Vol 4 No 4
28 June 2014
l a a V s M 4! o l l He 3/201 201 Go G
reen with and win FNB
r u o ow f n k o o t r t e P G C V w e n Dan Am mis an wi sion th a Ma - Fran tlog s a FB: NWU Vaal Student 24/7 studentenews@gmail.com eFundi: Student 24/7 Web: www.nwu.ac.za
EDITOR’S LETTER
One down, one to go! Kinga Siejek
Can you believe one semester is over? To me it felt like just yesterday we had the First Years Orientation. Now many of you are probably enjoying the ONE fun thing about one semester being over: Semester Recess. Yes; those few weeks of peace and quite (with some patrying in the mix) before SEMESTER TWO rears its little head. But admit it... It wasn’t all that bad. If you had gone to classes, studied when you needed to, and handed in all those assigments and homework; then this recess should be a pleasurable one. If not, then I guess you are one of the students prepapring for Second Opps. Don’t feel bad! Not everyone can get things done right the first time (trust me I know). To this day I still sometimes wonder how I passed First Year without having to redo all my modules. With so much pressure put on you by ALL your lecturers to go above-and-beyond in their module, it does feel like you are drowning in work. The best is to keep calm, take a few deep breaths, and find the best way time manage your time. Remember, if you aren’t sure about something, you can always ask your Student Supervisor, facilitatro, heck anyone in the library might have an answer or two (just make sure they are the right answers!) Use this recess to prepare yourself, be it for the next semester, or a second opportunity exam. If you have to, then do it. Don’t decide that it’s too much work, since the other option is even worse. Wouldn’t you rather pay a few hundred rand for a second opportunity, rather than a few thousand to redo the module next year? Ot use the same few thousand rand to change the module to something else? If you have no toher option, then go that route, but always know that you do have a choice. Life (and strange architects) make forks in the road for a reason. It’s to show that there is always more than one answer to every question... You j ust need to decide which one will be better for you (and the people around you). I think you can usually tell from my photographs, or previous ‘words of wisdom’,
2 - Student 24/7
that I always try to have a little bit of fun. So that means you should to! In and out of Campus... Just do it responsibly! Now... Back to my original train of thought... Whether you are spending time curled up in your blankie with a nice hot cup of hot chocolate and cathcing up on all those movies that you put on the side lines during class; or if you are hiding in your room with many books and notes keeping you warm and many empty PLAY cans lying around is up to you. Which ever you do, I hope you enjoy it, and that it all works out for you in the end! Remember to take breaks, if you are studying... But you are probably already doing that if you are reading this... So... YAY! Hehe. Best thing to do is to read a few pages at a time, then go back to studying, watching movies, hanging out with friends, or just watching your lovely dog twitch in their sleep (it has happened to me many a time, though it is always interesting and cute to watch). I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL SOON! HAVE A GREAT RECESS!
VUVU’S SOAPBOX
Vuvu’s Soapbox... a dip in the pond is just a little bit harder, even if you have some of the best natural insulation like myself, with it being just a teeny tiny bit on the chilly side. Now I know what it feels like to be in an apocalypse-style movie! Quack! You know; the one where you go to be one night, and everything seems hunky-dory; but when you wake up the next morning, it’s foggy and cold outside with no signs of human life. That’s what is started to feel like, until my ‘oh-so-clever’ cousin from the Learning and Research Commons (which I hear those clever journos from Student 24/7 call LARC for short) reminded me that the exams and recess has started. Well; I didn’t appreciate his smug look, but at least I managed to breathe a sigh of relief; as I haven’t exactly prepared for any end-of-the-world toasted cheese sandwich survival packing yet. Quack Quack! It is hard to believe that half of the year is gone already, though I am betting that many of you are celebrating, knowing that it’s one step closer to your goals. Maybe you have an awesome vacation planned for the recess, or planning to catch up on some good-old fashioned vegging in front of the TV (which I love doing by the Student Centre, especially with the Soccer World Cup!); or for those of you like my cousin, you might be already prepping for the next semester. Whichever it is, make sure to keep warm! This weather is not conducive to much productivity I can tell you that! Even I have difficulty forcing myself to get up and have a stroll around Campus in this weather. And taking
Quack! I have to admit though; looking back at the last few months, I will say they were quite a fun bunch of months on Campus. To know that we are celebrating 10 years since the merger, with all those flags around Campus, just makes me feel prouder to be here. Then there is the welcoming of a new Vice Chancellor. While he hasn’t made an appointment to meet the greatest goose on Campus yet, I know he is working hard to make our University as a whole one for the record books. Hope he remembers to bring some sandwiches along!
an ear to the ground, and save the day of 21 September! Quack Quack Quack! This time of year always brings the ‘animal’ out in the animals a bit more, since the students are saying ‘see you later’ for a few weeks... All I can say, is stay warm, stay safe, don’t forget to tip your waitress, and know I will be patiently waiting on Campus to greet you with a big HINK and QUACK; maybe a nip on the leg for a sandwich or three... Enjoy recess! Quack!
Quack Quack! Now I heard from a dear fourhooved friend of mine down by building 25, that there is still MUCH MORE to look forward to this year. One big thing he can’t stop talking about is the Culture Day celebrations. Now while I keep reminding him that it is still a few months away; with how quickly the first semester has gone, I suppose it’s not completely a bad idea to prepare early. He is excited to see what the Campus has planned, as that is always his favourite event of the year. The colours, the themes, the students ... It adds an extra ‘Spring’ to this ‘Bok’ (excuse the pun, hehe). So keep
Student 24/7 - 3
RECTOR’S OFFICE
Dear Student
June was Youth Month and who better to embrace and celebrate this than young adults like yourself. What does Youth Month mean to you? When I think about the youth, a bridge comes to mind. I believe that the youth of today represents a bridge between the perils of yesterday and the opportunity of tomorrow. In short: you represent the backbone of our nation! Having said this, I also believe that older generations should view this time of the year as a time to motivate and guide the younger generations – be it as role models or mentors. Unfortunately this is not always the case. We ought never to underestimate the importance of the youth. The American actress and singer – and Youth Champion of the United Nations, Monique Coleman, was once quoted saying: “Our focus doesn’t have to be on changing the whole world, just changing our world.” Take a minute to think about this.
zenry, pride and patriotism in our country and its heritage as well as an indomitable hope for a better future. For many of our youth who were born during the two decades of democratic freedom in our country, the elections provided a powerful reminder of how citizens can pool their collective power to make a difference to our country. We ourselves own the power to build the South Africa we want to see by 2030. Young people are a critical force in this. You have the enthusiasm, vibrancy, courage and spirit to do things differently, to make changes that will bring a better life for the millions of our people. In South Africa we have people like Mandla Maseko who will be the first black South African astronaut and Siya Xuza who has had a minor planet named after him by NASA based on his ground breaking work. A little piece of South Africa lives in space through the planet named Siyaxuza.
Across the world – and also in South Africa, the youth is rising up against existing political regimes; they are fighting for jobs, social justice, freedom of expression and above all democracy. The youth share one common denominator, namely: solidarity. Did you know that the world population of 15-24 year olds represents more than a billion? That is, a billion hopes for a better future, more than a billion ideas to change the world in constructive ways and more than a billion potential solutions to the problems of today. As you are reading this you are reinventing culture and recreating how we relate to each other.
We may not know what active citizenship is as a concept but when we look at people like Siya Xuza and Mandla Maseko, we realise that the meaning does not matter. What matters is that these inspiring young people have done what they could, when they could with the resources they could! They were excellent at what they needed to do in their respective fields and soon enough, they received the recognition and accolades that they deserved. However, this is not the end for them. We will yet hear of their contributions to South Africa in particular and the world in general.
The recently held elections in South Africa once again shone a spotlight on the importance of active citi-
This is the spirit that must drive the implementation of the National Development Plan which recognises the role young people can and must
4 - Student 24/7
play in South Africa’s development. No one said this would be easy. Young people today are battling every day against the obstacles of poverty, unemployment, climate change, restricted access to education and even health care. This is where the older generations must step into the fold. How can we expect the leaders of tomorrow to participate fully in creating the future, when they are excluded from the debates and the decision-making forums? We must help them and support their ambitions. As you go forth on your journey, remember to always play your part in your individual spaces. Do what you can, where you can, when you can to make your home, community and country, safer, happier, prosperous and fulfilled. * Sadly, this month we – as a campus community, had to say goodbye to several students. It is always sad when young lives come to an end since it marks the loss of great potential. As a campus community we recognise these fallen students.
CAMPUS NEWS
EDC Competition brings Campuses together terms of the distance driven on the bicycle.
Kinga Siejek The Vaal Campus held their annual EDC Business Competition on 30 May 2014. This year saw a twist, with the Vaal Campus inviting Potchefstroom and Mafikeng Campus to join. The top three from each Campus were then asked to present their business ideas. Here is a glimpse of each winner from each Campus, as well as a idea of their businesses.. Vaal Triangle Campus First Place Winner – Duane Barker Business: Void Tech Void Tech deals with the selling of a variety of computer components, peripherals and desktop computers. Products include Msi, AMD, EVGA, Razer and Intel, with cheaper prices than those of most businesses. Second Place Winner – Jack and Bruce Mthembu Business: 1st one Adventures 1st One Adventures gives the client a chance to ‘experience true meaning of adventure’, while giving the client a chance to explore the sights of South Africa, giving a chance for a well-deserved holiday. Third Place Winner – Fayyaaz Mahamed Business: iWant iWant is an online platform where clients have the opportunity to post their ‘wants’ assuring sellers on what exactly the buyers need. The online
platform will be a innovative way of online buying and selling, with a graphical user interface making it user friendly. Potchefstroom Campus First Place Winner – Tebogo Mpholo Business: StudEx As Tebogo Mpholo explain, StudEx is a platform that will “provide a one stop convenience market”, that will include bursary information, as well as giving students a platform to buy and sell goods that students would be interested in. Second Place Winner – Nkosinathi Machine Business: Credit Driver License (Pty) Ltd Credit Drivers License will have short courses that “lead to employment or improve clients’ employability”. This will be done in the form of lessons in domestic driving licenses, industry specific driving licenses, and scarce technical skills short courses. Third Place Winner – Chantiny Kanjee Business: Trade Your Car for a Bicycle Clients are expected to ‘lease’ bicycles and use them as transportation around Campus. The effect would be the clients saving in fuel consumption, as well as earning rewards such as coupons, discounts in tuition fees, and other rewards, in
Mafikeng Campus First place winner – Rariseng Jacob Seretse Business: Youthfully Jollity Youthfully Jollity will incorporate the idea of a sauna and cafeteria, with the aim of looking after the health of the clients. Activities in Youthfully Jollity will include a sauna, meals in the cafeteria, self-entertainment, and constant interaction between staff and clients.
Second Place Winner – Ronny Lekaowa Business: Vermicast and Vermiculture Vermicast and Vermiculture explores the process of using a variety of worms such as red wigglers, other earthworms to create a heterogeneous mixture of Vermicompost to be used to decompose organic waste into nutrient-rich material capable for sustainable plant growth. Third Place Winner – Edwin Karabo Business: Mochiswa Trading Enterprise Mochiswa Trading Enterprise looks at helping the country by making an economic contribution, developing infrastructure, and developing skills to people to decrease the unemployment. First place winners walked away with R10 000 start-up capital and 12 months access to the bhive EDC to further their business. The second place winners each won R5 000 start-up capital and 6 months access to the bhive EDC. The third place winners each won R3 000 start-up capital and 3 months access to the bhive EDC. Congratulations to all the winners, and we here at Student 24/7 can’t wait to see them in action!
Student 24/7 - 5
CAMPUS NEWS
A
Annette Willemse A scholarship to the value of R20 000 is up for grabs for one lucky student and/or group of students who can come up with a new technological innovation, a marketing and communications plan, an awareness plan or training programme that represents a technical solution for day-to-day challenges in the green space. The latter referring to parks or undeveloped landscapes. The competition is sponsored by First National Bank (FNB). This scholarship will be awarded to the student that comes up with the best green concept, product, idea, awareness program and/ or practical solution. The sky is the limit and interested students can also use academic assignments to propose possible ideas – the only requirement is that the idea should be implementable. In order to be selected, a summary of your basic idea, plan or technology must be submitted in less than 150 words. Entrees are now awaited and by 7 July 2014 you will be notified if you qualify to submit a full proposal. The final entry application will be ac-
6 - Student 24/7
Go Green Innovation Competition: Bursary up for grabs for Eco Warrior cepted on 15 August 2014. For this purpose no fancy headings or any trimmings are allowed, only a few typed paragraphs. Take note that drawings and/or schematics are
allowed provided they make a clear contribution in describing your technology or idea. For more information send an e-mail to p-gaangroen@nwu.ac.za
Find the 10!
CAMPUS NEWS
Congrats to lucky number 3!
F
Kinga Siejek From two winners last month, to another winner this month! The Find the 10 Treasure Hunt just keeps on coming! Congratulations to winner number three: Tswanelo Wiseman Mofokeng! There are still seven more chances to win! Make sure you keep your eyes open on the NWU Vaal Facebook page, as well as the NWU Vaal Student 24/7 Facebook page for more pictures and clues!
Farewell JP I Ratanang Mogatusi
It is difficult to find comfort in words when the death of a youth comes to pass. On 30 May 2014, one of the greater tragedies of life came to be when Jean-Pierre Terblanche passed away. He was better known to his friends as JP, a BSc IT student and an active member of our campus community. He had been with our Campus for three years and was well on his way to obtaining his degree. Anyone who knew him could attest that it was a great pleasure to have known an authentic gentleman of his character. He was an overall great guy, with a big heart, and great leadership skills and potential. Having passed on at the age of 21, his passing is an undesired ending to the story of someone who had quite a lot to live for. Nevertheless, he lived a well-rounded and fruitful life. He showed great love and dedication to his academics, and he did not neglect to be an active sportsman. His discipline was reflected in his commitment to the sports he played; from rugby while in high school, to
cricket in his first year among us, and his greatest love of them all, hockey. When he was not in his books, pushing for his degree, he was surely out on the field, or putting in extra hours on campus to help fellow students and lecturers alike, as he was also a student assistant. And where ever he was, he was always proud to have his lady, Chanelle there with him, if she could be. We share in her loss, and that of the Terblanche family. JP loved his life, and he lived it well. One could tell it from his well-built character and dedication that he was passionate about it. He was a dedicated sportsman, exemplary student and a wonderful colleague. Moreover, he was a great person and a good friend. The life he lived will live on in all our memories. As he was very much respected and loved; his memory will be an inspiration to us to live a wonderful and fruitful life. He will be remembered and cherished by those of us who were blessed enough to have known him. May he rest peacefully now and always.
Student 24/7 - 7
CAMPUS NEWS
Blazing a trail for South African Social Workers
A
Annette Willemse A trail blazer, this is how one may describe Elmien Truter. She is a social work lecturer at the Vaal Triangle Campus and a proud alumna. She is also the first social work PhD graduate since social work started at the Vaal Campus in 2008. Her PhD study is the first of its kind in South Africa. The purpose of Elmien’s study was to explore pathways of resilience among resilient South African DSWs by studying relevant literature and examining South African DSW’s lived experience. A secondary purpose was to draw on these experiences and literature to develop guidelines for South African DSW supervisors who may encourage the promotion of DSW resilience. Through her study she confirmed that there is insufficient understanding about the resilience of South Africa’s DSWs. Through focus group interviews with experts in the field of social work she collected and formulated potential indicators of resilience in resilient South African DSWs. Next, she asked fifteen resilient DSWs to write narratives and experiences of workplace risks, as well as their resilience processes. The findings concluded that these DSWs adapted to workplace adversities through four core protective processes. The first of these processes include living practice and purpose-informing creeds. All participants related their calling to the profession as imperative to adapt well in child protection work. The second process that forms part of resilient DSWs’ lives is enjoying supportive collaborations – a dominant reference to professional, personal and religious support networks was unmistakably experienced by participants as a protective process that safeguarded them from reported workplace adversities.
8 - Student 24/7
Engaging in constructive transactions relates to the way resilient DSWs respect their own personal needs and boundaries, invest in self-care activities, being solution focused, engaging in continuous training and education, and practising self-control. The fourth process actively engaged in by resilient DSWs is accentuating the positive, which includes celebrating victories, share humour and choosing positive company. Participants’ emphasis on the positive and preference for positive people offered several protective processes that potentially buffer against poor health and bolster wellbeing.Guidelines for South African DSW supervisors, which emerged from these findings and literature, were proposed to be framed by reflective supervision as a step towards promoting South African DSW resilience. Dr Ansie Fouché, who acted as Elmien’s study promoter describes her as someone with a lot of perseverance and drive, and a work ethic that leads her to deliver outstanding work. These qualities resulted in Elmien completing her study within three years of which she devoted only the first year to full time study. During her second year she was a designated social worker and area manager of the Child Welfare SA provincial office in the Northern Cape; and in her third year she moved to the Vaal Campus after she was appointed as a lecturer
in the School of Behavioural Sciences. Even more laudable is that her thesis was accepted unconditionally by three independent examiners who praised her for the clear and scientific way in which she described and implemented the process of data analysis. In addition, they remarked upon the outstanding quality of the work she produced, with particular reference to literature integration and technical care. Elmien completed her Master’s degree study at the NWU Potchefstroom Campus in 2010. She continues to work as a social work lecturer at the Vaal Campus and part time she manages child protection cases for Child Welfare SA in Vanderbijlpark. She currently also forms part of the Optentia Research Focus Area’s Pathways to Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth sub-programme (http://www.optentia.co.za/index.php ).
Give a Little Warmth this Winter
CAMPUS NEWS
students experience further strain by having to secure funding to pay for tuition.
C
Annette Willemse COLD FACT : Thousands of South Africans will sleep in the cold this winter – and this includes students from the Vaal Campus. It is that time of year again, where leaves and temperatures fall, and the cold pangs of winter touches thousands of citizens in need of warmth. This year, the blow of the winter chill on the NWU Vaal is lessoned by a big donation of blankets from the off-campus residence, Faranani. According to Maggie Matsaneng, the campus’s Social Worker (within the Department of Student Counselling and Development or SCD) the donation will go a long way in helping students in need. The blankets will be taken up in the SCD’s food and clothing bank. Champaign to bring relieve According to Maggie the need amongst students are very great especially considering that many of them come from low income families where unemployment is rife or the students themselves head-up the household. In addition to this many
In light of this the SCD recently announced the launch of the Charity Begins At Home campaign. This campaign – which will coincide with International Mandela Day on 18 July, will see all members of the campus community join hands to contribute towards the vesting of a food an clothing bank on the campus. The first phase of the campaign will see staff members – both academic and support, contribute non-perishable food items and toiletries towards the initiative. After deliberations with all staff departments and academic schools, the challenge is on to see which departments will donate 67 of each of the selected items towards the project. This drive will reach a highpoint on 18 July and donations will be made till the end of July. “By asking staff members to donate 67 items of a particular product, we aim to motivate them to take the principle of selfless giving to heart during the coming Mandela Day celebrations,” explains Maggie and says that she hopes that the campaign inspires individuals to take action to help change the world for the better. Act today and change a lifeIndividuals who want to get involved in the project can contact Maggie on 016 910 3049 or send an e-mail to Maggie.Matsaneng@nwu. ac.za
Student 24/7 - 9
10 - Student 24/7
g n u o Y r e v e r Fo y a D h t u o Y n o W SA NEWS
Youth month, is a month that the youth need to respect, honour and admire be cause many lives were lost for us to have a better future. It needs to be given the respect it deserves not by getting drunk or using drugs but by attending political events that respect this day (June 16), going to to apartheid museums to learn about our history and understand what happened on June 16. A better perspective of why we celebrate the freedom we have in our country.
Malenyalo Molemane
When the language of Afrikaans alongside English was made compulsory as a medium of instruction in local schools in 1974 on the street of Soweto in South Africa, black students began mobilizing themselves. The Soweto Uprising, known as 16 June according to www.sahistory.org.za, is a series of protests led by high school students in our country that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto against the government ruling about the compulsory languages in their schools.
The march was meant to end at a rally in Orlando Stadium but on their way they were met by heavily armed police who fired teargas and bullets to the student. This resulted in a widespread revolt that turned into an uprising against the government. The country lost many heroes and heroines who sacrificed their lives for better education for all.
112 - Student
Knowing what the youth of 1976 have done to overcome the challenges they faced back then, what are we going to do with the challenges we are facing today as the youth. We need solutions, strategies to overcome obstacles such as unemployment, HIV/AIDS, teenager pregnancy, financial aid for education. We need to be remembered by the next generation also with the good we have done. We embrace and thank all the youth of 1976, and it’s time for the youth of today to rise.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Campus expands its International Footprint Annette Willemse The International Office of the Vaal Campus is making strong headway in expanding the Campus’s international footprint. The Campus is currently home to more than 100 international students represent ing 20 different countries, including t he likes of: Algeria, Canada, China, Eritrea, Germany, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Swaziland, Kenya and the United States of America. The International Office recently hosted a delegation from the Botswana Consulate on the Campus and discussions focused on greater collaboration between the University and the Consulate as well as issues such as accessibility, skills demand and academic programme offerings. Representatives from the Marketing and
Communication Department accompanied the delegation on a tour of the Campus – which included the newly built Learning and Research Commons. The latter represents a R70 million investment and functions as the heartbeat of the campus’s academic endeavours.* International Office in a nutshell The International Office on the Vaal Campus came into being in 2011 and serves as the first port of call for all international students or post-doctoral fellows who are intending to study on the campus. The vision of the office is to support the advancement of internationalisation by performing a consultative and facilitative role as well as rendering a specialist service in assisting international students, international academic staff, post-doctoral fellows and University staff with relating issues. These specialist services include dealing with enquiries from prospective students, giving information and advice with regards to study permits and useful information on issues such as accommodation, travel, safety and campus life. An initiative that is also bearing fruit is the formation of an annual International Student Committee that attends to the needs of all international students. For more information on the services rendered by the International Office please contact Jenny van der Walt on (016) 910 3340 or send her an e-mail, Jenny.vanderwalt@nwu.ac.za
Student 24/7 - 13
ALUMNI NEWS
Sandile is the Captain of the HR Ship For him, this was the heartbeat of the campus, a place where he learned the importance of intercultural interaction. “I had the opportunity to mingle with students from various places and cultures. This played a major role in my career and personal development,” he says.Sandile fondly remembers his term as vice-captain of the soccer team, playing intervarsity matches. Today, he still loves soccer and his favourite team is Kaizer Chiefs.It was also on the Vaal Campus that he encountered the two biggest loves in his life. Here he met his wife, also an industrial psychologist, and today they are happily married and have a little girl.
H
Annette Willemse Hard work doesn’t kill, but laziness does. These words inspired Mr Sandile Khwela, alumnus of the Vaal Campus, to set sail for success. Hard work, commitment and determination are key words describing Sandile’s journey to success. He never does anything in half measures. As a student, for instance, he attended both part-time and full-time classes for his BA degree in Industrial Psychology.
The other love in his life is music – something he nurtured during his years as a member of the campus choir, Watuni. Today, when he is not in the boardroom, he is a music producer and manager for Madlala Brothers, a well-known traditional band. Sandile is also an accomplished artist who has also recorded a number of his own albums. Besides his family, he treasures his two guitars: one an electrical guitar and the other a 12 string acoustics guitar.
As the best BA student on campus in his second and third year he went on to complete his BAHons and MA in Industrial Psychology. Today he is a registered Industrial Psychologist and recently joined the Board of Afrisam Cement as Human Resources (HR) director.
Going forward Sandile describes his new position at Afrisam as being “captain of the ship”, providing himan opportunity to implement his human resources philosophy and to lead and guide his team of executives to add value to the business.
Work hard, play hard Sandile’s motto in life comes as no surprise – “hard work doesn’t kill, but laziness does”. He attributes these wise words to his late father who also inspired him to follow a career in Industrial Psychology.
He is using every iota of the knowledge and experience gained first as a supervisor at ArcelorMittal, then as general manager for human resources at BMW and next as group executive for talent management at Vodacom Group.
“My father was a supervisor at a steel company and was dealing with a lot of people issues. I believe I then developed an interest in knowing more about human behaviour and people dynamics.
It is clear that good human resources will add value to any business and with captain Sandile at the helm, the HR ship is heading in the right direction.
“The campus provides both academic and personal growth. You can identify your weaknesses and strengths easier here, because you are not just a number. The campus has a reputation for delivering high caliber students, and I do believe, was it not for this campus, I would not be where I am today,” says Sandile. Love and life Sandile stayed in the campus residence, Vergelegen, until he completed his studies.
16 - Student 24/7
From small beginnings comes greatness
A short history of our new Vice Chancellor Annette Willemse
P
rof Dan Kgwadi likes to try out new things and is never biased. These were the words of Ofentse, the 16-year-old daughter of Prof Dan and his wife Mabel, when, the day before his interview for the position of vice chancellor, Prof Dan asked her advice on what she thought his positive qualities are. These qualities stand him in good stead as vice chancellor of the North-West University from 1 April 2014.
and received bursaries for further study. At the former University of Bophuthatswana he could pursue his love for physics and before long he obtained the first of four degrees. After his undergraduate studies, he obtained his master’s degree in physics from Ball State University in the United States. After receiving his PhD in physics from the PU for CHE, he obtained his second master’s degree, this time in environmental law and
New things welcome Firstly, it is good that he likes new things, because there are plenty of those. For instance, prior to his appointment, he was the rector and “father” of only one campus, Mafikeng, but now that he has been appointed as vice-chancellor, he is the father of many.
Meisie’s bright child did not disappoint. He was head boy of his school
to sign his own certificate. In 2010, Prof Dan received an honorary doctorate from Hanseo University in Korea. A place in the sun for everyone The second characteristic that impressed Ofentse – that her father is not biased – is definitely also a big plus.“We may have different religions, cultures and races, but we are all South Africans,” says Prof Dan. Unity in diversity is very important to him. “The university makes provision for other belief systems for diversity. However, I am a Christian in my heart – it is my religious home. Don’t fear change Prof Dan is sensitive to people’s fear of change, especially surrounding the university’s language policy which states that Afrikaans is the primary language of instruction on the Potchefstroom Campus. “Afrikaans is the only indigenous language in this country that functions on an academic level; this can serve as an example for other indigenous languages. I plan to learn the language myself. By the end of my term I will be able to speak it much better than now.” His position about Afrikaans is also balanced by his conviction for access and diversity of our campuses. Transformation is important to him and he is committed to its acceleration. He acknowledges the progress made over the past 10 years.
The role of father comes naturally to him – after all, his second name is Ntate, which means “father”. He and his younger siblings had to cope without a father in the house, and he became the “man of the house” when he himself was still just a boy. Education is the best defence First, in his place of birth, Kraaipan, and later in Taung, both in the North West Province, his late mother, Meisie, encouraged him from a young age to study.
INSPIRATION
management, from the University of the North (Turfloop). At the time of his appointment as campus rector; he was registered with the NWU for his MBA. However, he put these studies on hold to avoid a conflict of interest in having
“There is a lot that needs to be preserved at the NWU and also other, new things to try out to take the institution to another level. “It remains Prof Dan’s passion to empower young people, particularly those from less privileged circumstances. This is so because Prof Dan has experienced the steep road from Kraaipan, past Taung to university studies, an honorary doctorate and now... vice-chancellor of the NWU.
Student 24/7 - 17
INSPIRATION
New kid on the block at 5FM is one of us!
S
Deliwe Msibi She went from being ‘that girl on Campus’ to being a radio presenter on the NWU Vaal’s own radio station, RiverFM. Now, Nkaiseng Plaatjie has been offered a five-day internship by 5FM; and if all goes well, she stands a good chance of joining the 5FM crew. Nkaiseng is a beautiful young girl from Sharpville Gauteng. According to her, she is a friend, a sister, a daughter to a single parent, a radio presenter, and an Economics student at the Vaal Campus. Her love for radio started when she was still in High School. She loved impersonating radio presenters. In 2012 she auditioned at RiverFM and working there ignited her passion again, guided by her Radio Manager, Itumeleng Bahetane, she saw that there is more to radio. When she received the call from 5FM telling her the good news, she became very excited. The first person she called was her Radio Manager. “I thanked him for growing my love
for radio, and in me,” she says.
for believing
She believes that there difference between RiverFM and 5FM. Both of them are targeting the same audience, the only difference could be that 5FM generates sales out of entertaining people. Nkaiseng is a very focused on her BCom Economics and Risk studies, and still manages to find the balance between her books and radio.
18 - Student 24/7
Her best advice is, “radio is amazing, and there is so much to radio than just being behind the microphone. If you have a goal you want to achieve, go for it, but remember that you might use different routes from others to get there”, Nkaiseng says.
STUDENT 911
profit. Many young people more especially students, think of starting their own businesses to earn an income while studying. Some of them want to do it because they do not want to work for someone else, while others need to do it because they have to earn some money to pay for their fees or provide for their families.
m
Sa
M
ng
pe
o oth
Unemployment is a big problem for many South Africans.
There seem to be too many individuals for too few jobs that are available. One of the best solutions to reducing unemployment is selfemployment. Self-employment is noble way to earn money where there are not enough jobs available. Thousands of people have become entrepreneurs by creating small businesses that are incredibly successful. What is an entrepreneur? An entrepreneur is a person who recognizes a business opportunity and takes initiatives, and risks to create a business venture of his or her own with an aim of making
What is a business? A business, also known as an enterprise is an organisation involving the production of goods, the delivery of service, or both, in order to satisfy consumers’ needs. Small Businesses With very little allowances, every business starts off as a small business. Some of them stay small; others grow as time goes by. Small businesses are normally privately owned partnerships or sole proprietorship.
you need evaluate whether you have the ability to handle personnel, merchandising, physical facilities, sales, accounting, advertising, finance, risk, and daily operations. If you do not have every one of these skills, you can always hire people who possess them. 2. Beware that insufficient capital is the major cause of small business failure. The smaller the capital you invest your business, as the owner, the higher the risk of your business failing. It is recommended that owners provide at least twothird of the required capital. 3. You must have a competitive edge! Special features must differentiate your business from bigger, older and experienced business. Some of this features are: good store layout, better advertising, higher quality at the same price, better service and more attractive packaging.
The truth is that managing a small business demands the same process as managing a big business with less available resources. This can be a bit tough, but there are three ways to balance out the disadvantages of being small. 1.
As an entrepreneur,
Student 24/7 - 19
HEALTH
Go home with a degree, not a descendant... yet
D
Deliwe Msibi
Don’t get caught with an unwanted bun in the oven; and if you already had one, avoid having the second one by all means. The Vaal Campus introduced a new contraceptive method called Implanon to the students and staff. This contraceptive method is currently being used in other countries as well. South Africa is one of the latest countries to advice the use of it. “It is about time” says Mrs Mapete, a nurse from the Vaal Campus. “We are living in a country where teenage pregnancy is a problem, where we also have a problem with the young people in Universities playing it unsafe and ending up with unplanned pregnancies before completing their degrees”. The Vaal Campus Clinic came to a decision, that since nothing can stop students from having sexual intercourse without protection, then to let them be provided with an effortless protection from pregnancy. Is it safe? Sister Synn, a nurse from Johan Heyns, educated the Campus community about the Implanon birth control device. She mentioned that it is not designed to prevent HIV or any other STI, but to avoid pregnancy. It is 99.9% safe, however should not be relied on while taking other medication. It has side effects such as headaches, weight gain/loss, sore breasts, irregular periods, mood changes, decreased sexual desire, acne and/or nausea. Compared to other contraceptives it produces less of these hormones which will then result in less chances of experiencing side effects. Duration There are various methods of contraceptives; the contraceptive pill, the two monthly injection, the five year loop, the three year Implanon and many others. The reason behind the three year Implanon is due to the fact that it takes a minimum of three years to complete a course. In cases where the Implanon does not work for the patient, or perhaps you change your mind about preventing, you can always go back to the clinic and have it removed out. It is that simple. Are there any risks involved? Yes, just as there are risks to putting any type of drug in your body, there are risks involved with contraceptives as well. Most women that take contraceptives are not aware that they may be infertile, or be exposed to vaginal infections as well as womb cancer due to the use of contraceptives.
20 - Student 24/7
Although this has a 0.001% chance of happening, and most often does not happen, it is mostly advised that you know this information.
Is it worth it? It is still advisable to abstain from sexual intercourse for as long as you do not want a baby. Condoms are also the next safest type of prevention from pregnancy as well as STDs if used correctly and frequently. If you know you cannot abstain or frequently use condoms, then yes, all other birth control methods offered in clinics and hospitals are worth trying. It is entirely your choice to make. The best advice? Wait until you are ready, and make sure both you and your partner are healthy and protected.
GALS TALK
He loves me... Bridgett Dikgale
I
remember in my first year when the Rector made a welcoming speech. He mentioned something about making friends that will be friends forever; but what really caught my attention was when he mentioned something about “meeting your life partner”. To think of it, many couples who met in university and they are happily married; does this mean that we all stand a chance of meeting the right person here? I bet this became almost everyone’s goal also, to meet Mr/Miss right, right? Some people even call it the “second degree” or a bonus.
physically). Your question might be, how will I know if he loves me or he loves me not? Well even scientists or magicians can’t answer that but I think if he makes you feel special, makes you smile, makes you laugh, treats you right or if he is willing to go the extra just to prove that he loves you, you should give that person a chance. On the other hand, if he makes you feel cheap, disrespects you or even makes you feel bad about yourself, he doesn’t deserve you.
This made me very curious and experimental. Everyday walking on Campus, I would just look around and try to guess who it might be. It is fun, but some people often go to the extreme measures and have their hearts broken, unaware that they are settling for less. I met a lot of people whose hearts have been broken in the search of finding the right partner. It is so painful to see them being used and not being treated the way they deserve to be treated. We are often made side-chicks, one-night stands or even hit-and runs. The question is, if he is the right one, would you fall in that category? Don’t you think he would make you his first (if not second) priority to prove that he is serious about you? If he truly loved you, he would climb the tallest tree on campus and say “I love this girl” (please don’t try this, I mean literally) or even walk around to show you off and not come to your room only at night and do whatever he does then leave. It is so sad that we often give attention to those who don’t love us and push away the ones who truly do. I think we all reached that matured stage whereby we don’t choose a guy for his looks or his possession, that Is so high school if not primary. You should go for someone who would go an extra mile for you, a guy who would catch a grenade for you or even fight for you (not
Student 24/7 - 21
GUYS TALK while preparing for graduation. At this time I have missed a lot of events around campus. My laptop, vitamins and coffee were my only company.
W
From an Honours Point of View
William George When my editor gave me this idea – to write about what the past six months has been like for me as an honours student, I took an audible deep breath. We laughed, because she has been through the same in the past. Being an honours student, who stays on campus, doesn’t make it less hard; just furthering your studies after your first degree is as hard. It is like third year all over again, but with more practicals, less sleep, more assignments, countless class presentations and tests, and high expectations from your lecturers; as they keep reminding you that “you are doing your honours now” – your work should resemble it. But still, that doesn’t sum it all up. Let me take you back to January. While undergrad students are still relaxing at home, honours students usually come for their orientation. I missed my introduction class in NWU Vaal; instead I went to University of Johannesburg, because I was accepted for an honours programme there; also it is close to home. Just after a day with UJ students, I decided - no! I won’t study here again, because I once did, back in 2010. This was followed by my other alternative, University of Pretoria. I was accepted for an honours programme in Drama and Film. I didn’t have residence there, so I travelled, from West-Rand to Hatfield, a beautiful town in Pretoria, but I couldn’t keep up with the travelling. I knew I left a lot behind, my friends, family, work and the best campus, so I came back home, NWU Vaal. Now, not all postgrad students went
22 - Student 24/7
through what I went did, but I assure you they have a story to tell, like financial problems, dilemmas on whether to come continue with their studies or go to work. I came back a week after class commenced, which is basically introduction, plus surprises – which is homework and a lot of material to read. For me I take time to settle, so I took the weekend before I started getting into my academic mood. Classes went on, new students in class, plus my former fellow students; it was nice seeing old faces again. Now it is March; assignments are due, classes are more intense. We have presentations and a research module that is taking its toll on all of us. We have to come up with research topics, which we will work on for the rest of the year. Research is the centre of the honours programme. Fortunately for my class, we had a break, and by break I mean a day. It was a trip to the Apartheid museum, then a drive to Soweto to Mandela’s House Museum, followed by SAB House of Beer in Johannesburg, all of that in one day, after that, we had to write ‘academically’ about the experience. What a way to draw out the fun from a break! It is finally April, for most students who are done with their studies; it is time to prepare for the Graduation ceremony, which is during the month of May. Guys are fixing their suites and ladies are working on the dresses. But for postgrad students, we are still trying to get by with our studies
May is here, time for Graduation, everything you’ve worked for is finally paying off. No matter the time that you took to complete your qualification, you are just filled with happiness for your success and relief from all the workload you’ve carried since first year. May is the busiest month, just during your graduation week, you have class and assignments due, but time management gets you by. Graduation day! The day you will take countless pictures with your family, friends, lecturers and fellow students, even the Vice-Chancellor or Rector if you are lucky. Finally you are conferred with a certificate to let the world know that you have earned your degree. The best feeling! Then its June, a cold terrifying time for a student, because you start reevaluating your work and checking if you qualify to write your exams. Then followed by studying for the exams, if you didn’t start earlier. Which is more likely, if you for a postgrad student. All in all, this has been a grooming period for me personally, academically and professionally. Tips I would give to an undergrad student who is planning to further their studies 1. Plan, practice and prepare – this applies to all courses. 2. Start working for a good if not outstanding participation mark from the first class. 3. You will have to sacrifice some things you enjoy, for example: going out weekly, watching television and movies back to back, going on holiday, hanging out with you friends and others. 4. Accept that you will miss some events, prioritize. 5. When you take a break from studying, do the important stuff first, such as: going to see your family. 6. If you have Research as a module, study what you’ve always wondered – in that way you will help solve at least one problem or get answers for your field of study. 7. The rest is unwritten…
PROFILE knees”. Alicia an academic She studied chemical engineering for two years at the Potch Campus, only to realise that was not at all what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. Then she moved to the Vaal Campus in 2013 to change to BCom Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations. When asked what her future plans are Alicia said “I see myself as a working wife and mom after about five years after I finish studying. After that I would like to start my own business”. Alicia con siders herself as a good leader, she likes taking on new challenges.
@ l a a V s l s i a a M uV Nw sibi
M liwe
De
Pageant girls are sometimes
mistaken as beauties without brains; ones who starve themselves and put their bodies through all kinds of discomfort just to conform to the society’s opinion of ‘beauty’. A perfect example of the opposite is; the lovely Alicia Trollip who is a student at the Vaal Campus, a model, Miss Vaal 2013, and a lover of pageants. Alicia is a 21 year old young woman from Vanderbijlpark, a modeling teacher at Models Unlimited and of course Miss Vaal 2013/2014. In her own words, she is a fun loving girl who always strives to be the best in everything she does. “I always find time to offer help to any body who needs it and my motto in life is: you can’t stumble when you’re on your
Alicia the model Having started taking modeling classes at the age of 12, she finished her teacher’s diploma in 2010, and has been teaching modeling classes for ages 7-12. When asked about the highlights of her modeling career, Alicia widely smiles as she answers “There are so may, but two that I can really relate to are definitely when I started doing photo shoots for Bella magazine; doing their wedding shoots, swim suit spread and also doing the fashion show at their launch. Then definitely the night I was crowned Miss Vaal 2013/ 2014.” The journey to Miss Vaal When she first entered in 2012, she made it into top five. “When I entered in 2013 I was much more prepared. It started out with 18 finalists. We had various tasks to do like doing a golf day, a survival boot camp, grueling personal interviews with judges that are at the top of their various fields and doing fashion shows and appearances”. The crowning was on 12 October, with the theme ‘Countries of the World”. “We had to do a dance and I wore a beautiful cocktail dress by
Leo Validus for my first scene and an amazing dress by Werner Dey, situated in Parys, for my evening gown scene”, Alicia explains. She won many prizes including a Citroen C1 which she can drive for a year. She says, “so far this has been one amazing journey, I can’t thank my sponsors enough.” The question that sealed the judges’ decision about making her Miss Vaal was : ‘The saying goes...beauty is only skin deep...do you think this is true and why?’ Her answer to the question was “unfortunately 90% of society believes it’s true, but for me, I will say No, beauty is not only skin deep. Everything that shines it not always gold, and if you’re beautiful from the inside, that’s when you’re truly beautiful.” The next step... Alicia boldly said “the next step is definitely Miss SA. I have started my preparations already and if I don’t get a place as a finalist the first time I’ll definitely keep going back. It has always been a dream of mine.” It’s for the love What keeps the love for modelling inside her burning is the love and adrenaline rush she gets when stepping on stage. Even though she has been doing it for so long, she still gets nervous before doing a show. She says “I absolutely love that feeling, it never gets old.” Cara Burger (Miss SA top 5 2008) once said you don’t need a title to do big things; you’re already a dynamic successful woman who can achieve anything in life. You should only do a pageant and want a title for the simple love of it and to use that TOGETHER with what you already have.
Facts about Alicia
• Alicia organizes pageants for schools and universities. • She does some MC work as well • Her favorite quote is ‘Fake it till you make it’ • Her role model is the former Miss South Africa Melinda Bam • She loves being outdoors and doing adventurous things
Student 24/7 - 23
PROFILE
A chat with the first Prince and Princess of the Campus... Malenyalo Molemance and William George get more insight from their experience before, during and after the pageant season. This is what we have learned about them. Q: What is your relationship status? Marilyn: Oh my goodness, (giggles), do I really have to answer that? I am taken… Duane: I am engaged (with a smile)
Student 24/7 had a chat with the NWU Vaal first Prince, Duane Barker (22), who is also Mr Oryx 2014/2015 and the first Princess, Marilyn Ndlovu (20), she was crowned Miss Faranani 2014/2015. The two of them, respectively came in second place during the Mr and Miss NWU 2014 held on 9 May at the Big Lapa. Duane is a second year student, studying BCom in Sport Management and Recreation. He won the Mister Personality at the Mr and Miss NWU Vaal 2014/2015. He is into gaming and computers. He believes in education for our generation and job equality amongst our people – “people who are better qualified for jobs, regardless of whether they are black, white, indian or coloured; they are not getting those jobs.” He says the story/history is usually told by the winner. She is a first year B. Com in Financial Accounting student. She is a journalist from Student 24/7 and started pageants at the age of 7, she enjoys taking photographs. She doesn’t watch television anymore nor listen to the radio. She says the moment they called her as the first princess, she was in disbelief. When she walked in, she only remembered to smile when she was given a crown by the former Miss NWU Lerato Motsoane. They both are opinionated people, if not talkative. They believe that they are introverts with extrovert’s tendencies. They like comedy and romance movies, and Dragon Ball Z which they used to watch when they were young, respectively. We had an opportunity to ask them few questions and
24 - Student 24/7
Q: How did winning change your personality? Marilyn: It didn’t change my personality, it just enhanced it. Because this was not the first time I won a pageant. I won first princess in my high school. But at the age of 7, when we used to call it ‘beauty contest’, I lost. Duane: It made me more humble, because, by nature - I’m a very arrogant person. But since participating (in NWU Vaal pageants), I got to become friends with everyone. It did make me change, not as much as people expect, like you may be thinking, the fame and everything, for me it’s more of a way to keep yourself in check. Q: What do you do for fun? Marilyn: What I do for fun now, which is different from what I used to do for fun before I came here is: going home every second weekend, see important
PROFILE people and my favourite - shopping (chuckles). I like eating, but I don’t eat a lot. Oh, I love meat by the way … Facebooking and taking pictures. Duane: Mainly what I do for fun is gym. From time to time I do martial arts when I’m home. I write novels, but just for the fun of it. I spoil my fiancé. I like working with computers, which is more of a passion. I like learning Japanese. Generally, I enjoy making people laugh.
, ryx er: ark Mr O e, B c n rin ane win Du d he irst P lace i F di tp nly is the n firs ss o t No t now ly wo usine bu ecent DC B tion r E eti and the omp C
Q: What is your favourite television series? Marilyn: I don’t really have one. But I like Real Husbands of Hollywood. When it comes to animations, it would be: SpongeBob Squarepants, Powerpuff Girls, Phineas and Ferb (laughs), I love it and Winx. Duane: I mostly like anime, but series I do enjoy watching is Arrow. Also Continuum, which is an action show about time travel. Animations will be Fairly OddParents and Dexter’s Laboratory. Q: Your favourite quote Marilyn: “Every successful person has a story to tell” heard it while I was in High School – meaning: no person just gets to the top; they have to start somewhere, at the bottom. A lot of things happen between the bottom and the top. Duane: “Talk is cheap, money buys the whiskey, but shut up and get rich” got it from my dad. What it means: “you have to be quiet, observe what’s going on around you and work”. Rather than talk big things that you can do, but none of your actions prove it.
Mis s Maril and Faran yn Nd an lo tea o m m f cou i, Firs vu: t em rse, ber a a Prince w o ss, es You fS go tude ome nt 2 Gir l! 4/7 !
Q: Least favourite module Marilyn: PSDT (Professional Skills Development) “I just don’t see why it has to be a requirement” I had Life Orientation in high school, so if I compare PSDT and things we did in Life Orientation, it’s the same thing. Duane: For me it’s two: Statistics, I hate it. And Economics… Q: Success is… Marilyn: Inner peace – “Going to sleep every single night with peace in your heart”, whether you achieved what you wanted to or not, but because you’ve made peace with it. Duane: Being able to see other people being happy because of what you’ve done – “I never cared about making a lot of money, as long as the people in my life are happy, that’s all I need.” Q: Your role model Marilyn: A lady I met in some church I was visiting, her name is Glory. She is a down-to-earth, beautiful lady; I like how she dresses (laughs). Then, Shareen Shabangu, a friend of mine from High school, she was my senior in high school. We have a lot in common… Duane: “This will seem a bit corny” but it’s my mother – she raised me to be to an honest person, even after she passed on, she had taught me all the things I needed to know, even now she is still my role model. My brother-in-law, I respect him for all he does. Workwise, the person I look up to is my father – his determination and hard work I will always respect.
l rea . e h .. t ith is life w h s) ane in Du cess awww n Pri ueue (Q
Student 24/7 - 25
PROFILE
Broadcasting, meet Lerato Lempe
B
Keleabetswe Narenti Broadcasting has always been lerato Lerato Lempe’s passion; as she always knew that she wanted to learn the ropes around how television programs are produced. “I owe my success to God, as I have always put him first in everything I do.” She says Media Personnel Lerato Lempe, alumnus of the Vaal Campus, graduated with a BA Communication Degree from the Vall Campus; as well as a BA Honours in Communication Theory and Media Studies from the University of Johannesburg. She proudly takes her place among the Multichoice team as one of their youngest employees. She is an Electronic Programs Guide Scheduler at DSTV Digital Media. She says that it is an intimidating title but she is embracing it every day, “Initially I was interested in television broadcasting because from a very young age I was curious of how television programs were transmitted to our home screens, but then I decided to do communication studies because it has a broader spectrum, and I could venture into any career path in the media industry.” Challenging environment Half-way into her Honours year at the University of Johannesburg, Lerato started working at DSTV Digital Media. She says that working while studying was not easy but it was worth it. “Everyone dreams of getting a good job after graduating and by the Grace of God I got a very good job before I could finish my honours.” She says. She says that the opportunity to interact with channels and individuals around the world, learning about the cultures of other countries through the television shows they watch and
26 - Student 24/7
contributing to the entertainment of the people at home and getting to know about interesting television shows and movies way before they air on television is the highlight of her job.
“As a young person a new job is challenging and in order for you to learn, you have to deal with the challenges.” She says. Lerato says that it is exciting working as an Electronic Digital Programs Scheduler, but the most challenging aspect about her job is meeting deadlines at all times and avoiding on-air errors, as the mistakes one makes are seen by millions of viewer and it will reflect badly on the company. Life at Vaal NWU Lerato studied at the Vaal Campus NWU from 2010 until 2012. She was an active student during her studies, as an NWU Vaal Academic Peer Mentor, a journalist for the campus magazine Student24/7. “Being part of the campus magazine was really fun and it gave me a lot of exposure to things that were happening around the campus.” She says. “The lessons I have learned from studying at the Vaal Campus will forever remain with me and if I were to give back to the campus, it would be to provide students with entertainment especially the postgraduate students that live on campus.” She says. Extra Info • She enjoys spending time with family and friends in her spare time • Watching movies • Going to church • Shopping
HEALTH
The pursuit of excellence continues P
ursuing excellence is a continual commitment that strives to improve every one of us. Without pursuing excellence, our lives would remain bland. The desire to succeed and the will to advance in life evoke the best in us. Excellence is an art which can be achieved through nurturing our minds with great thoughts and positive attitude. It’s that time of the year again, yes you are right. The 2014 first semester is done and dusted. For some, the experience was lifechanging whereas others found it nerve-racking.
and mentor Frans Matlhokga. After a heart to heart chat with him he couldn’t hide his delight. He went further to applaud his players for their illustrious heroics and voracious character. He also revealed that the prime concern is to qualify for the USSA Championships. Wishing him and the team the best of luck in their upcoming games. Now shifting focus to the World Cup that has lacked nothing short fireworks and excitement. Already dubbed as a ‘shock’ world cup, the world cup in Brazil has seen the rise of the minnows and the demise of the heavyweights such as England, Italy and Spain. Above all, no one saw Spain’s downfall coming. All of us knew that it was inevitable but not one could have anticipated that it would happen this soon. Their failure to reach the knockout stages has led to widespread criticism from pundits in some parts of the world as they maintain that Spain’s golden era of dominance in world football has come to an abrupt end. Meanwhile, one team that has caught my attention is the netherlands. They are serious title contenders. One could envisage that their victory is written in the stars. They are champions in waiting. Watch the space!!! Yours in Sports Mangaliso Maduna
Most of us spend recess in many different ways. Others use it to get a vocational job and work for extra money but in most cases others uses it recharge their batteries in preparation for second semester. Always remember that no rule is good rule, so play it safe and enjoy responsibly. Now getting to campus sport, due to the exams there has been little activity of late, as far as sport is concerned. However, our male basketball team participated in the ‘Take Tuks to USSA’ tournament in Pretoria where they did us proud by reaching the final. They have taken NWU Vaal sport into greater heights and restored NWU Vaal‘s reputation as one the best sports universities in the country. The instigator behind this feat is their coach
Student 24/7 - 27
SPORT
Frans Matloga Player, coach and administrator Ettienne van Rensburg
What the 51 year old Matome Frans Matlogo has forgotten about basketball, others still need to learn. As a skilled player, coach and administrator – with more than two decades of experience under his belt, Frans is a force to be reckoned with within the Department of Sport on the Vaal Campus. Under his guidance and coaching the Campus’s volleyball, basketball and chess teams are moulded into competitors of note. Frans is passionate about sport and the role he is playing towards vesting the NWU Vaal as a sporting campus. “There are very few competitive leagues in the Vaal Triangle region and therefore I will take it upon myself to develop the necessary infrastructure,” says Frans and ads that he plans to liaise with the Department of Education in this regard. According to Frans the current men’s team is very strong but he is experiencing difficulty in organising a women’s team – the latter due to students completing their studies or leaving the area to pursue other interests. The Campus currently competes in the Gauteng Universities Basketball league, but did not qualify for the USSA championship due to changes made to the league stipulations.
28 - Student 24/7
“The stipulations chanced during the period in which the students were on recess and as a result, we could not implement the new regulations in time,” says Frans. A recruitment drive is currently underway in the Pretoria league to address the shortcomings in the team. The course of Frans’s life changed dramatically in 1983 when a knee injury signalled the end of his athletic career. During this time a former journalist from Pretoria News introduced him to basketball and the rest is – as they say, history. In 1996 he was the first ever black basketball coach to win the national championship. During his illustrious career of 23 years, Frans won a total of 35 championships and served as the national supporting coach during the All Africa Games and the African Cup. Frans also completed a Diploma in Sport Management at the then Randse Afrikaans e Universiteit (RAU). “My goal is to see the NWU Vaal ranked as one of the top 5 basketball teams in the country. I would
also like to start a basketball academy and realise my dream of setting up a bursary fund for talented and deserving students,” says Frans.
SPORT
In the spotlight Ntobeko Manyaka Mangaliso Maduna and Johannes Masiteng
Ntobeko Manyaka is one of the few versatile players, and a loyal servant of the male football team. Affectionately known as ‘Sthunya’ in the football circles, Manyaka has been one of the consistent and stand-out performers of the male football team over the past two years. In this interview the Boipatong-born B.A Law undergraduate talks about his goals, ambitions and the life under Coach Sello Mokoena. He also opens up on how the sudden passing of the male football team manager Kamogelo Mphahlele affected the team. First and foremost thank you for making time to talk to us, let’s get down to business, how is the life under the stewardship of coach Sello Mokoena? Sello is a very good coach, more of a father figure and he is passionate about the game. He is open to everyone and can interact freely with all players. Judging from the atmosphere in the team everyone is quite happy to have
him as a coach. How would you rate the team‘s overall performance under his tutelage? Are you guys starting to understand his philosophy? We have improved a tremendously we now understand how are we supposed to play and what our coach expects from us. Our philosophy is based on playing an expansive passing game that has a mixture of both modern football and kasi style. He encourages us to express ourselves with the ball. I know this might sound a bit offish but I have to ask you this. How did the sudden passing of the team manager ‘Kamogelo Mahlako Mphahlele affect the team? The team is not the same without our manager Kamogelo, things have changed because we were always up to date in terms of administration. It doesn’t feel the same knowing that we have lost one the most important members of our family. May her soul rest in peace. Having been one of the standout performers in the previous campaign, what is your personal benchmark this year? I personally want to see the NWU Vaal football team doing great in the USSA Championships and I promise this year we will be serious title contenders, and at least producing 5 players who will represent us in the professional teams. After qualifying for the USSA Championships last year, surely you guys will be looking to emulate that, do you think a semi-final spot is within reach? Like I have said, our performance has improved tremendously and the motivation is there, so basically we are short of nothing for making the dream possible and through the help of the Almighty everything is possible. You are one of the few players who are capable of playing on multiple positions, do you think being a utility player is advantageous? My coach used to tell me that a player must be able to play different positions whenever being called to do the job, so for me it is an advantage to a versatile player and has improved me as a player. Before we let you go, what is your final message to the fans and what can we expect from the team at large? I’d like to first thank the supporters because we are nothing without them. We are going to give it our all and hopefully we will reach the knockout stages this time around. I
t’s been pleasure talking with you, all the best for the future and going forward. Likewise.
Student 24/7 - 29
SPORT
Success breeds success NWU Vaal Hockey Ettienne van Rensburg
Success breeds success and nowhere is this truer than on the hockey field on the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University (NWU Vaal). Hockey, as a priority sporting code on the Campus, grew from a single team competing in the 7th league to three teams (two women’s and one men’s team) competing in the South Gauteng league. Over the past four years the sport has seen a steady progression and all credit goes to the management team for their dedication and commitment towards the development of hockey on the Campus. Heading-up the team is Elsje de Jager (hockey and netball coordinator) together with the respective coaches: Sune van der Linde (women’s first team), Chanel Meijer (women’s second team) and Stanley Shabalala (men’s first team). Four years ago the women’s first team competed in the 8th league and since then they have been promoted to the prestigious Premier reserve league. “Although the competition is very tough at this level we are motivated to finish in the top two positions,” says De Jager and explains that this will catapult the team into the Premier league. The team’s chances of winning the B Division of the USSA 2014 championship is also looking very promising after their second place standing during the 2013 championship. The women’s second team also boasts a lot to be proud of. The team has managed to better their standing from
30 - Student 24/7
the 6th league to the 4th league in a period of just two years. As from 2014, Chanel Meijer will coach the team after JT Terblanche stepped down. To date this team is unbeaten in their league. In terms of men’s hockey great strides are taken to ensure that the sport develops in accordance with the achievements already experienced by the women’s teams. Men’s hockey was introduced three years ago and through the coaching of Stanley Shabalala the team is currently playing in the 5th league. The immediate goal – in terms of men’s’ hockey, is to introduce another team to the league. The men’s team will be participating in their first USSA championship from 29 June – 4 July.
SPORT
World Cup: Expect the Unexpected Portia Rampa
June recess won’t be the same, like ones of the past three years for soccer lovers. It is fascinating, entertaining and absorbing. Despite the political outrage and protests occurring in Brazil; so far the World Cup is looking impressive and exciting. You are watching your favourite teams, you are glued to your screen so intense that when your sister or brother passes by in front of the TV screen you would feel like biting them. During this period, fans will feel a deep emotional pain when their teams have lost. You are certainly in the coaches’ shoes, even the truest of the true fans may find that their faith is tested when things aren’t going well for their beloved team. It’s amazing how the soccer fever can play hard on your emotions and take all your attention, you don’t even focus like this in class. A call from the toilet can wait, some fans would hold on for minutes until half-time or full-time then later respond to the calling. You have forgotten about that girl or boy for a moment. You don’t blink an eye, heart pounding, shouting, yelling, standing up, cheering and even the shy “Jerry” and “Lisa” will explode in bursts when surrounded by other people engaging in the same unrestrained excitement. If your team has lost,
don’t let it ruin your day, take it easy and if you are a short tempered person, make sure that you are not around people who will mock you about your team’s loss, you don’t want to do something you’ll regret, deal with those people when you have calmed down. Although you have to be positive, the truth is games are not guaranteed to end up in a satisfying way. Suddenly, everyone is a coach, there are those irritating people who are instructing and complaining every minute of the game, It’s even annoying when this person has never been on a soccer pitch in his or her childhood and adult life. Frustration is piling up and this mate won’t shut up and behave, he’s informing you about Maradona (53), former player of Argentina and Pele (73), former Brazilian player’s attacking tactics and he wants you to look him in the eye and interact with him while you are concentrating on the game.
The experience of being a sports fan is fascinating yet challenging, however it’s important to control your temper and adrenaline levels.
Student 24/7 - 31