David Kramer has been traveling to the far reaches of Southern African, searching in the plattelande, the shebeens and the dorpies where no-one else would think of finding show stopping musical talent.
He did, and he found it. Kalahari Karoo Blues, for that reason, should serve as a lesson to us all.
As I write about the show that is currently on stage at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town I struggle to decide where to begin, the music, or the meaning.
Kalahari Karoo Blues showcases indigenous music of Southern Africa, with instruments made out of old oil drums and tins; or western instruments played in ways not seen before (Ronnie Moipolai on guitar) or instruments so unique, like Piet Oteng’s one stringed Kalahari ‘segaba’ few outside the direct area would be aware of their existence.
The music, in a word, was beautiful. It strummed up images of the Karoo, the Hardeveld, the Kalahari, it was stark and haunting at times, or jolly and festive in the face of hardship. It was rural South Africa.
What struck me the most however, was the performer/audience dynamic. Apartheid put up walls in South Africa and those walls are mostly still intact. Sure, a % of black middle and upper class have climbed the walls into the Sandton suburbs, but I believe it fairly safe to say that few to none in the audience at the Baxter would have been exposed to any of that music had it not been for David Kramer bringing it to the suburbs.
The men and women David Kramer brought to perform at the Baxter have not been anglicized, modernised and suburbanised, they are the people that the white southern suburbs audience might pretend not to see on the street of their little holiday towns. It was beautiful and heart breaking for me to see the middle class audience at the Baxter giving standing ovation after standing ovation to the artists on the stage that night.
I hope too, that the experience of standing and wildly applauding somebody whose life is so far from yours that you can barely relate, but applauding them because you recognise their talent, their humanity, and what they have to offer is one that has an impact on the audience members of the show.
South Africans struggle to recognise the humanity in one another – we so easily stereotype, judge and dehumanise each other.
David Kramer did more than just put on a great musical performance, he brought people together who may not otherwise have had a chance to connect. He showed them about each other, and introduced to them to the humanity in each other.
This is a beautiful thing.
The Delicious Craft Beer of Darling Brew
This is a slightly more personal post – and deviates somewhat from the general blog theme. I think however, that it remains relevant.
Innovation is key to growth of any country and economy. Innovation sounds like something so distant, unreachable – who is innovative? The answer really is anybody.
We all have great ideas at some point, it is when people bring their ideas to life, give them a home and nurse them until they become something tangible, something that affects peoples lives, that is when you begin making a difference not only to your own life but to society.
Beer drinkers in Cape Town will all know Darling Brew – but not necessarily the back story of the little company that could – in my student documentary film project, the Birth of Darling Brew we tell the story in a short documentary of how Kevin and Philipa turned a little idea into a great business.
It is not a story about beer, it is a story about persistence, innovation, creativity and contribution.
please do watch the video
Sucker Punch VS Basic Instinct
This essay is a comparison of powerful feminine roles in film. The films under analysis are Sucker Punch (2011), the main character being Baby Doll. And Basic Instinct (1992) with the female character being Catherine Tramell. This essay is a comparison between the action hero female character as seen with Baby Doll and the femme fatale of Basic Instinct. The strongest difference between the female characters and the film’s depiction of women is in the matter of sexuality. In Basic Instinct sexuality is women’s source of power, in Sucker Punch it is their sexuality that make the women victims. Although I will argue that Baby Doll draws on her sexuality as a strength to fight her way out of victimhood.
Basic Instinct and Sucker Punch are of course two very different films, both with their own complexities of plot and multiple themes. This essay will focus purely on the feminine depictions in the two films. Due to the nature of the comparison some of the complexities of the film’s plots, unless directly related to the depiction of the women, will be disregarded.
Difference between the female roles
As this essay compares the depiction of women in general, and the two main female characters in particular some points should be noted. The first is that in Basic Instinct Sharon Stone (Catherine Tramell) is the antagonist. She is not the main character but drives the actions of the main character. For the purposes of this essay that is less relevant as we are examining the depiction of women but there are certain instances where this factor comes into play. It is noted when this does become a relevant issue. Another major difference is that we are analysing two different genres, Basic Instinct is a psychological thriller, there is much more complexity to Tramell’s character. Sucker Punch is action packed with less time for character nuances.
Driving Force and Source of Strength
Both films feature powerful women. They are however powerful in very different ways and for very different reasons. This section looks at the source of power of the women in the two different films. Where their power stems from and what drives them
In Basic Instinct Catherine Tramell’s power stems from a combination of raw sexuality and high intellect. She is depicted as being far superior to every other character in the film, playing games and running circles around the male characters. The important question here is why. She is not after power or wealth or status. She has all of these, her games and sexual power are purely for entertainment and stimulation. Her character, as representative of women in general, is charming and sexy but selfish and dangerous. The villain or evil in this film stems from the feminine. The women in this film are the psychologist, Beth Garner, who in the end appears to be the killer, Catherine Tramell who comes across as manipulative and sociopathic throughout the film, and two close friends of Catherine who are both convicted killers. Worse then just killers both killed their families for no particular reason. It is important to note that none of the female characters in the film are weak, but they are all murderers or suspected murderers.
Catherine Tramell also represents vice and sin. The protagonist is trying to stop smoking and drinking but Tramell regularly reminds of his inability to do so, and actively encourages this weakness within him. This is her domain.
The driving force for all the women in Basic Instinct is sex and murder. There is no motive for the murders other then possible lesbian sexual obsession over Catherine Tramell on the part of Beth Garner. The sexual obsession leads her to kill, framing Tramell for the murders. The final scene of the film casts some shadow over whether or not Tramell really was the murderer, that is beyond the scope of this essay. There are no weaker feminine roles in this film but the impression one gets of women is that there is something inherently wrong with, and dangerous about, women who are successful, powerful and sexually liberated.
In Sucker Punch the driving force behind the violence of the girls is very different. Much like films which centre around a male hero, the feminine protagonist is driven by survival for herself and the need to protect others from further harm. She is an innocent child thrown into a nightmarish situation and is forced to defend herself and others. It is very clear what her driving force is.
Of course in Sucker Punch Baby Doll is the Protagonist while in Basic Instinct Catherine Tramell the antagonist. However, there is no reason why an antagonist should not have motive beyond a sexually deviant and murderous nature. The male orderly who is the antagonist in Sucker Punch is driven by power and money, it makes him no less of a villain but we understand why he is a villain. It is not simply his masculinity that makes him a villain. Whereas in Basic Instinct it could be argued that femininity is equal to inherent evil.
Sexuality
Sex is portrayed extremely explicitly in Basic Instinct. Catherine Tramell owns her own sexuality, she makes the rules regarding her sexuality and is sexually dominant, both in the act itself and in everyday life. As discussed in the previous section, it is here where she draws much of her power. She very clearly uses sex to dominate. Leaving her partners with physical reminders of their act with her, scratch marks and one would imagine a few bruises too. Men are very weak in the face of the power of her sexuality.
The sexuality of Baby Doll in Sucker Punch is extremely interesting. The girls in this film have no purpose outside of their sexual roles. They are sex slaves in a manner of speaking. Not for one second do any of these girls look like anything other then sex objects. They actively resist it however, the whole plot of the film is the girls trying to escape the sexual imprisonment forced upon them. In Sucker Punch sex and sexuality is about violence and exploitation. They are victims of their sex and their power is taken from them because of it.
The only exception to this generalisation is Baby Doll’s dance. Each girl in the “institution” where they are imprisoned has a dance which to uses to arouse and allure the men. Baby Doll’s dance is so effective men are completely hypnotised by it. When Baby Doll first has to dance she cannot. The Polish teacher, who is also a slave because of her sex, tells her “Your fight for survival starts here.” Then Baby Doll begins her dance, while she is dancing she disappears emotionally/mentally. She steps out of her present reality and taps into a subconscious world from which she draws her strength and inspiration to fight for freedom and survive. It is my argument that through this dance she taps into the power of her sexuality.
As a point of comparison therefore it should be noted that Tramell uses her sexuality to control and manipulate others, gaining strength over those around her. Baby Doll, if we accept that her dance is her link to her sexual power, then uses that power to draw strength for herself and to fight for freedom for all the girls. In a nutshell, Baby Doll uses her sexuality for good and Tramell uses it for evil.
Men and the character’s relationship to them
In both films men are depicted very much as uniform. In Sucker Punch they are all vile, exploitative and cruel characters with one exception which will be discussed later. In Basic Instinct the men all look the same, non-descript, dull unexceptional characters. This with the exception of the protagonist although he also looks the same as the rest of them. They are all very easy to lump into one category of “cop”
Tramell bullies and intimidates men, using her sexuality in the same way that men use violence. Her interactions with men are all characterised by a smirk of superiority. The men come across as stupid and helpless when faced with Tramell. The scene where she is being interrogated at the police station, the famous leg crossing scene, demonstrates that manipulation and bullying very effectively. So too when the protagonist arrives at her house to question her and she questions him about his shooting of tourists. She uses her sexuality to get him to a point of submission. It is very clear that men are pawns to her.
In the majority of the police station scenes or scenes where there are crowds the crowds are always all men. All those men look very much the same, same suits, same hair, same expressions. She stands out in these scenes. This visually represents Tramell in a “man’s world” her constant smirk of superiority gives a strong impression of a woman manipulating this world and playing the men like puppets. There is a strong sense of a woman ruling in this world. The scene that most clearly encapsulates this is after she has taken the lie detector test. She is smoking and her face is close up on the TV screen in the office where the detectives are. They are speaking about her and the shot give the impression that she is larger then life, looking down on them from the heights of the TV screen. A very clear visual indicator of a puppet master playing its subjects. She holds all the cards.
In Sucker Punch the men hold all the cards. Even at the end of the film Baby Doll still sacrificed everything for Sweetpea’s freedom. There was only one hint of domination by women over men and that was when the Polish doctor instructed the police to take the orderly/antagonist away. The men in this film are almost all uniformly villains, sex driven and cruel.
There is no sense of equality between the sexes. When the Polish doctor stands up to the antagonist, before the end of the film, as an equal. He bullies her down physically, reminding her that she is his property. Where women gain the upper hand over men it is battle of violence. In the final scene it was male police who took the antagonist away forcibly on the doctor’s instructions – it was not an equal playing field. In Sucker Punch the girls’ sexuality gives the men power over them, in Basic Instinct it is the other way around.
In both films men are depicted as being totally unable to control their sexual desires and this is their driving force. The detective falls for Tramell because of her sexuality and thus stopped suspecting her of being the murderer. The final scene of Basic Instinct implies that she may well have been. The men in Sucker Punch are totally helpless when Baby Doll begins dancing.
The one male character that is depicted differently is the angel type character of the fantasy world that Baby Doll goes to when she is dancing. This relationship is very much like the relationship in Charlie’s Angels between Charlie and the Angels. He is the leader and the girls follow his instructions. It could be argued that this male character is dominant over the emotional and intellectual aspects of Baby Dolls character, while in the realm of reality another male character holds dominance over her body and that of the other girls. This is one reading. It is my understanding however that the male angel character represents the masculine in Baby Doll’s own subconscious – rather then a male he is the masculine representation of Baby Doll herself. This argument relies on Jung’s theory of the anima (feminine) and animus (masculine)1 The male angel therefore represents the more violent aspect of Baby Doll’s personality and is also linked to her sexuality.
Relationships with other women.
In Basic Instinct all the female characters are either convicted killers or suspicion hangs heavily over them. The relationship between Tramell and other women is also sexual, as it is with men. Other then Tramell there are three female characters in the plot and Tramell has slept with two of them. In the relationship with the older women there is also a strange possessive sense evident by the manner in which the two women touch each other. Tramell will lay a possessive hand on the other woman’s shoulder in a move more characteristic of a man with a woman then in a woman to woman friendship. There is this strong sense of ownership by Tramell over Roxy the lesbian lover too. There is no kinship in this film. It does come across as being about sex and power. Roxy, the lesbian lover, for instance likes to watch Tramell with men, this is something Tramell permits on occasion. It is a very unequal relationship. Tramell uses her sex to gain power over women in the same way she does over men. Women too form unhealthy obsessions with her because of this. Roxy tries to kill the detective because of her jealousy and Garner apparently forms a sexual obsession with her that she never got over.
The two main female characters in Basic Instinct, although they never meet are up are pitted against each other. They are both sleeping with the same man. They could both potentially be the killer. One of them must be lying and both are playing the detective up against the other one. It is a competition between the two women.
In Sucker Punch sisterhood and female bonding is an important theme of the film. The women all pull together against their common enemy – which ultimately is men and their desires. While there is a power struggle in the beginning between Baby Doll and Sweetpea this is overcome, and the reason behind it is a protective sisterly instinct. Sacrifice for the sisterhood is a strong theme in Sucker Punch, in the end all the girls are sacrificed for one to survive.
Visual Depiction of the Women
In Basic Instinct Stone and the other actresses are shot in a way that often makes them look villainous. The first woman we see in the film – other then the opening killing scene – is Roxy, Tramell’s lover. She walks down the stairs with her face cast in heavy shadow giving her an extremely ominous representation. There are moments in the film where Tramell looks gaunt and tired, so too with the other women. While she always looks attractive there is a sense of a real person who develops dark circles under her eyes.
In Sucker Punch the girls are not filmed as real people at all. They are consistently shot with angelic top lighting. They are depicted as pure sex objects the entire way through the film, high heels and short skirts and lip gloss from beginning to end.
This is a visual representation of the way sexuality is put across in the two films. Tramell chooses her sexuality. When she is feeling sexually dominant that is clear in her appearance. When she is not that too is evident. She is a complex character in the film and does not remain a sexual predator for the entirety of the film.
In Sucker Punch the girls have their sexuality thrust upon them. It is not a matter of their choice, they do not own their own sexuality therefore they are consistently depicted as sex objects even while they fight to break out of their prison.
Conclusion
This essay is by no means an exhaustive comparison of representation of female sexuality in film. However it is disturbing to note the conclusions that can be drawn from this comparison. Catherine Tramell is sexually liberated and strong with no man holding any power over her body. This is a positive depiction but the light in which she is represented makes this negative. For me there is a strong underlying message that women with this level of independence are not to be trusted.
Baby Doll on the other hand is a victim, she is fighting to overcome her victimhood and fighting for the independence of both herself and the other women in her situation but her sexuality is not her own. Her body is owned and ruled by men. While this is the case Sucker Punch does not imply that ownership by men over women is not the correct order of things. It is however disturbing that in these two films women are either the victim or the villain.
1Wikipedia; Anima and Animus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anima_and_animus
Title: Beatrice and Virgil
Author: Yan Martell
Publisher: Canon Gate
Beatrice and Virgil is about life, death and the Holocaust. It is probably best that the reader knows this upfront as Yann Martell approaches genocide in such an unconventional manner that this is not immediately obvious. A work of literary fiction, Beatrice and Virgil is written through the voice of a writer who has given up writing. In the novel he is drawn into assisting the writing of a play about a monkey called Virgil and a donkey called Beatrice.
For those who enjoyed Yann Martell’s Life of Pi, winner of the Booker Award. This is a recommended read. The beautiful quirkiness that characterized Life of Pi remains present in Beatrice and Virgil. While the majority of the book is charming and eccentric with only a hint of darkness; reader beware. The ending will leave you pale, shaky and contemplative. Reading this novel is an experience that will leave you thinking.
The story centres on a writer whose book about the Holocaust is rejected by his publishers. This rejection hits him so hard he and his wife move continents and start a new life which does not involve any writing on his part. He is quite happy until he receives a letter from a reader which includes a page of a play and requests help from him. Intrigued he goes to the address of the reader and meets Henry the taxidermist. Together they take a journey into the characters and lives of Beatrice and Virgil, who are stranded together after suffering something unspeakable.
Martell’s writing style is a treat, with sentences you can swirl around in your mouth like a good wine. One of the highlights of the book is the first scene of the play Henry reads, in which Virgil describes a pear to Beatrice who has never seen nor tasted the fruit. The description is a 6 page delight with tidbits like “An apple resists being eaten, an apple is not eaten, it is conquered.” The description continues in this style and ends in a beautiful moment that allows you to witness the love between Beatrice and Virgil. Beatrice says: “I wish you had a pear” and Virgil replies: “And if I had one, I would give it to you”
Beatrice and Virgil is quirky, charming, beautiful and painful. It does not disappoint and is as memorable as Life of Pi. Not for the faint hearted but definitely worth a read
Ten Weeks in Africa
JM Shaw
Sceptre
Shaw’s second novel, Ten Weeks in Africa, is the gritty tale of a young British couple who move to a fictional African country to work on a slum development project. The ambitious project quickly begins to unravel in the face of the rampant corruption in the country and the low level civil war in the North comes to a boiling point. The story heats up quickly and is impossible to put down from the second half of the book.
Shaw’s novel hits hard at the aid industry and it’s acceptance of corruption in Africa – even going so far as to hint that aid agencies, through their delivery of food and goods, keep conflicts going for longer than they otherwise would. Readers who enjoyed Michela Wrong’s It’s Our Turn To Eat and Romeo Dallaire’s Shake Hands with the Devil will certainly enjoy 10 Weeks in Africa. – Natalie Simon
Last year COSATU Secretary General described the poverty and youth unemployment situation in South Africa as a “ticking time bomb.” In an attempt to diffuse the bomb government established the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA); The DA suggested a youth wage subsidy and President Zuma counter suggested a ‘job seekers grant.’ All the while the ANC Youth League held the bomb aloft as a threat to the older generation.
In September this year Vavi stated that it is now time to talk of “exploding bombs.” He said: “the shocking levels of unemployment, poverty and inequality lie at the heart of the increasingly violent protests we are seeing in both workplaces and communities.” With 70% of South Africa’s unemployed between the age of 15 and 34 years old, and over 30% of the population under the age of 15 this is where the problem lies.
The ANC Youth league, especially when led by Julius Malema, tapped into the anger and dissatisfaction felt by South African youth. They have been vocal about unemployment, poverty and failure of young people to break the chains of Apartheid. The trouble is that the rhetoric has been accompanied by gross conspicuous expenditure funded through underhand deals. They may talk the talk but the walk has been a stroll down fat cat lane. The Youth League, as it stands cannot truly claim to speak for the disempowered youth as they seem quite complicit in the act of disempowering them through alleged tender fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.
The NYDA was created to support young entrepreneurs and provide youth employment opportunities. The numbers here speak for themselves: NYDA CEO takes home R2 million a year; NYDA Chairman gets R900 000; Deputy Chairman R760 000; Bonuses, R8 million. Money spent on youth projects to create employment: R800 000.
In the meantime neither the youth wage subsidy nor the job seekers grant have gained much traction. While Treasury did allocate R5 million to a youth wage subsidy which was expected to create an estimated 178 000 new jobs for young workers. The proposal was fiercely opposed by COSATU, a member of the TriPartite Alliance and was never implemented.
Even if these policies and organisations were functioning as they should – could they really make a difference to the youth unemployment, poverty and inequality to which Vavi refers? Business organisations have, on more than one occasion, pointed out that many of South Africa’s youth are unemployable. South Africa was rated 132 out of 144 countries for primary education in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report, and in maths and science specifically our education system was rated 143 out of 144. The average South African public school is turning out matriculants who are practically illiterate. Poor education and the consequent lack of opportunities, coupled with inadequate infrastructure, poor public healthcare and daily reports of corruption in the government have created a very angry youth population in South Africa.
Subsidies, agencies and youth leagues have been used by government as a quick fix. The hard reality however is that the problems are beyond quick and easy solutions. The South Africans who are worst affected by the lack of opportunities would be better served by a government that stripped back on the bells and whistles. Perhaps, if the government learnt to walk before it ran it would focus on getting the basics right. Without adequate education, healthcare and infrastructure no organisation or subsidy, no matter how well intended, will diffuse the bomb.
My sister’s son has arrived a week early
A sleeping infant at his own baby shower
Touched and watched and admired he sleeps without stirring
The next generation begins with him
A sleeping infant at his own baby shower
An unplanned but not unwelcome addition to the world
The next generation begins with him
His arrival changes everything.
An unplanned but not unwelcome addition to the world
The most beautiful tiny boy I have ever laid eyes on
His arrival changes everything
His little face unmarked by the recent trauma of birth
The most beautiful tiny boy I have ever laid eyes on
My sister exhausted but proud
His little face unmarked by the recent trauma of birth
struggling to contain my euphoria and bite back tears of joy
My sister exhausted but proud
Touched and watched and admired he sleeps without stirring
His little face unmarked by the recent trauma of birth
My sister’s son has arrived a week early.
Past the spring roses I walk to school
The sweet flowery smell lifts my spirits and gives me strength
To be on the wrong side of the classroom
In a school where nobody understands me.
The sweet flowery smell lifts my spirits and gives me strength
In a country where I am the Other
In a school where nobody understands me
I get to know the darkness that lies within me.
In a country where I am the other
I live as if there are no consequences
And I get to know the darkness that lies within me
Yet there is beauty and kindness that enriches and strengthens me
I live as if there are no consequences
But love and laugh and feel with a freedom not easily known
There is a beauty and kindness that enriches and strengthens me
Surrounded by children who know only rules and restrictions
I love and laugh and feel with a freedom not easily known
From the wrong side of the classroom
Surrounded by children who know only rules and restrictions.
Past the spring roses I walk to school.
Two months ago Kerryn Fregona bought her first property, and immediately got started on renovations. In the chaos of the work she discovered that one of the outdoor taps had been left open, probably for days. She contacted the city to transfer the account into her name and get an idea of what the water bill would be. First she phoned to get a break down of the bill, she was told to send an email, which she did. After a week with no response she tried again. Again they told her to send an email, she told them that she had, and the phone went dead. She phoned again and resent the email. It has now been two weeks, and she is still waiting.
“I was furious with the whole situation; I just had no idea what else to do.”
Kerryn is not alone; the hierarchy of local government can be an unintelligible maze. There are however structures and people in place for residents to get the assistance they need when it comes to managing their municipal problems.
Choosing your first port of call
DA Shadow Minister for Co-operative Government and Traditional Affairs, John Steenhuisen, says that residents have two options when it comes to problems with municipal government and service delivery. The first is to contact the department themselves as Kerryn did, this can have mixed results. It is still generally advised as the first port of call. The second option is then to contact your ward councillor. Their information should be available on the municipality website or you can get their contact details by calling the local municipality office.
“Your ward councillor is so important” says Steenhuisen, “everybody should keep their councillors number stored on their phones.”
What is your ward councillor’s job?
“We represent the voters in the area, their needs and their interests. Our job is really to take their concerns back to the city council,” (see sidebar) says Beverley Schafer, Councillor for Ward 54 in Cape Town. It is also the responsibility of the councillor to encourage public participation; all meetings relating to local governance are to be advertised in the public papers at the very minimum. Schafer describes the job of a ward councillor as playing the role of intermediary to ease the relationship between the city officials, governing structures and the citizens of that city, ensuring that communication channels run smoothly and resident’s concerns are voiced.
What if my ward councillor is unresponsive?
After asking around the area Kerryn eventually found the contact details of her ward councillor, who promised to take the matter up with city officials, but what if that had not happened? What if her councillor had simply ignored her emails and phone calls?
The ward councillor needs to be accountable to the residents of that ward, according to John Steenhuisen the law stipulates that councillors hold community report back sessions at least once a quarter. “This is a great opportunity for the residents to inform the councillor of their problems with him or her.” If the councillor fails to hold these meetings then they are guilty of misconduct and should be reported.
If this route fails then there are two further options for complaint, says Steenhuisen, the first is to complain within the local government structures, and contact the Speaker of the Municipality who is responsible for the conduct of all councillors in that municipality. The contact information for the Speaker should be available on the website of the municipality; municipalities should also display, in their various offices, the full list of office bearers and their contact details.
A complaint to the Speaker should result in a full investigation into the conduct of the councillor and the results of this investigation will be reported back to the resident who made the complaint.
Councillors also represent their political parties and are held to account by that party. “Councillors must wear a political hat and still have political responsibilities to their party,” says Schafer. Therefore if you are unhappy with your ward councillor you can contact the local party leader, referred to as the caucus leader. You should be able to get his or her contact information by phoning the local party office or headquarters of the party.
What if the problem runs deeper than just my councillor?
There are many cases in South Africa where the councillor is powerless in the face of an incompetent municipality. In this kind of situation Steenhuisen recommends first writing to the MEC of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in the province to bring the matter to his or her attention. “I’ve done this in the past and it can bring very mixed results. If the MEC is committed to doing his or her work properly they will intervene, and they have powers of intervention. They can either compel the municipality to do its work or take over that municipality and place it under administration.”
A final resort is to go the legal route. “Municipalities have a duty, according to legislation, to perform certain functions, if they are not fulfilling those obligations there is an opportunity for people to take that municipality to court to force them to do what is required,” says Steenhuisen.
Using your greatest tool as a voter
The first resort however should be to vote in a public representative who you know has your best interests at heart. The trouble at the moment, says Steenhuisen, is that there is no relationship between poor local governance and a change in local government through elections. He believes that South Africans have not yet internalised that their politicians work for them, and not the other way around. Kerryn agrees, “I had never actually thought about politicians before, and how they really affect my life. I have never voted and barely follow the news, but this experience taught me that government is not just something that happens far above me, I really felt the impact.”
For Steenhuisen the answer is simple, “You do get bad public representatives and what you have to do then is get rid of them at the ballot box, you are exercising your most powerful tool when you vote for who your public representative will be.”
Politics of Justice 
Dear Minister Nzimande: Forget about race, give young people a fighting chance
Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education plans to set up a committee to oversee transformation at tertiary institutions. At first glance a noble effort, the trouble is that with the steadily dropping standards of universities FET colleges and private institutions, there are more important challenges to face than the colour of the students and staff.
I would like to preface this post by saying that I think there is little more important than giving ample funding and space at universities to students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, for South Africa to move ahead we need to tertiary education to be fairly distributed along all lines in SA.
BUT
if the quality of that education is so low it is no longer recognised and respected by employers than what is the point?
In 2012 the Law Society of South Africa raised concerns that lawyers were graduating from LLBs in South African Universities unable to read, write and calculate at a standard appropriate for the practice of law. Of all the universities in South Africa only UCT makes it into the global top 100, and only just, and HR professionals complain that degrees simply do not signify much in terms of skill or value to a company. In addition there are not enough universities to accept all the matric graduates and FET colleges do not have a good reputation.
This topic is particularly close to my heart because in 2012 I decided to get a qualification in journalism, too late register at a University I chose to do my course through City Varsity, assuming, I now know foolishly, that this would provide me with the skills promised. This is not the space nor the time to slate City Varsity, but to put it mildly, I did not learn even half of the skills promised on the course outline. I took this up with the college administration who informed me that despite their advertising this is an entry level course designed only to provide a basic introduction to many of the programmes and skills required for journalism, so that, to quote the head of department “you know what they are talking about when you start working in the industry.” Not have the actual skills, but recognise that you should. I learnt nothing in a year’s course that a couple of hours on wikipedia or a few youtube videos could not have taught me. I have spoken to other graduates from City Varsity and other similar private institutions who have reported the same experience. I spoke to a journalism student at CPUT who told me that it is normal for their lecturers to simply not arrive for class.
I tried to contact the relevant person to lodge a formal complaint at the Dept of Higher Education and hit a brick wall.
I am now employed, I already have a degree and work experience, my City Varsity certificate meant little in the grand scheme of things it was meant only as a top up to gain additional skills.
Many of my fellow students however did this course believing, as City Varsity promised, that it would be all they needed to start a journalism career. Today I see and speak to them and their disappointment and bewilderment as they realise that they have not been adequately equipped for employment is palpable.
As long as the standards of education in both private and public tertiary institutions are not matching standards required by companies what is the point? A good education teaches you to think, to analyse and to question as well as equipping you with the skills you need to enter the workplace.
If Nzimande’s priority is race, then it is no suprise that standards drop so immensely in tertiary education, and social inequality will continue. Wealthy students failed by the tertiary education sector will go work for their wealthy parents, and poor students will remain poor irrespective of their qualification which they fought and worked so hard to gain,
Of course there are excellent universities and colleges out there, I studied at both Wits and UCT and cannot fault either of them, but the institutions who are not delivering to the students who sacrifice all to be there should be held accountable.
Young South Africans would be far better off if Nzimande appointed a committee to oversee the standards of teaching at both public and private institutions, ensuring a standard that will properly equip students for the working world. This would give young South Africans who put in the time to study further, a fighting chance.