67 minutes well spent with orphaned chldren 



Orphaned children play recreational games prior to their mini-party in Ga-rankuwa, Zone 1.

Ofentse Ramatsetse -

With half the country’s citizens rolling up their sleeves to take action in devoting their 67 minutes to help change the world for better and cultivate a global movement for good, the Phaphamang Project organization saw it necessary to celebrate Mandela Day with 29 underprivileged children by making a mini-birthday party as a symbol of showing love and appreciation; the function was held in Zone 1, Ga-rankuwa, on the 21st of July.

South Africa has approximately 70% of orphaned children who most of them are indigent and not well looked after. As a result, many of them end up becoming street-beggars, criminals and rape casualties in search of a noble life like other children. These young leaders of tomorrow fail to pursue their dreams in life as many are ill-advised, marginalized and out-casted by some of the community members which leave them with no hope in life.

 In spite of these inhuman circumstances, Phaphamang Project made it their duty to make these orphans feel love and warmth they deserve like any other child who has both parents. Proper meal and recreational games were made to cheer them up and make them feel needed again. Many of these disadvantaged children were privileged enough as they were born on the same month as the world icon Nelson Mandela.

Phaphamang Project managing director, Priscilla Ntuli, said the main objective behind the birthday party was to give back to the needy and underprivileged children in doing so to make them feel loved and cared for by the community. Ntuli further emphasized that there was a need to exercise their mentality of that being an orphan means you don’t have anyone to look after you.

“The purpose of this event is giving; making these kids happy and showing them how much they’re loved and needed in our community. Being an orphan does not mean you do not have anyone in the world who cares about you and your well being, the world is in our hands as individuals to make difference in people’s lives.” 

Vusi Mnguni, a caretaker of orphaned children on voluntary basis, said it melted his heart to see people making difference in the community by empowering those who cannot empower themselves. Mnguni said such occasions prolong the legacy of “Utata Madiba” that aimed at bettering the lives of people.

“It shows that there are people who care about others; who are willing to give what they have, and I do not want to call it a sacrifice because it’s some kind of empowerment to people who lack it. It’s also a lead that was put out by Utata madiba to say that any work you perform makes the world a better place.”

Different organizations were also summoned over to give children sermons on how to deal with pressing social problems within their society that challenges them such as discrimination, hatred and any other kind of abuse, to mention few. Among the speakers was Neria from Child and Youth Care; Joyce from Keep Mzansi Btiful; Beatrice Mpho Mabilisa from Rainbow Youth Development Forum.

A Medical Technician in Blood Transfusion Technology, Boitshoko Lephadi, said such events should be held most often as they reinvigorate and bring excitement to orphaned children whom some of them are family-headed.

“We Phaphamang Project thought it would be best for us to make these kids feel at home; to feel the environment of what a party is; to have a proper meal at home because some of these kids are orphans and some are family-headed children. So, we thought it would be good for them to feel like children again.” said Ntuli

Many of the children received gifts from Phaphamang Project as tokens of love and appreciation such as wash-cloth, educational DVDs on epidemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS; bible covers and many more.

New Media - Terry Flew

New media

Third Edition

Chapter one

The first chapter gives us a thorough, comprehensive background regarding New Media. Terry Flew unpack this chapter by dwelling on the difference between ‘old’ and ‘new” epitomizing with new vehicles, mobile phones that have been manufactured and developed with new devices. Flew contends that what is regarded as ‘old’ can be refurbished again and become new again. What he means is that technology becomes more and more mercurial in its transformation and development.

New media has become pervasive across the globe as it we interact on frequent basis using internet and/or new media per se. Flew construed the term New Media as the combination of three Cs namely: Computing and Information technology (IT), communication networks, digitized media and information content, and lastly, convergence. With that being said, I can confidently assert that New Media can be thought as digital media since it consist of media content which combine and integrate data, text, sound, and images completely varied.

Chapter two

The second chapter vastly concentrates on broader socio-cultural impacts of new media and why it is justified to be referred as New Media. This chapter unpacks key concepts that act as organizing principles of arguments about the specifics of new media. Such concepts include collective intelligence, convergence, creative industries, cyberspace, digital capitalism, digital copyright, digital divide, globalization, hype and etc. They are twenty in overall and help us have a better understanding of the nature of New Media and how it functions.

Africa is one of the continents which are still acquainting itself with internet and new media, so there are some of things we are still learning. For example, collective intelligence – it is through new media or digital media that we are able to communicate with people from remote places in spite of the distances.  

                                         [Words – 199]

Stranded Students Find Shelter in Townhip Church

OFENTSE RAMATSETSE

A lack of information has led to many students from areas outside Pretoria to remain stranded as they applied late for university, leaving them without accommodation in the city while the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) processes their applications. After being approached by the university’s Students Representative Council (SRC), a local church has decided to house the estimated 265 applicants as they await a response from TUT. Some arrived in the capital with no food and the Apostolic Faith Mission in Soshanguve’s Block B has decided to take on the responsibility of feeding them too. SRC president, Khoisan Sonti, says he saw the need to approach various churches after realising many students would camp outside TUT’s Soshanguve campuses. Luckily they were willing to help.

“Firstly, we had a partnership with a church by the name of Assembly of God which had accommodated for a very long time to a point where we even it was enough and decided to find another church that was more spacious and safe, and then we found Bethesda. I must say, one could run out of words on how to thank these churches – this is the socialism and ubuntuism we are looking for in our society.”

The student council decided to partner with churches to help students not yet registered as the university rules prohibit anyone who hasn’t been formally documented by TUT to be housed on its campuses.

“As the representative body of these students, we are deterred by TUT policies to activate students’ residences. TUT policy says no one should be given a temporary accommodation for as long as he/she is a non-student in TUT. We therefore decided to find accommodation outside the campus to nearest houses and local churches to help these students.”

Some students have taken shelter at the church as they cannot afford rent in the township, despite it being cheap. Busi Dubazana says she hopes the National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will pay her fees and accommodation as she couldn’t even afford the daily rent of R20 in one of the houses in the area. “Pastor Ndlovu has really helped us a lot especially if there are things bothering us, we are able to approach him and share our problems with him and he helps us where he can. We don’t starve; he normally buys food for us because he understands our predicament.”

Bethesda Church’s Public Relations officer, Sipho Dludlu, says they believe their efforts will result in students seeing the need to assist others in future.

“We give all these students free accommodation and free food without expecting even a little cent from them because we know they don’t have money to maintain themselves currently. We are busy planting a seed of love within them so they could help others in future who would be in the same shoes as they are currently.

The problem of late applications at universities seems to be continuing in universities and a lack of university application information in high schools results is scenes similar to those at TUT, but it’s all a good sign that young South Africans want an education to improve their circumstances.

EXISTENCE OF ONLINE NEWS AND JOURNALISM IN SOUTH AFRICA

                
BY OFENTSE RAMATSETSE

Online news and Journalism in South Africa continues to dominate the traditional media across media landscape. It augments interactivity among media consumers or readers from across the country. Online news organizations tell stories differently to its heterogeneous audience. There are many divergent online news organizations like News24, SABC news, Eye Witness News (EWN) and so on.

1.    News24

The website is updated virtually every hour, with worldwide news stories. The site doesn’t  only have news feeds to accommodate certain fraction of audience, but has other section like health24 where readers get to learn more about their health state; section like ‘jobs’ where prospective employees could  find job. Its content is effective, comprehensible and easy to read.

Its news content is accessible and not time-consuming especially if you want to read latest news. The site has a compilation of ‘old’ or recent stories and current news stories. Its multimedia is bad! It takes much more time be accessed or uploaded. The layout of the site is appealing and colour used is blue which makes it even more attractive. Most of the News24 content is occupied by many advertisements.

2.    Eye Witness News (EWN)

The website is more broadcast-oriented and covers mostly national and regional news stories. The content of the site is not as effective as it should be. The site has only fewer advertisements, and as a result, there is more blank space or ‘white space available. It’s mainly news-focused and doesn’t incorporates other sections aimed at educating readers and/or conscientizing them about social issues surrounding them. Interestingly, the site has podcasts where one could listen to news bulletins and traffic reports rather than reading them. Its news content, particularly, articles are very concise, brief and straight to the point.

The colour used not appealing more readers to read the entire news content and doesn’t have much of amusing games to keep readers entertained. However, it has SMS alerts which help many readers to stay posted. Its multimedia is effective and uploads videos fast.

3.    SABC News

The website uploads national and international news stories very often. The content is more attractive and goes hand-in-hand with its audio links. By virtue of technological improvements and inception of new media, Face book and Twitter are mostly utilized as social networking forms to interact with readers from afar. Readers don’t necessarily need to use computer internet to access SABC page, even through cell phones one can access the page and stay as informed as possible without using computer.

The site is only news-oriented and doesn’t offer other sections that can help readers with more information about health and communal issues.

REFERENCES:

1.       http://www.news24.com/ - News24

2.       http://ewn.co.za/ - Eye Witness News

3.       http://www.sabcnews.co.za/portal/site/SABCNews/ - SABC News

Movie Review: The Matrix

Produced by Joel Silver

Screenplay & Director: Andy and Larry Wachowskis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishbourne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Hugo Weaving, Belinda Mccloy, Julian Avahanga, Marcus Chong, and Matt Davan.

Let me begin by complimenting the first-timers Andy and Larry Wachowski for the breath-taking and heart-stopping film they have produced. The Matrix is one of the films that has distinct effects on people and has the ability to leave the audience with ambivalent feelings after they’ve watched it.

There is something to be said about a film that adheres with you long after you have left the cinema, as it is with The Matrix. After I have watched the film with my classmates, I can’t seem to ignore the fact that I was utterly and completely stunned by the content of the film.

Without hesitation, I can assertively pronounce that the film entails two different scenes: the first hour or scene provide the background of the film. The second half is mostly action and resolution. The first half welcomes the film and quite comprehensively spells out what has prompted the fight. The first hour is full of dialogue and conversation, and little action. Well, to some it actually draws away their attention on the film, but I think it’s engrossing and needs one to focus more on background and the grip of what is all about.The second hour of the film is action-based and absorbs more attention from the viewers.

I think The Matrix manages to emerge as a serious science fiction film that compelled me to put more focus on the young and upcoming scientists, those in genres of science like students, and lastly those who are practising it as the profession. The Matrix has plenty of scientific theories and philosophies that could be mostly understood by those in genres of science.

The film begins with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), a gorgeous woman with a leather-clad being chased by three men in black known as Agents around the city. Trinity’s basic objective is to contact Thomas Anderson, also known as Neo (Keanu Reeves), a computer-programmer and a hacker. Trinity is to bring him to Morpheus (Laurence Fishbourne), one of most famous hackers around.  

The Three men in black known as Agents manages to catch him first before Morpheus’s team could. They took him to their little cottage attempting to convince him to dissociate himself from Morpheus’s team. They inserted a ‘scorpion machine’ in his belly as a tracker to locate him wherever he goes and destruct Morpheus’s team. The scorpion machine was later diagnosed pulled out of his tummy by the hand machine used by Trinity.

Neo meet with Morpheus, and he realizes that he knows him. Little does he know what kind of trouble he is about to face.Thanks to Wachowskis, they brought in Hong Kong martial arts to teach actors the basics in fighting techniques. Kung Fu techniques help Neo to beat Engine Smith (one of the Agents).

I believe Keanu Reeves is talented and gifted as a young actor especially when he gets good screenplay. The movie Speed made Reeves famous. Laurence Fishbourne is tremendous in his first role as a leader who has taught his followers all the best techniques. Fishbourne talks in rhythmic and stylish way, and never say enough about anything. Carrie-Anne Moss is good looking and I think that leather-clad fits her beautifully.

The Wachowskis, with the aid of cinematographer Bill Pope, capture the action with grace and style. I think songs were from popular artist. They used Don Davis’ music that I feel it was suitable to the atmosphere the film created.

MR. AND MISS SCO 2011

Ofentse Ramatsetse

More than three hundred students flocked in the Student Centre to witness the beauty and glamour of 2011 Mr. and Miss Student Christian Organization (SCO) held at the Student Centre on Saturday, October 16.

7 female and 7 male students emerging from different faculties and residences contested against each other for the first charismatic position of Mr. and Miss SCO however, some made it and some did not.

TUT life is proud to present Gladness Maoto and Confidence Makumbile as 2011 Mr. and Miss SCO. Gladness and Confidence demonstrated confidence and enthusiasm throughout the event. As 2010 former Mr. and Miss SCO, Tiyiselani Chauke and Conscience Makamu ascended the stage to crown the winners, many students applauded and wished them good bye as they were handing over their titles to the novices.

“I have self-confidence; people didn’t scare me at all. I believe in myself, but then I wanted to give up in last minute and leave the stage. Fortunately, my roommate convinced me to do it. She even bought me a dress, thank you, Malebo,” said Gladness

Mr. SCO, Confidence Makumbila, said he was very exhilarated to be the prince of SCO for the second time.

“Last year I was the prince of the very same organization, and this year again I’m still the prince of SCO. I think I have the pontential of being a king (chuckling).”

Entertainers such as ‘Dark Force Cliq’, ‘1-Not Hella fresh’, and others, were given the platform to dazzle the crowd with their Hip Hop music while promoting their label. The judges looked focused and were very eager to see who would be going through to the finals.

One of the judges, Mpumelelo Sibiya, said the whole event was a success and encouraged other students to participate in the upcoming events.

“I am very happy; everything went well! I believe this event will encourage other students not to belittle themselves, but to show them that this organization has variety of activities that can help reinforce their aspirations.”

The former Miss SCO and contestants trainer, Tsakane Ngobeni, in cooperation with other stakeholders, organized this event. She said the organizing of the whole event was not easy, but one had to have patience to breakthrough.

“I had to have patience! Working with people is never easy, but I had to persevere and for the love of this organization, we've made it.” The aim of the whole event was to boost students’ confidence and to show them that there’s beauty in Christ.”

Education Students "speak their minds"

EDUCATION STUDENTS “SPEAK THEIR MINDS”

Ofentse Ramatsetse

“Speak your mind” was a theme for all Education students voicing out all issues concerning education system in South Africa at the General Subject Didactics (GSD) exposé held at Soshanguve North Campus on October 21.

An estimated 200 students flocked into CCT Auditorium to participate in the seminar. The aim of GSD exposé seminar was to call all education students from various levels to cluster together and tackle all educational issues as they were given a platform to do so.

Some of the challenges that were ventilated in the seminar include the use of indigenous languages in primary and tertiary institutions and poor quality of education.

“As GSD students, we have had lots of issues in class about the current education system, so we thought maybe as educators, we can come together and voice out all the problems that are challenging the education system in South Africa or even TUT as a whole,” said Pagson Ntsie, one of the speakers.

Kato Thabang, a speaker, said that students need to consider constructive solutions when addressing current issues facing the education system as a way of being proactive.

“Complaining without coming with solutions or remedies for the problem at hand doesn’t make sense; it doesn’t show if whether we are learning as educators or not.”

Mr. Ntsie also added that South Africa needs to offer free education to the disadvantaged people particularly youth to eliminate the high rate of illiteracy in the country.

“In countries like Botswana, Education is free. Why can’t South Africa offer free education? So that we can get all these guys from the street to come and study in order to eliminate the rate of crime, illiteracy, and other social issues in South Africa.”

The deputy chairperson of Avid Writers Association, Willeum Khoza, said that some of the students choose education as a left-out course and by virtue of that, many of them can’t see the significance of it.

“Many students take education as one of the courses that are actually left when people choose others, and that is not true. What we think could be a solution is that, all Universities must change the strategy; the way they advertise this course. They must come up with interesting programmes that would not only teach students how to become educators, but to encourage them as well.”

Mrs. Nkosi, GSD lecturer, said that issues that are brought a forth by students along with solutions are deemed seriously and implementation will be considered.

“As a lecturer, I am going to take all these concerns and when we are in class, we will discuss on how we can take actions; maybe we can come up with community project that would tackle such issues faced by various schools around the society.”

The GSD seminar was organized by Mrs Ramapelo, from educational studies, teaching Didactics, Sibusiso Nkosi, education student, and Gugulethu Nkosi, also an education student. Certificates and stationary were given to students who participated in the seminar as a token of appreciation.