Cape Town Has A Long Night Life

Long Street
Photo: http://www.capetown-interestsandactivities.blogspot.com/

Tshepo Tshabalala

Cape Town is a city often promoted for its natural beauty and history. We have seen pictures of Robben Island, Table Mountain and the beautiful beaches on postcards, films and magazines but the nightlife here is just as fantastic as those images.

There is a long, ordinary looking and dirty street that everyone talks about in Cape Town. During the day it looks like every other part of the city centre, but owls would tell a different story. This is a story of happiness, excitement and the formation of new friendships with memories that last forever. Long Street has bars, clubs and pubs to suit everybody.

Not expected in the city centre is a bar with a Tswana name, Lapeng, where one would find cheap alcohol and dance tunes from Johannesburg and Durban townships like DJ Cleo, Tira and Big Nuz. Maybe just like the name of the place which means ‘home’, it’s purpose is to make people from those parts of the country feel at home as it is different from the upmarket feel the rest of the clubs in the areas adopt at night. There aren’t even enough seats in this place but one can bargain and get sloshed at a really low price if that is their idea of fun.

Also meant to make Joburgers feel at home is club Joburg and Pretorians are not left out either with club Pretoria just next door to that. The two places are very similar inside with the music they play being the most defining factor. Pretorians love their House music and it is not surprising to hear a lot of that and Kwaito inside Cape Town’s version of the capital city. When a lot of people think of Johannesburg they would often visualise hip hop heads and it is not surprising that the club named after Africa’s richest city plays this type of music as well.


 A cross between a bar and a club is Stone’s. This place is for pool players and people who want to dance alike.



Chrome
Photo: http://www.southafrica.net/



One of the trendiest places is Chrome, just off Long Street, and the entrance fee is a bit higher than in other places, but still at a reasonable R60 with Wednesday nights offering R1 shots until midnight. It’s best to get here early though as this midweek special attracts a lot of people and as the night progresses dancing with strangers becomes an intimate affair. The DJ plays popular old and current music from pop, house, RnB to hip hop.



Those who don’t want to party in the city centre and are perhaps looking for a more authentic experience in this city then Mzoli’s in Gugulethu is the best place to go.

Cape Town might be slow during the day but offers a great party experience at night.

TUT Student News Story: Service Delivery in Stinkwater

Student Accommodation Needs Major Maintenance

Samukele Manzini


Many Tshwane University of Technology, Soshanguve, students regard a male and female residence known as Towers as one of the best the campus has to offer. On close inspection this proves not to be the case.

I was staying there this year and was shocked that getting hot water in the middle of winter is a luxury and to make matters worse, the university does not maintain this building properly. On some days we find water all over the floor as a result of blocked pipes. Some of the toilets do not flush for several days before being fixed and there is a leakage of water in the kitchen sink.

There are times when there is just now water there. Students woulf complain about this as they are often forced to go to other residences to get water to take a short bath or even drink. A source close to the maintenance guys at Towers whispered into says the problem is not with them but with the residence manager at Towers, Mr. Patrick Mabuseng, who fails to follow protocol when he needs to fix the problems they have there and while covering the story I did try to schedule an interview with the manager but he refused. He agreed to meet with me at a certain point but did not show up for the interview.

Ratshilima Maanda, who is in charge of an area known as CCT on campus says the main problem with the hot water supply is that there is one geyser supplying hot water to all six floors of the residence.

Maanda claims they have written a memorandum to the maintenance department about the matter but received no response.

“We make follow ups every week but the guys have been slow in responding” he added.
Maanda hopes the problem will be solved by the end of the year.

Jerry Msiza, head of the maintenance team at Towers denies Maanda’s claims and admits that problems at Towers are never fixed in time.

“The residence manager must follow the correct channels before we can be able to do our job, we also have bosses to report to” said Msiza.

Students don’t seem to care about the excuses they keep on hearing as their fees are the same as those who stay in better residences in Soshanguve and other campuses.

Pretoria Parties On Racial Lines But Knows How To Have A Great Time

Siphumelele Zondi
@SZondi

Hatfield Square
Photo: http://www.travelpod.com/

Pretoria can be slow when it comes to music at times, but South Africa’s capital definitely knows how to party. As the financial hub of South Africa, Johannesburg clubs are often filled with young professionals and the emerging black middle class with a lot of disposable income to spend – but the same cannot be said about Pretoria.

Pretoria clubs are often frequented by students who would not spend as much on drinks. In Hatfield people can still find drinks which cost less than R20 whereas Johannesburg has clubs and cocktail bars which do not charge less than R25 a drink with R40 being the norm for many cocktails sold there.

While racial lines are often blurred in most night spots in Johannesburg, the same cannot be said about Pretoria. On Saturday night the Hatfield Square was packed. The crowd in the area was at least 98 percent white and Afrikaans whereas just a few blocks down in places like Zanzu, Co.fi and Cappello they were predominantly black.

Man throws banner at Mbeki

Mbeki Worried About The State of Current African Leadership



Former President Thabo Mbeki says
some African leaders see academics as a threat



Former South African president, Thabo Mbeki, is troubled by poor leadership in Africa and says various governments on the continent are not doing enough to safeguard the independence their predecessors fought really hard to gain.



President Mbeki participated in the Tshwane University of Technology’s public lecture series on Thursday, 16 September 2010. During the lecture members of the public are also allowed to interact with the speaker by asking questions.

As he entered the hall Mbeki was greeted by singing, dancing and chanting which is a sign that the former South African president who was asked to resign from his position by the ruling African National Congress still has a massive following. There were two big halls booked for the event with broadcasts to various venues in other TUT campuses. The lecture was also broadcast on DSTV.
With that much support Mbeki was however interrupted by a member of the university’s Student Representative Council (SRC) who threw a banner at him shouting, “Sihamba noZuma” (We are with Zuma).

Although late to react the bodyguards quickly pounced at the man, slapping him and escorted him outside the hall. While everyone was confused and cameras flashing Mbeki quickly asked everyone not to panic and continued with what he had to say.



Those who hadn't booked spaces were turned away
as there was a huge interest in the Mbeki lecture



Mbeki, who now chairs an African Union committee tasked with looking after the Sudan, says many African leaders are worried about their pockets and the presidential seat is their way of getting out of the poverty they would have grown up with. He says they often are too scared to leave their positions with the fear those who take over from them would uncover their wrong doings in office, Mbeki says many conflicts on the continent are often started by corrupt leaders.

He says they are caused by the “concentration of political power in the hands of the political elite which abuses its power to accumulate wealth for itself and particular factions of the population, marginalising important sections of that population.”
While these leaders are trying to keep themselves in power, they then stop holding regular elections and use repressive measures to rule their countries.

He believes the international community often does not react soon enough when these conflicts break out. He also says African bodies don’t have enough funds to deal with problems on their own and often fail to curb problems early.

“The African Union will have to pay particular attention to matters of the early warning of impending conflict and addressing the root causes of each and every conflict ,” he says.



Fomer President Thabo Mbeki
is worried about corruption in Africa



Mbeki believes that a major part of the African Renaissance should be to transform the continent to that of peace.

During the meeting he was thanked by a delegation from Ethiopia. The group says they have driven from their country crossing ten borders, arriving in Pretoria on the day of the Mbeki lecture at TUT, in order to highlight a need for peace and democracy in Africa.

One of the questions he was asked by a member of the public was related to the need for good African university education. Mbeki believes that there are leaders who shun good university education. “We had African leaders who saw universities as institutions of opposition to themselves,” he responded.

Ending his lecture Mbeki called for all Africans to play their part in emancipating the continent. At the end of his 'Africa-War and Peace' lecture the crowd cheered again showing they still massively support the country's former leader.

An Important Part of South Africa's History At The Rostrum Theatre

Jobless And Desperate Struggling Artists Taking the Fun Out of Big Brother

Big Brother Africa All Stars is near the end now and a question that comes to mind is why the show is called All Stars. None of the people on the show have done anything significant with their lives since they were last on the show. Many of them talk about big television and music careers, but it would be interesting to find out how well those are going.

Those who have chosen to be contestants on the show again have placed their lives on hold by spending three months in the Big Brother Africa house. They are putting their lives on hold again this year for the grand prize of 200 thousand US dollars.

If most of them had television, radio and music careers as they say then they would not need the money promised by the producers of the show. They would be spending the three months outside making more money than has been promised to them.

At least two women have children and it has been said that Meryl’s baby is only ten months old and yet this woman has chosen to enter such a competition and sits and drinks all day in the house. This is possibly a way for her to make money so she can support her baby.

It is amazing that these people receive so much support from viewers from their home countries and yet they cannot use the fame received on the show to find jobs and make more money once they are outside the house.

Their need for money also tests their morals in a big way. Some left children outside, at least one is married, but none compare to Uti. The Nigerian contestant entered the house after his father was admitted to hospital with cancer. His father died while he was inside and he chose not to attend his funeral saying he would only go if the producers would allow him to return and compete again. They never did. During the past week Kaone from Botshwana made remarks about his love for money of his father.

Uti has also mentioned that he has dreams of becoming an international actor. He says his eyes are set on Hollywood, so while the show is a way for him to possibly earn some income and at least have some food for three months – it is also a way for him to be spotted by some Hollywood producer.
Zimbabwean Munya also sounds like he has never had a solid job. The Zimbabwean studied media in South Africa and often talks about his dreams of becoming a film director and actor. Yet another contestant who has dreams of being spotted on the show.

There have been various guitar playing musicians as well who clearly also wish they could be spotted by a music producer who would possibly want to work with them.

The list goes on. During conversations in the house it has emerged that Quinn who was on the show last year refused to return saying he was busy with his school work. He has aspirations of being a radio presenter and clearly he realised that returning to university was his best option when he did not receive offers from his appearance on last year’s show. The rest should learn from that.

In conclusion it has become apparent that many contestants who enter Big Brother are struggling artists and celebrity wanna-bes who have no jobs in their countries and are on the show to make some cash so they can support themselves. There are not that many people who would not take an offer of free accommodation, free food and free alcohol for up to three months when they are jobless and desperate.

Those who cannot access the show can get highlights on this website: http://bigbrotherafrica.com/

Lights Out For TUT As UJ Takes USSA Title

Cyril Skosana



UJ celebrates as they dominate TUT


There was poor lighting at the Bid-Vest Wits University Stadium when the University of Johannesburg met up with the Tshwane University of Technology’s Soshanguve football team on Tuesday evening. The match scheduled to start at 08:30 kicked off three quarters of an hour later because as the lights went off at the scheduled start of the match.

Once the lighting problem was sorted out then it was off to a cracker of a match which was entirely dominated by UJ as they went on to win 2-0 in their home territory.

Despite being the stronger of the two sides, UJ struggled to convert most of their opportunities into goals. At half time the score was still sitting at 0-0.

But they seemed to have taken whichever advice given to them by the coach in the change rooms as they came back to score their first goal within 10 minutes into the second half.

Both sides congratulate each other as they
progress to national competition

Thereafter TUT came back with into the game and they seemed to have been taking control but the goals were just not coming their way. Instead it was UJ that scored their second goal. Surprisingly the Pretoria team had massive support which seemed to have been giving the boys a bit of a boost.

Despite not winning the TUT team has already qualified for the main tournament to be held in Grahamstown in December.

Former President Thabo Mbeki To Give Lecture At TUT

TUT Football Team Heading To National University Competition With A Match To Spare

Cyril Skosana



The coach says they need to stay fit for competition.

The Tshwane University of Technology’s Soshanguve campus has beaten the University of Pretoria’s (TUKS) football team 2-1 in an entertaining clash that saw both sides showing a lot of skill.

TUKS dominated the match which saw them getting the first goal of the evening. But just as their guard was down, TUT came back to win the Gauteng Football League match.

The win has secured TUT a place in the national universities tournament to start in Grahamstown on 06 December 2010. Despite qualifying for the big tournament the team still has one more game left against the University of Johannesburg and coach says that match is also important.

“Even if we already qualified for the big tournament to be held in Grahamanstown, we will still play our final with commitment to win it, we will therefore use all the strength that we have,” explained coach, Demana S. Connie Madima.

The TUT team will be one of three from the Gauteng province to compete in the South African Sports Universities organised tournament in Grahamstown. Three teams from each province participate in the tournament.

The coach says she does not really have big plans for the December competition except to keep the team fit and keep the area on the football map.

In 2009 TUT came fourth in the national tournament.

Welcome to the Tshwane University of, uhm, Renovations



Just one of the days when the server wasn't down.

Pearl Nicodemus

The Tshwane University of Technology is the number one university of technology on the African continent. The information is even on the university’s websites. But my short time here has shown me that not all campuses of this great institution are the same.

One would think that technical problems in a university of TECHNOLOGY should be forbidden. Think about it for a bit here – imagine your favourite chicken take away restaurant running out of chicken. Technology should be smooth at a university of technology.

A Slow server, systems down and no internet are just a few problems many students are struggling with in the Soshanguve North campus. All of these phrases have become far too familiar in the ears of TUT students in Soshanguve and all of these are always justified by this one word – RENOVATIONS!  These renovations have been taking place for three years or more now. They keep on saying it would be great when it is sorted out, but we will wait and hopefully the greatness will come in our time here.

The Supervisor of the Electronic Resource Centre Tshepo Mosehla says he also doesn’t know why these renovations are taking so long. I have also heard that in certain parts of the campus there was an agreement between TUT and sub-contractors that renovations would be completed after one month and it is now well over three months without proper functioning computers and internet. 

Renovations taking place in the old computer lab.

Computer maintenance is another issue puzzling the students in the Soshanguve North campus. The computers that are currently being used by the thousands of students on campus are not being maintained at all. There are new viruses every day. The other day when I asked whether there was an antivirus there I was told that it has expired and a new one will be installed once the RENOVATIONS have ended as all computers will be moved to the old centre once it has been completed.

Journalism Students Find Success In Professional Modelling

Katlego Legodi

Maatisa Selepe has
trasformed from
baggy to model

Journalists are known as serious individuals who work long hours and discuss the state of the nation in bars and pubs.

But that is not entirely true. At least it is not entirely true anymore. While journalists are people who get caught up in discussions about politics and all that is negative and positive about our world, many of them know how to enjoy life too.

In the Tshwane University of Technology we found three students studying towards this profession but also working as professional models. Maatisa Selepe, Olwethu Mabovola and Lucy Mulima are juggling their journalism studies and the world of professional modelling.

During the fashion department’s annual show on Saturday Lucy was playing a different role. She was running around with a camera and taking photographs to report the story. She mentioned that most of the Johannesburg based professionals on stage that evening are her colleagues in her other life. They were wondering why Lucy wasn’t walking the ramp with them.

Lucy is the current face of Lemon Lite face cream and she can be seen in various women’s magazines.

In the running for this year’s Miss TUT is a lady who started her academic year in baggy trousers. She quickly transformed and showed a figure that most would not have guessed she had at the beginning of the year. Maatisa Selepe is one of the finalists for this year’s Miss TUT.

Olwethu Mabovola who is their classmate was one of the finalists for the Miss TUT Residence competition. Although she didn’t win the competition she says that boost has given her confidence to consider professional modelling.

Film Enthusiasts Get A Chance To Make Their Own Movies

An international film concept will be held in the Union Building on Saturday, 18 September 2010, where members of the public will get a chance to make their own films.

Cinema Sports gives participants just ten hours to come up with a film concept and then shoot the movie. The movies will then be screened an hour after completion. The only reward will be to make the film and having them screened and viewed by members of the public.

“There is no prize. People will just come and view the films. The movies are not rated,” says Greg Du Tertre from the Drama and Film Department at the Tswane University of Technology.

The concept was started by Jin Joo in in San Francisco, USA, in 2004. Joo will also attend the event over the weekend. The concept has been brought to South Africa by the Tshwane University of Technology’s Drama and Film Department. For further information participants can e-mail gregdut@gmail.com or visit www.cinemasports.com

TUT’s Fashion Conspiracy One of The Best in Its League

On Friday, 10 September 2010, the Tshwane University of Technology’s fashion department took us to bedrooms with kinky underwear, weddings, across African and international borders and even to the future with various interpretations of the senior students’ fashion show theme, Conspiracy.

The highly sponsored event was hosted by former Yo-TV presenter, Cecilia Ravele, who appeared nervous at first as she stumbled over her words. She soon broke out in loud laughter, admitted she was a bit nervous, composed herself and eventually proved to be a brilliant host. The young celebrity even praised TUT’s top standard by saying it was “one of the best fashion shows organised by a university” she had been to.

Senior students were not the only ones allowed to showcase their work as some students from junior years who had taken their work to the Durban July earlier this year were also given the opportunity to show their capabilities. The top works of some of the second years were also shown on the night. The audience seemed to enjoy the theme of Ayoba with various interpretations of Football Friday and the South African flag.

.

With Conspiracy the students showed a handle that probably some of the most experienced in the fashion world would not have. Just like any fashion show of good standard some of the clothes left those not familiar with such events asking where certain outfits would be worn as they were too avant-garde for the streets.

The collections on stage were also clearly from people with different life experiences as there were clothes for big girls, the extremely skinny, the well-toned man or woman, maternity wear and even children’s wear. There were even a few small African brooms, bedroom whips and stars just covering the most essential bits of the body. This year’s senior fashion students clearly had no boundaries with their work.

Tshepiso Tshabalala's collection took
top honours.

Some of the biggest prizes of the evening went to Tshepiso Tshabalala with her futuristic men’s and women’s collection. Tshepiso took home the prize for Best Range – Innovative, Thandeka Mbele had the Best Range – Commercial, Nthabiseng Nkadimeng received the award for Best Concept Collection, the Best Garment prize went to Lebogang Moaje, Boni Bowane was the Best Creative Designer, the Most Promising Student award went to Tumiso Thlabane, the Best Upcoming Student award was given to Phumzile Langa and Anika Badenhorst was seen as the Most Enterprising Student.

They were judged by a high calibre of people in the fashion industry including Nombasa Mncube, Tshepo Modiba from Artistic Soul, St. Lorient Fashion and Art Gallery Owner Lucy Anastasiadis and socialite, footballer's wife and businesswoman Sonia Booth.

As TUT’s top graduates often make it big in the fashion industry, one is certain that this year’s prize winners are some of the names to watch out for in future.

Summer Time, Spring Day on Campus

Annual Fashion Showing Taking Place Tomorrow

Soweto Derby Has No Spark Anymore

Selahle Mokwena

I remember the days when the Soweto Derby used to be worth talking about. The current crop of players we see these days seem as if they were taken from the fields before bearing fruit. The match between the two supposedly biggest teams in South Africa has become like any other match often ending goal less or at times one of the two just manages to score one goal. Watching the two sides against each other is often a waste of a Saturday afternoon.

Some say the introduction of fat pay cheques is the reason behind the poor showing of both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. I don’t believe money should be an issue here because the players of yesteryear were paid much less but they still showed unbelievable dedication. If a person who doesn’t have much to play for shows a lot of resilience then one would expect that the new breed of players with a couple of zeros on their pay slips would play a lot better as they want to get even more zeros there. But that does not seem to be the case with the teams that enjoy the best support in South Africa.

I think some players prioritise other things over football. Take a player like Teko Modise for instance. He is often on television to the point that I am starting to believe he has no time to be at his football training. He would obviously have to be given time off to shoot television commercials for the various brands he is promoting.

With this one can safely conclude that the Soweto Derby has lost its old spark. While pride of the team is still important, footballers are now playing for money above all else.

I would however tell you not to be discouraged to watch this weekend’s derby in the MTN8 quarterfinals at FNB Stadium.It could be something worth talking about on Sunday while having breakfast or on your way to get or beg for one or two to get rid of that hangover.

Someone Needs To Protect The Elderly Who Fall Prey To Criminals

Tlaki Baloyi

Recently I heard of an elderly woman who was murdered with a panga after being raped while going to her place of work, the corn fields of Soshanguve. The rumour mill says the woman was attacked because the thugs wanted her cell phone.

It is puzzling that these criminals are not just taking what they want from people and are continuing the culture of violent crime in South Africa. Not condoning it, but it would have been better if this was a young man who could at least try to protect himself.

These women who work in corn fields until they have passed the age of retirement are not doing it because it is fun for them. They are doing such jobs because they need to feed families and many have grandchildren they are taking care of. This is also not the first time such occurs in this place. Clearly the spirit of ubuntu that South Africans are known to have is clearly disappearing when young men can attack an elderly woman just for a mere cell phone.

The woman’s family says they realised she had been attacked after an unknown man answered her cell phone telling them to fetch her as he was done with her. They rushed her to George Mukhari Hospital where she died three days later. I am still puzzled that a young African man can kill a woman as if it is a normal thing to do and then tell her family that he is done with her and they can fetch the woman.

What makes it worse is that she was taking care of grand-children and now the whole family will have to suffer and find other means of taking care of the kids as the person who was the bread winner has been hacked to death. I believe that authorities need to do something as this has happened before. The country is often promoted as the best in the world with the best opportunities, but when these things happen one tends to wonder if there is any truth to those advertisements.

Spring Day Water Splash Disrupts Learning

Pearl Nicodemus

To celebrate the arrival of an extremely hot spring the students of the Tshwane University of Technology, Soshanguve campus, take the first of September off and splash water around for the whole day. This is a tradition on this campus.

This year the activities started at midnight. The students who live on the residences on campus decided they were not going to sleep but play around with water where they live. That resulted in waterlogged rooms.
Some continued until the sun was out and those who wanted to learn had arrived on campus. Others went to sleep, but the activity gained momentum as the day progressed because those who had been splashed with water earlier on started to seek revenge.

It’s good for the students to have fun on such a day, but it seems as if they do not care much about those who do not want to be part of the activities. Those who would protest against what was going on would get a mob with buckets around them and the result would not be a pretty one.

Many lecturers were respected, but their cars were not. If one had not been informed about the activities of Soshanguve North they would have thought the cars leaving the campus had been in a rainy part of South Africa.

Students who drive were not spared. One student complained about his car seats being wet after he got out of the car to discipline a student who was making it muddy after pouring water on it. As soon as he opened his car door, he was greeted with a bucket of water which did not only wet him, but the inside of his car as well.

Some lecturers have complained about security guards who do nothing when such happens.
The problem with this activity is that some people who want to attend lectures are prevented from doing so as they are greeted by buckets of water as they enter campus.

Students continued with their “fun” until the late hours of the afternoon. The following day everything went back to normal with no sign of the chaos that took place the previous day.

Run And Walk Against Alcohol And Drug Abuse

Dark Comedy At The Breytie

Protest At Soshanguve North After Alleged Assault of Student

Pearl Nicodemus

Angry students occupying the Tshwane University of Technology’s Soshanguve North Residences have protested against security guards they accuse of assaulting a male student who was breaking the rules.

TUT rules state that male students are not allowed to enter certain female residences after 10 PM, but this rule is often broken by the students. On the Friday night in question security guards decided to enforce this rule. When the student chose to ignore their pleas they allegedly assaulted the male student in question. The incident led to other students protesting on campus.

As a form of protest male students who were allegedly drunk wanted to forcefully enter female residences after the curfew.

The angry protesters forcefully removed all the security guards that were on duty from their posts and led them to the gate under the instruction of the SRC president who was also allegedly drunk. The protest became more volatile after protesters realised they were losing the battle. They then marched to the South Campus but police were alerted before they could cause any disruption.

It is alleged that the security guard has done something similar at the main campus in the past. That led to the guard getting suspended for a month. This was confirmed by his angry colleagues who were at the scene.

“We can’t suffer for one person,” one security guard shouted. Members of the Student Representative Council say they want the institution to employ a new security company.

It’s not clear whether action will be taken against the security guard or the students.

STATEMENT BY SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNALISM SCHOOLS

As educators, scholars and researchers in journalism and media studies in South Africa, we stand for the values of media freedom, informed debate and intellectual rigour.

This background explains why we fear that the cherished democratic values of freedom of expression, media freedom and the right to information are currently at risk.

We reject the proposal for a Media Appeals Tribunal and the current version of the Protection of Information Bill. We are also extremely concerned about a climate of intimidation and suspicion that has included the heavy-handed arrest of journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika.

We note that these developments have led to a rapid deterioration in the relations between the state and the media. Further, we are concerned that the ensuing discussion about the state of media freedom in the country has taken on an antagonistic, either-or character which worsens these tensions instead of working towards solving the underlying problems.

One of our jobs is to prepare students to join the media industry, and we are concerned about what all these developments signal to young South Africans wishing to start a career in journalism.

We take seriously our task to inculcate the values of social responsibility, independence and accountability in our students, while also stressing that these values are premised on a press that is not subject to statutory regulation or intimidation of journalists.

As scholars and researchers we are not blind to the faults of the South African media. In our scholarship we will continue to point to these shortcomings and suggest ways of improving the media’s democratic role. But critique can only bear fruit in an environment that allows for unhindered investigation, the gathering of sound empirical evidence, and the free exchange of ideas.

We therefore call on the public and civil society to make their voices heard in rejecting the current threats to media freedom. In turn we undertake to:

• continue to prepare students for their role as citizens and as ethical media practitioners;

• research alternative ways of managing conflicts between media, state, business and civil society;

• create spaces for debate between the public and members of the media industry about the media’s role in a democratic South Africa;

As a first step towards the above goals, we will work together as South African journalism educators on a colloquium to further address these issues and develop a range of creative responses.

As a constituency that helps shape the value-chain of journalism and its environment, we welcome engagement with others about how best we can contribute positively to the current impasse.

The Annual Student Fashion Show