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Like a mullet: Business in the front, all fun at the back.
The funeral of Chinua Achebe
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South African Minister for Higher Education and Training, Dr. Blade Nzimande. Photo: Bea Uhart
lade Nzimande, minister of higher education and training, has enlisted the services of the Hawks to investigate the death of a North West University student. First-year student Thabang Makhoang drowned at the North West Universitys (NWU) Potchefstroom campus last year. The higher education and training ministers call on Wednesday follows the concerted effort by the lobby group Higher Education Transformation Network (HETN) to have Makhoangs death probed thoroughly. The HETN rejected a 2012
investigation by advocates Lourens de Koning and Vusi Pikoli that ruled out foul play. The group alleges NWU management hid some key evidence about how Makhoang died in a 4m-deep pool at Potchefstroom campus in January 2012. In a letter to Nzimande last week, HETN claimed the university has thus far successfully concealed a video footage its surveillance system captured the night Makhoangs body was found. HETN reiterated the claims in a press briefing in Pretoria on Wednesday. The organisation called on Nzimande to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the alleged
complicity of the NWU management in the concealment of information. The Hawks should investigate if such evidence exists, said Nzimande in a statement. These are still allegations but to put them to rest, there is now a need to hand over this investigation to the Hawks. The allegations contained in this new information from the HETN are quite serious and cannot be ignored. We have to get to the root of this, a young life was lost here and unless these are thoroughly investigated, this will remain a dark blot on the institution and the sector generally, said Nzi-
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he film premiered at the close of the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday and is directed by Largo Winchs Jrme Salle, co-starring Orlando Bloom as a free-wheeling
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Wits SRC (Student Representative Council) is demanding an investigation into racial profiling, violence against students, external security and a boycott of Israel. This follows a protest by student activists, in support of Palestine, against a scheduled performance of Israeli musician Yossi Reshef on 12 March. Pro-Israeli supporters, including Reshef and Wits University professor Zaidel Rudolph, retorted by calling the students barbaric, hooligans and Muslim agitators. Wits SRC wants a full investigation into the matter and also a report on what happened on 12 March. The SRC wants a university investigation into incidents of physical violence and assault against Wits University students by organisers of the pro-Israeli event, external security being used by the organisers of the event on their campus (in violation of Wits University practice and recommendation), the response by Wits University Management to student requests prior to the event as well as conduct of the Wits University Management to the actual protest and cancellation of the pro-Israeli event. It is alleged that on the day of the concert, a black Muslim student, who had a valid ticket, was denied entry into the concert venue by pro-Israeli supporters. Moreover, students who protested inside the concert venue were dragged on the ground, pushed against walls and sexually assaulted by the Israeli concert goers, their private security members as well as by one Wits University staff member, a statement by the SRC revealed. According to the statement, they continued to hurl racial and verbal insults at the student protesters such as you monkeys go back to the jungle. Tasneem Essop, Wits SRC secretary general, said, Rather than investigating the racism, violence and misconduct by the hosts of the Israeli concert at Wits, the Wits University Management has indicated that it wishes to punish the Wits students for their protest. This is regrettable as it chills Freedom of Expression. Wits University has an obligation to protect student rights to free speech, protest and others forms of expression. The Wits University also has the obligation to protect students from racist speech and violence. The SRC insists that their university should not allow the Pro-Israeli supporters to host events on their campus due to their disrespect and disregard of Wits practice and protocol.
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R100k fine
6 months
ammie shuttle drivers have been caught on two separate occassions endagering the lives of their passengers by violating safety regulations and the law. Thousands of UCT students rely on the Jammie Shuttle transport system to take them to and from various UCT campuses every day, making this transport system an integral component of the university. UCT has outsourced their transport system to Sibanye, whose role is to provide safe and efficient transport to UCT students and staff. UCTs contract with Sibanye makes provision for ensuring that the used vehicles are safe for students and that the drivers are competent []. It ensures that complaints about Jammie Shuttle drivers will be dealt with, ensured John Critien, UCT Executive Director of Properties & Services. However, Jammie drivers have still been caught violating their contracts, which raises an alarming question how safe are students and staff while travelling on Jammies? Earlier this year, second year students, Lucie Irving and Kathryn Rawson, both caught
Jammie drivers using their cell phones while driving on two separate occasions. Irving and Rawson reported the first incident to the Sibanye bus service stating that it was illegal and unprofessional and puts the students lives at risk and other drivers on the road. Irving and Rawsons complaints were heard, and they were assured that the driver would be disciplined accordingly. However, the driver denied all allegations. This resulted in a hearing where all witnesses had to be present and testify; otherwise all allegations would be dropped. Irving and Rawson agreed to this request with caution as they had personal concerns regarding their safety, fearing that the driver may retaliate to their testimony outside the hearing. The behavior of that Jammie driver was unsafe and illegal and I am only attending this hearing to make sure he does not get away with it, Irving explained. Despite their on-going queries into the matter, the date of the hearing was postponed three times. It was at this point that we realised the absolute incompetence and shocking ability of the Sibanye management to not only discipline their drivers, but
to create an atmosphere of responsibility and accountability, continued Irving. The second incident occurred on March 11th, when Irving produced photographic evidence of another driver driving whilst using their cellphone. Irving felt that it would be despicable if this case and other related cases were not handled with appropriately. Once again, Irvings complaint was met with great concern and was assured that the situation would be addressed further. The hearing took place on March 19th, just over a month after the original complaint. Throughout the process, we were further shocked by Sibanyes appalling management as it was nothing short of a laid-back disciplinary process, Irving and Rawson said. Antoine Smith, the Director of Sibanye stated, Each Sibanye employee has a contract of employment, which incorporates the UCT Code of Conduct directly into their employment contract itself. This approach regards the purpose of discipline as a means for employees to know and understand what standards are required of them. Efforts are made to correct employees behaviour through a system of graduated
disciplinary measures such as counseling and warnings. Critien confirmed this, stating, As the employer of the drivers, Sibanye is responsible for dealing with complaints about their behaviour. UCT urges staff and students to report any instances of unsafe behaviour to UCT, and we will follow it up, continued Critien. The SRCs involvement pertaining to Jammie Shuttle Services is to ensure that students are taken to their destinations safely and efficiently by holding Jammie Shuttle management accountable, said Lwazi Somya, SRC Services & Labour Coordinator. Despite the SRCs concerns, Sibanye refused any member of the SRC to sit in on the disciplinary hearing to ensure that the due process was followed. Smith continued to say that the safety of the drivers and passengers are of extreme importance to Sibanye and, as a company, they strive to maintain a standard of excellence in this regard. Despite Sibaynes concern of student safety, Irving and Rawson felt that the management of [the] hearing and of the entire Sibanye business [was] shocking, disgusting and shows utter incapability.
his dream is to get a masters degree. Im doing this to show my kids and other children from impoverished communities the importance of education and how it will lift you out of the mud and mire, Zonke said. I come from a very poor background but that doesnt mean I have to die poor and raise my kids in poverty. Ive decided to make a change to improve the quality of life for my entire family. Zonkes remarkable road started 10 years ago when he gave up his cleaning job in the
Eastern Cape and moved to the Western Cape to better his life. But things were not as rosy as he anticipated. Life was tough in Cape Town and as a matriculant the only job I could find was a cleaner here at the university. I took the job but after a few weeks was inspired by how education changed the perception and attitude of students. But when Zonke took up the decision to enrol for a public management diploma, he first had to convince his wife to sacrifice a months salary of R1800 for registration.
My wife was furious and was obviously worried about how we were going to survive with our two kids. I told her to just wait for three years and see how we would reap the benefits of the sacrifice we made. Then in 2010 when he became a permanent employee as a caretaker, Zonke received a bursary from the university to further his studies. Zonke told his wife he was waiting patiently for a better job and had sent his CV to the universitys human resources offices.
News
loods of embarrassing publicity in the run-up to Adam Habib taking up his position as the vice-chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand in June have prompted him to concede both that he will inherit an institution fractured by long-standing discontent and that demands for a more responsive management are legitimate. Media this week reported on complaints that spending R9-million to renovate the vice-chancellors official residence was unjustified when some students could not afford proper accommodation. Habib moved fast to pour perfume on this potential stink-bomb. In a high-profile press conference on Monday, he said the result of the universitys paying R9-million for repairs was that it would now own the property, worth R30-million. For the 40 years the house, called Savernake, has been the residence of the vice-chancellor, it has been owned by a family trust. But this weeks reports were only the latest in a long wave of bad news that includes allegations of sexual harassment of students by staff, a lengthy and still unresolved staff strike and bitter complaints of apartheid-type
treatment of outsourced workers (see Rifts and reparations). It is true that ... theres been some significant tension between academics and management, Habib told the Mail & Guardian this week. That has created a desire that there be some change in management and that management become more responsive to the needs of staff, whether they are academic or support workers. Far from being disconcerted by this weeks poor publicity, Habib appeared to welcome it: I will not conduct witchhunts about who disseminates what information, he said. This is a public institution. We have to be transparent and open. Pressed on whether such bad press might actually suit any incoming vice-chancellors agenda for radical change, Habib replied: Im happy to be held accountable by council and all the stakeholders. Certainly, in talking about the need
to his tenure. Relations between incoming management and unions have started on a progressive note, said David Dickinson, the president of the Academic Staff Association of Wits University. We think the change of leadership is positive, he said. Were hopeful well reach an agreement on competitive salaries. We already have an [informal] agreement with Habib and Tawana Kupe [the new deputy vice-chancellor responsible for finance] to benchmark salaries [to those of other universities]. The magnitude of the challenge Habib faces and the size of the step forward that Dickinson signals is indicated by the fact that, for the first time in Witss 101-year history, all unions representing constituencies from academic to support staff united in striking. These tensions will not disappear overnight, Habib said. The institution is divided, yes. But you have to give us some time to
fix that. I want to break the cycle of union-management tension that has existed for the past year. On allegations of sexual harassment by staff, Daryl Glaser, the head of the political studies department where some of the allegations are focused welcomed the universitys appointment of attorneys Bowman Gilfillan to investigate. He and fellow academics initially felt we were left in limbo when allegations were levelled against a member of the department and the universitys management advised extreme legal caution in investigating them. There was accumulating frustration [regarding the case], he said. But were happy the university is now taking bold steps. Tokelo Julius Nhlapo, the outspoken deputy president of the student representative council, blamed fractures in the university squarely on the outgoing management. Everyone is unhappy with management, from the gardener to the professor, he said. We hope Habib will be more transparent and wont sit on the 11th floor [of Senate House, where the vice-chancellors office is located] and drink whisky.
Ahmed Areff South Africa needs to produce more academics to match the path set out by intellectuals such as Bernard Magubane, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said on Wednesday. One of the unintended consequences (of bringing democracy to South Africa) is that we took out all of the academics in 1994, he said at
South African Minister for Higher Education and Training, Dr. Blade Nzimande. Photo: Sthembiso Sithole
He falls into that category of individual that the HCDU wishes to dissociate itself from
Jamie Mighti, banned President of the Wits Debating Union. Source: Facebook.com
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A mans life from birth to death was a series of transition rites which brought him nearer and nearer to his ancestors.
~ Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart Monica Mark fore capitulating to the three hour-long service in the white-washed St Philips Anglican church in Achebes hometown of Ogidi. The writer was no stranger to such irony. His first manuscript was nearly lost to history when publishers in London thought the handwritten pages from Africa were a joke. Fifty years later, Things Fall Apart, an anti-colonialist anthem with a title borrowed from a Yeates poem, is still the biggest-selling novel from Africa of all time. It tells the story of his Igbo tribes disastrous first experience of European colonialism. Despite his success, Achebe turned down all offers to teach creative writing courses, saying: I dont know how its done. In 2004, he declined a national award. He refused again a second time, in 2011, saying: The reasons for rejecting the offer when it was first made have not been addressed, let alone solved. But this time the author was in no position to resist the state honours being conferred on him. President Jonathan reminded funeral attendees of the authors criticisms of politicians and corruption. After the singing, the long speeches and prayers, this was a moment about which many had been holding their breath. For those of you that read The Trouble with Nigeria, Achebe told us that there is nothing wrong with Nigeria. The problem is the political leadership, he said, waving a copy of the novel. A toe-curling pause followed and Achebes family looked on with unreadable expressions. Jonathan went on to read a passage that highlighted the political corruption and manipulation that had afflicted the African oil giant since independence. That was in Chinuas last book, the former professor said. All of us must work hard to change this country. The audience applauded cautiously. Ghanas president, John Mahama, seated beside Jonathan, waved as his own name was read out among a long list of political dignitaries. During a recent discussion about Achebe, a political contemporary asked me if I felt as though I had somehow become part of the system that we so bitterly decried in our youth, Mahama wrote in a recent tribute. No, I replied without hesitation. I entered politics because I wanted to be a part of changing that system. Whether people across Africa agree or whether, once again, Achebe may have slyly exposed a ruling elite is a question for history. Still, only the most hardened cynic could fail to have been moved by some of the celebrations of Achebes life. For days, young people have marched in the sweltering heat with banners commemorating the author. As they sang lilting hymns at the funeral, some of the redgowned choir members put their arms around each other. Three women held photos of a smiling Achebe as they sang an operatic re-enactment of traditional theatre. At one point, one knelt in front of the gleaming coffin topped with white roses. Behind all the gloss, what was left for many was a simple celebration of a deeply admired man. I have never seen so many people, even white people, dancing to our [Igbo] music. I cannot tell the number of people, but they are more than 10 villages put together, said 52-year-old farmer Ike Dimelu. The world is in our village today because of Chinua Achebe. I may never see a lot of people like this in one place again. Ive danced and I still want to dance, he said over the noise of drumming and honking cars. Like hundreds of others, he wore one of the blue prints emblazoned with a serene-looking Achebe, red cap atop his head, bearing the message: The literary icon lives on.
he red carpet was rolled out, the dignitaries arrived in a whirlwind of helicopters and armed guards, and the obituaries poured in as Nigeria buried the revered writer Chinua Achebe on Thursday. There were dancing troupes, a choir, redbow-tied trumpeters, keyboard players and people darting around filming on their tablets. At one point, keen not to miss any opportunity, the grieving audience was counselled to buy a documentary on the celebrated author, whose terse prose did perhaps more than any other writers to project African realities into the minds of westerners. It was exactly the sort of pomp the literary titan hated, and often ripped apart with the witty, acerbic tip of his pen. Achebe died on 21 March, aged 82. If he avoided a state funeral, it wasnt for lack of trying from the government. Despite rebuffing national honours twice over his distrust at an oilfed elite who left the country a bankrupt and lawless fiefdom, the administration of Goodluck Jonathan tried to hold a state funeral, be-
News Features
Men and women of all ages, working in the open cast Marange diamond field, one of the largest in the world. Photo: Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi
New study tries & fails to show marijuana use is linked to crime
Justin Peters - Opinion On Thursday, Gil Kerlikowske, the director of the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, announced the results of a study thatat least according to himdemonstrated a link between marijuana use and crime. The study analyzed data collected via the Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring program (ADAM II), which took urine samples from arrestees in five cities over a 21-day period last year. Marijuana remained the drug most often detected in ADAM II arrestees in all five sites in 2012, ranging from 37 percent of ADAM II arrestees testing positive in Atlanta to 58 percent testing positive in Chicago, the study reported. In three of the five sites, over half of the adult male arrestees tested positive for marijuana. Kerlikowske, who opposes marijuana legalization, said in a speech Thursday that the study showed that America needs to acknowledge and come to grips with the link between crime and substance use. But correlation is not causation. Just because a high percentage of arrestees tested positive for marijuana does not mean that smoking marijuana made them commit crimes. Here are other things that over half of the adult male arrestees probably had in common: pants, food in their stomachs, a mother who loves them, an impoverished background, an affinity for one or more of the local sports teams. As Steve Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project told a McClatchy reporter, We could release a study tomorrow showing that 98 percent of arrestees in the United States drank water in the 48 hours before they engaged in criminal behavior. Does that mean that water causes crime? Now, Kerlikowske only said that drug use and crime were linked, not that drug use causes crime. But still, the implications are obvious. Kerlikowske is not a stupid man, and hes not actually a terrible drug czar. He has argued that drug abuse needs to be treated as a public health issue, not just a matter of criminal justice, and I couldnt agree more. In his speech, Kerlikowske mentioned the need to move the drug policy reform debate beyond bumper stickers. One good way to do that is to move beyond studies that dont necessarily say anything at all.
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The outcome of this independent investigation and the subsequent report was given to the deputy director general at the department of higher education and training, who acknowledged the receipt thereof, Eloff said in a statement. The university also published the findings of the investigation on its website, which is open for public viewing and is still available. Eloff said NWU is not aware of any new, concrete evidence or information related to Makhoangs death. If there is, the university will greatly appreciate it if such information is made available to us. HETN said Makhoangs death was never investigated properly. Police investigations have not yielded anything a year later, Lucky Thekisho, HETNs president, said at Wednesdays press briefing. All were saying is there should be an investigation into this matter. We will not rest until justice is done. A lot of evidence was concealed, said Thekisho. We commend Nzimande for heeding to our letter. The organisation also wrote to the presidency, public protector Thuli Madonsela, the South African Human Rights Commission and the Independent Police Investigations Directorate over the matter.
We could release a study tomorrow showing that 98 percent of arrestees in the US drank water i n the 48 hours before they engaged in criminal behavior. Does that mean that water causes crime?
During the lecture, its best to put the handouts to one side and make your notes without them. Maps and graphs can be made more useful with a few annotations, but make these crystal clear for future reference. Once youre outside a lecture theatre, notes have a tendency to lose all meaning, so make yours detailed and explicit at the first opportunity. Shorthand is one way of ensuring speedy note-taking. Charlotte, a history student at the University of Leicester, recommends coming up with your own system for abbreviating and shortening key words and ideas. For example, civil rights movement becomes CRM; politburo becomes PB; between becomes btwn.
Symbols are also useful: arrows, for example can be used to indicate concluding points. Type up your shorthand notes as quickly as possible. As Charolotte says: The longer you leave it, the less sense your markings will make. If youre making notes from a source for an assignment, include page numbers and basic bibliographical information. You will never regret it, says Amy, a literature student at UEA. Likewise, use colours or a different font to distinguish between your ideas and the authors or lecturers. This helps avoid accidental plagiarism. Once youve put time and effort into producing a good set of notes, be
sure to back-up your hard work. This can be as simple as emailing your notes to yourself, or using a free tool like Google Drive or Evernote. Both let you edit uploaded documents and you can access what youve saved onthe-go. Having a copy of your notes also means they are easier to share, and digital copies make this easier still. Google Drive is again useful, but if youre sharing notes with a revision group, something more natural, like Facebook, may be a better option. A note-taking routine that suits your style takes a while to establish, but given that youll probably be taking notes daily, its worth getting into good habits from the start.
Claire Shaw
ot many students would admit to enjoying taking exams or writing essays, but if you want to get a degree, theyre an ordeal you have to survive. So weve worked out how to make the whole thing a little less stressful. Weve persuaded four academics from a range of subject areas to tell us the top 10 things students get wrong in exams and coursework. This is what theyve told us:
Take the first five to 10 minutes to read through the paper and plan the questions youre going to answer in order of how confident you feel in that subject area, says Bhavik Patel, lecturer in physical and analytical chemistry at University of Brighton. Make sure you secure the marks on the questions that you find easiest to answer first, before attempting questions that are more difficult. The latter often make you lose confidence and time during exam conditions.
ment and critical thought. To fulfil these criteria, you must favour analysis.
Getting characters names or other basic factual details wrong just smacks of not caring. If you dont care enough to do this correctly when youre paying to be at university, what will an employer think when he or she is paying you?
Carelessness
When revising, students often rehearse answers in their head. says Roy Jackson, course leader in religion, philosophy and ethics at the University of Gloucestershire. Although we dont deliberately intend to catch them out in exams, we do set questions that requires them to think and reflect under timed conditions. But instead students will often pick up key words in the question and write out a rehearsed response. This can be avoided by taking some time to reflect upon the question, rather than seeing that as wasted time and rushing to fill the pages.
Universities have a standard academic English in which you should write. The best way to become proficient at this is to read a great number of academic journal articles and books and mirror the register, language and tone (but not the content: never plagiarise!). It can also help to write a small amount every day as a form of practice.
In English we are looking for excitement and originality of thought backed up by evidence and we dont want you to take our formulations as gospel truth, says Martin Eve, lecturer in English literature at the University of Lincoln. Challenge and think for yourself.
Sometimes a task can feel so overwhelming that its difficult to begin, says Amber Regis, lecturer in 19th century literature at the University of Sheffield. Procrastination takes over and you just cant seem to get anything done. The bare white page is a formidable foe when it stares back at you, untouched, from the library desk. Try not to panic, protect and manage your preparation time, and dont put off getting started.
In both exam responses and coursework, students are often more concerned with quantity rather than quality. The best essays are those that demonstrate evidence of personal reflection and are not just trying to achieve a word limit.
Poor planning
It can be tempting to parrot everything you know when writing essays and exam answers. But to demonstrate your understanding you should engage critically with your source material. Always assume an informed reader they do not need a plot summary or biographies of key figures. Read through the marking scheme used by your department. You will notice some very telling words and phrases attached to the highest marks, for example: originality of interpretation, astute engage-
Lack of anlysis
During revision time, students are too selective in what they choose to read, selecting one or two books and remembering as much from those as possible. What comes across in a good essay is confidence, and this can only be achieved by demonstrating plenty of reading on a subject, so that you can be prepared for any question that you come across. This also requires giving yourself plenty of time to read, and not leaving it until a few days before an exam or assignment.
Insufficient reading
Always make sure your statements are specific and show self-awareness. Do say: There is no one single representation of working-class life in post50s British fiction. Dont ever go for something like: Novels that feature the working class show us that these people...
Over-generalisation
Real Life
T h e Milwaukee School of Engineering reports that because women have more body fat and less dehydrogenase (the enzyme that metabolises alcohol) than men, alcohol flows through the bloodstream in large quantities and remains in the blood longer. Thus, women experience worse effects than men which increases their risk for alcohol poisoning and organ damage because their bodies metabolise alcohol much faster. According to Palme, young women aspire to be sexually attractive. He says that drunkorexic behaviour is a dangerous and unhealthy way to be slim and fit as excessive dieting and alcohol abuse can result in brain damage, Korsakoffs psychosis (a neurological disorder caused by a lack of vitamin B1) and loss of memory. When Perdeby spoke to nurses Winnie Sekhukhune and Nonky Letsae from Student Health Services, they said that although drunkorexia is still in its baby years, it is a rising problem among students. Sekhukhune and Letsae mentioned that they had two reported cases of drunkorexia in March this year, where students collapsed on campus and confessed to have engaged in drunkorexic behaviour. According to the nurses, when they asked one of the students why she indulges in this behaviour, she didnt give a reason but admitted that she has been doing it since high school. Sekhukhune and Letsae say that drunkorexia affects a students concentration and causes fatigue. Why arent people informed about drunkorexia if some of the earliest drun-
Drunkorexia
Despite its glamorous appeal (for those of you who aim to be model thin), drunkorexia is not a healthy way to have a good time, even if it saves you some cash. Drunkorexia, as defined by Prof. Jacob Palme of Stockholm University, is the combination of not eating almost any food during the day (anorexia nervosa) with drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages during night-time partying (alcohol abuse). However, Kobus du Plooy, a clinical psychologist at UP Student Support, says that drunkorexia is only a social term and not an official clinical diagnosis. Although it is a new term and not a medical diagnosis yet, it has a connection with alcoholism and eating disorders. [The] trend to be skinny and the fact that drug and alcohol use are socially acceptable are part of the problem, says Dr Douglas Bunnell, the director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center in Philadelphia. Anorexia and drunkorexia are not exactly the same thing. Drunkorexics starve themselves to compensate for the calorie intake found in alcoholic beverages whereas anorexics would avoid drinking alcohol because of its high calorie content. Du Plooy says that drunkorexics use calorie counting to work out how many calories foods and alcoholic drinks contain. They then use this information to steer away from certain foods with a high amount of calories in order to drink alcohol without picking up weight. According to the Huffington Post, of 1 000 students surveyed by the University of Missouri about drunkorexia, the three most common reasons for engaging in this behaviour include saving money, controlling [...] weight and getting drunk faster. It was also found that mostly young women at university engage in drunkorexia and that the majority of men that do engage in this behaviour, do so not to control their weight but to save the money they would have spent on food for alcohol instead. Du Plooy argues that students in general may be most at risk when it comes to drunkorexia, as they typically wish to maintain a slim thin figure while also wishing to engage in binge drinking. Furthermore, he says that because this kind of behaviour is often seen as part of university culture, it makes all students, including those at Tuks, susceptible to drunkorexia. korexic behaviours have been reported by publications such as The New York Times in 2008 already? Palme says that for years this type of behaviour has been observed in the clinical field (outside of university). However, more research must be done before it can be classified as a medical disorder. Sekhukhune and Letsae agree that drunkorexia is on the increase around the world and that people should learn more about it. They believe it is important for high school learners and university students to be educated on this matter. Pressure from society to be skinny seems to be a trend that isnt going to disappear anytime soon. With this new phenomenon is affecting our youth, we must pay more attention to this problem so that we can find a solution sooner rather than later.
Photo: Reinhard Nell
Business
gible. And it is impossible to know how a targeted group would have got on without this special treatment. Malays are three times richer in Singapore, where they do not get preferences, than in next-door Malaysia, where they do. At the same time, the downside of affirmative action has become all too apparent. Awarding university places to black students with lower test scores than whites sounds reasonable, given the legacy of segregation. But a study found that at some American universities, black applicants who scored 450 points (out of 1,600) worse than Asians on entrance tests were equally likely to win a place. That is neither fair on Asians, nor an incentive to blacks to study in high school. In their book Mismatch, Richard Sander and Stuart Taylor produce evidence that suggests affirmative action reduces the number of blacks who qualify as lawyers by placing black students in law schools for which they are ill-prepared, causing many to drop out. Had they attended less demanding schools, they might have graduated. Although the groups covered by affirmative action tend to be poorer than their neighbours, the individuals who benefit are often not. One American federal-contracting programme favours businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged people. Such people can be 87 times richer than the average American family and still be deemed disadvantaged if their skin is the right colour. One beneficiary of South Africas programme of Black Economic Empowerment is worth an estimated $675m; he is also the deputy president of the ruling party. Letting members of certain groups charge more and still win public contracts is nice for the few who own construc-
tion firms; less so for the many who rely on public services. The same goes for civil-service quotas. When jobs are dished out for reasons other than competence, the state grows less competent, as anyone who has wrestled with Indian or Nigerian officialdom can attest. Moreover, rules favouring businesses owned by members of particular groups are easy to game. Malaysians talk of Ali-Baba firms, where Ali (an ethnic Malay) lends his name, for a fee, to Baba (a Chinese businessman) to win a government contract. Although these policies tend to start with the intention of favouring narrow groups, they spread as others clamour to be included. That American federal programme began by awarding no-bid contracts to firms owned by blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans; now it covers people with ancestry from at least 33 countries. In India 60% of the population are eligible for privileges as members of scheduled castes, tribes or other
backward classes. Such policies poison democracy by encouraging divisions along lines drawn by discriminatory rules. The anger thus stoked has helped stir bloody conflicts in India, Rwanda and Sri Lanka. And such rules, once in place, are almost impossible to get rid of. In 1949 Indias constitution said quotas should be phased out in ten years, but they are now more widespread than ever. Americas policies have survived decades of legal pushback, though not unscathed. The content of their character The University of Texas (UT) justifies discriminating in favour of black people not on the ground that society owes it to them, but because, it claims, a diverse university offers a better education to all its students. That is a reasonable argument some companies benefit from understanding a variety of customers, for instance, and the police probably keep order better if enough of them share
a culture with the neighbourhood they patrol but it does not wash for most institutions. In UTs case, although colleges benefit from a diversity of ideas, to use skin colour as a proxy for this implies that all black people and all Chinese people view the world in a similar way. That suggests a bleak view of the human imagination. Universities that want to improve their selection procedures by identifying talented people (of any colour or creed) from disadvantaged backgrounds should be encouraged. But selection on the basis of race is neither a fair nor an efficient way of doing so. Affirmative action replaced old injustices with new ones: it divides society rather than unites it. Governments should tackle disadvantage directly, without reference to race. If a school is bad, fix it. If there are barriers to opportunity, remove them. And if Barack Obamas daughters apply to a university, judge them on their academic prowess, not the colour of their skin.
Sam Gustin
or Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, the number appears to be $1.1 billion. Thats how much cash Yahoo plans to pay for New Yorkbased social-blogging platform Tumblr, according to multiple reports. Yahoos board approved the transaction on Sunday, and an announcement is expected on Monday, according to AllThingsD. Although $1.1 billion seems like a massive amount to pay for a company that generated only $13 million in revenue last year, its not hard to see Mayers logic: Tumblr has become a cultural phenomenon with over 100 million intensely loyal users reading and posting on over 100 million blogs each month. That said, the deal carries risks for both companies. Tumblr is extremely popular with the highly coveted 18-to-24year-old demographic. The question is whether Tumblr can burnish Yahoos image with younger users, some of whom werent even born when Jerry Yang and David Filo founded the company in 1994. For many users, Tumblrs independence and casual approach to generating revenue have been part of what made the site popular. For years, Tumblr founder David Karp resisted plastering ads on the site. But Yahoo, a public company, will face pressure to monetize Tumblr, and if Mayer acts too aggressively, she could alienate the sites users, who feel a deep sense of community and ownership in the network. Already, many Tumblr users are less than thrilled about the Yahoo deal: when TIME wrote about the impending offer on Friday, hundreds of Tumblr users took to the comments section to voice their objections. In short, for many users, the question is not whether Tumblr will make Yahoo cool, but whether Yahoo will suck the coolness out of
Since assuming command of Yahoo in July, Mayer has made clear that she wants to incorporate Yahoos products like Yahoo Mail, Flickr and its popular home page into the daily habits of its users. In order to achieve that goal, Mayer is trying to refocus Yahoo on the user experience, which was her specialty at Google, where she played a major role in developing Googles famously minimalist searchbox layout, and would eventually spearhead Googles most successful products, including Gmail, Google News and Google Maps. Tumblrs focus on design clearly dovetails with Mayers aesthetic sensibility. Yahoos $1.1 billion deal to buy Tumblr is Mayers largest acquisition to date, and represents something of a high-stakes gamble, because the purchase price constitutes over one-quarter of the cash and short-term investments on Yahoos balance sheet. Its hard to imagine Yahoo undertaking another billion-dollar acquisition anytime soon, and it will likely be years before it will be possible to assess whether the deal is successful. Mayers challenge now is to begin leveraging Tumblrs massive user base to boost Yahoos bottom line. But she needs to act carefully. Internet users are fickle, and teenagers doubly so. If Tumblrs loyal users feel Yahoo is messing with their beloved community, the site could face an exodus. And that definitely wouldnt be cool.
Business
Continued from 1
modern university to drift perilously close to emulating the business corporation. HiEdBizUK, as he dubs it in a dedicated chapter, has many forms of surveillance, notwithstanding the claim of its human resource experts that good performance should always be rewarded. A close reading of policy documents reveals that human resources departments are more interested in protecting the university budget than in preserving forms of deep scholarship. On all this, Collini is clear: Mod-
to (what far too many lovingly call) applied knowledge. Instead, his purpose and his technique are critique. This, he believes, is not only in and of itself an authoritative form of knowledge, but it serves a practical purpose by allowing a consideration of more adequate principles of behaviour and organisation. Missing the contradictions This kind of thinking will unsettle South African debates on higher education in which, sadly, most (if not all)
conversations believe that the only thing that matters in higher education is policy-speak, which quickly returns to the diktat of the market. The result is that an abundance of deep-seated contradictions in the South African higher education policy framework to deliberately choose the way in which invariably the conversation is teed up is simply passed over. Although critique can, and does, point to many practical problems, its purpose is to persuade by allowing, in Collinis words, more adequate principles to infiltrate public debate and engage society. So, following this thread, critique can set a research agenda for real higher education reform, both in South Africa and elsewhere a reform that is not dominated by a single, arbitrary notion such as the market. If we are truthful, our solutions, like his, will be that all academic work must begin with the assumption that there can only be interim reports. This is because we live in an underexplored world; all knowledge is tentative, which is why the market that commands so much space in the lives of universities and society can only and always only be a provisional answer to the question. The idea of the market has taken on an ideological patina like apartheid once did. Breaking this will not be easy, as Collini recognises. But his plea that universities need advocates is surely a call to arms for all university people. Our defence can no longer be that our work supports the economy, because this argument only plays into the discourse that has brought universities to this sorry point. Like Collini we need instead to ask some first-order questions in very public places.
Quickie: Advertising
% share of worldwide ad spending in 2012. The electric fish-bowl takes the most cash.
Outer ring: World Inner ring: South Africa
companies pay less in taxes to foreign governments. That includes Americans who are invested in Apple through their mutual and pension funds. And it includes Apples U.S. workers who benefit when the company is able to sell more iPhones and iPads overseas. Roughly 50,000 of Apples 75,000 employees are in the U.S. Its also amazing to behold Democrats who routinely claim that high tax rates dont matter to business behavior denouncing a business for engaging in behavior to avoid paying higher tax rates. Which brings us to the real scandal that Mr. Levin has exposed: the folly of Americas corporate tax code. The genuin utrage is that Apples profits in the U.S. are subject to ombined state and federal statutory tax rate of 39.1% that is the developed worlds highest. Corporate taxation is so heavy in the U.S. relative to other countries that even while enjoying its near-zero rate in Ireland, Apple ends up with roughly the same overall effective tax rate, 14%, as South Koreas Samsung, its main global competitor. Yet Samsung still enjoys a tax advantage, because it has more flexibility to allocate those profits to the most promising investments anywhere in the world. Like other U.S. companies, Apple pays an extreme tax penalty for bringing its foreign profits home to invest in the U.S. This is due both to the punitive U.S. tax rate and the fact that the U.S. is virtually alone in refusing to embrace a territorial tax system that applies corporate income taxes only in the jurisdiction where the money is earned. So its no surprise that Apple keeps $102 billion of its roughly $150 billion cash pile overseas. The repatriation tax penalty is so absurd that Apple chose in April to borrow $17 billion to pay a prospective dividend to shareholders rather than pay out of its overseas cash hoard. All of which argues for a corporate tax reform that would at the very least cut the combined U.S. statefederal rate to the mid-20s to be comparable with many of our trading partners. Wed suggest something closer to the Irish model ideally zero but 12.5% also works to turbo-charge growth and coincidentally generate lots of new revenue for Mr. Levins beloved IRS. Speaking of which, Mr. Levin is one of those Senators who wrote the IRS demanding that it inspect the tax-exempt status of Americans for Tax Reform, the Club for Growth and other groups that are his ideological opponents. Why does the IRS allow 501(c)(4) organizations to self declare? he roared in July 2012. The IRS seems to have followed his orders, so no wonder he is trying to change the subject.
World Television Print Radio Outdoor Internet Cinema 62.8% 27.5% 5.2% 2.3% 1.9% 0.3%
Automotive
Telecoms Media
7.5 11.2
5.7
8.0
9.9
25.1
Enterntainment Financial
10
Motoring
Fiat 500
Legends: Reincarnated
Fiat 500
1957
VW Beetle
2007
VW Beetle
1958
Mini Cooper
2012
Mini Cooper
1959
2007
Aaron Bragman
he last big auto show of the global season is upon us, and it is shaping up to be perhaps the biggest. Mercedes-Benz which wants to sell more cars in China like every other global automaker chose the Auto Shanghai 2013 motor show to unveil a new concept: the Concept GLA compact crossover. Not just a show car, it is built off of the same platform as Mercedes-Benzs A and B-Class vehicles that which we will see in the U.S. as the 2014 CLA sedan and B-Class Electric Drive, so it has a good chance of making it into production in some form. It uses a 2.0-liter, 208-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a seven-speed automatic transmission and M-Bs 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. So mechanically, the Concept GLA is certainly feasible, and given the Chinese markets thirst for small premium compact crossovers, it makes sense. Styling is more concept-car fantasy than the mechanicals, though its exterior could easily be translated into a production vehicle, once the GLA loses things like laser-beam headlights and 20-inch wheels. The company says that not only do the lasers help shine more light on the road, but they can also operate as projectors, displaying any visual media played through the cars entertainment system. While it may be fun to bring your own drive-in movie wherever you go, M-B says that it also could be used as a kind of nextgeneration head-up display, projecting things like navigation arrows on the road to help the driver and surrounding pedestrians know where the car is going. Inside, a layered approach to the dash is attractive, featuring interesting white, but if they get any warmer or colder, they glow painted plexiglass control buttons. Mercedes-Benz is red and blue, respectively. going for the image of an expensive saddle with color Tone down the concept-car fun, and what you see and leather choices; theres 65 feet of hand-stitched here could easily be a new GLA-Class small urban cowhide in the four-passenger interior. Another crossover to complement Mercedes-Benzs push into out-there show car features: The air vent surrounds entry-luxury market segments. are temperature sensitive at 71 degrees they glow
GLA:
Simply Vicious
Mercedes Benz GLA unveiled at the Shanhai 2013 motor show. Clockwise around centre: Stationary front view; stationary rear view; headlight detail; taillight detail; interior detail; rear view. Centre: Side motion view. Source: Daimler AG
Technology
Technology Agency (Sita), which hosts the SAPS website. Auditor Gen. Terence Nombembe, who has been warning national and provincial departments about poor IT security, said that until recently government did not have a framework to deal with vulnerabilities in its IT systems. Thats where the loophole is at the moment. Its basically rolling out the initiatives to those recommendations we made to departments. But vulnerability [to hackers] is still there because not all the departments have been able to respond with speed to this level of vulnerability, he said. Crime Intelligence cybercrime experts have been tasked with tracking. Sita executive for ICT service delivery Mmakgosi Mosupi said the agency was now reviewing security mechanisms on all the government websites it hosted. The process involves doing penetration tests and vulnerability scans to close any loopholes. Sita has joined forces with other government institutions to mitigate against hacks and we are continuously monitoring websites for any abnormal activities, she said. Recent cyber attacks on stateowned web properties include last Januarys cyberheist of R42m from Postbank and an attack on the Sanral e-tolls website. Craig Rosewarne, chairperson of the Information Security Group Africa, said his group had repeatedly warned government decision makers of the importance of data security. Unfortunately, were just going to have to wait for more incidents to take place and more public pressure around these issues before we see the urgency needed.
11
ohannesburg - The states IT agency has brought in its own hackers to protect government websites from international cyber attacks after the website of the SA Police Service (SAPS) was cracked two weeks ago. In possibly the biggest cyber attack against government, the names, numbers and addresses of thousands of crime whistle-blowers were published on the internet. In the same week, following a tip-off, City Press alerted the City of Johannesburg to a serious security hole in a key online database, which exposed thousands of ratepayers personal and account information to prying eyes. Network-security experts warn that South African government sites and servers are ripe targets for cyber attacks, with the exploit against the police by a hacker named DomainerAnon simply a taste of what could come. DomainerAnon - who said the hack was to avenge the 34 miners shot at Marikana - released 16 000 crime whistle-blowers details online. The details were extracted from the police website, where crime tipoffs and other information is submitted to the police. The hacker also publicly released a further 800 login and contact details of police officials, including cellphone numbers. Police spokesperson Brigadier Phuti Setati insisted that no confidential or case information was r eleased and said the security hole had been plugged by the State Information
azzled by the potential of free online college classes, educators are now turning to the gritty task of harnessing online materials to meet the toughest challenges in American higher education: giving more students access to college, and helping them graduate on time. Nearly half of all undergraduates in the United States arrive on campus needing remedial work before they can begin regular credit-bearing classes. That early detour can be costly, leading many to drop out, often in heavy debt and with diminished prospects of finding a job. In California alone, higher education cuts have left hundreds of thousands of college students without access to classes they need. To address both problems and keep students on track to graduation, universities are beginning to experiment with adding the new massive open online courses, created to deliver elite college instruction to anyone with an Internet connection, to their offerings. Although millions of studends around the world enrole, most never attempt a single assignment and very few actually complete the courses. To combat this, universities have turned to adding extra support to the online materials in hopes of improving suc-
cess rates. Were in Silicon Valley, we breathe that entrepreneurial air, so it makes sense that we are the first university to try this, said Mohammad Qayoumi, the universitys president. In academia, people are scared to fail, but we know that innovation always comes with the possibility of failure. And if it doesnt work the first time, well figure out what went wrong and do better. San Jose State has already achieved remarkable results with online materials from edX, a non-profit online provider, in its circuits course, a longstanding hurdle for would-be engineers. Usually, two of every five students earn a grade below C and must retake the course or change career plans. So last spring, Ellen Junn, the provost, visited Anant Agarwal, an M.I.T. professor who taught a free online version of the circuits class, to ask whether San Jose State could become a living lab for his course, the first offering from edX, an online collaboration of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The results were striking: 91 percent of those in the blended section passed, compared with 59 percent in the traditional class.
Were engineers, and we check our results, but if this semester is similar, we will not have the traditional version next year, said Khosrow Ghadiri, who teaches the blended class. It would be educational malpractice. It is hard to say, though, how much the improved results come from the edX online materials, and how much from the shift to classroom sessions focusing on small group projects, rather than lectures. Until now, there has been little data on how well the massive online courses work, and for which kinds of students. Blended courses provide valuable research data because outcomes can easily be compared with those from a traditional class. The results in the San Jose circuits course are probably the most interesting data point in the whole MOOC movement, Mr. Jarrett said. Dr. Junn said, We want to bring all the hyperbole around MOOCs down to reality, and really see at a granular level thats never before been available, how well they work for underserved students. On Wednesday, San Jose State announced that next fall, it will pay a licensing fee to offer three to five
more blended edX courses, probably including Harvards Ancient Greek Heroes and BerkeleysArtificial Intelligence. And over the summer, it will train 11 other California State campuses to use the blended M.I.T. circuits course. Traditional teaching will be disappearing in five to seven years, Dr Qayoumi predicts, as more professors come to realize that lectures are not the best route to student engagement, and cash-strapped universities continue to seek cheaper instruction. The online mentors work in shifts at Udacitys offices in nearby Mountain View, Calif., waiting at their laptops for the bing that signals a question, and answering immediately. We get to hear the aha moments, and these all-caps messages THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, said Rachel Meltzer, a former clinical research manager at Stanford and mentor who is starting medical school next fall. The mentors answer about 30 questions a day, like how to type the infinity symbol or add unlike fractions or, occasionally, whether Ms. Meltzer is interested in a date. The questions appear in a chat box on-screen, but tutoring can move to a whiteboard, or even a live conversation. When many students share confusion, mentors provide feedback to the instructors.
What attracted us to Udacity was the pedagogy, that they break things into very small segments, then ask students to figure things out, before youve told them the answer, said Dr. Rogers, who spends an hour a day reading comments on the forum for the worldwide version of the class. Were approaching this as an empirical question, Dr. Rogers said. If the results are good, then well scale it up, which would be very good, given how much unmet demand we have at California public colleges. Any wholesale online expansion raises the specter of professors being laid off, turned into glorified teaching assistants or relegated to second-tier status, with only academic stars giving the lectures. Indeed, the faculty unions at all three California higher education systems oppose the legislation requiring credit for MOOCs for students shut out of on-campus classes. The state, they say, should restore state financing for public universities, rather than turning to unaccredited private vendors. Im involved in this not to destroy brick-and-mortar universities, but to increase access for more students, Dr. Rogers said. If short videos and embedded quizzes with instant feedback can improve student outcomes, why should professors go on writing and delivering their own lectures?
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Thinkification
Water W
Simply put, a water footprint is the total amount of water stand the implications of thess insights, youll never look at products the same way again. Heres an example: used in the production of something. Provided you under- uses 35 litres in the production process. How did we get that figure? Well,
35 litres =
Packaging 7 litres Ingredients 28 litres
But thats not the end of the story. The clever people at Pegasys Strategy and Development say that there are three types of water: Blue, Green and Grey. Blue water is garden variety H2O from a surface or ground sources, Green water is rainwater and Grey water represents the volume of freshwater that is required to dilute or assimilate he load of pollutants Combined they make up the total water foot-print.
Packaging
13% 4% 13%
Ingredients
20% 28% 34%
Total
23%
52%
43%
13
World
Coffee 142.8l
Lid 2.4l
Milk 49.5l
Total litres of water used in production of one 800ml cup of take-away coffee:
208
1 litre Wine:
155 litres
1 Microchip:
1 litre Beer:
16k litres
960 litres
1 kg Beef:
14
Sport
ecember 22nd saw man made dust devils spin wildly across the parched plains of the Kimana Wildlife sanctuary as scores of traditional Maasai Moranis, (warriors) gathered to take part in the first Maasai Olympics. Men from four dispersed villages, namely Kuku, Mbirikani, Olgulului and Rombo congregated at the foot of the majestic Mt. Kilimajaro in high anticipation. Sponsored and well represented by ATE (Amboseli Trust for Elephants), Big Life Foundation, Chester Zoo and MWCT (Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust) this event was the first of its kind in attempt to protect the nations endangered wildlife. Clad in their traditional and time-honoured attire, the sons of the menye-laiok sought a reprieve from the blistering African sun amongst the shadows of the leafy acacia. Each Moran was expected to compete in all of the five set events in attempt to make evident and prove his warrior potential. By similar token to the world renowned Olympics, this occasion would consist both of track and field events. The 800m and 1500m run,
rungu and spear throwing (similar to the recognised discus and javelin events respectively) and of course, the high jump. Smeared across each face was the distinctive red ochre war paint, although smudged in places through the occasional rolling bead of sweat, each Moran stood proud and ready. Through the persistently oppressive winds, a notably harmonious jingle was still apparent, and floated effortlessly from the radiant regalia that hung from every limb. As individuals readied themselves for each event, distinguished hums and the characteristic ululating shrieks pierced the air adding to the already exhilarating atmosphere. Under the watchful eye of Kenyas recent gold medallist Olympian, David Rudisha, Jacob Parmuyu through gritted teeth, sweat and tears secured first place position in the mens 1500m race. Armed with this achievement Parmuyu will travel to New York City later this year to compete in the momentous and challenging New York marathon. In addition to this, his entire trip will be fully funded to the tune of 1.2 million shillings and he will also walk away with a substantial cash bonus.
In preparation for the upcoming challenges, Rudisha has further extended Parmuyus opportunities by pledging his commitment to the cause, offering the young Moran a chance to join Kenyas elite athletes in one of the nations leading training camps. With the on-going onslaught of our precious wildlife, often caused by human conflict, it has become increasingly apparent that we need to take action. In earlier days Moranis would only progress into manhood having successfully slaughtered one of natures beasts. A lion was the most respected kill and the tail was often kept as a trophy and used as a fly swish. This past Maasai Olympics was one of many attempts to limit the often barbaric killings with an aim to promoting a more sustainable and accepted way of proving their skills, along with conservation through sports. As the unsettled dust catches the magical evening light, a clear message resonates across the parched lands and a nation in its entirety. Boys have become men with no blood spilled and our wildlife heritage remains intact to witness another dawning day, a new tradition.
Sport
15
16
Grub
Winter Food:
Creamy Tomato & Basil Soup
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 45 mins Serves: 8
Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onions 3 pounds tomatoes - cored, peeled, and quartered 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves salt to taste ground black pepper to taste 1 quart chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream 8 sprigs fresh basil for garnish Directions: 1. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes and chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth, reduce heat to low, and continue cooking 15 minutes. 2. Transfer soup to a blender (or use an immersible hand blender), and blend until smooth. Return to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and gradually mix in the heavy cream. Pour soup through a strainer before serving. Garnish each serving with a sprig of basil.
Classic Cocktails:
Mojito
Ingredients: 10 fresh mint leaves 1/2 lime, cut into 4 wedges 2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste 1 cup ice cubes 1 1/2 fluid ounces white rum 1/2 cup club soda Directions: Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a sturdy glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture. Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and fill the glass with carbonated water. Stir, taste, and add more sugar if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge.
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Duncan McLeod Just as the music industry was getting used to the idea of another shift in formats from compact discs as the distribution mechanism to digital downloads over the Internet another huge change in the way people listen to music looks set to shake the business to its foundations. A decade after Steve Jobs revolutionised music delivery by creating Apples iTunes Music Store offering consumers digital downloads for US$0,99 a pop and providing consumers a legal alternative to sites like Napster a new era of music streaming based on an all-you-caneat monthly subscription model is about to upend the status quo again. Its a development whose outcome could make previous format shifts look trivial by comparison. It could also represent the final format shift in a long line of formats that started with the phonograph cylin-
this year. It has no other choice. Of course, streaming music has its drawbacks, especially in countries, like South Africa, where broadband coverage is spotty and expensive. The last thing most users will want to do is burn through their meagre mobile data allowances listening to streaming music. In homes with fixed-line broadband unfortunately, only a small minority in South Africa the proposition is quite different: on uncapped connections, streaming makes absolute sense. The developing world may take a little longer to adopt streaming on a mass scale. It will happen, though. The broadband situation in South Africa will improve, especially when additional radio frequency spectrum is licensed to operators to build fourth-generation networks. This should help reduce the per-megabyte cost of bandwidth dramatically in the years ahead. Now thats music to anyones ears.
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Travel
Kijiji
F
ound just 25 kilometers south of Mombasa, Kenya, and situated along one of the worlds most breathtaking coastlines (Diani Beach) lay Kijiji cottages. Nestled amongst the leafy palms and just off the main Diani drag are three privately owned sea facing cottages that make up the Kijiji collection. The name Kijiji is derived from the widely spoken, local dialect of Kiswahili and literally means small village. The close proximity and cosiness of the cottages paints a charming picture and gives the complex its unique name. Positioned at the very top of the property and close to the entrance, is an inviting crystal blue swimming pool bordered by reclining sun loungers, ideal for the sun worshippers among us! The cottages are perched on a coral outcrop that overhangs the glistening white beach. To warrant easy beach access, steps have been painstakingly carved into the ancient fossilised headland. The 10 cottages that comprise Kijiji share both the pool and beach access with its sister compound, Warrandale, Almond, Bonde and Spring are the three chalets available for rent and can each respectively, accommodate between five to six guests. The cottages are all adequately furnished and tastefully decorated to a coastal theme thus making your stay a truly home from home experience! Traditional funzi beds draped in local vibrant kikoy material add to that classic coastal feel, perfect to kick back on with a book after a succulent seafood lunch. If your cravings are for the freshest fish, tender calamari, crab, colossal prawns or even the ever elusive lobster you need dream no further for, Hamisi, one of the many local fishermen is just a phone call away and will deliver his fresh-from-the-sea catch, right to your door step! If you are not big on mornings, you will find that waking up in one of these cottages is more than just bearable. Open your eyes to the panoramic sea views visible right from the comfort of your own bed. For your added comfort and guaranteed relaxation, each cottage comes with a smiley and willing maid plus an experienced chef to conjure up some of your favourite seafood and international dishes. Whilst you are out and about, the house is shined spotless, beds are made with freshly starched-white linen, and laundry can be done on request at no extra cost. Roaming the grounds you will discover an array of indigenous animals including the endangered Colobus monkey. These relatively shy, caped primates co-habit quite comfortably with the cheekier Vervet monkey and his more mischievous and inquisitive counterpart, the Sykes monkey. To avoid unexpected encounters with these curious creatures (and speaking from personal experience) I would advise you lock away any valuables and tempting food stuffs whenever you are out. For the bird-watchers there is a large spectrum of avian fauna that can be seen from the comfort of your veranda. A truly magical experience not to be missed! For more information on Kijiji cottages visit their website at www.kijijicottages.com or for a direct enquiry or booking send an e-mail to kijijicottages@gmail.com
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BackPage
he seventh annual Sexual Violence = Silence protest took place on Friday 19 April and has gone beyond Rhodes Universitys campus for the first time as awareness efforts are raised in other parts of South Africa. Wits University, the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, a Speak Out Cape Town event, UCT and Fort Hare are also a part of the initiative which stands in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence. At 6am protestors at Rhodes University in Grahamstown gathered in preparation for the Silent protest. The Wits protest kicked off at 8am outside the Wits Matrix where purple t-shirts were distributed and mouths were taped. A large amount of the
protestors will be gagged for the entire day, sacrificing food, water and speech as a symbolic embodiment of the silence endured by the many survivors of rape. Others will don shirts with rape survivor printed on the front and an explanation on the back. There are also participants who wear shirts declaring their solidarity with survivors of sexual violence. The silent protest started at Rhodes 6 years ago where about 100 people joined. This year 1500 protesters marched from Alec Mullins at Rhodes and 1150 showed support at Wits University. In a media statement released by organisers, focus was drawn to how greater public attention needs to be directed towards rape as an issue while addressing the services provided to survivors.
Government crime statistics reveal that 65 000 sexual assaults were reported in SA last year. Of these only 6.5% are successfully prosecuted and less than half of 1% of perpetrators will serve any jail-time, the statement read. The analysis and statistics paint a grim picture of how South Africans from all walks of life are affected. All studies agree that the vast majority never report the crime to the police and there are many statistics available focusing on the ratio of reporting to non-reporting of rape survivors: the most conservative estimate comes from Rape Crisis (1 in 4) and the most shocking comes from the SAPS (1 in25). These statistics translate to anywhere from 260 000 to over 1.5 million rapes annually, continued the statement.