by Yanga Soji | Apr 1, 2011 | Featured 1
INTERSEXIONS, the popular TV series which explores the spread of HIV and relationships, is coming to an end.
The 26-part drama series has gripped audiences on Tuesday nights, commanding ratings of more than 6 million viewers on SABC1, second only to soapie Generations.
LOOK INTO MY EYES: Dineo and Wandile in one of the scenes from episode 7. Photo: Courtesy Marcus Brewster Publicity
Intersexions asks its audience ‘do you know who your lover`s previous lovers are?’ and depicts the human sexual web which we are all part of, and the risks it carries; the greatest being the spread of HIV/Aids.
Wits drama graduate and 5fm DJ, Dineo Lusenga is one of the fresh acting talents on Intersexions. She says Intersexions was her first professional acting job after her graduation from the Wits school of arts.
She portrayed Tsholofelo, a troubled high school student who is sexually abused by her teacher and is forced to be a mother to her orphaned siblings as her grandmother has fallen ill, in episodes six and seven.
Lusenga says Tsholofelo was a heavy character, and challenging to play. Her character also learns that sex with rich men can get her easy money. Lusenga says “varsity exposes young girls to these rich men” and her observations during her Wits years helped her to channel Tsholofelo`s vulnerability to older men. “Some girls genuinely need the money, abanye ukusa nje (they are being silly).”
She has fallen in love with the show and says it does not teach about Aids but rather focuses on sexual partners who have never met but are sexually linked.
Lusenga acted alongside fellow Wits drama graduate, Wandile Molebatsi, who portrayed Charlie, Tsholofelo`s love interest.
A scene from episode 7. Photo: Courtesy Marcus Brewster Publicity
Intersexions was created by television producer and director, Uzanenkosi Mahlangu. Mahlangu says the idea for Intersexions came after he noticed how people put their differences aside to help in the 2006 tsunami and other disasters that followed.
He concluded that disasters occur to teach us about compassion. “I wonder what Aids is here to teach us”, is the question he asked, which sparked the idea for Intersexions, initially titled 6 Degrees, after the 6 degrees of separation idea.
He says “we are connected by blood in ways we can`t imagine –blood we share.”
The finale airs on Tuesday, April 5 and a DVD of the series will be launched in May.
by Yanga Soji | Mar 28, 2011 | News
Graduate recruiters are warning students to be more thoughtful about what appears on their social networks, as employers are prone to check an applicant`s Facebook or Twitter pages.
Tamsin Collins, accounts executive at Gradzone, explains the existence of a ‘Google CV’ and how important it is in the recruitment process,
“A Google CV is the result Google yields when a search is done on your name. Students are infamous for airing all of their sometimes very personal stuff on Facebook. Beware if your privacy settings are not set high on Facebook as your profile can be publicly searched on Google. As Mark Zuckerberg’s ex-girlfriend’s character in the film The Social Network says: “The Internet’s not written in pencil, Mark, it’s written in ink”.
The recent sacking of a top theatre personality over his anti-Semitic comments about his theatre bosses on Facebook has highlighted the impact that social networks have on the image of employees in the workplace.
Fired Market Theatre Laboratory head, Matjamela Motloung, is taking the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) ,arguing that he regarded Facebook as a “private space”, the Sowetan reported.
As we celebrated Human Rights Day on Monday, section 14 of our Bill of Rights is clear on the individual`s right to privacy, stating, “Everyone has a right to privacy, which includes the right to not have their privacy or their communications infringed.”
Media law expert Dario Milo of WebberWentzel’s opinion on the matter of social networks and privacy is that “If someone shares their otherwise private information on a social networking site and does not take steps to ensure that their information is protected, for example only allows ‘friends’ to access it, then there is no invasion of privacy in circumstances where a third party (a prospective employer or otherwise) accesses that information”.
It is essential that Witsies keep in mind when applying for a job that the employer may ask for one`s Facebook profile link or Twitter account name, and that what one has on those accounts can determine a job offer or decline.
by Yanga Soji | Mar 18, 2011 | Featured 1
by Yanga Soji | Mar 15, 2011 | Featured 1, News
LIBYAN exile and Jungian psychologist, Dr David Gerbi, gave a rare, firsthand account of life under the rule of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and his menacing use of fear, intimidation, corruption and isolation on the people of Libya.
Gerbi was forced into exile in 1967 to Italy, when he was 12 years old, along with 5 000 other Libyan Jews.
Gerbi said he returned to Libya in 2007 on a peace mission but wastaken to Tripoli by the government, where he endured psychological torture.
“If I hadn’t given them the right answers, I probably would not be here today,” he said. Gerbi believes Gaddafi is psychologically ill and that his “illness is an omnipotent grandiose”, meaning the Libyan ruler believe
s he has God-like powers and possesses an unrealistic sense of superiority.
Libyan Crisis: Dr Gerbi , a Libyan Jewish exile, talks about the plight of refugees and those opposed to Gaddafi’s rule at the Humanities Graduate centre at Wits. Dean of Humanities, Professor Tawana Kupe moderated the debate. Photo: Yanga Soji
Post-apartheid South Africa is a model that he hoped Libya would follow once liberated from Gaddafi, Gerbi mentioned. His stance on South Africa’s response to the Libyan crisis was one of the talking points of his lecture.
“Gaddafi is not Mandela, he does not think about future generations, but only for himself”, said Gerbi.
He expressed his disappointment with the international community and its sluggish response to Libya’s crisis, asking: “How many litres of blood do they need to see to realise the human rights crimes?” He accused the world powers of being driven by self interest, much like Gaddafi.
Gerbi’s statement reiterated what former international relations minister, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, said at a Wits lecture in 2008 about the international community, specifically the United Nation’s poor response to African crises.
“The UN sprints like a cheetah to help Europe but drags like a tortoise to help Africa.”
It is the friendship with former president Nelson Mandela that Gerbi says is challenging the Zuma administration from being more vocal about the Libyan situation, but ordinary South Africans could do their bit and support the people of Libya by rallying on social networks and forcing our leadership to be more active about Libya.
by Yanga Soji | Mar 15, 2011 | Featured 1, News
Witsies needing academic assistance and people to share ideas with have been given a lifeline.
A tutoring programme, run by the Office of Campus Housing and Residence Life, aims to provide academic support to students for two hours every Sunday night from 7.30pm-9.30pm. In previous years, the programme gave preference to university residence freshers, who are required to participate in these Sunday evening group study tutorials.
But this year all Witsies are welcome to share and learn from their peers.
The programme needs more tutors to meet the demand of students needing assistance. Tutors must be 2nd or 3rd year students who have good academic records. Postgraduates are invited to apply too. The selected tutors will be paid for their efforts at a rate of R120 per two-hour session for undergraduates and honours students and R200 per two-hour session hour for masters and PhD candidates.
Nicky Lowe, residence development manager in charge of the programme, addressed the tutorial group at Jubilee res, saying, “We are committed to making sure you get the best help possible”.
Vuvuzela visited last week`s session at Sunnyside and Jubilee res and found an impressive turnout of students dedicating themselves to getting as far away as possible from the Wits edge of exclusion.
Sakhile Gumede, a 1st year BCom accounting student, was happy with the programme thus far, saying “during the week we don’t get to study with others, these tutorials provide a chance to share and learn from other students and tutorials”.
One of the tutors and venue coordinators, Sanele Ngoma, a BCom law student, said he tutors because he has a lot to offer to students looking for help and he enjoys helping out academically.
Students interested in becoming tutors can email their CVs to Nicky Lowe at nicky.lowe@wits.ac.za
The tutorial sessions are structured according to faculties as follows;
Jubilee dining hall: Commerce males & females;
Sunnyside Hall: Humanities & law males & females, education (males)
Umthombo: Psychology – organised by psychology lecturer Enid Schutte
Knockando dining hall: Science & EBE males
Medhurst dining hall: Science & EBE; Education (females)
Reith dining hall: Health sciences & Physics
by Yanga Soji | Mar 4, 2011 | News
ONE of the perks of being a Witsie is being surrounded by some of Joburg`s coolest restaurants, clubs and bars.
But recently some regular Witsie hotspots have shut down, without much detail regarding their closures.
It seems that the sidewalk cafes of Melville still get a lot of business from students, especially from that high school down the road, but venues such as Pantsula Bites, Club Inc and the Cappello in Newtown used to be flooded with Witsies.
If one were to take a stroll just two streets down from Senate House to Juta Street, you would find the doors of Club Inc locked and looking like a mere shadow of the glitzy club it used to be. The once celebrity-favoured lounge has made known no public information about why it shut down.
Taking a left, a right and another left to Bertha Street, you will see a Pantsula Bites sign in front of a new restaurant. Pantsula Bites was a favourite with Witsies and used for both birthday and graduation parties.
Zoo Lake Bowls Club, affectionately known as ‘Bowls’ is a Joburg landmark, bringing Witsies old and young together on any given Friday or Saturday to enjoy great food and drinks at a bargain.
Reports surfaced last year that Bowls will be shut down this year, but the City of Joburg Property Company has confirmed that Bowls will not be closed – yet.
Vuvuzela did not receive confirmation about the reasons for the closure of Club Inc or Pantsula Bites at the time of going to print.
Vuvuzela wants to know where Witsies are hanging out. Let us know where you and your group of friends are spending your after-class hours and what popular venues are out there for Witsies
