page 9
Living the high life
Confessions of a student drug user
Hjul cracks whip at circus spectacle
By Claire Carr and Lionel Faull
T
he General Student Body Meet-
ing, held on Monday night in the
Barratt lecture theatre, was high
on drama and low on substance.
Billed as a showdown between students
and the SRC, the meeting was character-
ised by personal animosities, insufficient
quorum, a general lack of professional-
ism and an emphasis on constitutional
procedure over tangible issues.
Paul Hjul, who drafted the no-
confidence motion against the SRC,
persistently tried to get the motion
passed.
However, Dean of Students
Professor Vivian de Klerk announced
at the meeting that the motion
of no-confidence in the SRC was
unconstitutional. This conclusion was
reached earlier on Monday by the
university’s Constitutional Committee,
convened by Vice Chancellor Dr Saleem
Badat and chaired by Dean of Law
Professor Rob Midgley.
This announcement effectively
rendered the motion null and void, but
tensions had already run high. SRC
President Fatema Morbi invited Hjul
to table a revised motion at another
meeting, adding: “I commend you for
your persistence but scoff at you for your
stupidity.”
Morbi struggled to balance her role as
an impartial chairperson and SRC leader,
to the disappointment of students.
SASCO President Awethu Zumana said:
“I have issues with the way the meeting
was conducted and how unprofessionally
the SRC President conducted herself.”
At one stage Jonathan Fillis, a fifth
year LLB student in the audience,
appealed to Morbi and Hjul to refrain
from personal attacks and one-
upmanship over constitutional
fine
More than 250 students were present, but this did not constitute quorum.
page 4
The Oppidan Press
Paul Hjul’s combative debating style provoked SRC President Fatema Morbi and Vice President Evan Ford.
print: “Let’s talk about real issues.”
Dissatisfied students began to file out
of the meeting long before it ended.
“I left more disappointed in the SRC
than when I came, primarily in the
President. I was also disappointed with
the student body for not showing up,”
said Emilie Gilbert, a third-year BA
student.
Morbi said: “I didn’t want the
meeting to be a mudslinging issue. I was
getting emotional at one point because I
have been on the SRC a long time and it
becomes like your body, like your baby.
Paul attacking the entire team on vague,
unspecific grounds made me angry.”
Hjul attempted to rework
the no-confidence motion
during the
meeting,
but
Pic: Leon Schnell
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SECURITY DOORS LOCKED!
53 Bathurst St Grahamstown. Tel 046-622 2950/622 8700. Tim: 082 800 9276 Kevin: 082 772 0400
Uncle Sam and the Dragon
the SRC insisted that any new motion
would have to be tabled five working
days in advance of another meeting.
Kholofelo Molatela Thalakgale, a
third year journalism student, said: “I
commend Hjul for having the guts to at
least call the SRC into question.”
One thing made clear by all parties at
the meeting was the serious flaws in the
SRC Constitution and procedures.
Katherine Furman, Academic
Councillor and head of the student’s
Constitutional Review Committee,
announced that a new constitution
would be in place by the general
elections in September. “The
Constitution is clearly outdated and no
longer meets student needs,” she said.
Students will be invited to participate in
working groups next term to make the
constitution more representative.
Oppidan Committee Chairperson
Sam Simango appealed to the
Constitutional Review Committee to
give Oppidans a larger representation on
the SRC. Keith Kachambwa, Oppidan
Representative on the SRC, reiterated
this after the meeting, but said that for
such a move to be succesful Oppidans
need to become more involved in
student government.
Hjul and James Shone, both third
The US and China slug it out
Edition 3, 22 March 2007
Green’s resignation, the subsequent
SRC reshuffle, Hall by-elections and a
non-existent SRC Disciplinary Board.
More than one hundred students signed
the petition.
At the Monday meeting the SRC
justified their actions point-by-point.
On the Green resignation issue, the SRC
put forward a version of events signed
by all Council members involved in
the decision to accept her resignation.
However, Green herself had not signed
this version, and Morbi admitted that
she had “a feeling she [Green] might not
sign it”, casting doubt on the accuracy of
this version of events.
Other issues on the agenda were
also addressed in the meeting. Evan
Ford, SRC Vice President and Electoral
Officer, quashed any doubts about the
legality of the SRC reshuffle and the Hall
by-elections.
The SRC did not account for the
non-existent Disciplinary Board, which
the Constitution requires to be in place,
but it was decided to address the issue
Pic: Leon Schnell
at the next student Imbizo due to time
constraints.
In an earlier Oppidan Press interview
with Morbi, she said: “A disciplinary
board is supposed to be set up by the
outgoing SRC. Discussion began in
year BA students, were the main
October 2006. Carol Freeman, last year’s
instigators behind the SRC calling for
Vice President, took it upon herself to do
the General Student Body Meeting.
this but she did not. This year, the SRC
After speaking to friends and
has to set up their own board and Keith
students, Hjul and Shone discovered
Kachambwa is in charge. The SRC will
that a lot of people were not happy with
sit on the panel and choose their own
the SRC. Hjul said: “One of the things
third and fourth year LLB students for
that happened was there were a group
the board.”
of people in a room and what they were
The termly student Imbizo, which is
asked was, ‘Would you guys like to screw
an opportunity for the student body to
over the SRC?’ Eight out of eight said
revisit these issues, will be held on
yes.”
Monday 26 March,
This led the pair to propose a motion
at 7pm in Arts
of no-confidence against the SRC.
Major.
They believed that the SRC had
acted unconstitutionally over
issues such as former President
Bryony
Pic: Leon Schnell
Constitutional fine print was the main focus of the meeting.
 THE OPPIDAN PRESS

2
Editorial The Pirahã tribe:
The ultimate anti-artists
page 6

Ed’s view point

The Student General Body Meeting – con-
vened by the SRC on Monday night in response
to Paul Hjul and James Shone’s motion of no
confidence – contained elements of the good,
the bad and the ugly.
Good: the fact that the anaesthetis-
ing tentacles of student apathy have not
gripped us entirely. Yes, the meeting
failed to reach student quorum, but stu-
dents have taken a muck keener interest
in the goings-on of the SRC since Bryony
Green’s resignation. The SRC, blinking in
the harsh glare of this new scrutiny, have
struggled to justify supposedly routine
processes, such as student by-elec-
tions. All of a sudden, the SRC cannot
take anything for granted. Oppies must
strike while the iron is hot and seek to
overturn something that has also been
taken for granted: us. We comprise 55%
of students but currently we only have
7% representation on the student gov-
erning body. It’s time that changed. The
good news is that it will: even the SRC

Illustrations: Alex Dubb

realises the extent to which our student
constitution is outdated. Oppies need to
participate fully in the voluntary student
working groups that will meet regularly
next term to redraft the constitution.
Bad: the extent to which the SRC is For the full story, turn to the back page.
making a hash of this affair. Hjul and

Letters to the Editor

Shone must be chuckling like two kids
who have just found the keys to the
school tuckshop, because whatever the
SRC does plays straight back into their
hands. Firstly, there were the “Isn’t it
obvious?” posters. Listing everything the
SRC has achieved in their term of office,
the posters only succeeded in irritating
students with their patronising tone.
The SRC have also shot themselves in
the foot by their failure to constitute a
Disciplinary Board, as they are required
to do in the constitution. It boggles the
mind that our student leaders have been
running the SRC without even this pal-
try check for six months, and now we’re
expected to accept that it’s the 2005 Vice-
President’s fault. That’s a neat cop-out:
she isn’t even at Rhodes any more. Then,
at the Student General Body Meeting,
Fatema Morbi rose to Hjul’s taunts and
ended up being labelled “unprofessional”
by students for her handling of the
meeting.
Ugly: Hjul’s baiting of the SRC. I’m
sorry, Paul, but at times your arrogant
swagger detracts from what you are
trying to achieve. Your motivation,
“to screw over the SRC”, seems puerile
when set against the constructive impact
that it is having on the resurgence of
student politics at Rhodes. And what
a resurgence it is! As I listened to the
student body voice their concerns and
complaints with verve and intelligence at
the meeting, I couldn’t help feeling that
they have a dignity which our student
leaders lack.
All of this certainly makes for inter-
esting times at Rhodes, but I can only
hope that the student imbizo next week
will prove to be more productive than
Monday night’s farce. As for the SRC,
you need to regroup and come to the im-
bizo ready to address student concerns
with dignity and respect.
Lionel Faull
editor.oppipress@gmail.com
RMR’s response to Ms Brigham’s letter Tertiary education a preserve for the few
Dear Editor, unfounded statement. The station airs Dear Editor, said the findings of the SAHRC were
In response to Ms Lisa Brigham’s let- almost 112 news bulletins, new reports I happened to watch a vibrant and because of the government’s failure to
ter in the last edition entitled “RMR DJs: and sports bulletins per week and in the interesting debate on SABC 1’s current ensure that there is access to education
never return to Never Never Land”. past week only five bulletins out of 112 affairs programme called Asikhulume/ for all. He said part of the problem was
Firstly, I should like to begin by have been missed. The bulletins in ques- Let’s Talk on 18 February. I must say that because of the merged tertiary institu-
pointing out that the cartoon theme tion belonged to new staff that had only the debate got me seriously concerned. I tions, where “high fee increases were
tunes that Ms Brigham happened to tune been on the station for a week and ex- think it should get every South African introduced across the board, adversely
in for were in fact part of a special fea- perienced technical difficulties with the citizen who cares about the future of this affecting the students attending histori-
ture entitled “Reliving those childhood new news programme. This statement country very concerned as well. The pro- cally disadvantaged campuses that are
moments”. It is a show where, if a listener can, unlike Ms Brigham’s, be backed up gramme is hosted by Xolani Gwala and part of the mergers”. He referred to the
identifies the songs correctly, they stand by our recording server that logs every is presented both in Zulu and English. previously disadvantaged students as
a chance of winning a prize. I agree, it second of every day. The topic of the show was: “Should the “casualties” of the mergers.
might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it Thirdly, one must bear in mind that government regulate the tuition fees at It is regrettable that the previ-
has proven to be a highly popular feature RMR caters for an incredibly diverse tertiary institutions?” ously disadvantaged students are indeed
on The Weekend Wake-Up Call with the audience and endeavours at all times “casualties” of the bigger monster of
show receiving over 30 messages each to cater for the varied musical tastes of the economic model which is capital-
week for this competition alone. The this audience. RMR plays an extremely “An estimated 50% of the ism – that plays itself out in the merged
music either side of this feature is, we diverse array of music and more often students had dropped out tertiary institutions. It is all thanks to
feel, of a standard that most listeners than not airs the latest music way ahead capitalism that many poor students are
would enjoy. To base one’s perception of commercial stations. from tertiary institutions” being excluded from the institutions
of the entire station’s programming on I respect that everyone is entitled to of higher learning on the basis of the
10 to 15 minutes of radio is extremely their opinion but the statements made by What made this topic particularly financial problems. In the beginning
flawed and for an aspiring journalist Ms Brigham are somewhat unfounded interesting for me is the fact that I am of every year, it has become a norm for
willing to “support all aspects of Rhodes and slightly negligent from an aspiring a university student myself. It emerged the country to witness more and more
media…including our wacky pals down journalist. A basic principle of journal- from the debate in the programme that protests at tertiary institutions – because
there at the radio station” is misinformed ism is to check your facts before you the SAHRC (South African Human the students are both academically and
and ill conceived. write any letter, article or opinion piece. Rights Commission) had conducted a financially excluded. In an interview in
Secondly, in response to the allega- study between the periods of 2003-2005 Asikhulume/Let’s Talk the president of
tion that “news has been discarded” to find the reasons why many students SAUS (South African Union of Students)
over the past week due to the “fact” Mike Smurthwaite drop out from tertiary institutions. The Sibu Sibiya, revealed that some tertiary
that it couldn’t be found in time is an RMR Station Manager study found that most students had institutions are in a habit of increasing
dropped out because of financial prob- their registration fees by at least 100%
lems and because of hunger. The study within the period of 12 months. This
The Oppidan Press publishes letters that are bona fide expressions of opin- also made shocking findings that an esti- makes one stop to wonder about how
ion as long as they are not clearly libellous, defamatory, racist or sexist. mated 50% of the students had dropped much progress and transformation (if
out from tertiary institutions and that any) has been achieved as far as the no-
We reserve the right to shorten letters due to space constraints and to
these students were mainly from previ- tion of “opening the doors of learning” is
edit them for grammatical inaccuracies. ously disadvantaged backgrounds. concerned.
David Maimela, SASCO (South
Do you have something to say? Write a letter to the Editor and email it to African Student Congress) president and
University of Pretoria student was one of From,
editor.oppipress@gmail.com.
the guests on the programme. Maimela Nkosana Prince Lekotjolo

The Oppidan Press

Editor: Lionel Faull Acting Assistant Chief Designer: Vanessa Berger Business Editor: Shingirirai Chaza News Editor: Claire Carr
Deputy Editor: Ines Schumacher Acting Science & Tech Editor: Lara Faris Chief Designer: Jacky Smith Opinion Editor: Lara Faris
Chief Sub-Editor: Jade Fernley Pictures Editor: Gaynor Barnard

STAFF
Managing Editor: Mike Winn
Advertising Manager: Tasmin Vosloo
Marketing Manager: Julia Housdon
Web Manager: Norman Nwayo
Assistant Pictures Editor: Leon Schnell
Assistant Web Manager: Bonele Lusithi Chief Sub-Editor: Simon Allison Political Editor: Boitumelo Mpete
Art Director: Alex Dubb Entertainment Editor: Kele Scheppers Sports Editor: Saint-Francis Tohlang
Arts Editor: Sarah Laird Features Editor: Michael Kaeflein Web Consultant: Ignatius Mazibele

Skirting the issue
By Claire Neilson
Clothes are one of the many avenues we have
to express ourselves. We all do it differently.
Some of us don’t bother too much, some of
us do. Then there are others who take it to a
whole new level. A warm day in Grahamstown
becomes an excuse to get as naked as possible.
It would seem that outfits that are suitable
for a night out are okay to prance around in on
campus too.
You see, there is something distinctly
unnerving about seeing a thong staring
out at me from the top of a micro mini
at 8:40am. So you may have great legs,
decent cleavage and a nice bum – good
for you. There is nothing wrong with
being confident and proud of your body
but spare a thought for the people who
really don’t want to see it, especially at
the ass crack of dawn.
It baffles me why lectures become the
domain of the über fashion conscious,
and how comfort is seemingly not high
on the priority list when choosing an
outfit in the morning. Why is it so im-
portant to look hot while taking notes?
There is another important reason
why little skirts and hordes of exposed
thighs become annoying; it begs the
question of the reason for lectures in the
first place. The blame could of course be
leveled on ‘icons’ like Paris Hilton and
other such intelligent people. Consider
the irony here if you will: we are at an
academic institution, supposedly to
get an education, and the height of our
immediate aspiration is looking like a
coke head that carries around a gross
little dog.
Perhaps there are wider issues at
play when one considers just how much
flesh is on display at any given moment.
Surely there will come a time where a
few of us will have to ditch the mini skirt
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Opinion
for modest office attire. There is also the
age old argument that hey, university is
all about freedom of doing things that
the ‘world out there’ won’t allow us to
do when we have bills to pay and a nine
to five job. You may say that you don’t
care what other people think and it’s
your life anyway and that’s just how it
is, so there. But perhaps it might be a
good idea to think about where you are.
Grahamstown is not just about Rhodes
University and there are many issues that
could do with real attention – not just a
hair-flick and a ‘whatever’.
“A warm day in
Grahamstown
becomes an excuse
to get as naked as
possible”
There was a time not that long ago
when there was a belief that women had
no business being at a university. Luck-
ily things have changed since then and
most of us happily take for granted that
higher education is just the next step
after Matric.
Like it or not, clothes do say a lot
about who you are, and most of us do
put some thought into that fact whether
we like to admit it or not. Perhaps its
time to spare a thought for the women
that came before us and worked very
hard to be taken seriously. Only for us
to come behind them, a few generations
later, clad in a fanny flap, a face full of
make-up, choking the atmosphere with
hair-spray, ready to embark on what they
only wished for – an opportunity to be
heard and then seen.
Tel/Fax (046) 636-1525
EMAIL rhodope@fables.co.za
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THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Allison Wonderland
Why the joke’s on our tinpot democracy
By Simon Allison
Most Egyptian taxi drivers know only two
things about South Africa, which to an Egyp-
tian is very far away. The first is that Nelson
Mandela comes from there (they have no
idea what he did, though). The second is that
I should be black. This is hard to argue with
– try explaining South Africa’s social structure
in pidgin Arabic. Eventually, I learnt the word
for “albino” and that satisfied them. Some
don’t even know it’s a country, and kept asking
patiently where in South Africa I came from.
I took a lot of taxis in Egypt, because
they’re cheap and dirty, and I seem to be
drawn towards things that are cheap and
dirty (perhaps that’s why I enjoy poli-
tics). So I had this conversation a num-
ber of times, with taxi drivers of greatly
varying intelligence, and after a bit of
thought I came to this conclusion: South
Africa has a serious image problem.
Not a lot of good news comes out of
our country, which in the grand scheme
of things is just a tinpot democracy on
the arse-end of Africa. First, there was
Apartheid, which puts us on about the
same level as Nazi Germany. Then it
ended, and there was a Peace Prize, a
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
and a shiny new constitution – these
were all good things, but they were
upstaged in the international arena by
our multiple “Most Dangerous Country
in the World” awards (at least we won
something).
The good news is our beloved leaders
decided to do something about it, and
launched a campaign to win the hearts
and minds of the international com-
munity. The campaign was called “South
Africa’s response to HIV/Aids” and was
designed to win friends and influence
people through the medium of humour.
So far it’s working. The people who
“the international
community is laugh-
ing at us, not with us”
matter, and the people who don’t, are
rolling on the floor laughing at South
Africa’s clumsy attempts to deal with the
epidemic. Thabo got the ball rolling with
a stand up routine where he claimed re-
peatedly that there was no link between
HIV and Aids, keeping a straight face
throughout. This got old after a while,
however, so Jacob decided to indulge in a
bit of slapstick. After having unprotected
extramarital sex with a girl who called
3
him “uncle”, he got in the shower to
prevent HIV/Aids transmission – even
South Africa laughed at this one.
But these were just the warm up
acts, and it was left to our lovely health
minister to really touch our collective
funny bone. At the World Aids Confer-
ence in Toronto, in the midst of some of
the most intelligent people in the world,
Manto decided to decorate South Africa’s
stand with a bit of garlic and the African
potato, imported specially for the oc-
casion. At about the same time, she
declared that anti-retrovirals are toxic
medicines, designed less to cure than
to fill the already bulging coffers of the
developed West. My personal favourite
is when she casually justified why more
money should be spent on defence
rather than health: “Look at what Bush is
doing. He could invade,” she said, with a
face as straight as Thabo’s.
Undoubtedly, the humour campaign
has been a success. South Africa is a
joke, but the international community
is laughing at us, not with us. Our dear
leaders need to work hard, and work
cleverly, to undo the damage they have
thoughtlessly caused to our reputa-
tion, so that South Africa receives the
recognition it deserves as a healthy and
functioning democracy.
Illustration: Alex Dubb
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website,
http://oppies.soc.ru.ac.za, for every-
thing you need to know about being
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E-mail: opinion.oppipress@gmail.com

4
Confessions of a student drug user
By Amy Benjamin
H
aving lived in Cape
Town all my life, I felt
a refreshing absence
of drugs when I first
arrived in Grahamstown.
The majority of my friends at home have
used or currently use hard drugs like
cocaine as party enhancers, and classify
their use as recreational. But to me, alcohol
was clearly the social lubricant of choice in
Grahamstown.
However, as I moved from first
year and eventually to third year, my
social circle grew and I became more
aware of the Grahamstown drug
sub-culture. I met Guy*, currently a
fourth year Rhodes student, who has
acquired a wealth of knowledge and
experience regarding drugs in Graha-
mstown and South Africa. Curiosity
led me to his digs, where I furthered
my own drug education.
Guy is from Johannesburg, but his
first experience of drugs, other than
marijuana, was in Grahamstown.
He first toyed with the idea of try-
ing something else at age 16 at the
National Arts Festival. He had heard
mind-blowing descriptions of other
people’s experiences so he tried LSD.
In the years that followed Guy was
in and out of the drug sub-culture
in Johannesburg, and then Graham-
stown when he came to Rhodes. He
used various drugs recreationally,
admitting that there were times when
he had his problems.
My experiences of big city nightlife
led me to query the comparative
availability of drugs in Grahamstown.
“Grahamstown differs vastly to
Johannesburg,” Guy explained, “In
Johannesburg you can get whatever you
want, anytime.” So, what do people in
Grahamstown do? “There are always
ways to get wasted if that’s what you
want, but your choices in Grahamstown
are limited by what’s available.”
Drugs are everywhere, if you’re look-
ing. Whether your connection is your
best mate going home to PE and bring-
ing back a stash of pills to sell or your
average small town drug dealer, drugs
are not hard to come by. One dealer can
take on a whole town like Grahamstown,
but they change all the time. According
to Guy there are usually two or three
dealers, with one dominating the others.
“When the dealers change, so do the
available drugs. At the moment it’s crack
and cocaine,” he says. Guy explains that
in Grahamstown, since about 2004, more
professional drug dealers have moved
in. According to him, they are relatively
small players but have connections with
national gang syndicates. “With those
connections,” Guy says, “comes a lot of
cocaine.”
The first thing that seems to come
to mind for many when the subject of
drugs emerges is addiction. I asked Guy
for his opinion on the matter. “People
tend to think of the drug sub-culture
as a bunch of addicted f***-ups, but it’s
not like that,” he says. He explains that
often a person will use for a brief period
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Features
and stop when their connection is gone.
In his experience, even if someone has
the opportunity to carry on using, most
often they do not become an addict.
What about the times that they do? Guy
believes that the process of becoming
an addict is gradual and doesn’t happen
overnight. When it does happen, he
says: “You see them become unstable,
and even when they’re sober there’s
something funny going on behind their
eyes.”
Drug users are obvious when you
know what you’re looking for. The signs
are in the eyes of the joyous, sweaty
student you glimpse across the dance
floor and in the calm, detached expres-
sion on the face of the bartender who
pours your drink. Even in the weird,
new confidence of the friend you haven’t
seen for a while. Guy tells me it’s easier
to recognise when you have dabbled in
the drug sub-culture, but that people
with little experience of drugs may never
see it. They’re unlikely to go to the digs
parties where people use and they may
not recognise the sound of lines of coke
Pic: Simon Capstick-Dale
being cut and shnarfed in bathrooms on
a busy night out.
I left Guy’s digs with a greater under-
standing of the drugs in Grahamstown.
It may be more prevalent in the big
cities, but I have realised that the choice
of whether or not to become involved in
the drug-subculture remains funda- A branch of Narcotics Anonymous has recently been established in
mentally the same in Grahamstown as Grahamstown. Meetings are every Thursday at 19:00 in the RA Room, 1st
elsewhere. floor of the Student Union Building.
For further information, please contact Dave Strydom on 084 726 4098.
* Name has been changed to protect the identity of
the interviewee.
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Spearheading the African renaissance
By Kweku Eric Ernest Ofei
Ghana has faced a turbulent history: a start, a
stop, some rewinding, a move two steps back
because of the coup d’état and corruption, and
now, finally, some progress. Fifty years along
the way, we have to pause and ask ourselves
two questions: where are we? And, more
importantly, where are we going? This is the
50 billion dollar question on many Ghanaians’
minds. It is a question that needs to be
answered if we are to gain any meaning and
purpose from the commemoration of Ghana’s
fiftieth birthday.
Ghana has come a long way. When
we compare our current circumstances
with those of other African nations,
particularly those in Sub-Saharan Africa,
there is a great deal to be grateful for.
In so many ways, God has blessed, and
continues to bless, our nation, and for
that Ghanaians should be thankful and
celebrate. But we are not where we want
to be yet. Our only destiny is greatness,
and it is our responsibility to ensure that
we achieve it. Thus, it is important for us
to also admit that in spite of all that has
been accomplished in Ghana, there is
still a long way to go.
Fifty years of independence means a
lot to me because the development and
stability in Ghana shows that as we grow
older as a nation, we gain experience
and wisdom in the running of a nation.
We are now at a stage where presidential
candidates are assessed according to
their vision and not their personality
or wealth. We have arrived at an arena
Politics
Pic: Leon Schnell
Ofei, Vice President of West African Society,
offers his opinion on Ghana’s progress.
where we stand against indiscipline,
bribery, corruption, nepotism and other
negative practices that have for so long
impeded development. These positive
developments have brought about the
notion that we, the Ghanaian youth,
can use our energies and enthusiasm to
serve Mother Ghana and continue her
progress.
Everyday we face a challenge: the
challenge not to lose hope but to keep
pressing on instead. I can confidently say
that we have come very far in fifty years
and it is my hope that Ghana shall con-
tinue to live in peace and worship freely;
that Ghana shall welcome a new breed of
leaders who are dynamic and vision-
ary. It is time for Ghana, and Africa as a
whole, to take its own destiny in its own
hands. Let the true African Renaissance
begin.
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Factbox: Ghana
In 1957, Ghana became the first
sub-Saharan country in colonial
Africa to gain its independence un-
der the leadership of first President
Kwame Nkrumah. After he was
deposed, a long series of coups re-
sulted in the suspension of Ghana’s
third constitution in 1981 and a ban
on political parties. A new constitu-
tion, restoring multi-party politics,
was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry
Rawlings, head of state since 1981,
won presidential elections in 1992
and 1996, but was constitutionally
prevented from running for a third
term in 2000. John Kufuor, who de-
feated former Vice-President John
Atta-Mills in a democratic election,
succeeded him.
Capital city: Accra
Population: 22.4 million
Climate: Tropical
Natural resources: Gold, timber,
industrial diamonds, bauxite, man-
ganese, fish, rubber, hydropower,
petroleum, silver, salt, limestone
Languages: English (official),
African languages (including Akan,
Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga).
Religions: Christian 63%, Muslim
16%, indigenous beliefs 21%
(From the CIA World Factbook)
Reader’s Response
By “Poppie Nongena”
I’d like to encourage Taryn Herbst to apply a
critical perspective to the De La Rey debate.
Firstly, it’s quite clear that Herbst is ignorant of
her bourgeoisie position by saying that those
who haven’t heard of the controversy “are
living under a rock”.
I doubt that my grandmother and
others, who do not consume the media
which Herbst does, consider themselves
marginal to pertinent debates on SA
politics simply because they don’t know
who Bok van Blerk is.
Secondly, I seriously doubt that an
anti-establishment group such as Fokof-
polisiekar would want to be compared to
a narrow-minded, laager-mentality, sex-
ist artist such as van Blerk. And it is an
insult to Johannes Kerkorrel’s memory
that his activism tradition is seen to have
spawned van Blerk’s narcissistic crap.
Thirdly, the Rhodes Afrikaans De-
partment has introduced my black self to
brilliant creativity produced by Afrikan-
ers and in the Afrikaans language. Van
Blerk, unfortunately, is not an artist to
hold up as a symbol of Afrikaner pride.
Yes, the De La Rey song can be
harmless and fun. At first I didn’t mind
it, like I don’t mind Orania. Live and let
live. But this song does represent the
mainstreaming of narrower Afrikaner
politics.
I think it would be useful for Herbst
to remember that only 11 years ago,
South Africans of all backgrounds were
promoting reconciliation and harmony.
5
Not so long ago, Afrikaners were happily
singing Shosholoza to promote peace and
unity and human love amongst all.
This is not what the new De La Rey
supporters are advocating. Rather, these
new post-1994 young ones espouse an
Afrikaner identity which sees Afrikan-
ers as a minority group, victimised by
the black majority through Affirmative
Action and, God forbid, city and airport
name changes!
Historically, Afrikanerdom has been
a deeply patriarchal, Calvinist ideal that
promoted racism, sexism and idealised
rural baaskap as the natural order of
things. Herbst needs perhaps to reflect
on whether these are the ideals she
holds.
Herbst should consider celebrating
the rich heritage of the Afrikaans lan-
guage (which is spoken by many brown
people), of colourful Afrikaner tradi-
tions and the opening up of Afrikaans as
a common language of expression rather
than a means of oppression. She should
consider defending a De La Rey song
which teaches us about history, rather
than one which denies and distorts it.
Herbst should help to promote an Afri-
kaner identity that embraces the global
world, the mixed-up colourful South
Africa and challenges the exclusivism
that we see on the rise today.
This was written in response to Taryn
Herbst’s article “De La Rey: die hele
bleddie storie” in the 7 March edition.

6
ARTIST
of the week
From the circus to
the stage
By Stacey Beadon
Shaun Acker sits comfortably in a storage
room full of books and old records. It is
packed to the rafters and I’m suddenly
struck by how this room parallels his mind:
bursting with depth and experience, alive
and teeming to get out.
Shaun finished his third year
with a triple major in Musicology,
Instrumental Studies in clarinet
and saxophone, and Drama. He has
already made a memorable impact
on the performance front. While in
his third year the highly acclaimed
director/script-writer Reza de Wet,
approached Shaun and asked him to
compose the music for her upcoming
play Heathcliff Goes Home. In this
play Shaun has a three-dimensional
role: he wrote the original score, he
plays saxophone live as part of the
orchestra, and on the stage he is the
character of the eccentric conductor.
This play was the perfect opportu-
nity for Shaun to let his background
seep through and influence his work.
The play has a carnival theme – one
that echoes Shaun’s own childhood.
In the first four years of his life Shaun
was raised amongst the comings and
goings of the Boswell-Wilkie Circus
to which his father belonged. Shaun’s
influences are wide-spread due to the
very cosmopolitan friends he made
growing up. Here he learnt informal
trapeze, a skill he performed profes-
sionally after matriculating. His third
year Drama exam piece was centred
on a trapeze act and he’ll be extend-
ing this further in a brand new show
during the Grahamstown Festival.
Shaun is currently completing
his Honours in Music Composition
and is reserving Drama Honours
for next year as he wants to avoid
“diluting” the two. But through his
work he ultimately wishes to fuse
these two forms in perfect synthesis.
His approach to work is musical,
working in the moment, and focus-
ing on tempo, structure, timing and
precision. He describes this as a new
“religion”: the circus and reality, with
him in between. Shaun explains that
with “every art form one returns to
the process and initial beginning”.
This is exemplified in his work and
life: his roots strongly resonate in his
pieces.
Shaun praises the Rhodes Drama
Department as it has enabled him to
expand his talents and allows for stu-
dent originality and creative freedom
in all aspects of their work. He adds:
“when you are talented you should
embrace that inner creativity and use
it to benefit you as a person.”
EVENTSDIARY
Wednesday 21 March – Thursday
22 March
11:25 – 13:05: Sign up for the
Rhodes Athletics charity 24-Hour
Run/Walk for Cancer at Eden Grove
and the Library. R5 per 10 minute
slot.
Wine tasting for dummies
By Amanda Strydom
The Oppidan Press decided to explore the world
of wine, not by gulping down bottles of it in
the newsroom, but by learning how to judge
whether a wine is good or merely on par with
cheap Crackling.
We called in two local wine enthusi-
asts, Jesse Burton and Delia De Villiers,
President and Vice President of the Wine
The Taste Smell Estimated
Results Price
White 1: Nederburg
Special Late Sweet Citrus R45
Harvest 2006
White 2: St Anna Sweet Not much R18
Natural Sweet Wine of a smell
Red 1: Tassenberg Sour Berries R25
Dry Red Wine
Red 2: Zonnebloem Contains Woody and R35
Cabernet Sauvignon tannins spicy
2004
Pirahã tribe: ignorance or bliss?
By Sarah Laird
I
magine a world where there are no
words to describe colours. A world where
there are only three pronouns. Imagine
a world without numerical terms, no
concept of time and no history. For the Pirahã
tribe of South America, this imagined world is
reality.
The Pirahã people reside on the banks
of the Maici River in Brazil’s Amazon
rain forest. With a population of a mere
300-350 people, the Pirahã tribe is a
closely knit group, set in their ways and
unable or unwilling to change.
Professor Dan Everett, a British
ethnologist from the University of
Manchester, has spent years living
with the Pirahã and learning their way
of life. His discoveries regarding this
strange culture have caused much debate
amongst influential linguistic theorists,
as they argue about what the Pirahã
culture means for the study of human
language.
In the Pirahã language there is no
use of subordinate clauses. Therefore,
“When I have finished eating, I would
like to speak with you” becomes “I finish
eating, I speak with you”, for the Pirahã
speaker. The Pirahã language has only
ten consonants and vowels, making it
the most phonetically limited language
in the world. However, their language
is not a reflection of their intellectual
capabilities but rather a way of life they
have adopted, despite integration with
Thursday 22 March
21:00: Dan Patlansky is playing at De
Taphuijs in association with Live Music
Society. Entrance fee to be announced.
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Arts
Tasting Society, to help.
Our wine fanatics undertook a blind
tasting in order to see whether they
could identify the four different wines
we had chosen, two of which were cheap,
and two of which were medium-priced.
Due to a lack of wine glasses, we had to
resort to wine tasting student-style: no,
not through straws, but drinking from
shot glasses!
Actual Guessed type Score out of 10
price of wine and justification
R24,50 Dessert wine 6 - Nice but too
sweet
R16 St. Anna 5.5 - Easy to drink
and low in alcohol
R12 Possibly Cha- 7 - Easy to drink
teu Libertas
R47,90 A Cabernet 7 - Easy to drink
Sauvignon
other cultures for two hundred years.
With no words relating to the past
or future, the Pirahã have no historical
record. This has significant implications,
as it means that they have no concept of
religion. When asked about the origin of
the world, they merely reply “everything
is the same, things always are”. In fact,
remarks Rhodes English Professor Mike
Marais, it is due to their focusing on
only the present and not concerning
themselves with past or future worries,
that makes the Pirahã people feel
superior to other cultures.
“their carpe diem
culture does not allow
for abstract thought”
Prof Marais also notes that in the
‘Western’ world, art has always been
related to having an oral tradition,
through which information could be
conveyed to younger generations. Thus
the Pirahã people do not need art, due
to the very fact that they live in an
“extended version of ‘now’”. Neither do
they have any fairy tales or literature.
Prof Everett believes that their
carpe diem culture does not allow for
abstract thought. This is reflected in
the fact that there are not even words
for various colours. People rely instead
22 – 24 March 2007
Premiere of Heathcliff Goes Home – A
Music Play, at the Rhodes University
Main Theatre, 7:30pm. Tickets will be
sold for R20/R25 at the Theatre Café
on weekdays.
“
Art…is not an attempt to escape
reality but…an attempt to animate it. It is
”
a spirit seeking flesh but finding words.
– Joseph Brodsky
In order to help make an
informed decision about
wine, these five tips should be
kept in mind:
1. Trust your own taste. You
should like the wine – wine tasting is
subjective and you might not think the
same way as everybody else.
2. Good wine is not necessarily
expensive. Middle-range
wines have more variety
and are often made by the
same wine-makers as the
expensive ones.
3. Think about it – is the
wine sweet, dry, crisp or
heavy? – in order to acquire
your own taste.
4. White wine needs to be cold.
Pic: Gaynor Barnard
Red wine needs to be at room
temperature.
5. Drink more to know more (in
our opinion, the best tip!).
Rhodes-style: sipping wine from shot glasses
COMPETITION:
The Wine Tasting Society is giving away two bottles of Pinotage, worth R90, to
the person who can correctly answer the following questions:
- Who is the founding father of Pinotage?
- What two vines did he combine to create this wine?
Please send your answers to arts.oppipress@gmail.com by 25 March 2007 and
the winning entry will be drawn out of a hat.
on descriptive ways of speaking, such with creativity. Culture is impossible
as ‘blood’ for ‘red’ and ‘dirty blood’ for without language because it is only
‘black’. through language that we are able to
Similarly, the Pirahã people have convey culture.
no use for numbers and therefore do The Pirahã culture is one of the
not have words such as ‘all’, ‘every’ and world’s greatest mysteries because our
‘more’. Their closest link to a numerical worldview makes it difficult to under-
term is hói, which refers to ‘one’, ‘small’ stand living only in the present. Perhaps
or ‘one of two’. the Pirahã are living blissfully in igno-
Language is the enabling tool that rance, or maybe they have discovered
allows human beings to match thoughts the key to making sense of life.
Sunday 25 March 30 – 31 March 2007
15:00: The Eastern Cape Philharmonic The eighth annual Cape Town
Orchestra presents a Piano Concerto International Jazz Festival returns,
Celebration, conducted by Allen featuring 40 prominent local and
Stephenson at the Feather Market international artists including
Centre in PE. For more information Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Hip
email info@ecpo.org.za. Hop Pantsula.

Undercover superstars
By Solomzi Khoza and Kelebetseng Scheppers
Siziwe Bulube
At first glance, she seems like any
other Rhodes student. She attends
her lectures (usually arriving late)
and spends most of her free time do-
ing work at the labs or hanging out
with her friends.
But there is more to Siziwe Bulube
than meets the eye. Just like Clark
Kent (the mild mannered journal-
ist) was actually Superman, this
vivacious Journ student is actually a
singer.
For years she remained oblivi-
ous to her talent. Things changed,
however, when she met her best
friends Thandie, Trudy and Palesa.
They sang the latest chart topping
hits together, each not understanding
the true talent they possessed. It was
only together that they discovered
their true potential.
The girls started making plans to
make their dreams come true. They
formed the group Trinity X and be-
gan looking for opportunities to per-
form. They found gigs at school and
formal functions, but had a break-
through last year with their biggest
performance at the World Aids
Day concert in Nelspruit. Thandie’s
grandmother was an organiser of the
event and enlisted the talented band
to wow the crowds.
Siziwe has recently decided to
put her dreams of superstardom on
hold so that she can get a degree to
fall back on. She has considered per-
forming at the Grahamstown Arts
Festival but says: “I can’t find anyone
who does the same thing as me.”
On the other hand, performing solo
is something that Siziwe has never
thought about. “I know my voice
isn’t like ‘woah’,” she says humbly. She
has not had a chance to have much
vocal training.
It hasn’t all been easy though. Not
everyone is a fan of Trinity X. The
bandmates were antagonised by girls
at their school who accused them of
being too American and called them
‘Destiny’s Cousin’. Although the
band may be on a break while Siziwe
is in university and the rest are doing
their matric year, they are sure that
in time Trinity X will be a household
name.
Sudoku
Each puzzle has a unique solution which can
be found by logic alone.
9 2 6 5
8 3 4 communication. Oh, and of
7 3 8 2
5 8
6 1 4 7
6 4 3
1 informative way. Sex – whether you’re getting it
5 7
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Entertainment 7
Hitting the G-spot
How not to kill
the passion
Tinyiko Mushwana Zwelethemba Cathleen O’Grady
Tinyiko Mushwana, a second year
Junior Mavata and Kati Auld By Takondwa Nyasulu
journalism and politics student, runs After a wild night of passion, my lover
Zwelethemba Junior Mavata, a third
from one lecture to the next, spending Another society on campus which casually dropped the condom on the
year BComm student, uses words as
her mornings studying in the library focuses on personal expression is Live floor and rolled over to sleep. He must
his medium. He says: “I use poetry to
and visiting her friends whenever she Music Society. It provides space for have felt my sizzling stare drilling holes
express the things I’ve been through.”
can, just like anyone else. But a closer aspiring musicians to perform and into the back of his head because he
Zwelethemba began sharing his
look at Tinyiko’s life reveals that she brings lovers of live music together. soon got up to get rid of it.
poetry in high school and has been
studied at the Carinus Art School in The Oppidan Press discovered two I sat down with a few friends to
defying stereotypes about poets and
Grahamstown. She received an award talented ladies at this year’s first discuss bedroom behaviour and after
poetry ever since then. Unlike what
for being the most improved pupil in Fireside Jam, which is usually held on recalling some of my own horror stories,
many think, poetry is not just an
textiles upon matriculation and has Mondays at the Union at 7pm. The I found that the following were some of
extended pick up line: “Guys thought
had one of pair, Cathleen O’Grady the most common mistakes both men
her art- and Kati Auld, work in and women make between the sheets:
works on harmony as Cathleen 1. Skipping the foreplay
display on strums her guitar softly Think of foreplay as a preview of
the second and Kati sings. what’s to come; a warm up before the big
floor of the Cathleen has been marathon or even just a ten metre sprint.
Rhodes playing the piano since Either way, it doesn’t necessarily have
Journalism she was 10 and per- to begin in the bedroom. Sexy messages
and Media formed at the Eistedd- sent back and forth during the day can
Studies De- fod, and Kati has earned tease and tantalise your partner, creating
partment her grade eight Royal a high level of anticipation.
(pictured School Piano Examina-
right). She tion. Their background
has also
received a
is apparent in their me- “Women are just as
lodious style of music.
gold award The girls met when they sensitive about their
at the arrived at Rhodes at the
Bathurst beginning of this year bodies as men are about
Show, an
annual arts
and discovered each
other’s talent coinci-
their size”
and crafts dentally. “We’ve hung
conference out quite a lot since 2. Being rough
held in the O-Week and Cathleen Though some people prefer a firmer
small town was always singing so touch, try to be gentle when touching
between one day I joined her. each other’s erogenous zones. Gentle-
Graham- She picked up the guitar men, nipples may look like sweet jelly
stown and and we realised we have tots but they are not meant to be bitten
it was weird, they thought it was a
Port Alfred. “Everyone has a hidden good chemistry,” Kati says. Although and you’re not a vampire so there’s no
tactic to get the ladies. So I’ve had to
talent,” she says. “People always expect they have not received awards and are need to suck them till they bleed. And
explain to people that poetry is about
me to wear dreadlocks and wear a long new to the Grahamstown scene, the ladies, as tempting as it may be (if only
expressing yourself. It is art.”
flowing skirt, and they are surprised girls have a great onstage presence. to see the look on his face), don’t yank
For Zwelethemba, balancing
when I’m not like that.” Despite her Kati, who is from Johannesburg, says: his penis or squeeze his balls, it’s painful.
his poetry and studies is difficult:
wide range of skills, time constraints “The nice thing about Grahamstown is 3. Laughing at one another when you’re
“BComm is taking a toll. I get
prohibit Mushwana from drawing that the music scene here is so chilled, naked.
to write maybe once a week, and
regularly and she is afraid that she will it’s not competitive at all.” Laughing at your partner’s flaws can
whenever I have the chance I practice
lose her skill: “It is a pity there are no Kati and Cathleen look forward to damage their self-esteem and ruin your
beatboxing,” he says. Nonetheless, he
societies on campus where students performing more often in Graham- sex life. If he has a small penis, excuse
performs whenever he can at func-
can explore their artistic flair,” she stown although they say they refuse yourself from the room if you have to,
tions in Grahamstown. One of his
says. to cover artists and they would rather but whatever you do, don’t giggle. If she
favourite compositions is “Let’s Con-
In terms of sharing her art Tinyiko develop their own style. Although has cellulite or some other imperfection,
nect” where he combines the rhythm
says that she feels discouraged since they enjoy being on stage, Kati says now is not the time to suggest she do
of his speaking with the audience’s
“there is no platform, especially for that “music must first be a personal something about it. Women are just as
clicking fingers: “I remember when
black female artists, to share their thing before you can share it”. sensitive about their bodies as men are
everyone in the room was clicking
art in South Africa”. Nonetheless, about their size. Don’t go there.
their fingers in unison. That moment
Mushwana values her talent and says: 4. Hygiene
was just amazing. It’s great to have an
“My art takes me to a place of peace. I Discussing hygiene can be embar-
audience really get what you’re put-
find it therapeutic to draw especially at rassing and uncomfortable for both par-
ting across.”
the end of a long day.” ties, but it doesn’t have to be. Taking a
Textile by Tinyiko Mushwana
long soapy shower or warm sponge bath
together can be erotic and you can avoid
any awkward moments.
Hygiene also means protecting your-
self and using a condom. If you’d like a
change from the free condoms (which
are available at the library and sanato-
29 new street mon-fri: 9-5pm
rium), flavoured or ribbed condoms are
fun and just as safe.
5 046 622 6524 The key to any success-
ful sexual relationship is
course, not dropping the
condom on
the floor af-
breakfast special terwards.
fresh carrot, pineapple & orange juice
+ bacon, egg & relish bagel
(vegetarian/vegan option available) The sex and relationships column of The Oppidan
Press, Hitting The G-Spot, is intended to explore
Daily Sudoku Ltd. 2007
+ coffee/tea sex and sexual relations in a responsible and
1 8
R25 or not – is a big part of being a young adult and
Hitting The G-Spot is here to promote personal
safety, physical health and emotional wellbeing.
 THE OPPIDAN PRESS

8
Science&
Technology

More than just

bubbling beakers
By Lara Faris
When you hear of Scifest, you may imagine
large numbers of school children, test tubes
bubbling over or Einstein look-a-likes roaming
around campus. Your ideas are not far off.
However, Scifest has so much more to offer the
ordinary student.
This prestigious national event takes
place annually at Rhodes University,
and only 15% of this is contributed
by the melting of Antarctic ice caps.
To inform people about this global
crisis, global warming is a theme that
is carried through the week of Scifest.
Lectures covering this vital topic will
include facts about climate change and
its effects on the retreat of glaciers and
water availability, as well as its economic
repercussions. This crisis will also be

Open source software:

and has much to interest people of all contextualised for ordinary South
ages. There are lectures by national and Africans, in particular our nation’s
international intellectuals, exhibitions, vulnerability.

Pic: Leon Schnell

workshops and talks that will enrich
your mind. If all you’re looking for
is entertainment, then there are laser
shows, the very popular Soapbox Derby,
hypnosis exhibitions, a Filmfest and
many other fringe events.
The Festival of Science, Engineering
and Technology, also known as the Sasol
Scifest, began in 1997 as a stepping stone
towards correcting misconceptions and
giving scientists a platform to express
their passions. Sasol Scifest 2007, taking
place from 21- 27 March, is celebrating
International Polar Year. Every year
global sea levels are rising by 2mm,
Scifest calendar of events:
Midday lectures
12:30-13:30, Monument lower ground floor, Guy Butler Theatre, entry fee R8.
• 22 March: Global meltdown: the impact of Glacier retreat. Dr Chris Stokes.
• 23 March: Towards an eco-friendly 2010 FIFA World Cup. Karoliina Luoto.
Another theme this Scifest is
Astronomy and Aeronautics. Hot topics
of debate are the controversy over
whether our ninth planet in the solar
The bee in Bill Gates’ bonnet
system, Pluto, is indeed a planet, and
By Bradley Whittington about Firefox that they started a country and people want our languages
what exactly ‘dark matter’ in space is.
grassroots promotion campaign, and and rights to be dictated by foreign
Other topics of interest include human
Until a few years ago, free software was two websites called spreadfirefox. companies? How would you feel if your
ancestries and migration, genetics,
used mostly by eccentric people with big com and getfirefox.com. One year spoken language was not “profitable
forensics, our environment and the
hair and dorky glasses. Today, free software after the campaign started, Firefox enough” for a company?
evolution of man.
is Microsoft’s (and a few other companies) had been downloaded 100,000,000 Free software is about making a
Scifest is a great way to expand
biggest competition in the software world. times. Some people even took out difference to how people use their
your knowledge about the world we
Except that Microsoft won’t actually admit it’s a full page spread in the New York computers, about embracing the concept
live in. If this is your first Scifest, give
very scared of free software. Who wouldn’t Times to advertise Firefox. It was not of ubuntu and community spirit. It
it a try. It might open your mind to an
be scared of competition from software that the marketing department of a multi- seems strange to ask someone what
undiscovered world of interest.
real people make, for their real needs? Who national corporation, but real, ordinary their philosophy about software is, but
wouldn’t be scared of software that is not human beings who were inspired by a surely it is something we should worry
published by one company, but by more than product that left its peers in the dust. The about when it means someone else gets
to dictate how we use our computers?
one and a half million (mostly independent) message to Microsoft (and others) was
Most people don’t realise that they don’t
developers around the world? that people are not cookie cut; they want
own their copy of Microsoft Windows.
FLOSS (Free/Libre and Open Source progress and features, and mostly, they
Software) gives users unlimited access want the best product. Microsoft gives you the right to run one
to the source code underlying software copy of Windows on one computer; no
products. It leaves the door open for resale and no moving to a new computer.

Afternoon lectures
users and developers to integrate bright
ideas into the software and it closes the
14:00-15:00, Monument lower ground floor, Guy Butler Theatre, entry fee R8.
• 23 March: Hypnosis: the naked truth. Stef Juncker.
door on trojans, viruses and complex
bugs. It is usually free from cost, but it is
• 26 March: Fuel cells: passport to a better, cleaner future? Dr Ilya Eigenbrot. also free as in freedom-to-do-what-you-
want with the software.
Late afternoon lectures Microsoft just launched a new
15:30-16:30, Monument first floor, Olive Schreiner Hall, entry fee R8. operating system called Windows Vista,
• 22 March: The difference between boys and girls. Prof Mike Bruton. hoping to stem the tide of users moving
• 23 March: Forensic entomology: insects in the service of justice. Dr to alternatives. The expense of the
Mervyn Mansell. upgrade has certainly opened people’s
• 27 March: When is a planet a planet? Case Rijsdijk. eyes to alternatives like Linux. In many
tech circles the question of “Which
Windows?” is quickly becoming “Why
Evening lectures Windows?”
18:30-19:30, Monument lower ground floor, Guy Butler theatre, entry fee R9. So, what is free/open source software?
• 25 March: The lost world of the Foja Mountains, New Guinea. Dr Bruce A popular example of free software is the
Beehler. web browser Mozilla Firefox. Firefox’s
• 26 March: Genes in conflict: selfish genes and their uses for disease control. Prof market share rocketed ahead from
Austin Burt. Microsoft Internet Explorer because
it was a better, more stable product.
It was free from cost and gave users
“Which Windows?”
is quickly becoming
“Why Windows?”
Closer to home, a South African
project called translate.org.za was
recently given the award for the “Top
Civil Society to Bridge the Digital Divide
in Africa”. Translate.org.za provides
a platform for volunteers to translate
free software into local, indigenous
languages. The website doesn’t worry
about if it will be profitable to release an
office application in Sesotho or isiXhosa.
They are not hindered by software which
has arbitrary, money-derived limits.
Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-
Ngcuka warned recently that South
Africa is “becoming an African country
Who gave them the right? There are no
such restrictions on free software.
An alternative to Windows can be
found at the Shuttleworth Lab in the
Union. The open source software avail-
able there includes Firefox internet
browser, Thunderbird emailing, Open
Office for work documents, Suse and
many more. Andrew Grant, Rhodes
support systems specialist, highlights
that you can enjoy a 3D desktop where
you have four areas mapped into the
side of a cube and the office, browser
and email programs support all 11
official languages of South Africa.
You also have the benefit of streaming
RMR and other radio stations without
affecting your quota. An added benefit
until 1 April is that printing is 13 cents
cheaper per page than anywhere else
on campus. The Shuttleworth Lab is on

BUDDY’S LIQUOR STORE

the freedom to change it in ways they where its citizens cannot speak, read the ground floor of the Union building.
wanted to. People were so passionate or write African languages”. Do we as a

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Uncle Sam and
the Dragon
By Shingirirai Chaza
24 Jan 2007
Reuters reports that China’s
economy grew by 10.7% in 2006.
15 Jan 2007
The Washington Times reports
that China’s military is delaying
the planned US visit of General
Zhiyuan, commander of China’s
nuclear forces, to meet with his
US counterpart, Marine Corps
General James E. Cartwright.
12 Jan 2007
China and Russia veto a UN
Security Council resolution,
sponsored by the US, criticising
Burma’s human rights record.
10 Jan 2007
China announces that its global
surplus for 2006 was $117.47 bil-
lion, up from 2005’s $102 billion.
19 Nov 2006
The US and People’s Republic of
China navies conduct joint search
and rescue exercises in the South
China Sea. The exercises were
allegedly meant to increase trans-
parency and enhance military
contracts.
9 May 2006
Premier Wen Jiabao announces
China needs more time to bring
its anti-piracy standards to inter-
national levels.
Major US Legislation
Non-market Economy Tariff Act
Introduced 18 January 2007.
An act which requires that additional
tariffs be imposed on products of
non-market economies, which the bill
specifically defines as including the
People’s Republic of China.
The National Security Language Act
Introduced 24 January 2007.
An act which seeks to expand US for-
eign language study in “less commonly
taught” languages, including Chinese.
The Fair Currency Act
Introduced 31 January 2007.
This act requires the US Treasury Sec-
retary to conduct an annual analysis of
foreign countries’ exchange rate policies
and embark on negotiations with those
countries whose currencies are deemed
to be in “fundamental misalignment”.
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THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Business 9
S
ince late 2001, relations between
the US and China have been
relatively smooth, with regular
inter-state visits, co-operation
on anti-terror initiatives and
improved military relations. Of
late, however, there have been growing US
concerns about what some refer to as China’s
increasing ‘global reach’, and the consequences
of this for US interests and the balance of
power.
China’s growing international
Illustration: Alex Dubb
economic engagement has gone hand in
hand with expanding political influences.
Countries which were previously
unquestionably aligned to the States are
becoming increasingly influenced, both
economically and politically, by Beijing.
This was made obvious in the recent the US will have to come to terms with
lifting of the European Union’s arms
restrictions against China, in the face of
the fact that China is likely to become a
superpower; they can only hope that the
China’s economic expansion into Africa
strong US objections. country transforms itself along the way.
To feed its needs for resources, Those against this view say that Recently China has placed a high counterparts, is seen as separating
China seeks to supersede US power priority on its relations with the African business from politics, making it a
capital and technology, China has
and influence. Allegedly, China has continent, as illustrated by President Hu popular trading partner for countries
successfully sought trade agreements,
repeatedly violated its nonproliferation Jintao having concluded his third trip to with a patchy human rights record (such
oil contracts, technological co-operation
and multilateral security arrangements commitments which has contributed to Africa in three years this January. as Zimbabwe).
with countries all around the world; they strengthening states that conceal global Of particular interest for China China has brought an alternative to
seem particularly comfortable dealing terrorists. Beijing denies this. Essentially, is Sudan, because of its oil reserves. African leaders: they can now choose
with non-democratic countries. China proponents of this view feel that US Sudanese oilfields contribute 10% to either trade with a partner who
does not tie economic deals to political policy should focus on changing China of China’s total oil import, and it is questions nothing, or one who uses
issues such as democracy. from within, while trying to contain its believed that Chinese officials have investment as a vehicle for change within
America’s main concerns are foreign policy actions and economic given Sudanese troops rifles, helicopters the country. The choice seems simple for
economic and trade issues. China is now relationships where they threaten US and other weapons to protect this many leaders, but no one knows what
its largest trading partner – total trade interests. pipeline. China, unlike its Western the repercussions will be.
in 2005 was estimated at $285 billion.
This has created a number of issues in
their relationship. In particular: China’s
contribution to America’s substantial and
Economic indicators
growing trade deficit (in 2005 it totaled
Exchange Rate (16 March)
$202 billion); their inability to protect Weighted average of the banks’ daily
US intellectual property rights; and rates at approximately 10:30 am.
China’s restrained trade practices, such
as their strict currency controls.
This last issue is a major worry to
Rand/Dollar R7.4407
American economists. China has pegged Rand/Pound R14.4472
its currency, the renminbi, at a relatively
low value to the dollar. It has been Rand/Euro R9.9073
concluded by some that this decision
is to keep Chinese exports artificially
cheap, thus making it harder for US Interest rates (15 March)
producers to compete. Repo 9.00%
The ramifications of China’s Repurchase rate: Rate at which the
increasing importance are great, and private (sector) banks borrow rands
experts are divided as to what course of from the SA Reserve Bank.
action the US should take to minimise Prime 12.50%
the Chinese economic threat. According Benchmark rate at which private
to one school of thought, China’s banks lend out to the public.
political and economic rise is inevitable
and the US needs to accommodate them. Inflation Rate (Jan 2007)
This may be a good thing, however, CPIX 5.30%
as the growing wealth in China is CONSUMER PRICES excluding
likely to develop a population which is interest rates on mortgage bonds
materially better off and better educated, 12-Term % change.
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 Sport
THE OPPIDAN PRESS

11

Internal Soccer League ready to roll SPOR T

By Matreki “Treks” Mabizela
The Rhodes Internal Soccer League is under
new management and in a new format for
Cory/Matthews for another season.
However, one restriction on teams is a
recently introduced rule allowing for no
more than four Rhodes first team players
DIARY 29-31
2007. per team. 25 March
Oppies are represented in the league
Started in 1993 as a way of giving
mainly through Team Oppi, but many @ 10.00am March
students a chance to showcase their
skills, the league has grown in size and Oppies also play for res and club teams. Rhodes Cradock
quality, and this year will be run by This year promises to be a good season
Sports Admin and Rhodes Music Radio. for Team Oppi who have signed a large Cricket Rowing
To ease congestion on the fields, the number of players to strengthen their Old boys vs SASSU Sprints
team. Trying to maintain the element of
format of the competition will be two Rhodes Firsts
smaller leagues, with the top teams going surprise, team captain Farayi Chikuni
into knockout rounds at the end of the was hesitant to reveal the players that
season. had been signed.
30 March 1-6 April
Over the years the standard of play Bloem
Durban
has improved dramatically, and many
players who star in the internal league
“Many players who star Athletics Rugby
go on to play for the Rhodes first and in the internal league go SASSU Track SASSU
second teams. Rhodes first team coach and Field Tournament
Mandla Gagayi praised the league, say- on to play for the Rhodes Champs
ing “it is effective because as coaches we
get to see players that never went to tri- first and second teams.”
als. First team players like Mmuso, Xo-
lani, Christo and the others never came They are confident of performing 1-7 April 7 April
for trials, but because of the leagues we well, but should anticipate challenging Durban CT
managed to see them”. competition from perennial favourites
Just as in major leagues like the Eng- like Black Gold and Cory/Matthews. Badminton Athletics
lish Premiership or the PSL, teams are Gagayi was blunt in assessing their pros- SASSU Na- Two Oceans
allowed to sign players from other teams. pects: “They might do well, but I don’t tional Champs Marathon

Pic: Leon Schnell

One of last season’s star performers, see them winning the league, maybe in
Bryte Nimako, revealed how the Muslim the top five.”
Students Association team offered him The league starts next term, and the
free entry to all their functions to play Team Oppi players will be under pres- 6-9 April Volleyball
Players from Team Oppi warm up before a match against KDFC on Sunday. They lost 4-0. Splash festival
for their team. He declined, staying with sure to deliver on the field. PE

The main contenders OLDE 65

By Matreki “Treks” Mabizela and Simon Allison

Adamson/Jan Smuts
After two poor seasons, they will be hoping to
Team Oppi
Given the huge number of Oppies to draw
65 New Street
turn things around with the introduction of from, Team Oppi has consistently finished
players with more experience. They have an
organised defence and a good midfield, but
below its potential. This year they have a large
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tend to lose concentration at crucial times. be hoping to mount a serious challenge.

Our prediction: quarter-finalists Our prediction: quarter-finalists

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MSA consistently put up a good fight, This team came second last year, playing
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some high-quality football. A number of first
years could hamper the side with their lack
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This team competed last year as Centenary/
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has a very tight defence, and will be hoping to
build on last year’s success to mount a serious
challenge for the title.
Our prediction: semi-finalists
of experience, but the core of last year’s team
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 News
Sport inside: pg11
Internal Soccer League Special
Experiment failed?
By Caroline East
The introduction of salaried Oppidan sub-
wardens this year was meant to address the
needs of the Oppidan community, specifically
first years. However, after nearly a term, many
first years are unhappy with the level of service
provided by the sub-wardens.
Their duties are supposed to include
sending emails, making phone calls and
door to door check ups. All of the sub-
wardens claim to have sent out at least
one email to all Oppi first years, but are
disappointed with the response. “There
is no communication. The emails are just
not being read and responded to,” said
sub-warden Samantha Mundeta.
However, Phumeza Mpauli, a first
year BJourn student, said: “I had no idea
that we even had sub-wardens. I didn’t
get any emails, or any kind of contact
from them.”
Tracey Lukhele lives on African Street
and received a general welcome email
with contacts and names of the sub-
wardens, but she did not reply. “I know
that most of my friends did not reply to
them either.”
After receiving little response from
Oppies that did receive emails, the sub-
wardens attempted to phone Oppies and
make appointments to see them and find
out how they were settling into digs life.
The sub-wardens have been working
through their lists of Oppidans and
phoning them.
Lukhele said: “Both a friend and I got
phone calls form the sub-wardens and
arranged to meet in the Oppi Common
room during the week. We went there
and waited for them, but Grant and
Xoliswa [the sub-wardens of her area]
did not arrive at the arranged time.”
While some Oppies remain unaware
of the sub-wardens, local residents are
not. Sub-warden contact details were
published in Grocott’s Mail, to give
residents a channel of communication
concerning issues with their student
Grahamstown police and Oppidans fail to see eye to eye
By Alexandra Richardson
The crime situation in Grahamstown is being
compounded by problems between Oppies and
the police. Police only patrol areas with high
criminal activity, which are identified on the
strength of students reporting the crimes. Stu-
dents, however, don’t report crimes because
of their perception of police unreliability and
their lack of visibility in high crime areas.
Captain Naidoo, from the Graha-
mstown police force, urges students to
report all burglaries and car break-ins
directly after the incident has occurred.
He stresses that the police can only take
measures when they know about the
incidents and where they are happening.
The head of crime prevention, Senior
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neighbours. Mandy Fratz, a local
resident, is exasperated about the parties
and loud music coming from her student
neighbours in the early hours of the
mornings. She believes that sub-wardens
should be contacted and should deal
with these situations.
“We have received countless
calls from irate residents regarding
problems with neighbouring students,”
commented the sub-wardens. As much
as possible, sub-wardens negotiate
the problems between residents and
students, but if no agreement can be
reached, the issue is taken to Gordon
Barker.
“I had no
idea that we
even had
sub-wardens”
However, officially sub-wardens are
not meant to be available to the public
between 17:00 and 07:00. Fratz believes
that sub-wardens should be contacted at
all hours to deal with situations such as
parties and loud music.
In an exclusive meeting with The
Oppidan Press, the Oppi sub-wardens
said they are doing their best to fulfil
their duties. They pointed to their
contribution during O-week when they
worked hard to look after first year
students who arrived in Grahamstown
with nothing more than a suitcase
and nowhere to stay. The level of
response from Oppidans was also a
disappointment, as the subwardens can’t
do anything about issues they are not
aware of.
Superintendent De Vis, shared his senti-
ment: “We can increase the police vis-
ibility if we get digs crime information
so we can concentrate on specific areas.”
St Aidan’s Avenue resident Ricky
Foster never reported the break-in of
his Zimbabwe-registered car because
he felt that the police would not care
for international students. The response
De Vis gave to this reiterated his earlier
comment about reporting crime: “We
are all part of the Grahamstown com-
munity and the police’s job is to help all
in the city, no exceptions.”
Jonathan van Stuyvesant Meijan also
lives in St Aidan’s, and said that his car
was broken into on 2 March, along with
seven other car break-ins that night on
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Graphic: Jacky Smith
Milner Street and St Aidan’s Avenue.
He reported the incident and although
the police responded he does not feel
that this was enough to prevent further
crimes. According to him, “they do their
rounds and then drive away.”
“Police visibility is
not as good as it
should be”
Other Oppies also feel that police vis-
ibility is not as good as it should be and a
possible reason is the recent crackdown
on drunk driving. Darrel Marais, who
lives on Wincanton said: “I have seen
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Student mugged while
waiting for Rhode Trip
By Claire Carr
A student was mugged while waiting for
Rhode Trip to fetch her from Allen Street in the
early hours of 8 March.
The student, who wishes to remain
anonymous, phoned Rhode Trip from
the Rat and Parrot and told them to
meet and fetch her from Allen Street.
“I wanted to walk my friend home and
thought it would be convenient for them
to fetch me from there,” says the student.
After waiting at the Rat for 10 minutes
they walked to Allen Street. “My friend
went inside because she was tired and
left me waiting for Rhode Trip,” says the
student. She waited for another 10 to 15
minutes before deciding to walk back to
the Rat and ask someone to give her a lift
home. On her way back she was mugged
by three men.
She feels that Rhode Trip let her
down. However, Matthew Slater, Manag-
ing Director of Rhode Trip, said: “The
driver who was working that night is a
valued employee and is honestly one of
mine and the members’ favourites. He
never fails to hit that route.” The driver is
also a CPU guard.
“It’s a well known fact that the buses
fetch people from Mr Burger,” Slater
says. “It’s clearly stated in the form you
sign and on the back of the card. I don’t
understand why she would walk there
[Allen Street].” He added that Rhode
Trip provides endless amounts of safe
lifts, with very few complaints. “I send
my regards to the person this happened
to. It’s the last thing I want to happen to
people.”
The student said: “I asked them to
come to Allen Street because I wanted
to go home soon. They didn’t tell me to
meet them at Mr Burger.”
them (the police) patrolling the streets
once after coming home; the other
nights I only ever see the police in High
and New Street.”
Meijan agrees: “They are so con-
cerned with busting the students.” He
recalls one incident when he was careful
not to drink and drive and left his car at
home but it was broken into that same
night.
Naidoo comments that the police
are anxious to clamp down on drunken
and disorderly behaviour in the better
interest of the students, but this does not
mean that they are neglecting their other
jobs. He said: “It is not a police bash-
ing against students. It is a warning to
protect them.”
Oppi Common Room:
the bare bones
By Claire Carr
The state of the Oppidan Common Room in
the Student Union building has been criticised
by many Oppies, most recently in a letter to
The Oppidan Press (7 March edition).
A spot-check revealed that the
Common Room leaves a lot to be
desired. I entered the room through an
awkward swing gate (designed to allow
one person through at a time) that I
suspect would result in death if the
place caught on fire.
Chairs, tables and sofas are
haphazardly scattered all over the
room, with little thought given to their
practical use. A foosball table with
missing handles and a crack in the glass
is on its last legs.
I decided to sit down on one of the
cleaner sofas but something catches my
eye: a heap of chewed-up chicken bones
lavishly strewn on the floor. Clearly,
complaints are justified.
I asked Sam Simango, Chairperson
of the Oppidan Committee, to explain
why the common room was in such
a poor state. “There is a cleaning lady
who comes in every day during the
week to tidy up and set out the cups
and saucers for tea and coffee,” he
said. He added that the Oppi Comm
is responsible for looking after the
common room and its maintenance.
“Ever since we put the complaints
book in the room we have been
getting feedback. We don’t know what
the problems are unless people tell
us,” Simango said. The complaints
that Simango has received are being
considered by the committee. He urged
Oppidans to “please complain”.
Now, if I could only find that
complaints book…
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