Zim students page 5

It’s a hard-knock life

page 4
De la Rey
Die hele bleddie storie

The Oppidan Press Edition 2, 07 March 2007

The Wheel
Deal
The SRC are in
delicate negotiations with an as-yet
unnamed financial group over regular
sponsorship for a new SRC bus service.
Keith Kachambwa, the Oppidan representative
on the SRC, declined to reveal the name of the By Claire Carr, Lionel Faull and Simon Allison
proposed sponsor, for fear of compromising delicate
negotiations. The financial group in question has a branch
in Grahamstown.The SRC bus currently provides lifts for students from
the library, on weeknights, to their homes. The bus leaves at 20:30 and 22:30.
“The service is currently designed for safety and not convenience,” explained
Kachambwa. “As long as you are an Oppi then you may use the service,” he
adds. In the past, management of the service has “fallen through the cracks”.
Kachambwa said: “Previous people involved did not maintain a relationship
with the sponsor we are currently speaking to. We are now mending relations
in order to increase our sponsorship so as to ensure that Oppies are
looked after in the long run.” The service has always been student-
driven and often the people who take on this responsibility don’t have
a vested interest in running of the SRC bus efficiently. “If we can
get the university’s administration involved, then the project can be
taken further. We are also speaking to the Communications Division
in our search for another sponsor,” said Kachambwa. He stressed that
the bus is an SRC initiative, not university admin-driven or Oppidan
Committee-driven, but that the project still has “many avenues that
need to be explored, which is why we need the support of all the
different university divisions.” Kachambwa added that the SRC needs
feedback from Oppies, or people interested in using the bus, so that
they can make informed decisions about it. “We have sent out emails
telling students about the bus and asked for their suggestions but they
either don’t read the email or they don’t bother to reply or comment,”
he said. The new bus service is likely to have a significant impact
on local company Rhode Trip, according to founder and Managing
Director Matthew Slater. Rhode Trip currently provides many Oppies
with transport around town for a set fee, which just barely covers their
operational costs.“If a financial institution is willing to back a transport
project, they should invest the money into Rhode Trip which has already
been in existence for two year. Rhode Trip’s membership fee would then
come down significantly. It’s also frustrating to hear that the SRC are
proposing this and they haven’t even attempted to have discussions with
myself,” said Slater. Slater believes that it would make more sense for
any sponsorship money to be used to pay Rhode Trip’s operating costs,
which means that these costs do not have to be passed on to students.
He is sceptical about whether the Oppidan Committee will be able to
find enough sponsorship to make the service free to Oppidans. “Even with
serious financial backing, a free bus service is almost impossible.” The Oppidan
Press conducted a spot door-to-door survey, asking Oppies for their opinions about
the proposed SRC bus service: 91% of Oppies surveyed are in favour of a new SRC
shuttle service (while 36% weren’t even aware of the current service). Kelly Bergins,
a stooge at DSG, said: “UCT’s [bus] service runs all the time and is very much
appreciated.” Paula Taylor, an Oppi on African Street, said she wouldn’t use the bus
because it sounds unreliable. “However, it is probably safer than walking home
late at night,” she said. Ashton Mountford, living in Bond Street, said:
“I don’t use the library late at night. However, I would probably use
the shuttle if it left from other places on campus and at other times.”
Oppies were also overwhelmingly in favour of a bus running during
the day as well as at night. Claudia Gravett, who lives in The Mews,
said: “If it ran during the day, parking on campus would not be such
Pic: Gaynor Barnard

a nightmare. The university should subsidise it.” Xanthe Geyer, who

lives in Makana Lodge, believes that a day and night shuttle service is
essential “for safety purposes”. Mark Sparg, a stooge at St. Andrew’s,
commented that the times of the new bus should be synchronised
with the lecture timetable. An agreement could be
forthcoming in the next month.

IT’S GREAT HAVING ALL THE STUDENTS BACK IN TOWN AGAIN!!

WORK HARD! PLAY HARD! HAVE FUN!
GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT BUT PLEEEZE
REMEMBER YOUR NEIGHBOURS!!

53 Bathurst St Grahamstown. Tel 046- 6222950/6228700. Tim: 082 800 9276 Kevin 082 772 0400
 Editorial
THE OPPIDAN PRESS

Restaurant review: page 7

2 Eat humble pie

Ed’s view point

The Botanical Gardens saga has
meandered through the pages of
several Grahamstown newspapers,
including The Oppidan Press, for the
better part of a month. No one has
been able to pin down several key
questions and have them answered.
The wide-angle view of the situation
pits Rhodes University, Makana Munici-
pality and the South African National
Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) all yelling
“Develop the Bots!” against a handful
of Grahamstown residents shouting
“Whoah there! Not so fast!”
With all this shouting, it’s getting
increasingly difficult for plebs like me to
make head or tail of the situation. I have
a sneaky suspicion, though, that confu-
sion is in somebody’s best interests.
These are (some of) the facts:
• The Bot Gardens is a nature reserve,
and as such is public property.
• Rhodes is the custodian of the Bot
Gardens on behalf of Grahamstown.
• Rhodes has a 99-year lease on the Bot
Gardens. Under the terms of the lease,
the gardens can only be developed for

Illustration: Alex Dubb

botanical reasons.
• SANBI donated R2,9 million to
develop the Bot Gardens in two stages.
Stage one, which is almost complete, en-
tails the restoration of the Bot Gardens.
Stage two, which is currently being hotly For a less cynical take on the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, turn to page 10 for our full preview.
debated, entails the development of an

Letters to the Editor

educational facility in or by the gardens.
The facility will include a tea room, of-
fices and seminar rooms.
Rhodes University has played a
prominent role in the restoration and
development of the Bots. Four years

Sam’s one year plan RMR DJs: never return

ago, the gardens were run-down and
tired-looking. Now they look vibrant
and beautiful. The university has fulfilled
its responsibility for the gardens’ upkeep
and maintenance.
The proposed new educational facil-
ity, however, takes the Bots restoration
into unchartered waters where much
more is at stake.
We have been told at different times
that the facility will be a “lecture venue”
and at other times a series of “seminar
rooms”. Either way, Rhodes stands to
benefit. Consider that the university is
compelled to grow over the next 10 years
in order to meet government subsidy
targets. Where does it grow to? A new
“lecture venue” or new “seminar rooms”
will ease this pressure, even if they are
to be shared with school learners from
Grahamstown on field trips to the Bots.
Rhodes Vice-principal Colin Johnson
is miffed that Bots objectors are popping
out of the woodwork at this late stage in
the development process, but are they
really “closet racists”, hell-bent on keep-
ing black schoolchildren off-campus, as
he has claimed? Or is Johnson creating
last minute smoke-and-mirrors because,
for the university at least, much more
than race is at stake?
The question, qui bono? (who ben-
efits?), should be applied equally to all
parties, including Rhodes University,
before the public decides what should be
done with the Bots.
Lionel Faull
editor.oppipress@gmail.com
I just want to make a few comments
regarding our chairman Sam’s plan
for the year. Firstly, I would like to
say that I agree with him when he
says that last year’s committee did
make an effort to improve things for
the Oppies. However, I wouldn’t go
as far as saying they revolutionised
anything. Regarding the services
that Oppies received –what services
is he on about?
Sam mentioned the duty of the
Oppi Comm as ‘making life easier for
off-campus students.’ I have a problem
with that statement because my life at
Rhodes is not any easier. I live far from
campus so it’s easier for me to be on
campus the whole day than to travel
up and down. When I am on campus
I need a place where I can do some
work, relax and have my lunch and the
common room is provided for just those
needs. Except, we have been asking for
a microwave for goodness knows how
long, air-conditioning or a simple gas
heater would do just fine for those cold
days but apparently that is way too much
to ask of our Comm.
I think it is safe to assume that the
Comm was aware that term would
start eventually so they would have
made plans to take care of things before
then. Our chairman was running the
secretary’s office over the vac (can’t
imagine why); still, in the first two
weeks of term nothing in the common
room works, not even the TV, and
there are problems with the coffee lady
– it’s basically chaos. What impression
are they giving the poor new students
who were excited that they have this
wonderful common room to hang in?
I believe the Comm are over-
extending themselves and now they
cannot handle everything all at once.
If you were to do some background
checking you’ll find that within the
Comm a person is also a lab assistant, a
sub-warden and goodness knows what
else. I do not mean to be so negative
towards our Comm as they did great
things for us (but how far will a R10
movie discount go in making your life
in digs better?).
I hope Sam’s plan will really
‘revolutionise’ things for the Oppidans.
They can start by making themselves
available to the Oppies. Last thing
Sam, the Comm is not there to support
you, it’s there to support the Oppies,
to better our lives and not to make you
feel like a queen bee.
With much love for my Comm,
Indira Mayhong
to Never-Never Land
It’s Sunday morning and I need a my other favourites” follows along with
some more ancient cartoon songs. After
wake up call to get myself out of
a few minutes I can’t take it anymore,
bed and into the mountain of course
I curse loudly and change to 5fm. I,
work I’ve avoided all week. What as an aspiring journalist would like to
better than the radio? I should have support all aspects of Rhodes’ media
abandoned that notion as soon as it sections, including our wacky pals down
came to me, because when I switch there at the radio station, but this is too
much. For the last week news has been
on to RMR I almost fell out of my bed discarded because it couldn’t be found
as I listen to the DuckTales theme in time and the music has left much to
song. be desired. To top it all off, a series of
badly recorded cartoon tunes groaning
Ok, so the DJ slipped up, that’s ok, I
through my radio is not the best way to
tell myself through gritted teeth, and roll
start off a new year.
over until the song ends.
I want to be able to listen to RMR
I can’t wait for some real music to get
and not grind my teeth while I start my
me stoked and then instead of a chart
day! Please oh please escape from kiddie
stopping number, something worse
than DuckTales comes on through my land and play something we can actually
listen to…
petrified little bedside radio. It’s that
annoying song that the crab sings in
The Little Mermaid. A series of amicable
From Lisa Brigham
cartoon talk like “oh this was one of
Do you have something to say? Write a letter to the
Editor and e-mail it to editor.oppipress@gmail.com.

The Oppidan Press Editor: Lionel Faull

Deputy Editor: Ines Schumacher
Acting Assistant Chief Designer: Vanessa Berger
Acting Science & Tech Editor: Lara Faris
Business Editor: Shingirirai Chaza
Chief Designer: Jacky Smith
News Editor: Claire Carr
Opinion Editor: Lara Faris

STAFF
Managing Editor: Mike Winn
Advertising Manager: Tasmin Vosloo
Marketing Manager: Julia Housdon
Distribution subsidised by the 2007 Oppidan Web Manager: Norman Nwayo
Committee
Assistant Pictures Editor: Leon Schnell Chief Sub-Editor: Jade Fernley Pictures Editor: Gaynor Barnard
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
 Opinion
THE OPPIDAN PRESS

Allison Wonderland The Oppidan Comm ent

Why I’d like to get admin stoned Would you

By Simon Allison
Israel and Palestine: at it again. Every day
there seems to be something else going
on – a Palestinian has blown himself up
on a public bus, Israel has launched an
indiscriminate crackdown in retaliation;
there are bullets, missiles and stones
flying all over the place. What
most people don’t realise is
that this has been going
on for quite a while.
The Arabic word for
Palestinian is filisteen,
which sounds a bit like
the biblical Philistines
– indeed, they are
the same people,
ised the Jews a land that belonged to
someone else. David was Israeli; Goliath
be born in a war zone. Where I try to
skip as many lectures as I can reason-
how
if we
like chips
with that,
a Philistine. Ironically, back then it was ably get away with, they had to protest sur-
the Israelis throwing the rocks. to have them at all. It makes you realise vive
While they haven’t got bored of fight- how privileged we are to have a quality all this,
ing yet, we’ve all become tired of CNN university education, and how much we global
showing us the Old Testament on loop
– adapted to screen and in a modern
context, of course. That’s why I was
take it for granted.
But a small part of me was jealous
of these Palestinian students. Yes, they
warming
will get
us all in a
madam?
surprised a few months ago when live in an occupied territory, they have few years
a story about Palestine caught no rights or freedoms and they have to anyway.
my eye. A bunch of university duck bullets on the way to school. But, These are
students in Gaza were standing on the plus side, they get to throw stones all real and
outside their university, for something they believe in – there is a pressing prob-
protesting right side and a wrong side, and it is easy lems, but for the
because to know where you stand. I’d quite like to most part we are
lectures throw stones at the admin building, or at middle class and
had been cancelled. A anything really, but I’ve got nothing I feel educated and more

Pic: Leon Schnell

and if you’ve read few rocks were thrown. They that strongly about. worried about where
your Bible you really weren’t happy. And that’s strange, because there are the next beer is com-
will know This got me thinking. It suddenly big issues out there. Like how the cell ing from. More impor-
that the felt very personal. I can relate to phone companies are keeping strangely tantly, even if we gave a damn, how do
Philis- university students in a way I can’t quiet about the radiation released into we direct our anger? There is no obvious,
tines and relate to Israeli soldiers or suicide our bodies from each phone call we symbolic culprit. You can’t throw a stone By Michelle Bate
the Israelis bombers. These were people just make. Like how big corporations are at a disease, or a corporation.
have been like me, just like you, trying feeding us chemicals that are changing So yes, I would like to be a Palestin-
fighting since to get themselves an educa- our biological structure. Like how Aids ian student, because then I would know It is only now in 2007 that Oppies are
God first prom- tion – except they happened to is killing off half our population. Like exactly where to throw my stones. finally being catered for. I remem-
Pics: Leon Schnell
ber my first year at Rhodes as an
Oppi and not being able to stomach
When the butternut hits the idea of cooking for myself. I
joined the Res-Link program to

137 High Street the blender

have lunches in res, but always felt
as though I was intruding on their
dining hall. Now we finally have our
Guest House and Restaurant By Claire Neilson friend prefers to ignore that issue alto-
gether; she stocks more chicken than
own space on campus, our very own

M
y digs is the perfect testa-
ment to how the butternut,
BEST kept secret in when hitting the proverbial
fan/blender, manages to be evenly dis-
Grahamstown... tributed – throughout the kitchen, every
For good food at extremely time. That was just one such mishap that
occurred in the great unknown of cook-
reasonable prices come to 137 ing food. I live with five people. Well,
three people actually, if you exclude the
High Street. boyfriends that come out of the wood-
work to escape the general crappiness
of res dinners. On the
average night there are
Fully licensed six people crammed into
our fairly small kitchen,
and so begins the adven-
ture of cooking.
21st parties, cocktails and outside Two out of those
catering provided. six people are vegan.
One out of those six is
borderline diabetic. The
Come speak to us and we will cater to other two could feed
the average Pick ‘n Pay. A few unopened
boxes of wholewheat cracker bread lay
unopened, more as a reminder that
somehow just having them there com-
bats the effects of general bad eating.
I have stood amidst the chaos of six
people in the kitchen, diving for the last
clean casserole dish, and wondered if
it would be more practical to have one
person cooking for everyone. But yet
another obstacle presents itself. For some
people half cooked viennas on bread
constitutes part of
a balanced diet. For
others, a salad with
watered down vinegar
is a treat equivalent
to a slab of chocolate.
Someone’s taste in
food is as personal
as their underwear
drawer.
Pic: Simon Capstick-Dale
dining hall to invade.
The new Oppi dining hall would
not have happened if it wasn’t for the
Oppidan Committee of last year. The
idea of an Oppi dining hall had been
lingering in the air of boardroom
meetings. The university had originally
decided to scrap the idea due to
insufficient finances, but this decision
was reconsidered after the Oppi Comm
conducted a feasibility survey. Data
was collected to see how many Oppies
were interested, what meals they would
need, as well as their preferred payment
method. Several teams of people
have been responsible for organising
the Oppidan dining hall, headed by
the Residential Operations Division
Director, Dr Ian L’Ange.
In the very near future (next term,
in fact) we won’t have to worry about
dashing to P ‘n P or sticking two-minute
noodles into the microwave after a

suit your budget AND special require- a starving rugby team
under the table. That
ments. leaves me, the token
fussy eater. Needless to
Weekly specials. say, the statistics aren’t
in our favour for things
running smoothly. Neither do we have
the option of one person making a stan-
dard meal for everyone else, which I am
OPEN: told happens in most other communal
Monday- Friday living arrangements. Everyone buys their
own food, and everyone cooks their own
7.30am-9.30pm
food, every night.
Saturday In light of our wide and varied tastes,
8.30am-2pm and the lack of a wide and varied fridge
and and cupboard space, I have realised how
5pm–9.30 pm people’s personalities really can be re-
vealed just by looking at the assortment
Sunday:
of food items they may have. My vegan
8am–2pm friends, for example, have a somewhat
odd substitute for chicken: tofu. To me
Tel: (046) 622 3242 this looks like an abnormally large block
of feta cheese, which they tell me is high
in calcium and neatly avoids the risk of
growing a spare leg from dodgy battery
fed chickens. My borderline diabetic
Nevertheless, food
has a way of bringing
people together. Ev-
eryone seems to have
a fond memory of a
situation involving
food. Students at Rhodes manage to find
their way to the BP for some munchies
to get through an essay, and don’t feel as
bad when fifty other people are doing
the same thing.
So, when I look at the chaos I often
witness in my digs – my friends ponder-
ing what to make for dinner; shouting
out expletives about the mayonnaise
that got lost at the back of the fridge;
hearing someone vent about a bad day,
where everything went wrong – I think
of the alternative: Microwave dinners,
when the only conversation is from a
television, where no one burns anything,
and butternut doesn’t orbit around
the kitchen due to a botched up soup
making experiment. I think I prefer the
chaos, and by the looks of things, so does
everybody else.
tedious hungry walk home. In our
dining hall we can have a good meal on
campus at a reasonable price to get us
through the rest of the day. This will help
reduce trips to and from all corners of
Grahamstown.
Our new dining hall will be situated
in the old Kaif room on the ground floor
of the Union building. It will be open
to Oppies and staff alike. Rhodes will
be doing the catering, and the standard
Normal, Halaal and Vegetarian options
will be served. Other meal options will
be incorporated into the menu in due
course. You will be given a Dallas chip
upon payment for your meals. You will
then be able to manage your meals
online. We eagerly await the grand
opening!
We are looking for contributions to the Opinion
section from our readers. Send in your 300-400
word contribution to the Opinion Editor, Lara
Faris.
E-mail: opinion.oppipress@gmail.com
 Features
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
Zim students’ MIP:
Maximum Inconvenience
Payment
By Adelaide Mazwarira, Chereen Gibson and
Catherine McDonald
Since the day Mugabe said “Keep
your England and let me keep my
Zimbabwe,” the country has never
stopped making headlines.
Zimbabwe has had its share of
negative limelight in the media. It
went from being the bread basket of
Africa to being dependant on other
countries. As if that’s not enough, it has
since introduced “economic policies”
such as Operation Restore Order
(Murambatsvina) which has left many
people struggling to make ends meet.
The media shows us images of people
in poverty, petrol queues, empty shelves
in supermarkets and just recently
people attempting to jump the border
to find a better life in South Africa.
Inflation fluctuates wildly, even beating
Grahamstown’s random weather changes
in the unpredictability stakes. The way
that Zimbabwe has been diminished
to the point that people always make
fun of it is astonishing. How everything
crumbled so quickly is even more of a
mystery.
Of course, you cannot deny that
Zimbabwe has serious problems,
but the media takes it too far. As a
Zimbabwean student at Rhodes, you
still go home every December vacation
and you manage to bath with real soap,
use tissues and eat good home-cooked
meals. The supermarket shelves are full,
and fuel is a problem but people who
queue for it eventually get something.
The rapid increase in the price of
goods is the most serious problem.
People would obviously be in a better
position to support their families if the
money they worked so hard for was not
suddenly worthless.
This has had a detrimental effect
on people from all walks of life. This
is especially the case for Zimbabwean
students here at Rhodes. It has become a
hassle to raise money and then convert
it into rands to pay fees. Making things
Illustrations: Alex Dubb
even worse is the policy at Rhodes which
stipulates that foreign students have to
pay all their fees in full before they can
be allowed to register. If you thought
exam time was the worst at university,
SPECIALS
All Gold Baked Beans
399 SPAR
599
in Tomato Sauce 420g Fruit Juice (All variants)
1 litre each
499
899
Bonnita Cabana
Simba Potato Chips
Dairy Fruit Blend
(All variants) 125g each each
(All variants) 2 litre
you are most certainly mistaken; the
most depressing news you can ever get at
university is not that you have failed, but
it’s that you can’t register to even get the
chance to fail.
“The most
depressing
news you can
ever get at
university is
that you can’t
register to even
get the chance
to fail.”
In the case of foreign students, their
MIP is the whole of their fees which
means that a student doing a BA must
pay R25,000 and even more if they’re
in res. To say that raising that kind
of money in Zimbabwean dollars is
difficult is an understatement; it’s next
to impossible. Most students have
difficulty paying their MIP on time and
can consequently be thrown out of res
if the deadline is not met. “It’s difficult.
I was in res for the past two years but
had to move out involuntarily because
I couldn’t pay my MIP on time,” said
Tatenda Chitekeshe, a BSocSci third year
student.
Of course, moving out of res means
only one thing: staying in digs, which
is a challenge in itself especially if you
have been used to res life. Complicating
things further is that many landlords
require full payment in advance from
Zimbabwean students.
Most students from Zimbabwe
have relatives abroad and for them it’s
much easier because they are not faced
with the impossible task of raising a
36 99
SPAR
Bulk Wrapped
per kg
Cheddar or Gouda
Cheese
huge amount of Zim dollars and then
changing them into rands. Zenzo
Sibanda, a BSocSci third year student,
says that it’s far more difficult for those
who get money directly from Zimbabwe.
He adds that the university should at
least be considerate with students who
are in this position. Rhodes requires
students to pay in foreign currency,
which is difficult to get hold of because
of the depressed tourism sector.
This has been largely caused by the
media portraying Zimbabwe as being
violent, yet that is not the case. “People
are afraid to go to Zim, thinking it’s
violent, but it’s actually safe,” said Teri
Smith, a first year BA student. The reality
though, is that foreign currency is scarce
and at the rate that Zimbabwe is going,
the situation might well get worse. “They
should be more lenient on us because
foreign currency is not easily given for
educational purposes anymore, leaving
most people to resort to the black market
where you end up paying twice the
price,” Runeni Mangwiza, a third year
BA student explains.
The solution to these problems is
not an easy one. It’s clearly unfair for
Zimbabwean students to be treated
differently to other foreign students,
but the truth is that they are in a very
difficult position compared to other
students. It would be helpful if the
university would look into this issue to
make Zimbabwean students’ situation
more bearable.
Multi-million dollar students
Just imagine you had to pay millions
per year just to be at Rhodes. This is
the very real situation that Zimba-
bwean students find themselves in.
Here is what an approximate budget for
an average Zim student living in digs
looks like, in Zim dollars:
Rent for digs: $520,000
Food: $200,000
Pocket money: $180,000
Tuition and books: $900,000
Extras: $200,000
(medical expenses, transport etc.)
Total: $2,000,000 per year
(These calculations are a rough estimate
and are based on the official exchange rate
of 34 Zimbabwean Dollars to the Rand)
 Politics
THE OPPIDAN PRESS

De la Rey – die hele bleddie storie

By Taryn Herbst in the past. This can’t be seen as a bad
thing. Everyone needs an identity and
If you haven’t at least heard of Bok preserving who you are is important. I’m
all for it.
van Blerk’s hit De la Rey yet, then There was talk of banning the singing
you’ve probably been living under of the song at Loftus Versfeld (wanneer
a rock. The song has caused a storm die Bulle speel, dan moet jy verstaan wat
in South Africa recently, after being se soort mense na daai wedstryde gaan).
But the case has been dropped due to the
sung by the Blue Bulls’ rugby sup-
issue of freedom of speech – something
porters at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. post-1994 South Africans pride them-
The song is about General Koos De la selves on. If all South Africans pride
Rey who fought during the Anglo-Boer themselves on democracy and freedom
War. There are many misconceptions of choice they need to respect others’

Graphic: Ines Schumacher

that have arisen since the release of the
song, particularly that De la Rey was a
fervent Boer nationalist linked with the
creation of Apartheid.
This is not really accurate – the Boer
general was vehemently opposed to go-
ing to war. He was the last general to join
the fight against the English, but when
he did, he did so without fear. Unlike
the English, he treated his captives with
respect and compassion. When he took
an injured enemy commander in, he
immediately sent him back to the Brit-
ish clinic so that he could get adequate
medical attention. He was an opponent
of Barry Hertzog (known as the father
of Apartheid) and wasn’t an Afrikaner
nationalist; he was a true South African
leader who had the vision to see past
the ethnic and racial ideologies of other
There will always be something of the old in the new South Africa.
Afrikaner leaders of his time. In a truly
South African manner, Kosie De la Rey
died as a victim of a drive-by shoot-
ing when a police trooper fired a badly
aimed shot at him at a car blockade.
To quote Koos Kombuis: “Hy was ons
Steve Biko.” That’s who Bok van Blerk is
singing about, that’s Kosie who is so very
famous at the moment - so next time
you hear the song don’t shudder at the
thought of a second Apartheid.
Bok, or as his friends from school
know him, Louis Pepler (Bok van Blerk
is his stage name), is one fine looking Af-
rikaans farm boy if you ask me. He’s got
a strong looking build, short, dark hair
and a slight tan, only obtainable in South
Africa. My 11 year old very Afrikaans
cousin introduced me to the song over
the vac. When you live in Mosselbay you
get used to this kind of thing (Kurt Dar-
ren and Dozi come to visit and get in my
way at the local hangouts).
The Afrikaans people have always
used alternative music as a means of
speaking out aginst the system – in the
struggle the likes of Johannes Kerkorrel
(may his soul rest in peace) and Koos
Kombuis spoke out against the system
of Apartheid. Today there’s a resurgence
in this kind of music by the younger
generation (bands like Fokofpolisiekar
and Snotkop) in order to speak out once
again – this time against being margin-
alised, a feeling of lost identity and being
blamed for everything that’s happened
beliefs and values. If people of other
religious/cultural identities would like to
have the right to keep their belief system,
they have to allow for everyone else’s
– this includes Afrikanerdom. It’s just as
South African as being Zulu.
Bokkie doesn’t just sing about war
– his song Vodka en O.J. is about some-
thing all Rhodents can relate to: “Ek
stamp die cheap brand, Pitte is maar min
vanaand, As jy hom vir my koop, Kom
sit hier op my skoot”. This song’s about
getting drunk. A lot of his other tracks
are about girls. I dare you, get hold of the
CD and listen to it, but don’t just stop at
track one. Listen to the whole CD, you’ll
probably soon find yourself going “Ag
sies man, jou lekker ding” and enjoying
the singer – not for De La Rey but for his
humour and downright cheesiness!

De la Rey lyrics (and a rough translation)

Op ‘n berg in die nag,
Lê ons in donker en wag,
In die modder en bloed, lê ek koud,
‘n Streepsak en reën kleef teen my,
On a mountain in the night,
We’re lying in the dark waiting,
In the mud and blood, I’m lying down cold,
Pack and rain clinging on me,
OLDE 65
En my huis en my plaas, And my house and my farm,
Tot kole verbrand sodat hulle ons kan vang,
Maar daai vlamme en vuur brand nou diep, diep binne my…
Have been burnt to the ground so that they can catch us,
But those flames and fire are now burning deeply inside of me... 65 New Street
Pub and restaurant with
De la Rey, De la Rey, De la Rey, De la Rey
Sal jy die boere kom lei Will you come lead the boers
De la Rey, De la Rey, De la Rey, De la Rey
Generaal, Generaal, General, General
Soos een man sal ons om jou val
Generaal De la Rey
Like one man we’ll fall around you
General De la Rey the BEST position and
Oor die Kakies wat lag,
‘n Handjie van ons teen ‘n hele groot mag,
En die kranse lê hier teen ons rug,
Listen to the Tommies laughing
a handful of us against a whole great army
And the crags against our backs
BEST prices
Hulle dink dis verby, They think it’s over
Maar die hart van ‘n boer, But the heart of one of us
Lê dieper en wyer hulle gaan dit nog sien, Lies deeper and wider, they’re still going to see it
Op ‘n perd kom hy aan…
Die leeu… van die Wes-Transvaal,
He arrives on a horse
The lion of the West Transvaal FOOD AND DRINK
AT UNBEATABLE PRICES

Want my vrou en my kind lê in ‘n kamp en vergaan, Because my wife and child are lying in a camp dying
En die Kakies se murg loop oor ‘n nasie wat weer op sal staan, And the Tommies will see a nation that will get up again
Generaal, Generaal… General, General Good sized steaks at unbeatable prices
Sal jy die boere kom haal Will you come and fetch us

Castle draught R10

Adesina: a champion of academic freedom Double cane and mix R9

By Lionel Faull
Professor Jimi Adesina – a Rhodes Sociology profes-
sor – was cleared in the Grahamstown Magistrate’s
Court last month of defamation charges brought
against him by University of Kwazulu Natal head of
communications, Professor Dasarath Chetty.
Adesina sent a letter to Chetty last year, accus-
ing him of interfering with the academic freedom
of staff at UKZN and of bringing sociologists into
disrepute. Chetty had sent an email to UKZN staff
requesting that they refer all media queries about an
impending staff strike to his office. Adesina felt this
amounted to a gagging order.
Drawing from several definitions of academic
freedom, it is the right for all who teach, study,
research and work at a university, to seek and
disseminate the truth and not to be penalised for
finding and publishing unpopular truths.
Rhodes University’s recent track record of aca-
demic freedom appears cherubic when compared
with the shenanigans at UKZN and the University
of Fort Hare. Late last year, staff at Fort Hare were Double brandy and mix R12
fingerprinted to investigate who had leaked infor-
mation about glaring salary discrepancies at the
institution. Tasty Burgers – Chicken or Beef R15
Despite Rhodes appearing to be an island of
sanity in a sea of spin, we mustn’t forget that our
administration actively colluded with Apartheid
security agencies in gagging and harassing academic
Come see our other specials.
staff and students. Barry Streek, a member of the
National Union of South African Students (NUSAS)
at Rhodes during the late 1960s, alleges that the
Book the bottom bar at no cost for your special
university gave Apartheid security forces access to function - Sunday to Thursday!
information about students from university files.
The erosion of academic freedom can happen Tel: (046) 636 7928
anywhere, but the point is that we must always be
on guard for it. The way in which South African
universities are structured – placing academics in a Open 11 am till late 7 days a week
subordinate role to administrators – is potentially
very dangerous.
CORRECTION
When the sultans of spin weave their webs of ob- We apologise to Dr Thabisi Hoeane for erroneously representing him as a professor in the Department of Political
fuscation, we all need to take our cue from academ- and International Studies, whereas he is in fact a lecturer. We are sorry for any embarrassment caused.
ics like Adesina and protest.
 “
THE OPPIDAN PRESS

Arts
Art has something to do with the
6 achievement of stillness in the
midst of chaos.
– Saul Bellow ”
Brett Kebble –
art aficionado
By Sarah Laird and Hayley Mueller R400 million of this appears to have

C
been stolen from R&E, and the remain-
der from JCI. Additionally, R1.1 billion
ontroversy and scandal was claimed by R&E against JCI for
are generally the first Randgold Resources shares sold illegally
things that come to mind by Kebble for his own financial gain. He
when thinking of mining also sold off company assets through
magnate Brett Kebble. imaginary companies, with the profits
A businessman known for being more filtering back to him.
infamous than famous, Kebble led a life When these practices came to light,
fraught with speculation and drama. Kebble was fired from his positions at
This idea was reiterated by his death on R&E, JCI and Western Areas in August
27 September 2005, when he was shot six 2005. He was killed a month later, leav-

Pic: John Walters

times in Johannesburg during a hijack-
ing which police described as a ‘hit’. This
brought an end to a legacy, albeit one
that was not completely above-board.
Kebble entered the mining industry
in 1991 when he and his father, Roger,
ing much suspicion hanging in the air.
While alive, Kebble denied all of the
above accusations, stating that people
merely held unfounded vendettas against
him. John Walters, Brett Kebble Portrait, March 2006. Oil on canvas, each 40cm x 52cm.
Nevertheless, shady business dealings

launched a take-over of Rand Leases
Gold Mining. Following this, he won
a controlling stake in Randgold and
Exploration (R&E) in 1994. In 1995, he
ensured a controlling share in finance
house JCI, thus securing his place as
one of South Africa’s most powerful and
influential businessmen – all by the age
of 31.
However, heated debate and rumours
frequently coincided with Brett Kebble’s
success. Investigators have since learned
that much of his fortune was gained
through dishonest means, such as
money laundering and fraud. When
audited, Kebble’s paperwork was unable
to explain an extra R900 million. About
and living the high-life at the expense
of others was not all there was to Brett
Kebble. He was also a patron of the
arts, founding and sponsoring the Brett
Kebble Art Awards in 2003. The awards
provided a vehicle for artists to further
their work, as well as a platform for pre-
viously unrecognised talent. He was also
intent on fighting racism and wanted his
awards to have an influence within this
arena by including previously disad-
vantaged artists. The grand prize for
the awards was R100,000 and the total
budget was estimated at R620,000 – an
amount that dwarfed other art patrons
and sponsorships.
What many people cannot grasp is
why a mining magnate, and an evidently
dodgy one at that, would be interested in
funding the arts in South Africa. Kebble
once said of art that it is “a currency,
subject to the whims of the open mar-
ket”. This notion must have appealed to
the businessman in him by allowing him
to enjoy an economic impact in the art
world. Many speculate that the awards
were just a means of damage control – a
way for Kebble to repair his public image
by inviting praise from the media for his
good deeds.
Ultimately, Brett Kebble’s impact on
the art world is best described by the
artists themselves. Rhodes University
student John Walters, studying in his
“Shady business
dealings and liv-
ing the high-life
was not all there
was to Kebble”
final year of his Bachelor of Fine Arts,
created a diptych depicting “Brett Kebble
the patron looking at Brett Kebble the
art work”. In this non-judgemental oil
painting, Walters aimed to show an “illu-
sionistic” version of Kebble, juxtaposed
with a “gestural” depiction where each
gesture that the artist makes is visible to
the viewer. This concept serves to reflect
Kebble’s own life and the way in which
he lived it – the businessman looking
into the art world, possibly seeking self-
redemption.
The Kebble family pulled out of the
Art Awards in February 2006, saying that
it was too difficult for them to continue
so soon after Kebble’s death. However,
they have not ruled out the possibility
of continuing with some version of the
awards in the future. Many consider this
a huge loss, as in the few short years that
it existed, it made a highly significant

Ar t ist of the week A poem by Maclennan taken from his

newest anthology, The Necessary Salt:

Pebbles
I want to use my mind
By Bridget O’Keeffe poetry to be accessible to the public, yet not lacking in depth as
but its once sharp edges
he draws on Ancient Greek mythology and quotations of the
have been blunted by the stream.
Don Maclennan: novelist, playwright and poet – a man that masters of language that have gone before him. The poignant
I’ve woken up too late
Grahamstown is proud to call its own. tone that so many of his poems hold are an indication of
to climb the mountain
Maclennan has recently launched his eighteenth collec- Maclennan’s wisdom. Much lies under the surface, and through
and to see the rising sun.
tion of poetry, entitled The Necessary Salt. In this, Maclennan his poetry one can see his fascination with the world and his
Pic: Supplied

I have become smooth pebbles

emphasises the things that the modern world seems to brush connection to all that is in it. Maclennan is our artist of the
on the stream bed.
aside. He speaks of love, family and the realistic yet morbid week because his humility, honesty and, of course, his poetry is
Don Maclennan inevitability of death. He writes in a manner that allows his an inspiration.

EVENTS DIARY
Wednesday, 7 March
The Rhodes Surf Club launch is
taking place at 19:00 at the Old
Thursday, 8 March
Habitat-4-Humanity hosts
its cheese and wine at
Thursday, 8 March
Non-members can donate non-
perishable foods to get into
EVOLUTION
....
.... ....
.... INNOVATION IN HEALTHY EATING
Gaol. The theme is Hawaiian the Sports Bar, starting at the SHARC cheese and wine at
Hula. 21:30. the Union, 18:30.

Saturday, 10 March Saturday, 10 March

“A Quiet Afternoon” at the
Mriya uMama we Themba
(Mary Mother of Love)
Monastery. Tickets cost R10,
including tea. Starts at 13:30.
For those interested, call (046)
622 2445.
Thursday, 15 March
ROAR holds its first cheese and
wine at 19:00 at 137 High Street.
Non-members wishing to attend
should bring a donation for the
SPCA, or sign up at the event.
The Rhodes Student Chris-
tian Organisation (SCO)
opening function is happen-
ing at the General Lecture
Theatre, running from 13:00
to 17:30.
Friday 16 March
Check out the Cacadu For-
mula One Powerboat Grand
Prix at the Royal Alfred Ma-
rina in Port Alfred. The event
is free and lasts all week-
end. For more info, contact
Warwick Henry at warwick@
remaxkowie.co.za.
Saturday, 10 March
The Ikhaya Losizo fundraising
Coffee Shop and Bistro
initiative to build a safehouse is
holding its re-launch party at the
Food prepared from fresh ingredients
Old Gaol. Starts at 19:00 and the Generous range of coffees, teas and health shakes
R20 entrance fee will get you live
music and free punch. For more
Whilst we carry a modest wine stock, you are
information, visit the website at: welcome to bring your own (small corkage fee)
http://ikhaya.rucus.ru.ac.za.
Access for disabled (in process of being improved)
13 and 20 March Popular function venue
Shop 5
The International Filmfest Bookings accepted
continues with the tri-lingual Peppergrove Mall
Hiroshima Mon Amour and the
African Street
Swedish Wild Strawberries.
Mon-Sat: 08h30-21h00 Tel: (046) 636 2433
Sun: 09h30-15h00 Email: gsapelt@yebo.co.za

Fancy a weekend away?
By Simon Allison
It is hard to say what stands out the
most about Burg Lengeling, the new
backpacker lodge situated just 25
minutes outside of Grahamstown.
Perhaps it is the setting, on a small
hill in the middle of the valley, offering
unparalleled views of a fiery red and
pink sunset in all directions.
Perhaps it’s the wildlife; I can see
zebra and impala in the distance, while
just a few metres in front of me, four
springboks are grazing.
Or perhaps the most striking feature
of Burg Lengeling is the accommodation,
where owner Jesko has spent more than
a year building each chalet by himself.
What makes these chalets unique is the
iLife Lethu: eating cheaply for charity
By Catherine McDonald
One o’ clock on a Friday afternoon
and there are only two other people
in the coffee shop and library.
Needless to say, the service was
prompt and with prices as ridiculously
low as these were, iLife Lethu is a gem
in any town where students gather en
masse.
Coffee and tea are free while hot
Sudoku 6 4
Sudoku is a simple game
with a single rule:
3 4
Complete the grid by
9 1
placing digits 1 through
9 in each cell in such a
4 9 2
way that only one of each
digit is present in every row,
2 5
column and box. 3 5 4
Each puzzle has a
unique solution which 7 5
can be found by logic
alone. 2 1 9
Entertainment
Ad vertorial
panels of the walls that are made out
of glass bottles. Each panel must have
taken days to complete, but the result
is certainly worth the effort. There
are flowers, animals, and even Burg
Lengeling’s logo incorporated into the
intricate and exquisite designs.
The chalets themselves are simple
and rustic. The rooms are decorated in
an African theme, and they are all very
clean and comfortable. There are two
double rooms which come with en-suite
bathroom, and one triple room en-suite.
The rest of the rooms have four beds
with a communal bathroom, rather
than the traditional backpacker dorm
with 18 people crowded into one room.
This allows for a lot more comfort and
privacy. Another option is to bring along
a tent and pitch it in the camping area.
chocolate and iced coffee cost a mere
R6. Although it is often a stroke of luck
to find it open at the right time, it is well
worth the wait– even if just for the R5
toasted cheese and tomato. The waffles
and apple crumble are also sold for the
same humble price.
Situated across from Fruit and Veg
City on Hill Street, the coffee shop is
open between 1-5pm from Monday to
Friday. It’s free to join the library and
you can keep books for two weeks. So
2 Chicken stew
9 This can be cooked in one pot, so there’s minimal dish washing. If you
5 6
1 1 teaspoon oil
2 1 cup water
8 3
Daily Sudoku Ltd. 2007
3 2 5
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
There is also a fully stocked bar
and common room area, with a pool
table and TV. The pool table has been
newly refurbished and is the flattest in
the Grahamstown area. When you get
hungry there is a wood-burning Italian
pizza oven, the source of exceptional
pizza, which is fired up every couple of
days for the benefit of guests. On other
nights, guests can arrange to have food
supplied by the Yellow Piano, or make
use of the braai facilities.
While waiting for the pizza, we
wandered down to the river that runs
through the property. Living in towns
and cities, it is easy to forget just how
spectacular nature can be – particularly
the sky, where the African sunset looked
as if it was being chased away by the
approaching thunderstorm.
if those afternoon practicals end a bit
early and there is not much going on, do
a good deed and go get yourself a waffle
or any other budget friendly snack – the
proceeds of all items sold go to charity.
The restaurant reviews of The Oppidan
Press are an independent assessment
of Grahamstown’s restaurants. Our
reviewers dine incognito, providing you
with a credible and unbiased guide to
eating out.
dislike cooking every day, this can also be cooked for the week, frozen and
warmed up when needed. Serves two.
Ingredients
½ onion, chopped
½ green Pepper, chopped
2 pieces chicken
2 tablespoons chutney
1 potato, peeled and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 cup mixed vegetables
Chicken spice
1 cup rice
Affordable, close and spectacular,
Burg Lengeling really is the perfect
weekend getaway for students who want
to get out of the Grahamstown bubble.
It would also be an excellent venue for
big parties, like twenty-firsts. Transport
there and back can be arranged on
request.
TO BOOK:
Bookings can be made by phoning Jesko on
073 470 6105, or through the reception at the
Yellow Piano restaurant and B&B.
DIRECTIONS:
Take the Port Alfred Road, the R67. Take the
Manley Flats turn-off to your left, after about
15 km. Follow the dirt road for 5km and turn
left into MF5.
PRICE:
R80 per person
R180 per double room
R35 camping
Pics: Claire Waterhouse
Final verdict
Ambience
Food
Service
Décor
Booze N/A
Directions
Heat the oil in a medium sized pot.
Add onion and green pepper, and fry
lightly. Add the chicken pieces and cook
until browned. Add water, chutney, salt,
potato and chicken spice. Cover and
simmer for 20 minutes. Add, chopped
tomato and mixed vegetables. Simmer
for 10 minutes and serve with rice.
Got a favourite recipe? Send it to
entertainment.oppipress@gmail.com
Hitting the G-spot
That magical
Big O
By Takondwa Nyasulu
I stumbled across my very first orgasm
by accident. There I was home alone,
bored with nothing interesting to do
when I decided to let my imagination
run wild and began to explore my body.
Unfortunately, instead of the mind
blowing, earth shattering experience
that I’d often read about in Cosmo, I got
nothing more than a 30 second ticklish
spasm which left me flushed and rather
drowsy. But I was determined to keep at
it and achieve that magical Big O. Until
one day I was caught, red handed.
I’d received one of those back
massagers with a heat and vibration
setting for Christmas and don’t ask what
possessed me, but I decided to try out
other functions that weren’t listed in the
manual. I hiked up my skirt, plugged
it in and turned it on. Pure bliss. That
is until my mother walked in: “Child,
what are you doing under the covers?”
she asked as if she honestly didn’t
know. “Umm, nothing,” I replied in the
sweetest of voices. It didn’t work. She
told me to get out of bed and sheepishly
I crawled out, with my skirt still hiked
up. Thankfully my Betty Boop panties
were still on. I wanted to choke myself
with the electric cable attached to my
newly discovered sex toy. I tried to
come up with a silly excuse about how
I had cramps and was trying to soothe
them with the heat setting; she wasn’t
fooled but being busted was punishment
enough and she left the room.
That’s the only time I’ve ever been
embarrassed about masturbating and
why should I be? It’s great and I’m not
ashamed to admit that I do it often. I
can’t think of anything more relaxing
and when I can’t sleep it’s the next best
thing after warm milk. It’s not a sin and I
haven’t gone blind or grown hair on the
palm of my hands as the myths foretell
will happen soon if I don’t stop. And I
don’t plan to, because if I don’t know
how to pleasure myself, who will? In this
day and age of the sex-savvy modern
woman, why is masturbation such a
taboo subject? Men are happy to joke
about it, calling each other wanker and
other such names, yet even they are too
ashamed to admit that they engage in a
little one on one action. Apparently it’s
dirty and only reserved for those who
aren’t getting any.
Your body is not dirty. Touch it,
explore it and appreciate the way it feels.
If you’re planning on giving
anyone else a toe-curling
experience shouldn’t
you know how to give
yourself one
too?
The sex and relationships column of
The Oppidan Press, Hitting The G-Spot,
is intended to explore sex and sexual
relations in a responsible and informative
way. Sex – whether you’re getting it 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.
 8
Voice against
vivisection
By Kate Townshend
Vivisection is the use of live animals
in tests carried out to approve new
medicines, cosmetic products and
the ingredients used in both of
these. The debate surrounding the
testing of life-saving medicines
is one that divides public opinion
both in South Africa and abroad.
However, the testing of everyday
cosmetics and consumer products on
defenceless creatures is a practice
that cannot be justified.
Few people check the back of bottles
of sun cream, boxes of toothpaste or
bottles of cleaning liquids to see if that
particular product is tested on animals.
Without knowing it, consumers are sup-
porting companies which carry out tests
on rats, rabbits, guinea pigs, cats, dogs
(normally beagles) and primates such as
chimps and monkeys, just to name a few
animals most frequently used.
“Rabbits have
the products
sprayed directly
into their
eyes until eye
damage occurs.”
Modern technology now provides
companies with alternative practices,
such as the use of human cells and tissue
cultures. Yet some continue to practice
vivisection simply because it is cheaper.
The good news is that firms which
choose to test humanely are becoming
more common and it is becoming easier
to find products by companies which are
strictly against animal testing.
Just about every product that is tested
has gone through the two most common
tests: the draize eye irritancy test and the
LD 50 test. The draize eye test uses im-
mobilized rabbits (meaning they have no
tear ducts) and the products are sprayed
directly into their eyes until eye damage
occurs. Anaesthetics are very seldom
administered. Thousands of rabbits
Bringing a Qualified Goldsmith onto your doorstep at
The Peppergrove Mall, Tel: (046) 622 5579
have to go through this test before every
new shampoo, deodorant, body cream
and many other household brands are
launched. The LD 50 test is used to find
out the ‘lethal dose’ of toxic substances.
It is either applied or force-fed to ani-
mals in increasing amounts until half
the test population is dead. Aside from
being inhumane, the results of these tests
are highly inaccurate as the animals are
under extreme stress and this often cre-
ates skewed results.
Of course it is important that the
products we use on ourselves have gone
through stringent safety tests and can be
used on a daily basis without side effects.
However, animals react differently to hu-
mans when exposed to various ingredi-
ents and products. We are not the same
species and huge differences in anatomy,
receptor activities and biochemistry
result in many products and ingredients
having no effect on rabbits or dogs but
severe side effects for humans. Many
alternative tests exist where chemicals
are applied directly to cells and tissue
cultures from the human body which do
produce accurate results. Despite these
alternatives, it is simply the cost factor
that encourages companies to carry out
inhumane tests in order to be able to
stamp ‘dermatologically tested’ on the
back of the bottle. For these companies
the bottom line is more important than
the prevention of the unnecessary suffer-
ing of millions of defenceless animals.
First World countries such as the
Netherlands and the UK have banned
the use of animals in cosmetic testing
and it is only with sufficient public pres-
sure that other countries and companies
will choose to use test tubes instead of
lives. By using animal-friendly products
you are supporting ethical compa-
nies and taking a stand against other
companies that are heartless and greedy.
For a complete ethical shopping list,
email roar.at.rhodes@gmail.com. A few
changes in your buying habits will make
a difference for thousands of animals.
Kate is the founder and current
Chairperson of the Rhodes Organisation
for Animal Rights (ROAR).
Pic: Supplied
Science&
Technology
Desperate and net-less
By Claire Neilson
The Internet is great. So great in
fact, that no one seems to remem-
ber how we ever survived without
it. Like most students in res, the
Internet was a big help, as well as
a great source of procrastination. I
spent many fruitful hours doing all
sorts of educational things on the
net – like MSN-ing my next door
neighbour, lurking on the forums,
buggering around on eBaum’s world
and other sites of the same nature,
and let’s not forget DC.
And then it was no more. I had
moved into digs with – shock horror
– not a telephone line or port in sight.
Back to the world of campus computer
labs with sub-zero air blowing in my
face. So, like I’m sure many others feel, I
became mildly irritated by the fact that
I had no Internet. Irritated that I had
The Oppidan Press is looking for a
Science and Technology Editor. If you
are interested, please email your CV to
deputyed.oppipress@gmail.com
We Retail and Manufacture Fine Jewellery.
Design and Remodel to Your specifications.
Repair Gold and Silver Jewellery.
Replace Watch Batteries and much MORE!
to mission to campus to get an online
journal and check my email, but what
I missed most was just knowing it was
there if I needed it. I am still net-less
and prospects of its return anytime soon
are bleak.
Then all hell broke loose when I
discovered that The Greens had Internet.
But wait, there’s more: The Greens folk
only pay a little bit more than the res
folk do for Internet access, and the ports
come standard. At the IT department I
found a helpful note at the entrance to
the office of frequently asked questions,
second on the list reads:“Q: I am an
Oppi, how can I get Student Networking
aka, can I get Digsnet?
A: To a limited extent yes, what we can
offer is cheap dial up access and you’d
need a Telkom phone line and a modem,
and you’d pay for your Telkom call costs.
If you’re already signed up for Student
Networking (for example to use the
wireless network) dial up is free. If not,
it is available at a specially reduced rate.
If all you want to do is read your email
and browse the web, this is probably
For more content, visit our website:
http://oppipress.soc.ru.ac.za
Updated regularly with breaking news
and the latest RU sports results!
Pic: Gaynor Barnard
more than sufficient. If you’re looking
for more than that, you may want to
investigate other options.”
Seemingly, I am not the only poor
soul who has no clue about the inner
workings of how to get connected.
There are alternatives that don’t involve
trying to get ‘Digsnet’. If you pop into
Telkom, they have a variety of options
that suit how much you want from
your Internet, as well as prices that
suit you/your parents’ budget. Instead
of relying on the Internet to magically
appear in your digs and save the day
and your essay, look into what options
are available and which one is going to
suit you best.
There was a time not so very long
ago where we all survived without the
Internet, although some argue that’s no
longer possible. In the meantime, may-
be it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to
go down to the labs, enjoy the sub-zero
conditions and the spectacle of watch-
ing people climb over one another for a
free computer in the busy hours. All for
the sake of staying connected.
Brands on Offer:
CK
Seiko
Citizen
Swatch
Hallmark
Jaga
Bijou

Putting the grrr into margherita
By Shingirirai Chaza
Entrepreneurs are people who are
willing and able to translate an
innovative idea into a success that
will make them rich, and probably
famous too. Sounds simple, but
where do you begin?
Over the last two to three decades,
the idea of entrepreneurship has been
highlighted in the business world as a
gateway to riches and financial freedom.
Is this achievable as a student, particu-
larly at Rhodes? A good place to find
out is the Management Department,
which offers a Postgraduate Diploma in
Enterprise Management (PDEM), which
is available to any postgraduate students
Exchange Rate
Economic indicators
(28 February 2007)
Weighted average of the banks’ daily
rates at approximately 10:30 am.
Rand/Dollar R7.2541
Rand/Pound R14.1854 liquid fuels. This move would also help
Rand/Euro R9.5700
Interest rates
(27 February 2007)
Repo 9.00%
Repurchase rate: Rate at which the
private (sector) banks borrow Rands
from the SA Reserve Bank.
Peppergrove Mall, African Street
Tel: (046) 622-2246
Fax: (046) 622-3915
• Cape to Rio R29.95
• Russian Bear R37.95
• Castle 340ml case R92.95
Business
who have not majored in Management,
Business Administration or an equiva-
lent. Through this course, the depart-
ment aims to contribute to the devel-
opment of an entrepreneurial culture
within South Africa. The course seeks
to “teach students for entrepreneurship,
about entrepreneurship and through en-
trepreneurship”. Students receive practi-
cal training and skills through running a
micro-enterprise, which forms a compo-
nent of the course. Some may remember
the brownies and pancakes initiative that
ran alongside the Day Kaif last year; this
was a PDEM student project.
However, judging from the suc-
cess stories that we often hear of, most
entrepreneurs did not begin with a
degree or particular qualifications, so
can university students actually make
Prime 12.50%
Benchmark rate at which private banks
lend out to the public.
Inflation Rate
(January 2007)
CPIX 5.3%
CONSUMER PRICES CPIX - CPI
excluding interest rates on mortgage
bonds (Metropolitan and other urban
areas) 12-Term % change.
CPI 6.0%
CONSUMER PRICES Total (Metro-
politan areas) 12-Term % change.
successful entrepreneurs? The answer to
this question is yes, and there is plenty
of proof on campus. One example is in
Kimberly Hall, where two second-year
students, Daniel Hocutt and Geoffrey
Waugh, having decided to make pizzas
in their residence, were approached by
people who caught whiff of the smell.
From there it has been what Waugh
calls an “organic growth” leading to the
founding of Pirate’s Pizzas. Having seen
a gap in the market, provided by often
undesirable res food and over-priced fast
food outlets, they decided to start mak-
ing pizza to meet the needs of students.
For them, aside from the profit motive of
most enterprises, the drive is to provide
value for money and quality while main-
taining a theme of mischief and fun.
This is evident in their name and in their
Power from palm oil
By Shingirirai Chaza
W
ith the oil price
continuing to fluctuate,
many countries are
considering biofuel as
a viable alternative to non-renewable
address environmental concerns, as
renewable fuel sources are considered
much friendlier toward the environment.
A biofuel is any fuel that is drawn
from biomass, which is composed of
recently dead organisms and their
metabolic by-products. It is a form of
energy from the sun which is stored
during the process of photosynthesis.
Typically, biofuels come from common
agricultural products such as corn, palm
oil, soybeans, and sugar cane.
The best positioned and best priced
liquor store in Grahamstown
We cater for special functions and deliveries can be arranged.
Consignment stock upon request!
slogan: “we put the grrr in margherita”.
When asked what advice they would
give to someone wishing to start an
enterprise, Hocutt says just go for it.
Waugh, who ran an enterprise prior to
this, says that the key is to believe in
yourself and to find reasons to do things,
as opposed to not do things.
Currently Pirate’s Pizzas is running
on a small scale, servicing Kimberly Hall
as they wait for equipment to handle full
capacity. Eventually they hope to provide
a delivery service to digs.
In essence, when it comes to entre-
preneurship, having the guts to do some-
thing is more than a good place to start.
If you lack inspiration, take a walk up to
Cullen Bowles residence and check out
the pirate flags flying above; this might
provide you with all the grrr you need.
In South Africa, the government is
looking to promote the use of biofuel, as
shown in the Draft Biofuels Industrial
Strategy, which targets a 4.5% market
share for biofuel by 2013. It is intended
that this will lead to job creation,
especially within the agricultural sector,
which is still struggling to come to terms
with post-apartheid global competition.
Additionally, it will contribute to
lessening green house gases, promoting
a healthier environment. Presently this
strategy may seem far-fetched, but it
has a proven track record in developing
countries: in Brazil, 20% of their national
liquid fuel usage comes from ethanol
made from sugar cane.
Although this looks to be an
economically and environmentally viable
alternative to regular fuel, some do
TRADING HOURS:
Monday-Thursday 9am – 7pm
Friday 9am – 8pm
Saturday 9am – 5pm
9
Pics: Gaynor Barnard
Five Steps to
Success
By Shingirirai Chaza
1. Go for it.
2. Mistakes are a good thing. It
means that you can make sure that
they don’t happen again; they can
only make you a better entrepreneur.
3. Be realistic. Things take time, as
does success. Just wait and see.
4. Keep your eyes open. There are
many gaps in the market waiting to
be developed, but you have to get
there first.
5. Have fun and believe in what you
are doing. An important component
of success is self-fulfilment; do it
because you want to.
point out that two potentially damaging
trade-offs exist. The first trade-off is that
farmers will choose to make fuel rather
than food, because of the greater profits
involved. This could lead to serious food
shortages in countries where food is
already scarce.
The second trade-off is water, many
kilolitres of which are used in the
production of ethanol, a key step in
the production of biofuel. In China the
problem has become chronic, to the
extent that in December 2006, Beijing
put controls on ethanol projects to curb
water wastage.
Biofuel is by no means perfect, but
with the world’s oil supply set to run out
in the next few decades, it is a step in the
right direction.
 10
Sport

AUSTRALIA
Calypso cricket PAKISTAN

(yah mon!)
Australia is experiencing its lowest low after Pakistan, fresh from a lashing by SA, are a
its series defeat to neighbours New Zealand, team needing to restore their reputation. This
but are sure to make a strong comeback. Still will make them hungry for success. While
in line to be holders of the cup three times in a brilliant team on paper, they often fail to
a row. produce the goods under pressure.
Key Players: Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Key Players: Younis Khan, Mohammad You-
Stuart Clark and Adam Gilchrist suf, Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Asif

By Saint-Francis Tohlang

The West Indies is famed for long golden beaches and beautiful girls in small bikinis. It’s famed
for long cocktails under the hot sun; for Bob Marley; and for marijuana in unhealthy quantities.
But the tourists flocking to the Caribbean this year are there for something completely different.
BANGLADESH It’s the Windies’ turn to host the Cricket World Cup, and visitors will be hoping to see (completely SOUTH AFRICA
natural) high totals and bowlers working their voodoo magic.
A fairly young and weak side, the Tigers SA have a strong squad that have performed

would have gained confidence from a series
victory over Zimbabwe and competent per-
formances in the World Cricket League. This
bodes well for the future, but the side is still
too inexperienced to challenge the big teams.
Key Players: Shariar Nafees, Mashrafe Mor-
taza and Aftab Ahmed
ENGLAND
After a disastrous Ashes loss, England’s ODI
team regained some pride with a shock win
in the Commonwealth Bank series over Aus-
tralia and New Zealand. However, the World
Cup requires a measure of consistency and
England’s success will be dependant on their
ability to start well.
Key Players: Kevin Pietersen, Paul Colling-
wood, Andrew Flintoff and Monty Panesar
I
n a matter of days, the ICC
Cricket World Cup will set the
shores of the West Indies alight,
with the vibrant calypso atmo-
sphere providing the perfect
backdrop to lots of spectacular
cricket.
The current rankings show the
Proteas on top of the world, and the
pressure will be on to prove they are
worthy of this position – particularly
from Australia, who go into the World
Cup with their tails between their legs
after a string of bad performances. They
are further hampered by injuries to key
players, with time not on their side.
Being drawn in the same group, SA and
Australia will go head-to-head early on
in the tournament in what could be a
test run for the final itself.
Another major issue in the build up
to the tournament has been the type of
pitches which the Caribbean will yield.
Pitches are expected to be slow, spin-
friendly and similar to those found in
the sub-continent, which will suit India,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, it is
dangerous to assume that the type of
pitch will determine the outcome of the
game itself; in the end, matches are won
by a team’s performance on the day.
There is no clear favourite for this
tournament, which makes it all the more
interesting; on form, South Africa are
perhaps best-placed to bring home the
trophy for the first time. World rankings
aside, the special brand of courageous
cricket that South Africa has produced
in the past two seasons mean they are
capable of beating anyone. In recent ODI
series, South Africa has beaten every
team in the world except Sri Lanka. The
Proteas have surpassed all expectations,
but the pressure mounted on them by
the public and media will be their great-
est hurdle. Can the team withstand the
pressure of being number one? The key
is for the Proteas to channel this pressure
into positive intent. The team has often
niggled and fought their way back into
matches, frequently going on to win
them. However, the greatest worry is the
Proteas’ infamous reputation of choking
on the big stage.
The venue does provide some
comfort, however, as the Proteas have
a fantastic track record in the Carib-
bean. Most recently they swash-buckled
well of late. They currently hold the top
position in the ODI rankings, and possess
arguably the strongest bowling unit. Should
the Windies in their own backyard to
be confident of at least a semi-final berth.
a glorious whitewash victory during Key Players: Graeme Smith, Shaun Pollock,
the 2004/2005 season. The conditions, Makhaya Ntini, and Mark Boucher
therefore, should not worry SA – we
have proved in the last couple of months
that we are capable of playing aggressive
cricket even on slow pitches.
The team’s chances are bolstered by
the form of Captain Graeme Smith, who
has recently been putting some runs
on the board. If he carries on in the
way he seemingly effortlessly dismissed
Pakistan’s bowling unit, South Africa
really has a good chance of winning. SRI LANKA
Even more pleasing was that an effective
opening partnership has been found in
Winners in 1996, Sri Lanka have been
Smith and De Villiers, which seems to inconsistent since, failing to emulate that per-
have resolved the opening stand worry formance. A strong team with the potential to
for now. stifle any attack, they will rely on an elegant
Confidence is at an all time high batting line-up to do well.
in the SA squad and the players are in Key Players: Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela
good nick. If the openers build a solid Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya, and Lasith
foundation, the middle order batsmen Malinga
will be free to pile on the runs and then
rest assured that the bowling attack will
do their part. It’s always dangerous to be
over-confident, but the least that can be
said is that this time South Africa has
good reason to hope.

World
INDIA
WEST INDIES
A recent dip in form has deflated Indian
With boisterous home support and the famil-
expectations, after the team wilted under
iar playing conditions, the West Indies will be
the pressure in successive series defeats.

Cup
formidable opposition. Not the most talented
Particularly their recent poor performance in
West Indies side ever, but home advantage
the West Indies is cause for concern. For India
should see them through to the semi-finals
to have any chance of progressing they will
and possibly further.
need their senior players to show form and
Key Players: Chris Gayle, Brian Lara, Runako
Pics: Supplied

leadership.

statistics
Morton and Dwayne Bravo
Key Players: Rahul Dravid, Mahendra Singh
Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Shanthakuma-
ran Sreesanth
Players will be hoping to emulate the feats of West Indian great Sir Vivian Richards (left) at the
stadium named in his honour (right).

World Cup Batting – Highest totals
188* Gary Kirsten for SA v United Arab Emirates, Rawalpindi 1996
183 Saurav Ganguly for India v Sri Lanka, Taunton 1999
181 Viv Richards for West Indies v Sri Lanka, Karachi 1997
175* Kapil Dev for India v Zimbabwe, Tunbridge Wells 1983
172* Craig Wishart for Zimbabwe v Namibia, Harare 2003
NEW ZEALAND *not out
World Cup Bowling – Most wickets
55 Wasim Akram in 38 matches for Pakistan
45 Glenn McGrath in 28 matches for Australia
44 Javagal Srinath in 34 matches for India
38 Alan Donald in 25 matches for South Africa
36 Chaminda Vaas in 21 matches for Sri Lanka ZIMBABWE

The perennial underdogs, New Zealand have
the ability to go far if they apply themselves.
Inconsistency within this team is its downfall.
Captain Stephen Fleming will be the key to
their success or lack thereof.
Key Players: Stephen Fleming, Jacob Oram,
Daniel Vettori and Scott Styris
This team is young and inexperienced. While
recent ODI series against Bangladesh and the
likes will have helped, Zimbabwe are not go-
Before we forget – the World Cup minnows: ing to mount a serious challenge on the title.
Key Players: Prosper Utseya, Brendon Taylor,
BERMUDA, CANADA, IRELAND, KENYA, NETHERLANDS, SCOTLAND Elton Chigumbura, Hamilton Masakadza
 Sport 11

It’s all about

Aerodynamics
By Saint-Francis Tohlang

One of the world’s most expensive sports seasons is about to shift

into gear. It’s all systems go on 18 March for the 2007 Formula
1 season, as Australia plays host to the first race of the year.
The name of this game is aerodynamics, which has become
the key to success in the sport. Teams spend millions of dollars
on research in the field to create the fastest cars on the track.
Some have questioned why Renault have been featuring so
prominently in the past two seasons, while Ferrari loosened
their grip on F1 dominance. It’s simple: Renault were investing
much more in their research and were finding the winning

Pics: Leon Schnell

combination to get their machines to go faster and faster, while
Ferrari were basking in the glory of their record breaking wins.
However, it seems that the 2007 season will see the comeback
of the Italian Stallion. Ferrari will most certainly be the team
Stuart McDougall may have ditched the white flannel trousers, but he still rolls his way to success in Grahamstown’s Night Bowls League.
to overtake, if the pre-season testing is anything to go by.
During the pre-season testing session in Bahrain, Ferrari

It’ll bowl you over, old chap!

and McLaren resumed their battle with even more intensity
than usual. Ferrari emerged as firm favourites for the season
with Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen finishing in first and
second position, ahead of World Champion Fernando Alonso.
The Spaniard has ditched 2006 team champions Renault and
By Saint-Francis Tohlang McDougall, explains why bowls is it accessible to a larger crowd, especially
will now be seen in McLaren colours. This departure meant
so popular in Grahamstown: “Bowls the infamously rowdy Rhodents.
that newcomer Heikki Kovalainen has been introduced to
is a sociable event, where you have McDougall adds that it may have been
the now rather unglamorous Renault. These changes will Bowls is usually thought to be people that have never played before so popular with the students because
mean nothing to Ferrari though, as its new car, the F2007, played by those waiting to get taking to the field with drinks in hand.” “drinks were really cheap”.
fitted with a completely new aerodynamic package, is
predicted to shrug off stiff competition from McLaren.
closer to God. At least I thought As a student, McDougall took part Those that don’t understand the
so. However, the green manicured purely because it was an opportunity dynamic behind bowls will quickly
The departure of Schumi prompted many changes to
to do something different. However, discover that bowls is quite an exciting
Formula 1 that were long overdue. Lewis Hamilton will lawns at Grahamstown’s bowling sport, requiring lots of skill to roll
McDougall saw himself progress further
be the first black person to drive on F1 circuits. The Brit club are being increasingly used by than he ever imagined. the weighted black balls as close as
managed an impressive 5th place in the pre-season testing, all ages – students, lecturers, and 84 teams of four players each possible to the little white one at the
beating experienced campaigners like Fisichella, Trulli,
of course lots of senior citizens. entered the tournament last year, a other end, known as the jack. Pick ’n
Klein, Coulthard and Sato. It is clear where much of the
For a game characterised by white large majority of which were students. Pay have sponsored this year’s Night
media’s attention will be focused this season. Could Hamilton
In the initial stages of the competition, Bowls League Tournament. The prize
be the next best thing in F1? He seems convinced that he is, flannels and polite clapping, its teams were divided into sections with is a meager R250 per player, but this
especially after being crowned GP2 champion last season. popularity among the Rhodes the respective winners and runners-up does include a hamper of goodies
Along with new drivers, there will also be new faces among
the teams. Relative newcomers Super Aguri, Team Spyker
student body is surprising. progressing to the semi-finals. from Buddies Liquor Store, which will
This year’s Pick ’n Pay Night Bowls It seems alcohol has breathed some undoubtedly help bowls maintain its
and Toro Rosso will be hoping to establish themselves in the
Tournament semi-finalist, Stuart much needed life into the sport, making very social reputation.
F1 scene just as team Red Bull did. These teams will add an
interesting dimension to the sport, and die-hard fans of F1 will

Rhodent takes duathlon

be hoping that they will be able to surprise a couple of the more
established teams with some point scoring performances.
The big question, though, is whether Alonso can do it again
and win the championship for the third consecutive time. Now
that Schumi is out of the way, can he keep himself at the top
or will Massa and Raikkonen crush his hat trick aspirations? It
promises to be an interesting season, not least because of the
gold at SA Championships
question on everyone’s minds: is this the year of a new champion?
By Saint-Francis Tohlang time of 1:08:36, more than four seconds
faster than her nearest challenger.
Rhodes first year student Kirsten Huysamen is no stranger to suc-
Huysamen won gold at the South cess as she recently represented South
Africa at the 2006 ITU Triathlon World
African National Duathlon Cham- Championships in Lausanne, competing
pionships held on 17 February in alongside fellow Rhodent Kate Mapham.
Pretoria. Huysamen finished sixtieth in a very
Huysamen crossed the line in tough Women’s Junior section. She was
Pic: Supplied

convincing fashion, beating 15 other the highest placed South African in that
competitors in the U19 section, with her section.

BUDDY’S LAUNDROMAT NEW & IMPROVED

For Friendly, Fast Service Wallace’s Pharmacy

• Wash 10% off all Innoxa products
• Tumble Dry
for ROAR members (these
• Iron
• Fold products are not tested on
animals)
Open 7 days per week
Mon - Sat: 8am - 8pm
Sun: 8am - 6pm Open an account with Wallace’s for Peppergrove Mall
high-quality pharmaceutical care Tel: 046 622 7373
and give-aways! Email: wallace@intekom.co.za
14 New Street Tel: 046 622 9560

Sport inside
Calypso Cricket:
Da World Cup, mon!
Johnson defends “closet
racist” allegations
By Alexandra Richardson and Simon Allison
In an exclusive interview with The
Oppidan Press, Rhodes Vice-principal
Colin Johnson expressed no regrets
over his recent comments which
have caused a furore at Rhodes and
in the Grahamstown community.
Johnson had labelled certain critics
of the new building development in
the Botanical Gardens as closet rac-
ists who didn’t want to see black
children on campus.
“I have no regrets,” the Rhodes
Vice-principal said. “It’s just
a pity that we have racism on
campus.” He was also con-
cerned about the timeliness of
the objections: “It’s just a pity
that they ask the questions at
such a late stage. They
were asleep
since 2003
when
we
Pic: Leon Schnell
Tata ma chance, tata Eluxolweni
By Alexander Ridley
Grahamstown’s only children’s
shelter could close in a matter of
months after the Lotto Distribution
Fund (LDF) terminated their grant
late 2006.
Now Kay Marx, Chairperson of
the Eluxolweni Shelter, is appealing to
Grahamstown residents – including
Oppidans – to donate money to keep the
shelter afloat.
The shelter’s expenses total
approximately R60,000 per month. “If
3000 people donated R20 per month,
the shelter would be able to carry on
running,” says Marx.
Eluxolweni, which means “Place
of Peace and Forgiveness”, has been
operating since 1994. “We accept any
Open
9am - Late
Tel
(046) 622-3042
“You Ring We Bring”
Telephone
(046) 622-3042
28 New Street
started with this program. There were
meetings about this development, it was
public. But it is just sad to say that you
have people who wake up very late.”
The Botanical Gardens debate
centres on the proposed construction
of a new building within the grounds
of the Botanical Gardens. The building
has been designed with the previously
disadvantaged Grahamstown commu-
nity in mind, containing offices
as well as lecture venues
to specifically help the
unemployed and un-
educated. “The project’s
initial aim is that we
employ previously
unemployed people and
use the piece of land for
them to acquire skills,”
said Johnson.
However, some
students and residents
expressed concern over
noise, traffic and
the proposed
placement
of the site,
which was
originally
child who is living, begging or sleeping
on the street,” says Marx. The shelter
provides the children with a bed, warm
food and an education.
Eluxolweni has been relying on the
funds from Lotto for the past three
years. They became concerned when
their usual donation did not appear late
last year. The LDF finally informed the
shelter of their withdrawal of donations,
but by then the previous funds had
almost been depleted. “That’s the last
time I take a tata ma chance,” Marx says.
The Chairman of the Eluxolweni
Charity Trust, Rob Beer, together with
the Grahamstown Building Society,
have made substantial donations to save
the shelter. While their generosity is
welcomed, it cannot sustain the project
on a permanent basis.
The shelter boasts many success
Deliveries
Mr
6pm - 12pm
Delivery Fee
R2,50
News
THE OPPIDAN PRESS
News shorts
Student deaths have
still not been put to rest
By Claire Carr
Barratt parking blind
spot
By Joe Hanly and Paul Harris
on Lucas Avenue (the road linking Eden
Grove to the 1820 Settlers’ Monument). While Oppies fret about the cost of fines
A memorial service for the three students
Johnson admitted there are unresolved
who died in the car crash last year has for parking illegally in a congested
issues: “The gate on [Lucas Avenue] campus, an estimated 95% of parking bays
already been held, but the case has not yet
does create problems. I’m fully aware of
that. We need to cater for parking.” He
been resolved. in the newly developed Barratt Lecture
The ongoing investigation into Theatre Complex stand empty every day.
pointed out that the majority of people culpable homicide has been referred Mark Hazell, Rhodes University
using the development will not be com- to the senior prosecutor of the Grounds and Gardens Manager,
ing during the normal working day, but Grahamstown court. “We are still expects that the Barratt car park
during late afternoons and weekends. waiting for an inquest to be held will ease the parking problem on
Johnson was strongly in favour of because the one report is outstanding,” campus once Oppies learn about its
the Lucas Avenue site: “We want an easy explains Mali Govender, area whereabouts. The entrance to the
route and in close proximity and that is communicator of the Grahamstown parking facility is on African Street,
why we are saying a gate on the Lucas Police Services. It is suspected that the opposite the DSG hockey fields.
Avenue is important. You can’t put your driver lost control of the vehicle. Chris Quinn, a first year BA
first gate and information centre where The three students were killed in student, said that “parking is a
your main group of people are not going their car on the road leaving Seven shambles” and this is even more
to enter from.” Fountains on the N2. Kabelo Rasegatla, evident when students need to
Johnson also addressed concerns that a third year BComm student from find a spot close to their lecture
any development within the Botanical Pretoria; Whanda Ngambu, fourth venue. The “period of grace” given
Gardens would have a detrimental ef- year BAcc student from East London; to drivers who park illegally on
fect on the gardens themselves. “People and Khetsani Dlamini, a fourth year campus, such as the islands in
that tend to visit the Botanical Gardens BComm student from Swaziland were Prince Alfred street, is now over
are people that are sensitive about the killed, as well as a fourth person who because of the Barratt parking
environment and therefore will respect was not a Rhodes student. The only availability. The Campus Protection
the environment,” he said. survivor was released from hospital Unit may fine up to R200 for
He emphasised that the gardens with minor injuries. parking offences.
would remain open to all people, and
encouraged students and societies to
make use of them.
stories: one rehabilitated child went on
FABLES
BOOKSHOP
to study Drama at Rhodes University;
another is a chef at a New Street
restaurant; and another decided to WE BUY AND SELL
become a housefather at the shelter. TEXTBOOKS FOR MOST
The shelter may be forced to close DEPARTMENTS
down, possibly causing an increase in
crime and violence in Grahamstown.
“We all need to pull together to survive
and keep going,” says Marx.
WE PAY CASH
JUST DOWN FROM KING PIE
Want to help?
119 HIGH STREET,
Pic: Gaynor Barnard
Make a donation by debit order GRAHAMSTOWN
to ABSA, Grahamstown
Branch code: 632005
TEL/FAX 046 6361525
The shelter needs significant community Account number: 4056859566 EMAIL rhodope@fables.co.za
funding to keep giving kids a bed to sleep in.
BIRITE
BUYERS AND SELLERS OF
NEW & SECOND HAND FURNITURE
27 Bathurst Street, Grahamstown
Tel/Fax: 046 622 2983