonheteronormative sex education, and the importance of prioritising your mental health with regard to sexual encounters. Joubert believes that the solution lies not only in improving education, but also addressing the role that culture plays in this education, and in general regarding discourse about sex and other related topics. He states that “education does not only need to be one-sided” and that, while the syllabus might need to be updated, it is people, and, therefore, a culture, that needs to create and approve such updates. Joubert also mentions the role of gender norms, which stem from cultural influences as well, in many people’s education and approach to sex. In many cultures, sex is still a taboo topic of discussion, and different expectations are placed on what and how the topic is taught to the different genders. Joubert emphasises how harmful this can be, as it may discourage someone from seeking help when they need it, spread misinformation, and perpetuate dangerous narratives about what certain groups of people are, and are not, like. This stereotyping can be especially prevalent when hook up culture is discussed, as there is usually a general assumption that people fall in either one of two camps, when many actually find themselves in the middle-ground, as they go through different stages at different points in their lives. Joubert describes this as being put in a specific box, when “the box should be temporary”.

20

When asked about how students can safely partake in hook up culture, Joubert draws distinctions between physical, mental, and social safety. With the latter aspect, Joubert advises that students should decide beforehand what they are, and are not, comfortable with in order to make communication and safety easier to facilitate. Here, Joubert again mentions the importance of “continuous consent”, which involves the ability to give and withdraw consent at any point before, during, and after any sexual encounter.

When discussing physical safety during sex, Joubert mentions the risk of contracting STIs when engaging in hook up culture, and particularly the risk of contracting HIV. He describes a concept called the “SAD principle”, which one can use to assess one’s own level of risk for contracting HIV. He also discusses the use of prevention methods like condoms, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and honest and open communication with partners about their sexual histories, to minimise the risk of contraction.

More information and resources are available on the CSA&G website, csagup.org, through which they can also be contacted.

Other helpful resources are: the Campus Clinic, the CrossRoads pregnancy counselling services (email: contact@crossroadsphc. co.za, phone: 076 324 5565, and WhatsApp: 082 660 0554), and the Student Counselling Unit (012 420 2333).

Joubert’s last piece of advice for students to safely take part in hook up culture is to “learn to trust yourself and be honest with yourself”, and to remember that there is nothing wrong with asking questions, because there will always be “someone out there willing to help”.

While it is important to discuss the physical risks of frequent hook ups, an often overlooked aspect is the physical benefits of regular sexual activity. An article on MedicineNet, entitled “Is It Normal to Have Sex Every Day?”, includes a list of the various health benefits of a healthy sex life. These benefits include: an improved immune system, lowered blood pressure, lowered heart attack risk, reduced prostate cancer risk, improved sleep, and better memory.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

“human beings are sexual beings. We are one amongst only a small handful of species on planet earth that pursues sex not only as means of reproduction, but, also, as a means of recreation.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

“

S

exual health and mental health are inextricably linked. Dr Jarred Martin, UP Psychology lecturer and Programme Manager of MA Clinical Psychology, explains that “[human] beings are sexual beings. We are one amongst only a small handful of species on planet earth that pursues sex not only as means of reproduction, but also as a means of recreation.

Sexuality, be it, more narrowly, in the form of sex and sexual behaviour, or more broadly, in the form of sexual identity and sexual orientation, is a significant dimension of personal identity. In this way, our sexuality, sexual behaviour and sexual health have a direct influence on the ways we come to think about ourselves, our relationships with others, and our place in the world”.

A scientific study, entitled “The Association Between Sexual Health and Physical, Mental, and Social Health in Adolescent Women”, published on PubMed.gov, found that “[higher] sexual health was significantly associated with less frequent nicotine and substance use, lower self-reported depression, lower thrill seeking, higher self-esteem, […], better social integration, lower frequency of delinquent behaviour and crime, and more frequent community group membership”. The study ultimately concluded that “[positive] sexually related experiences in romantic relationships during adolescence may complement physical, mental/ emotional, and social health”. It is important to note the use of “positive” in this finding, as sexual experiences can differ widely from person to person, and, despite the possible benefits, not all experiences are inherently positive, and may do more harm than good.

Dr Martin believes that “the psychological impact of sexual activity can be two-fold. On the one hand, enjoyable, pleasurable, and consent-based sexual activity can be a sexually and personally satisfying experience which helps a person grow, develop, and mature in their own sense of themselves, […]. On the other hand, sexual activity which is not based on consent, involves coercion and predation, violence, or is not personally or mutually enjoyable and satisfying, can have quite a serious psychological impact, including various forms of trauma, which may go on to negatively impact how people think about and negotiate their sexuality and sexual relationships with others in the future”. It is therefore important to ensure that when you do partake in hook up culture, you are doing so in a safe, healthy, and fulfilling way. Dr Martin suggests that students should “clearly define for themselves what they deem is desirable, acceptable, safe, and enjoyable behaviour for themselves. In doing so, students should only go on to pursue sexual encounters, hook ups, and relationships based on what they know and feel is acceptable for them. Central to this is ensuring that the pursuit and satisfaction of your sexual desires is predicated on mutually enjoyable and clearly consenting relationships with other people”.

3.

21

The moral and social side of sex

O

ne of the most important aspects of hook up culture, and one that is often seen as the biggest reason for the controversy surrounding it, is its moral implications. Sexual behaviour, and especially sexual promiscuity, is often linked to a person’s norms and values, and, therefore, will also influence the extent of one’s participation in hook up culture.

Discussions surrounding morality are often trapped in the binary view of “liberal” and “conservative”.

It has become easy to put those who freely participate and encourage participation in hook up culture

into the “liberal” box, and those who do not into the “conservative” box, and then to label one “wrong” and the other “right” depending on one’s own views. Though simple, this classification is unrealistic. This view removes the nuance of a person’s, and particularly a student’s, norms and values.

Multiple factors contribute to the formation of a person’s norms and values, and as cultures and society as a whole have diversified over the years, so has morality. It has evolved into a much more personal, unique aspect of the self, where every person forms their own views and beliefs based on the factors they choose.

On Instagram, PDBY asked students whether they take part in hook up culture, and 84% of the 537 voters answered that they do not. When asked why, the reasons ranged from fear

of contracting STIs, religious reasons, being in an exclusive relationship, disinterest in casual relationships, and other various personal reasons. The 16% of voters who do take part in hook up culture were also asked about their choice.

Their answers included, amongst others, a desire to have casual sex, wanting new experiences, and even a simple “why not?”. This wide range in answers from only a small pool of people already shows the great differences in beliefs, behaviours, views, and feelings from one person to another.

This further emphasises just how deeply personal someone’s morals, and in effect their decision to take part in hook up culture, truly are.

The role of the media is often emphasised with regard to how modern views are developed and changed. This emphasis makes sense, as for most

people, media forms a large part of their daily lives. Statista reported in March 2020 that “[consumers] around the world spend an average of 463 minutes or over 7.5 hours per day with media”. Media’s influence on a student’s decision to participate in, or avoid, hook up culture can take many different forms, ranging from the glamorisation of the culture in films, to news reports about STI statistics. However, what places students specifically in an interesting position, is the fact that they find themselves in a learning environment where they are met with new information to learn, dissect, accept, or reject nearly every single day. Add to this the differences in religions between many university students, and it becomes easy to see why the topic of a hook up culture can lead to such different views.

4.

Infographic: Kayla Thomas

22

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

5.

S

Hook-up culture freedom

Illustration: Kayla Thomas

tudent hook up culture is a thorny issue. Not simply because its proponents and opponents differ so greatly, but also as a result of the overlooked nuance that the topic entails. Hook up culture, and students’ participation in it, cannot be classified as either good or bad, as a thorough evaluation of the physical, psychological, and moral implications of this culture reveals much more complexity.

One thing that can be universally concluded, however, is that participation in hook-up culture is, ultimately, a choice. It is up to the individual to decide not only whether to participate, but also

the extent to which they want to take part in student hook up culture. Hooking up in university may be an entrenched part of student life, but it is not a compulsory part, and no student should feel pressured to participate. The ultimate freedom of hook up culture lies in it being a choice, and one every student should be free to make for themselves.

Subeditors: Ntokozo Xulu, Lise le Roux, Kayla Thomas and Kendall Behr Layout: Leah Rees

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

23

24

Image: Tshepang Rihlampfu and Kayla Thomas

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

The human student:

discussions of Sexuality, race, and gender

BY AMUKELANI MAKAMU VISUALS BY KAYLA THOMAS, MADEEHA HAZARVI AND TSHEPANG RIHLAMPFU

I

n South Africa, apartheid was a policy of segregation and discrimination on grounds of race, and often also on sexuality and gender, and democracy is a system of government in which the people have the authority to choose their governing legislators, with the intention of eliminating the shadow of the apartheid system in post-apartheid South Africa. However, the question at hand is, has that “elimination on grounds of discrimination” been achieved, or does South Africa continue to carry out the legacy of the apartheid system? Students and their diverse and varied experiences offer a unique insight into modern South Africa. Major dynamic issues faced by students who are also part of the queer community, are people of colour, or are of non-dominant genders within our society show how South Africa continues to be deeply unequal within its communities. Students on university campuses, and for this article, specifically at UP, reflect changes in the country and acts as a microcosm of broader society, and can be considered through the lens of the social sciences.

Investopedia describes the social sciences as a branch of science devoted to the study of societies and relationships among individuals within these societies. Social science is one nonpareil breed that is continuously influenced by the student community.

The student community contributes to the unique perspectives of South Africa and are influenced by their background, history, surroundings, environment, the society they are in, and by social mobility, shaping South Africa. Unique dynamics of South African life continues to exist and evolve not only within the student community, but also within different South African communities. Their core foundation is social change within the sociological sciences, for example, human interactions and relationships in cultural, economic, political, and social spheres often influence social changes that have long-term consequences for society. These changes are reflected in the experiences of students.

PDBY spoke to students and lecturers with specific insight or lived experiences as part of groups often studied in social sciences. The topics of race, gender, and sexuality are ever changing and developing as new discourses gain prominence, but are here captured by the voices of students and staff in 2021, who reflect on living in the queer community, racial dynamics in student spaces, and gender roles in society and on campus.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

25

Queer in the student space

M

ore than two decades of democracy in South Africa seems not to have adequately challenged the ideologies the South African community has regarding the queer community. The Constitution of the republic stands as a bastion that protects the queer community, but ink on paper instead of implementation is not always adequate in contemporary South Africa. An article published by the Mail&Guardian on 6 April 2017 titled “Queer people fight for fair representation” by Carl Collison explores representations of queer people and how they affect society. People of the queer community continue to experience rape, abuse, harassment, discrimination or stereotyping because of their gender and sexual identities.

Discriminatory ideologies exist and are perpetuated in families, communications, and within structural underpinning factors that make-up our societies. With reference to the article by Collison, religious, traditional and cultural beliefs within South African societies continue to form the public’s personal ideologies.

Many practitioners of mainstream religions, such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam, prohibit or condemn homosexuality, and create division between social groups.

Queer experiences extend beyond only homophobia or intolerance, and also feature acceptance, growth, success and increasing representation. Tuks UP&OUT, UP’s queer society, explain that “not all [queer] stories are purely happy, but they all go beyond queer people coming out or experiences violence or some combination of the two”.

While discrimination and violence continue to be an obstacle, queer experiences are much more than this, and can be shared in a way that “doesn’t assume that being queer can only involve telling people about it or suffering for it”. In his novel, The Pink Line: Journeys Across the World’s Queer Frontiers, Mark Gevisser comments on the progress made in South Africa for queer rights and representation. He notes that South Africa “was famously the first in the world to guarantee equality on the basis of sexual orientation [and] […] the fifth country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage”.

Gevisser comments on what he labels “the pink line”, between parts of society “increasingly integrating queer people”, and “those finding new ways to shut them out.

Queer students in South Africa are in the unique position of often having access to both sides of the pink line between a society that can be both conservative, and liberal.

P

DBY spoke to two students who are open members of the queer community at UP. Marn Swanepoel and Marsh Potgieter speak about their experiences as queer students and their thoughts on “coming out”.

Have you faced any specific challenges as queer students?

We both have similar experiences as queer students at UP. Due to the diversity on campus, we felt that the university gave us a safe space to explore hidden aspects of our identities and led us to accept our queerness. We never feel out of place as queer students at UP. Recently we were so excited to learn that UP now allows gender-neutral gender options and that one can go by Mx instead of Ms or Mr. It made us feel even more seen than ever before, however, upon changing to Mx we realised that it only changed on the UP portal and not on ClickUP. This is unfortunate since Marn is a tutor and was hoping that the Mx would help them not get misgendered by the students they are tutoring.

1.

26

2.

What should people understand about the queer community in general, from a student perspective?

That, just like everything in life, the community itself is changing and evolving, new terms are created as people learn that there are many different ways to exist. It is natural to feel overwhelmed by it all, but there is no pressure to define yourself, the community is there to support you regardless. However, some people tend to be judgemental and say that many identities are “new” and “made-up” when in reality people who have felt a certain way have always existed, but are only now finding and creating the language to explain their feelings. Instead of being judgemental, educate yourself.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

3.

Are there any risks as a queer student at UP? We personally have positive experiences as queer students at UP. I (Marn) remember seeing an interracial gay couple my first week at UP. I saw them quite often after that too, they were always holding hands and being cuddly and no one else seemed to mind. It was because of this experience [that] I felt safe holding my partner’s hand while walking to class together. Campus always felt like a safe space to us, so much so that any hostility towards us felt so bizarre and unexpected whenever we left campus. Unfortunately we soon realised that UP was our safety bubble and that we won’t always experience the same level of acceptance wherever we go.

5.

Should queer people carry the obligation of “coming out”?

No, coming out is very personal and no one should feel forced or obligated to do so.

6.

4.

What are your thoughts on “coming out”?

Hopefully the term will become redundant in the future and people won’t have to “come out”. Instead they can just introduce their partners to friends and family. However, it is still very much a daunting task that many queer individuals face. If we can give any advice, then it will be to build a support system of people who you know will be there for you throughout the process. If you don’t have such people in your close circle don’t be afraid to reach out to online safe spaces and queer communities. We built up such a support system through Instagram, we started posting about our relationship and general thoughts and feelings about queer life on our page @ Whimgliders, unexpectedly we started befriending queer couples and individuals from all over the world. It has really helped us grow as people because we have this system of people with shared queer experiences that we can turn to.

What is your general experience as a queer student at UP? In general, we enjoy being queer students at UP. During pride month there are all sorts of fun activities and networking opportunities for queer students. We used to religiously participate in the pride parades arranged by Tuks UP&OUT with all our friends, we’ve made memories there that will last us a lifetime.

Images: Kayla Thomas

For Swanepoel and Potgieter, the University of Pretoria has become a safe space, and offers an opportunity to connect with their community.

Tuks UP&OUT advocates for students in the queer community and offers informative and educational resources about the community.

UP&OUT, on their platforms, emphasise that queer people are more than only stories of violence or discrimination, but that these are still contemporary issues faced by queer people.

As much as the university might offer a safe space for some students, it does not mean they do not experience discrimination at all.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

27

A

nother UP student, who wishes to remain anonymous on account of not having “come out”, shared their experience as a queer student at UP.

1.

Have you faced any challenges as a queer student?

Yes, when I usually go out […] boys hit on me and I tell them that I am into girls, they usually don’t understand or become aggressive.

So every day as a queer student I fear being raped or sexually harassed by a man.

2.

How do you feel in other groups on campus and with other students who may not be queer?

I am a firm believer in ‘do you’, but at times I come across students that give off homophobic vibes, which makes me feel less human.

5.

What are your thoughts on coming out?

Coming out is major [...], especially with a family that is traditional and very religious. But I do not think it is fair for queer people to be forced to come out, because I mean, why don’t straight people come out?

3.

What should people understand about the queer community in general?

That we are human with different sexual preferences.

4.

Are there any risks as a queer student?

Yes! Every day, we live in fear. Especially on these Hatfield streets, where men crave for women. It becomes worse when they find out that you are queer.

6.

Should queer people carry the obligation of coming out?

No, we cannot be preaching an equal society while others are made to feel subject because of their sexuality.

The diverse experiences of queer students in South Africa reflect a tumultuous and ever-changing dynamic of modern society. Another evolving and complex dynamic of South African society is race relations, which are reflected on tertiary campuses.

Rainbow Nation or New Racism

I

nequalities amongst races in South Africa are not a product of modern society, but the product of the apartheid era. According to NTA Press, there continues to be a gap between racial communities in terms of wealth, opportunities, and class. In South Africa, the bottom 60% of households depend mostly on social grants and less on income, and 50% and more of these households are from the black community. There is a huge number of black people depending on the government and are unemployed, illiterate, and have less sources of income compared to Asian and white people.

28

Unequal wealth distribution due to these problems further complicates race dynamics.

This is reflected in educational bursaries and loans such as NSFAS, the MultiChoice Bursary, and Transnet, which fund more black students compared to other races. While this is also credited to uplifting previously disadvantaged groups, the disproportionate need by black students for financial aid arguably reflects the continued issue of poverty along racial lines.

Considerations like this position the South African education system as racialised, with the student community itself also racialised.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

C

aptain Mthulisi Shongwe, a BA general student majoring in Sociology and International Relations, Sabeeha Majid, an LLM candidate, and A.G, a BSc Human Physiology, Genetics & Psychology graduate, were asked about their experiences with regard to race within the student community at UP. What are your thoughts on racial categories in postapartheid South Africa?

Shongwe: Racial categories [...] are not diverse enough because some races are made subject to other races that are “recognised”.

For example, what is an Asian person? Some people think Indian, some people think Chinese, some people think Japanese and the list can go on.

Majid: In a perfect world, racial categories do not exist. However, we do not live in a perfect world, we live in South Africa and our history dictates that we have to racially categorise people - in order to understand history and lived experiences, it is a necessity.

A.G: Despite us being a rainbow nation, racial categories still exist in our country. You fall into neat little box of white, black, Indian, colored or other [...], discarding the rest of your cultural identity and history, forcing you to fit into one of their predefined categories.

1.

According to an article titled 25 years of South African Democracy published by the Mail and Guardian in May 2019, South Africa carries out the legacy of the apartheid system but vice versa. What are your thoughts on this?

Shongwe: No, it is not vice versa but it’s broader. [The] ‘apartheid system’ is broader than just a legacy that is spoken of, like the oppression of the marginalised. […] The apartheid system is a system that was put in place to colonise [and] segregate […], those of the working class, isolate[ing] a person of colour through systems such as education and how work is allocated. So the Constitution of today’s republic is there to try and empower a person of colour, not to carry out the legacy of the apartheid system vice versa.

Majid: Unfortunately, many people do not understand the concept of substantive equality. This means, the equality of outcomes. This means that our constitutional order recognises the need for substantive equality measures such as affirmative action and black economic empowerment. [...]. Hence, there is no reverse apartheid, as some call it; all it is, is the adoption of substantive equality measures to get closer and closer to the achievement of socio-economic equality, which in itself is a distant dream.

A.G: I actually don’t think that’s the case. Yes, the government has put in place programs that benefit POC and we see this everyday in the work place with BEE policies and at the university with racial quotas, but I don’t think this is “reverse apartheid” against white people. Apartheid put POC at a massive disadvantage with regards to education, health and socioeconomic status. Many POC are still extremely disadvantaged because of this past and if the government did not put in place some kind of system where POC have the opportunity to grow and be in positions of power, there simply would be no progress towards any kind of equality. Yes, it may be an inconvenience to some but in the bigger picture, these programs and policies are only trying to rectify the apartheid government’s mistakes. [...]. All these policies are doing is making a space for POC in a previously white dominated space.

2.

"

Why do you think race is important or not important?

Shongwe: Race is important because race gives us a sense of identity and belonging. For example, there is not a place in the world where a black person was not marginalised, so I know that is my “identity” as a black child (and still marginalised even within my own community, black against black) [...].

Majid: Race is important, and anyone who says otherwise is lying.

Many say "we don't see colour", and that is a notion I am strongly opposed to. The fact is, we all see colour. To deny colour, is to deny the lived experiences of people. So yes, race is important, and we all have a duty, going forward, to ensure we live in such a manner that we enhance racial relations in our country.

A.G: Ideally, race wouldn’t be important but it is. In my opinion, all races are equal and it doesn’t matter what the colour of someone’s skin is because we are all human. To me, I think race is important, not because it separates us but because it brings us together. Race ties us to our history and our culture. It helps us connect with our peers who share the same experiences and traditions as us, and it helps us learn and understand cultures different to ours. It shouldn’t be used as a weapon, but rather as a tool to help us learn more about ourselves and our friends.

3.

What are your thoughts on racial culture between students?

Shongwe: Racial categories create a space for questions within the student community which in turn fuel hate between the different races not just in the student community, but also within the learning community at large. For example, the lack of white students in the student protests raises [students of colour's] eyebrow[s], that maybe they do not join protests because they are comfortable and not in touch with the struggle of being financially excluded.

Majid: I strongly and firmly believe that our generation is the generation that speaks out, the generation that wants to achieve change.

We cannot deny the fact that there is often still racial tension between students and the South African community at large, however, I do believe that our generation has done a great deal in improving race relations and respecting of other races and cultures. The reason we have been able to make some progress, is because we aren't afraid to speak out, once we speak out, we can resolve issues and improve on them for the betterment of the student community as well as South African community at large.

A.G: University has been great because it has exposed me, and I’m sure it has others, to different cultures and races that I had been sheltered from during high school. Having so many people from so many backgrounds definitely helps you get to know about other cultures and open yourself up to new experiences and make friends of all races. That being said, that is only if you are open to try and learn. There definitely is still a racial divide at the university, where people tend to make friends with people of there own race and culture without trying to get to know anyone else. Many a time, have I heard people on campus making racist remarks and not understanding why it is wrong when someone calls them out for it. Whilst majority of students are very accepting and non-prejudiced, there [...] is a handful of students who have yet to change these racist tendencies.

4.

our generation is the generation that speaks out, the generation that wants to achieve change.

Responses from Shongwe, Majid and A.G reflect that the student community continues to be deeply racialised. With reference to an article by Jill Anderson written in 2014, titled ‘Addressing Racial Inequality in Curriculum and School Culture’, Anderson notes that not only is the student community racialised, but the curriculum as well. The study of international relations has shown and proved that the curriculum continues to be racialised because

the education system continues to be Eurocentric.

Eurocentric theories like realism and liberalism continue to be dominant in curriculums which ends up racialising disciplines and studies in educational institutions. This is challenged by transformation and decolonisation efforts by the university and its faculties. Changes and transformation in student spaces and tertiary education may mark the development of change in society on a broader scale.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

29

Who’s wearing the pants and is that even a concern?

G

ender roles are the behaviours, values, and attitudes that society expects people to uphold in society based on their assigned sex at birth.

Before and during the apartheid era, urbanisation and migrant labour gave rise to patriarchal systems in South Africa. Men had authority in society and women were seen as subordinate to men because women’s roles were primarily domestic; they included taking care of the family and child-rearing. Women were not expected to be involved with matters outside the households such as acquiring an education or an independent income. Gender roles and expectations are persistent and pervasive.

Certain fields are labelled masculine or feminine, and people are often expected to conform. For

example, women in society are expected to pursue careers such as teaching, social work and psychology, while men pursue careers such as engineering, computer science, sports science and medicine. Although women of modern society are breaking the glass ceilings of societal and gendered career classification, these women continue to face challenges as students when pursuing these careers.

Illustration: Madeeha Hazarvi and Kayla Thomas

P

DBY asked Zamokuhle Ncengwa, a UP student studying business and politics, about her experience as a female student studying in a male dominated field.

What are the challenges that female students face in male dominated streams?

We live in a modern society where we are taught to take up space as females. This “taking up of space”, has led us to studying degrees that have been viewed as male orientated for many years in our societies. This has led to societal stereotypes even in the classroom. For example, when it is time for group work, male students would isolate themselves from female students. Why though? Because the career is not feminine enough? Despite the challenges, we as female students should break the walls of societal stereotypes, and show society that women can do jobs beyond the domestic.

30

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

P

DBY also spoke University of Pretoria Sociology lecturer, Dr Rachelle Chadwick, on the issue of gender roles in society, and her understandings of gender.

1.

2.

What is gender according to you?

For me, gender is not simply an “identity” but an important social structure that organises everyday life, our intimate relationships, and all facets of our labour. As such, it is not just individuals that are “gendered” but types of work (i.e., think about the feminisation of care-work and domestic labour) and entire spheres of life (i.e., public/private, family/corporate).

Some say gender is just an assigned sex at birth and some say it is attached to one’s roles in society, what are your thoughts on that?

Yes, this relates to the ‘sex-gender’ distinction that has been an important concept in feminism. Generally, sex has been understood as biological and gender as cultural/social. This distinction has been important as a way of arguing against the weaponisation of biological difference as a justification for inequalities between men and women (i.e., arguments that women are not suited for leadership roles, politics, or higher education because of their biology and reproductive capacities). So it’s been an important distinction.

3.

Do you think gender roles as a social position are important to balance out society?

No, I don’t. I think gender is a construction and a structural relation that works to disempower certain persons and maintain unequal relations of power in societies. Normative gender roles are also closely linked to heteronormativity and discriminatory attitudes towards those that do not identify with the conventional gender binary.

4.

How can gender be viewed as more diverse than a binary definition? […] Gender is increasingly being seen as more diverse than just pertaining to the binary model of male/female and masculine/feminine. Many now openly identify as “non-binary”, as “genderqueer” or as transgender (i.e., persons that do not identify with the sex to which they were assigned at birth). We have to become more inclusive of all these manifestations of gender and work towards respecting and practicing gender-neutral and inclusive language (i.e., the use of they/them) rather than assuming we can “read off” or presume to know someone’s gender by looking at them.

5.

Can gender be regarded as a social construct?

Absolutely, it is a social construct. It is also a social structure that reproduces unequal relations of power in society.

T

he University of Pretoria’s Centre for Sexualities, AIDs and Gender (CSA&G), which helps students understand gender roles and beliefs beyond the classroom but also in their everyday societies, offers insight on gender in student spaces. PDBY spoke to the director of the CSA&G, Pierre Brouard, about his thoughts and understandings of gender.

What is gender according to you?

If sex refers to the categories such as male and female, we assign babies when they are born (based mostly on their external genitalia and noting that intersex people may be on a spectrum of male or female or may be both and neither) then I would say gender refers to the norms, expectations and requirements that society imposes or projects onto the people we assign those two categories to. So, society says that males/ boys/men should be and act in ways that accord with ideas society/culture/religion believes are appropriately masculine; we say that females/girls/women should be and act in ways that accord with ideas society/culture/ religion believes are appropriately feminine.

Broadly we say sex is biological and gender is social,

1.

but there are theorists who challenge the neatness of that binary. Other binaries I would challenge are the binaries of sex (not all people fit neatly into the two categories provided) and the binaries of gender (not all people act in ways expected of their sex and so their gender roles, appearance, presentation and identity may not conform to what society expects – some of these people may identify as trans or gender diverse).

I think it’s also important to think of gender not only in the language above but as a system. A system which is constituted around the idea of man and woman as separate categories, and the idea that men should rule, lead and dominate. This is what we would call patriarchy and written into patriarchy is the question of male power.

So, gender is also a system of power relations.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

31

requirement that a woman must bleed on her Would you say virginity is a social construct? marriage night as “proof” that she is a virgin.

I would. Firstly, what defines virginity? In some Notwithstanding the idea that this is a sexist and societies this is based on the idea of an intact hymen, patriarchal idea (why are there no similar virginity which is “proof” that a young woman has never been penetrated requirements for men?), not all women might bleed. and is therefore a sexual virgin. However, a girl/woman can We know that some women will go to surgeons to have a partial hymen, a hymen which has been altered due to have their hymens sewn back to “pass” this marriage sport, insertion of tampons etc., and yet she could never have night test or other requirements […]. You can see that been penetrated by a penis, or finger or tongue. So, basing the woman has engaged in a “performance” of virginity the definition on a hymen is unreliable – and ideas around which has little to with “actual” virginity, so that a intact/broken hymens are stories we tell each other about story can be told to her community that she was a virgin virginity. These are social stories, based on ideas of purity on her wedding night. This has less to do with virginity and defilement. than with rituals of proof which are socially sanctioned.

Secondly, a girl/woman could have engaged in oral sex As noted above the burden of “proof” often rests on the (giving or receiving) with one or more partners but never woman. Some communities say they can test if a boy/man been vaginally penetrated. She could have had anal sex but is a virgin, but I suspect this is not scientifically possible. never been vaginally penetrated. Some girls/women can Requiring a woman to be a virgin rests on ideas about fall pregnant (though it is very rare […]) if semen goes women, women’s sexuality as more “precious” than a man’s, inside her vagina without the hymen being broken. women as “gatekeepers” or even “barometers” of morality Would we describe all these persons as virgins? in a community. These are double standards embedded in Thirdly, in some global communities it is a cultural socially constructed norms.

2.

What are your views on gender roles in society?

As you can imagine my views are progressive, I think I view most if not all gender roles as socially constructed and open to negotiation, progress and change.

I think that they can often be quite limiting or challenging for people and may prevent them from simply being who they are or being more than they think they are allowed to be. Often the idea of gender roles is based on the concept of complementarity: the yin and yang of male and female, masculine and feminine. I believe many people do not fit easily and simply into these categories and roles, and where they do it’s often because socialisation has pushed them into those boxes, and we should all be more free. Even when people like and enjoy the box they have been put into, it does not mean that these boxes are good for people. However, it is not my place to judge anyone who supports the idea of gender roles.

3.

Do you think gender roles are necessary to organise society as a whole?

Not particularly. Essentialists (people who believe we are biologically determined to be one thing or the other in the interests of family or societal harmony) would disagree and would point to pregnancy and birth as “proof” that humans are designed to fit into specific sex-based roles that complement each other. I don’t deny that there may be differences between men and women (noting again not all people fit neatly into the either/or) but I think these can be overstated and do not have to be the basis of separate gender roles. There are women who can do things which are traditionally masculine and vice versa. There are same sex couples who raise children who are psychologically and socially healthy, as do single parents, and trans parents, all challenging ideas about children needing to grow up in homes where clear gender roles have been modelled. I think society can be more creative about all people and make it possible for them to thrive in all their diversity, and it will survive just fine!

4.

S

ociety continues to change, evolve and grow, while also features aspects that perpetuate outdated or discriminatory ideologies. Students and the university space act as a reflection of society, mirroring both its transformation and evolution, and its perpetuation of hate or exclusion.

The experiences shared by students and staff of UP offer a snapshot of society. Queer students with vastly different experiences at UP reflect the division along the pink line as some people feel embraced and others feel rejected. Black students share the complex dynamics of race and racism, and the often scattered but present progression. The CSA&G, UP lecturers and UP students and the experiences and understandings of gender reflect a society learning and challenging traditional and entrenched gender roles, but also still facing the difficulties of a patriarchal system. The experiences shared in these interviews offer a unique and specific insight into contemporary South Africa from the perspective of tertiary spaces.

Subeditors: Kayla Thomas, Ntokozo Xulu, Maryke Steynvaart and Kendall Behr Layout: Kayla Thomas

32

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

Traditions and Transformation:: Transformation

Finding the Middle Ground

BY CARLI BOTHA VISUALS BY CLETUS MULAUDI AND MADEEHA HAZARVI

Image: Provided by College, edited by Cletus Mulaudi

R

es culture is often one of mystery and controversy.

Traditions that have spanned generations of students are essentially unknown to day students, but form an integral part of the residence experience. However, to many, the unknown air of residence traditions raises the question of inclusion. With South Africa’s history of discirmination and systematic exclusion, university residences are challenged to transform their traditions and practices to ensure every student is accommodated for. In 2018, UP residences took a significant step towards transforming res culture by changing the names of historically Afrikaans residences. The balance between maintaining residence traditions and ensuring transformation is a delicate one, and involves finding a middle ground.

A tradition is defined as a “long-established custom or belief that has been passed down from one generation to another”. Traditions form a strong foundation for residences at the University of Pretoria.

Lanché van Tonder, TuksRes manager: Residence

Management and Student Life, told PDBY that “years ago, residences made a positive transition from traditiondriven practices to practices that distinguish between traditions and values”. Van Tonder added that “although each residence has its own set of values, the following values are overarching and applicable to all residences: respect, accountability, commitment, pride, integrity, fairness, excellence, relevance”. Van Tonder explained that tradition “creates an atmosphere of togetherness and support, as students need to create an environment that is comfortable for all that live there”. Van Tonder emphasised that “it is therefore important that all traditions and practices are aligned with the relevant values of the residence and TuksRes in general”.

PDBY spoke to UP residence chairpersons about traditions upheld and practiced by their residents.

The chairs also shared transformation efforts and how residence culture is adapting to ensure inclusivity.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

33

College

C

Since -

9 1

5 1

elebrating 106 years of existence, College is the oldest residence at the University of Pretoria.

According to Ayden van As, State President of College, the oldest tradition is the wearing of togas. The story behind this dates back to 1930, when “the university demanded that students attend classes in formal suits”.

Van As told PDBY that “Collegemen decided to wear their bedsheets to class in solidarity with those who could not afford suits, and the decision [that students should wear suits] was reversed”.

He added that “there is usually an annual Toga Day in which we don't see eye to eye”. honour this tradition, College first years are called Vremies, short for and you will see our first “Vreemdelinge” which translates to strangers. “We call years always wear togas to them Vremies because our residence has a heavy focus on their concert”. When it comes brotherhood, and no one in the senior house knows them when to College’s most notable traditions, van As highlighted they first arrive”, van As explained. three traditions. Firstly, “protecting the Klippe (Afrikaans Van As believes that traditions are important “because for rocks) near the entrance of our residence”. According they distinguish one residence from another, and they create to van As these rocks were “taken from the a sense of pride in where one stays”. He foundation of the original College building when recalled posting videos of “Vremies playing we moved in 1960, and our semis (second years) a College-made game called King, and paint them every year”. Secondly, the knighted someone who stayed in College 23 years ago traditions citizens of College, which van As explained is commented saying he is happy to see that the because College declared itself a republic in new Collegemen are still playing a game he are 1982. “As a result, we are now governed by our enjoyed when he was a resident”. important own constitution, which prevents major changes Van As said that although College does “because they to the house without majority approval from its not have any specific measures in place for distinguish residents”. The House Committee is known as international students and queer students, the the “Executive Council of the Republic”. The residence “makes it a point to treat everyone one chairperson is known as the State President, with the same level of respect, regardless of residence while the rest of the committee get the rank any differences in race, religion, sexuality from another, of different ministers. “The State President or culture”. He added that the Minister of and they knights our citizens (using a real sword) once Religion and the Minister of Transformation they have passed a test on the history of College “are responsible for general inclusivity create a and have proven that they have protected the and ensuring that everyone feels that they sense of Klippe. Knighted citizens are allowed to play belong in College”. To ensure inclusivity for pride in on the pool table in our clubhouse, and they are students of different races, College changed where one allowed to walk under our Victory Arch built in the house song in 2015, which is now sung 1985”. The final tradition is the rivalry between in three languages. According to van As, they stays College and The Tower. Van As explained that “ensure all of [their] committees have a fair “the main reason for this is because in the early distribution of people from different races 1980s, College had a live pig as a mascot. The and backgrounds, so all different voices can Tower stole our pig one day and painted it red be heard when it comes to decision making.” (their residence colour), which caused it to die from lead On the topic of different religions, van As explains that College poisoning”. In the 1980s, trees were planted between the is “mainly Christian, but our Minister of Religion and Values is two residences to prevent “Collegemen from seeing guys responsible for informing all students of places where they can from The Tower when looking out their windows since we practice their various religions within Pretoria”.

"

"

34

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

Mopane

T

he residence has existed for 52 years and, according to Rorisang Mapheleba, chairperson of Mopane, the residence’s most notable tradition is the mealie-land located in front of the residence.

Some of the oldest traditions that still form part of Mopane today include wearing Peppie caps, as Mapheleba reminded, “our house song states: ‘We'll give our all and wear our caps with honour’”, and the Mopane greeting which entails “slightly placing your hand in the form of a roller ball on your chest, which is a symbol of our motto ‘Through unity still higher’”.

The first years at Mopane are called Peppies and, Mapheleba told

Erica

"

as a residence, we aim to create an environment where residents feel encouraged to express themselves, while still being respectful of our differences

"

A

year older than Mopane, Erica is 53 years old and their most notable tradition is “Purple Wednesdays”. According to Thando Langa, chairperson of Erica, and vice chairpersons, Nokukhanya Nzimande and Jennifer Potgieter, “this entails every Ericaner wearing something purple or Ericarelated merchandise every Wednesday, showcasing our pride and passion for our residence (the Purple Palace)”.

“Traditions that have been unique to Erica for many years, include Ericaner of the year – which is an award given to the resident who encompasses the spirit of Erica and shines with purple passion – and ‘Flikker julle liggies’, which is what happens when residents flash their lights, making our residence light up like fireflies”, the chairpersons explained.

First years at Erica are referred to as Firsties. According to Langa, Nzimande and Potgieter, “it used to be ‘Ienks’, which was short for ‘Ienkvoog’, however, we changed it from Afrikaans to English in order to be more inclusive to all our first years”.

The chairpersons say that “traditions are important because they are seen as the foundation of a residence and of residence culture, making the residence what it is”. Langa, Nzimande and Potgieter added that traditions “also create a bond for the residence members that choose to partake in those traditions by helping residents to create memories, as well as continuing a legacy of our residence”. They concluded that “the involvement of residents in these traditions becomes a part of their legacies too, creating a forever bond between them and

PDBY that the “residence decided to keep the name as they're the most lively and full of energy”.

Mapheleba believes that tradition is important, because it gives “an element of oneness” and it helps to “maintain a strong sense of unity, while allowing each individual the freedom to be genuinely themselves”.

At Mopane, Mapheleba said that different students of all races are included by ensuring “each corridor has a 50/50 split on race”.

For different religions, Mapheleba said that “Wednesday 6-8pm is a time set aside for Spiritual Wellbeing where house members are allowed to practice their different religions, and no other event should be scheduled at that time”.

To include international students, the HC has a portfolio set aside for International Students, while queer-related matters are handled by the Wellbeing HC. Mapheleba emphasised that “discrimination of any kind is discouraged”.

the house that they choose to call their home away from home”.

Langa, Pretorius and Nzimande told PDBY that “for different races and cultures, we try to keep an active line of communication with the residents to identify where their interests lie”. Through social media, the HC also compiled a playlist that includes songs suggested by all students. Langa, Pretorius and Nzimande added that “specific events, such as Nothing but Vernac and Toeka Tea le Gogo, allow residents to show off their creative sides in their different languages, art forms and styles”. When it comes to different religions, “home cell groups and religious talks are incorporated in [the] residence”.

International students as well as queer students are included through “talks to accommodate them and make them feel more welcomed”. Erica’s chairpersons concluded that “as a residence, we aim to create an environment where residents feel encouraged to express themselves, while still being respectful of our differences”.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

35

HOUSE NALA

A

nother residence that has been around for a while is House Nala, which turns 60 years old in 2021.

Sinazo Sijovu, chairperson of House Nala, told PDBY that House Nala’s most notable traditions include “Wellow Wednesdays, where Naladies are encouraged to wear yellow and post their outfits on social media with the tag #WellowWednesday”. Another notable tradition takes place during orientation week, where “one of our [House Nala’s] lions are given to the first years to take care of and bring with them wherever they go”. Another tradition for the residence “is being a house that extends respect and acknowledgement to all people; greeting is in our spirit and we make it a point to greet all people that we cross paths with”.

When it comes to some of the oldest traditions that still form part of the house’s traditions today, Sijovu mentioned the “special greeting we have for our lions, which has since been changed to accommodate more South African languages: the ‘Klarrie-Blokkie’ dance which all ‘Naladies’ are taught in O-Week when they first arrive in res, the ‘Klarriehandeklap’, which we only do on special occasions as a form of celebration, [and] the singing of our house song at house meetings and important gatherings. The original house song has also been adapted to be more culturally inclusive”.

House Nala’s first years are called Welpies, which translates to lion cubs. Sijovu said that “the residence decided to keep this name because we realised that it contributes positively to giving the first years their initial sense of belonging in the residence and in our pride”. Sijovu explained that “the connotations of being the cubs of the house that will be nurtured and guided by the rest of the ladies has always been welcomed by the first years as well”.

Sijovu believes that traditions are important as “traditions give us pride as a residence and bring the ladies of our

residence closer”. According to Sijovu, “traditions make our Residence a home” and “traditions also guide us as leaders so that we may preserve the spirit of the house in everything that we do – in accordance with transformation and consideration of the new age of course”.

Sijovu says that House Nala’s attempts to ensure an inclusive environment includes a Transformation officer on the HC. “Their responsibilities include handling queer-related matters amongst many other matters beyond that scope which relate to how our residence is growing and changing to accommodate all students and be progressive given the social climate that we find ourselves in”, House Nala’s chairperson explains. These changes also include changing the languages of the house song and the greeting, establishing a portfolio that focuses on ensuring a safe space for residents to practise their various religious/spiritual activities, creating a portfolio for an International Guardian and hosting an event “called Queer Chats which had a panel of wellinformed representatives of the queer community who engaged in critical conversations about being young and queer and living in a residence”.

Ima

ge: M

adee

ha H

azar

vi

Ikageng

A

t 20 years old, Ikageng is one of the older female residences on the Groenkloof campus. Refilwe Nakeng, chairperson of Ikageng says that the residence’s most notable tradition is the greeting.

Nakeng explains that first years are called Buggies, “however as they grow and evolve in Ikageng residence they then become Lady Bugs”. Nakeng added that the residence “decided to keep this name as not only does it lend recognition to our mascot; this also signifies the growth and transitions one goes through in this ever-evolving life”. Nakeng further explained that “the main meaning of ladybugs centres around good fortune, true love, innocence, needing to make the right choices in life, and happy resolutions”.

According to Nakeng, traditions are important “as they provide a sense of connection amongst the ladies as we

36

strive for a sisterhood and beliefs of unity” and “encourage uplifting one another and creating a safe space for comradery and healthy fun”. Nakeng also added that “customs address a basic piece of our way of life” as they “help structure the design and establishment of our families and our general public”.

Ikangeng’s approach to inclusivity includes a transformation committee. Nakeng told PDBY that “through this committee we have weekly talks where we discuss any ailments faced by the ladies of the res and draft up possible solutions”. Nakeng added that Ikageng also ensures it promotes “inclusivity in all res functions”. Although there is not a dedicated portfolio for queer students, Nakeng emphasised that “they are well emphasised and representi[ed] within the res through our well-being platforms, which is handled by the Vice Wellbeing, Values and Traditions house committee member”.

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

NERINA

T

he most notable tradition at Nerina is “Nerina Mondays”. According to Jordyn Appel, chairperson of Nerina, “Nerina Mondays is when all the ladies of the house wear something Nerina or Blue [...] to show their love and patriotism for our res”. Nerina is 47 years old, and some of the oldest traditions to still form part of the residence include the mascot and the painting of the "blad". Appel explained that Nerina “still has a Harlequin mascot named Nika who brings the spirit at the many events that we participate in”. Other traditions are that “first years have a candle lit from the HC on their welcoming ceremony” and “first years traditionally call their HC members ‘Mademoiselle’”.

First years at Nerina are called "Spriete", “meaning sprouts or seedling, because we believe that here at Nerina is where they grow and blossom into the people they’re meant to be” said Appel.

When asked why traditions are important, Appel answered that traditions “remind residences of a legacy and where they started in the first place” and “traditions help create unity amongst the residents and give them something to believe in and practice as one”. Appel emphasised that “everyone comes from different places, with different beliefs and this allows traditions a space to create a new common identity as residents of the same house”.

Appel concluded that “it is also a bonding experience for the ladies while still appreciating the uniqueness within them and allowing alumni to continue to identify with the current residents through the commonality of shared traditions through time”.

According to Appel, Nerina encourages “participation and host[s] events that include everyone from any background/ culture and create a sense of home for all ladies”. Appel added that Nerina is non-denominational, “which means we do not practice or frown upon any specific religion which leaves space for the residents at Nerina to follow and practice whichever religion of their choice”. International students are included to “introduce their cultures, languages and traditions with the House when we have culture week and various events where we promote other languages and cultures”. Appel said that Nerina “tend[s] to focus on wholistic acceptance of each other and we do not label any of our fellow Nerina residents as we work on the principles of being human and respecting each other, thus there isn’t any platform for distinction of people but we create spaces that make our ladies feel comfortable to express who they are and to embrace their uniqueness”. Appel added that Nerina has a “no-tolerance for discrimination or bullying policy”.

Zinnia

T

he female residence on the Groenkloof campus is one of the younger residences, being only 18 years old. Avumile Zimkhitha Sidlai, vice chairperson: Well-being, Traditions and Values, told PDBY that Zinnia’s most notable tradition is ‘Zinnia Wednesday’.

According to Sidlai, “every Wednesday, we hoist our house flag, and we wear house clothing or anything orange.”

Sidlai explained that “we do this to show our orange pride and unity as the ladies from House Zinnia.”

One of the oldest traditions at Zinnia is wearing bell bracelets.

Sidlai explained that “in the beginning of orientation week, the HC and the first years get bell bracelets that they must wear all

the time.” Sidlai added that “these bracelets are to symbolise that no Fairy (house members are called fairies) is left behind – when you hear your fellow sister’s bell you know that you are not alone or far from home.”

The first years are called Pixies. Sidlai elaborated that “in traditional folklore, pixies are mystical creatures that are smaller than fairies”. Sidlai explains that the residence name “symbolises what Zinnia is – a place of exponential growth and possibilities”.

Sidlai feels that residence traditions are important “because they offer life experiences that can help shape a student’s sense of belonging and create lifelong memories”. Sidlai also believes that a sense of belonging is important for physical and mental health. Sidlai concluded that “when you are emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy you become more inclined to do well in your academics”.

To cater for students of different races and cultures, Sidlai said Zinnia “ensured that English is the medium of communication for all our house activities”. When it comes to religion, Sidlai mentioned that a lack of “resources and adequate knowledge on the different religions” has proved to be an obstacle. As a result, religious activities organised by the residence were cancelled, but “students can hold their own religious activities in the residence, while sticking to the residence’s rules and regulations”. To include international students, Sidlai discussed Zinnia’s cook-off competition, along with other house activities. Sidlai said that “with the help of the WOKE-udonsa project from TuksRes, [she] hold[s] wellbeing sessions with our residents”. She added that a session on “Sexuality, Gender and Gender Identity” forms part of a plan to “inform our [residents] of everything there is to know on the topic, [and] teach [...] respect and acceptance, which form part of our house values”.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

37

Tuks Village

T

he 13-year-old residence is the only mixed residence on the Hillcrest campus and, according to Takudzwa Mutasa, chairperson of Tuks Village, the residence is “a non-traditional residence” and “is therefore not driven by traditions but rather by our values”.

Mutasa explains that the most notable tradition at Tuks Village is that

Ensuring Inclusivity

A

the residence prides itself “with a family tradition/value”.

As one of the oldest traditions at Tuks Village is “the tradition of inclusivity”, Mutasa added that Tuks Village does not have a name for the first years. “We would like to refer [to] them as Villagers – just like we do for our seniors”.

Mutasa believes that traditions are important as Tuks Village’s “tradition is driven by a value of family and we stand by the statement ‘No villager left behind’”.

According to Mutasa, Tuks Village has “continued to encourage students to respect the background and diversity of every individual along with working together in complete harmony”. Mutasa added that the residence has “encouraged effective diversity in our residence and ha[s] implemented a process of mixing students from different backgrounds to be in the same communal space”.

ccording to Van Tonder, “all House Committee members, together with the Head of Residence, are responsible for creating and fostering a culture of inclusivity, that includes queer related matters”.

Van Tonder mentioned that “we have several training sessions in the residence environment, together with constant revising of traditions and practices” and “this results in our activities and residences being homes that demonstrate diversity and inclusivity”. In order to be inclusive, residences have to ensure that all students are accommodated, including different races, languages, religions and sexual and gender identities.

“ Finding the middle ground T “the plan for this year was that I will go over all our house traditions and activities and see if all of them are in line with our house values, TuksRes rules and regulations and the UP Vision 2025”. Nakeng’s plan to find a middle ground focuses on “house transformation talks as a platform for free expression and suggestions a place where all our ladies can be heard in order to maintain healthy traditions and rid of any that infringes one’s rights”.

Traditions are what make residences unique, and by finding a middle ground between traditions and transformation, the residence traditions will continue to ensure a vibrant residence culture.

Subeditors: Ndinae Ramavhoya, Kayla Thomas and Kendall Behr Layout: Kelly-Anne Kong

38

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

“

he important question is how residences manage to find a middle ground between traditions and transformation. Van As explained that College’s plan to find a middle ground includes “ensuring that we always have an answer when people ask us why we do certain things.” Van As explained that “if there's a tradition we have and we can't provide a reason for why we do it, there's no reason to keep it around”. Van As added that “if the reason for a certain tradition becomes outdated, we look for a way to adapt the tradition to fit modern times” and “if that isn't an option, we scrap it” Sijovu said that House Nala’s plans “include frequent and open communication with our ladies through the Pride Committee to hear what the students think the house still needs to do regarding our traditions”. Mapheleba explained that “my plan is to monitor each tradition and its relevance in the modern world, and if it hinders transformation, it shouldn't continue”. Langa, Nzimande and Potgieter mapped out Erica’s plan “to first involve the house because the traditions of the house are done by its members” continuing “we also need to evaluate and determine which traditions can stay, which need to be adapted and which need to be removed”. Sidlai said that

if there's a tradition we have and we can't provide a reason for why we do it, there's no reason to keep it around

THE DECOLONISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

The post-colonial higher eduaction system

BY MOTHUSI MOKALANE VISUALS BY MASEHLE MAILULA, MARREN MCKAY AND KARA OLIVIER

Image: Marren McKay

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

39

S

outh Africa’s higher learning institutions are questioning the practices that promote effective transformation in order to redress the inequalities of the apartheid regime. In historically white universities, this dialogue is inclusive of issues relating to students’ admission policies, academic support programmes, and funding, which are a direct representation of the experiences and lived realities of students in South Africa; particularly students of colour. Decolonisation is working towards a vision of human life that is not structured by the forced impositions of one view of society over those that are marginalised or oppressed.

South Africa’s history of apartheid, segregation and racial division permeated into every area of our society and caused political, economic and social injustice for people of colour in every institution, including our education model. Black people encountered difficulties in getting into historically white institutions, struggles which are still visible today. These struggles for students in South Africa’s universities have sparked a dialogue about the urgent need to desegregate and decolonise the Republic’s higher learning policies, institutions and culture.

Decoloniality in higher learning institutions means to make and create African universities, and not universities in Africa. Journalist Thando Sipuye, at the 7th Annual Spring Law Conference, stated that an African university is one that echoes “African principles” and awakens the consciousness of Africans to recognise their history and heritage, and to also teach and learn in the context of Africa. He explains that “an African university seeks to

produce an African academic whose point of departure is the reality of Africa”.

We often ask ourselves what “decolonising education” actually means. Because the definition is somewhat difficult to comprehend, we end up shying away from the topic and the reasons why it is a conversation we should engage in. Dr Lwazi Lushaba, a political sciences lecturer at the University of Cape Town, says that “we all know that there is no possibility of one particular person providing a whole blueprint of what decolonising education would mean, but we do know what it is”.

Dr Lushaba elaborates that during the colonial period of South Africa the government required an education system that would reproduce the system of superiority for white people and inferiority for black people. “But also in order to perpetuate colonialism or reproduce a colonial society you needed more than guns and physical violence in order to subjugate the colonised”, he adds, and that an education system that would cripple the colonised and implant in their minds that they are inferior achieved the objective. Dr Lushaba touches on how a field of study like Architecture is colonised. He explains that this field was put to the service of apartheid and its segregationist policy to ensure a spatial division in terms of the settlement of the two racial groups.

Because the settlement division that Dr Lushaba speaks of is still visible today, black people are still occupying townships and informal settlements and they are often still far from facilities such as hospitals and universities. Dr Lushaba states that there is not a field of study in South African universities that is immune to decolonisation as it is popularly viewed.

AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES VS UNIVERSITIES IN

AFRICA?

40

Image: Masehle Mailula

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

"COVID-19 HAS CREATED A SHIFT IN CUSTOMARY TEACHING AND LEARNING PROCESSES, AND THUS BROUGHT INTO LIGHT THE INEQUALITY THAT IS AT THE HEART OF TEACHING AND LEARNING." LEARNING

T

he education system South Africa currently has in place creates a cultural void of sorts in African communities. Dr Lushaba explains that though a student of colour may have attended a well resourced school, when they get to university they are more likely to struggle more academically than white students. He attributes this to the advantage white students’ have which is a cultural resource of learning in their mother tongue. What erasure and epistemic injustice also creates is the disappearance of African languages which then means institutions are not producing enough African language academics and this affects even the African creativity in terms of literature.

In 2017, the decolonisation argument reached a peak in the #AfrikaansMustFall campaign, which saw the discontinuation of Afrikaans as a medium of instruction at UP. Regarding the decolonisation of the UP curriculum, the director of the Department of Institutional Advancement at UP, Rikus Delport, said that the language policy at UP seeks to promote inclusiveness and social cohesion, while guarding against exclusivity and marginalisation, with the goal to create an environment where all students and staff feel confident, comfortable and can enjoy a sense of belonging. He said that “although English is the language of official communication and administration, on all campuses and in residences, services are provided in other South African languages where requested and feasible.”

Specifically focusing on the sciences, Dr Lushaba mentions that in the field of medicine, the philosophy of medical services should be rewritten. This would produce intuitions that instruct doctors that can speak at least one indigenous language and have the cultural background to understand not only physical and mental health, but also spiritual health. Therefore when doctors treat black African patients they would also be able to enquire about the patient’s cultural and social health. And it is because of this gap and delegitimisation of African knowledge between medicine and cultural health that there is a need to decolonise disciplines like the sciences.

Delport told PDBY that the university recently relaunched the Curriculum Transformation Drive in Future Africa, which sets the tone of the planned activities for this year, where faculties will take stock of their Curriculum Transformation efforts and what are their future plans are in relation to this drive. “The theme for the relaunch was ‘Curriculum Transformation is not a future event but a present activity’. The students will also be afforded an opportunity to engage on this matter because you cannot speak about Curriculum Transformation without involving students as an important stakeholder [...] The aim is to ensure that Curriculum Transformation is inclusive, transparent, robust, [and] intellectual[ly] stimulating in the interests of our students and society at large”, said Delport. UP’s Curriculum Transformation Framework Document outlines curriculum transformation for faculties at the university. The document acknowledges that “the call to transform curricula is inseparable from a larger vision of a return to the idea of the university as a space for critical inquiry, thinking and democratic public engagement”. It also includes that

transformation involves “moving from one configuration to another, characterised by on-going rethinking and renewal in the pursuit of social, environmental and cognitive justice – not only in Higher Education but also in the country at large”. The outline of curricular transformation includes “prioritising social transformation by focusing on the ways in which disciplines can contribute to the development of society and realisation of a dignified and sustainable life for all South Africans. In particular, students should be empowered to participate in positively transforming society at all levels.”.

In pursuing a transformed and decolonised institution, UP holds various seminars, webinars and conferences on initiatives and progress in this regard.

One such conference in 2019, Unsettling Paradigms: The Decolonial Turn in the Humanities Curriculum at Universities in South Africa, an eight university collaborative project that considers decolonisation in South African universities, launched the Journal of Decolonising Disciplines. The journal, which publishes in isiZulu, Sesotho and English, was described by Professor Vasu Reddy, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, as “a flagship of decolonial scholarship”.

The Unsettling Paradigms collaboration also conducts research on universities’ transformation efforts. The project specifies that the collaboration “will focus on the decolonisation and transformation of the academy in terms of rethinking and reforming curricula, redefining pedagogical practices and modes of teaching and learning, shifting staff demographics, and reconfiguring institutional cultures. Attention will also be focused on exposing the hidden curriculum and embedded practices with regard to decision-making structures, linguistic policy, budget allocation, space naming, etc.” Prof. Reddy, in discussing this “decolonial turn”, mentioned the importance of strengthening the humanities and the sciences’ engagement with challenges of transformation and decolonisation.

One such engagement is the Faculty of Humanities’ introduction of the Master’s degree in African-European Cultural Relations in 2013. The faculty explains that the program “addresses the current discussions with regard to the epistemic foundations of transformation, or Africanisation, head-on” and “challeng[es] the perspectives of coloniser and colonised, north and south, from the perspective of critical cultural studies”.

The University of Pretoria’s youngest law professor, Professor Joel Modiri, states that the discourse of decolonisation in South Africa takes place in a context made by both “a demographic and conceptual overrepresentation of whiteness in academic disciplines, the media and other avenues of knowledge production”.

Prof. Modiri elaborates that the upper echelons of the South African academy remains populated by whiteness, and as whiteness is inseparable from historical unfoldment of colonialism, imperialism and racism, the demand for decolonised spaces and curricular must struggle for legibility and validation within an antagonistic and indifferent institutional socio-cultural and epistemic field. According to Prof. Modiri, South African and African universities are founded on the colonial model, meaning that institutions as we know them, their form, organisational culture and curricular models, have their roots in a particular European time, space and experience.

This vision imagined Europeans as human, and colonised people as sub- and non-human.

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

41

Illustration: Kara Olivier

A

42

nother field of study that one would argue is in need of decolonisation is the law. The constitutional law of the past regime oppressed black people and overlooked many aspects of their culture, and that is why it often seems as if the law of the land still favours white people and oppresses black people.

Gogo Dineo, who is a traditional healer and scholar, recently mentioned on the television programme, Cheeky Palate, that if a person comes to seek traditional medicine consultation from her and happens to pass on in her surgery she is most likely to be prosecuted and face jail time, while a western practitioner who has a patient die in his or her practice would not face legal charges. Another highlighted problem is labour law, as it was created to follow the Eurocentric model which overlooks the current cultural and social changes in the world of work.

Some places of work still discriminate against cultural items of clothing like animal skin and beads on wrists. Because of these issues and the law failing to meet the social needs of black people in a country in which they are a majority, the study of law in universities is open to further decolonisation.

Theology as a field of study was introduced to Africans through the missionaries of the previous ages that came into the continent. It became a tool that pushed for Christianity and furthered the colonial objectives, and disregarded and demonised African religious beliefs and philosophies. In universities the curriculum was conceptualised out of reach of Africa’s reality and imposed Eurocentric models into what would go out to the world as the “true word”. "Teaching theology at African public universities as decolonisation through education and contextualisation" is a research project

by Johan Buitendag and Corneliu Simut which looked into the current state of theology in Africa, and most importantly at the University of Pretoria. This project was used to establish that theology is not taught in the context of Africa and calls for decolonisation. Buitendag and Simut suggested that theology must address aspects of human society such as economic, environmental, intellectual, legal and social issues in the context of Africa. Theology should also go beyond the boundaries of Christianity, and into the realm of world and African religions. The world is governed by many things, and aspects of faith make up part of this governance, therefore the theology taught in universities should be impactful in society and continuously be transformative and permanently relevant to human life and human existence in Africa. Until this is achieved, the course of decolonising may not yet be realised.

In a 2021 article by UP Vice Chancellor, Professor Tawana Kupe, pertaining to transformation at the university, Prof. Kupe said that while the process of reimagining the curriculum is by its very nature creative and exciting as we envision the role and contribution of UP to a future that we all believe in, he is mindful of the hard work required to achieve the transformation needed to turn good ideas and intentions into a reality. “While we are still grappling with the detail of the work ahead, we know that it entails a radical change effort. It includes examining our organisational structures and cultures to ensure that they are future-fit and are enablers of agility, innovation and responsiveness. Within our organisations, we need to understand and build the capabilities we need for the future,

and re-examine and redesign the processes we use in running our organisations and delivering our service offerings. Our hard and soft infrastructure may need to be adapted, upgraded or repurposed to support our reimagined strategic intent. All of this needs to be done through leveraging technology, and in a way where transdisciplinarity and collaboration are embedded and hardwired by design into our core functions of research, education, and engagement,” said Prof. Kupe.

Pertaining to what a decolonised university would look like, Prof. Kupe said that given the colonial structure of the academy and the need to fund the process of decolonisation, the relationship between universities, the state and society needs to change. He revealed that since UP is a public institution, approximately two-thirds of its funding comes from the government and stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed just how important funding is, especially within a “strangled economy”, and that universities will need to adapt their business model accordingly. As a start, Prof. Kupe suggested creating a research agenda that centres on the practical lived experience of those in the global south.

COVID-19 has created a shift in customary teaching and learning processes, and thus brought into light the inequality

...universities should be [...] continuously transformative and permanently relevant to human life and human existence in Africa; until this is achieved, the course of decolonising is not yet realised. that is at the heart of teaching and learning. It has also exposed the fault lines in our society, some being the global injustices and differences between races and economic classes, which leads to a greater challenge of accessing tertiary education.

Previously oppressed and currently marginalised groups are usually the most affected by any global crisis, like a pandemic, that hits the world. The pandemic placed the word on a pause and closed the economy, which resulted, for many, in a crisis of a lack of funds which subsequently resulted in low numbers in first year registrations and a large impact on senior students’ academic years. With the new academic year beginning there has been student action across South Africa regarding funding issues faced by a portion of students who are, by majority, black students. On social media platforms, it is common to see students sharing their difficult experiences with NSFAS and problems with settling their accounts with universities. Some students also express grievances about unfair rejections from the bursary scheme, and most of the recipients of this bursary are black South Africans, therefore even funding in universities could be argued to need decolonisation.

Decolonisation in tertiary spaces is an ever-changing and continuously developing process that cannot be achieved overnight. The nuanced and broad impacts of historical inequality are difficult to challenge, and demand an equally nuanced and broad approach to challenge discourses surrounding higher education and student culture.

Subeditors: Kayla Thomas, Kendall Behr and Nokwanda Kubheka Layout: Kara Olivier

PDBYMedia Unique Perspectives of Student Culture

PDBYMedia 2021

STAFF LIST Kayla Thomas - Editor

Carel Willemse - Editor-in-Chief

Leah Rees - Digital Manager DESIGN Kelly-Anne Kong Duane Kitching Kara Olivier Kendra Dean Bellinah Zwane SUBEDITORS Kendall Behr Tiara Joseph Maryke Steynvaart CJ Barnard Ntokozo Xulu Lise le Roux Nondumiso Mntambo Ndinae Ramavhoya

JOURNALISTS Susanna Anbu Bianke Neethling Amukelani Mukamu Carli Botha Mothusi Mokalane Nokwanda Kubheka Kirsten Minnaar VISUAL ARTISTS Cassandra Eardley Cletus Mulaudi Madeeha Hazarvi Masehle Mailula Giovanna Janos Tshepang Rihlampfu

Unique Perspectives of Student Culture PDBYMedia

43

C I M E PAND Missed PDBY's 2020 magazine?

Contact us for a copy! @PDBYMedia on Social Media, or

contact the Editor at editor@pdby.co.za