UFH...or...RSU?

UFH OR RSU?...That's the question on my mind as I walk out of the GREEN AUDITORIUM where a political debate was held at the University of Fort Hare (UFH), Alice campus on August, 18th, 2011.

A motion by PSAMA, one of the political student movements at the campus to change the University's name to "Robert Sobukwe University " created a buzz amongst the students leading to a commotion at the venue. Well, from what I could hear in the PASMA representative's reasoning, the name changing would be to seek as much attention from stakeholders and publics as all the other tertiary institutions.

Gives you something to think about though...I mean almost all the renowned politicians once stepped their feet on Forte grounds and lived in the same residences we live in today so why shouldn't we name our varsity after atleast one of them? (Just a thought/justification).

The debate was between Student Political Movements (SASCO, COPESM, PASMA, ANCYL) to discuss about the value and role of political movements of the students on education at the campus. You would think it would be thought-provoking, oh well it just left more questions than answers as the political parties were more opposing each other rather than bringing to the table what we (the students) wanted to hear. The questions stand...Are these political student movements really worth our votes? What are they contributing towards the betterment of our educational experience at the University? (Just my opinion)

And University of Forte becoming Robert Sobukwe University mhhh...Now that's one to think about. What do you think?

By: Sesethu Malgas

The Market

People, people, people, and more people. Huge tents towering. Lost; I feel I am drowning in a desert of art, soaked to the skin with artefacts. Paintings, sculptures, jewellery, beads and the air thickly-percolated with a tasteful, mouth-watering aroma of chocolate-flavoured muffins, freshly-baked biscuits and sweets from the caravan confectionary. “Where is my kind, I wonder? Where are they in the midst of all this commotion? Do I belong here?”

I am a nomad through these oddly-coloured tents. I drag myself through this foreign world around me. My tail, wiggling, attracts so much unwanted attention. They come all over me with weird smiles pasted on their glowing, pale faces, patting my head and neck as if they have known me for years.

I would rather be in my cosy kennel than be part of this excitement. Everyone seems to be wound up about something. They walk around like the world has just turned all beautiful again. Like these paintings and artefacts whisper sweet words. Words that go straight to their inner being, flowing through their veins, until they clamour at their hearts that they may buy them and take them home.
I long to be taken home too.

By Bhekimpilo Dungeni

Lebo: In love. With Blackberry

Lebogang Mgiba is a 2nd year Journalism student from the University of Johannesburg.

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Lebogang Mgiba from the University of Johannesburg is originally from Mpumalanga “I was a very good young boy, said Lebogang,” He described that he was a very clever and a naughty young boy who always seemed as good as the other. He liked to play soccer with friends and he also liked to spend much of his time with his grandmother. “I liked to stay with my grandmother because my mom was always at work,” he explained.

His dreams were to be a teacher because he was not mature enough and he did not have sufficient information.”My mom bought me a bicycle to show how much she cares and loves me” Lebogang said. He wanted his mom to pay much attention to him so if his mom ignored him he pretended as if he had a headache.

He explained that he used to play with both girls and boys because he had cousins of which some of them are girls and others are boys. He also has a few nieces. Going to school is the other thing that he liked to do. He never bunked school, he was a good listener and a much disciplined young boy when he was at school, never bothering his teachers.

Lebogang is a very cute, medium guy and he is slender. He is a very talkative and polite boy who likes to communicate and share ideas with people about what he knows. For instance, he likes to be on Twitter most of the time but he does not only share information with people on Twitter but also with people around him.

The journey of a Quiet Storm

You should see his smile, he has a mouth full of beautiful white teeth and his smile bounces off his lips to his eyes and his whole face changes. He has a beautiful real smile and he doesn’t even know it.

Baphe Phukwana, a 20-year old from the Transkei, is quiet and reserved.

Baphe’s childhood was bittersweet. He was not raised by his mother but by his great grandmother. Although he had a father he says he never really had a daddy. His great grandmother played a significant role in moulding Baphe. Although the single most important woman in his life passed away, Baphe still remembers what she taught him: “Never search for something you don’t know.” He learnt this early in his life, when he searched for his absent father only to find him and realise that he should never searched for him to begin with.

After high school, Baphe left his home to pursue Journalism Studies at WSU. Although in tertiary, Baphe has no dating experience and he doesn’t seem to be bothered. All he wants now is to graduate and make money. Baphe’s spirit and essence are beautiful and so silently alive that one can see that his childhood really moulded him and it was filled with love. And that's a child needs: love.


Baphe, thinking about the power of new media at the FJP

Highway Africa Experience 2010

Junior Bester
Highway Africa is an organisation that is aimed at uniting African journalists through various internet medians such as blogs, emails and even the social media phenomenon Twitter. They address this issue through four programmes. The first of which is research. Highway Africa denotes a lot of time and energy towards research. Research remains one of the key components for any journalist that wishes to have a successful career.
The second programme is education and training. As I mentioned above Highway Africa wish to make use of internet medians to rely its messages across the board, so it is important for everybody to be able to properly utilise these medians. This can be done through training and practice.
The third programme is the sharing of information amongst each other. By making use of the following medians we are now able to share information freely and easily. This is a huge advantage as Highway Africa is not only looking to improve individual journalism but rather journalism as a whole within Africa.
The fourth programme and ultimately the flagship of Highway Africa is the African Voices in the Global Media Place conference. It is an annual conference held by Highway Africa and it is where all the previous programmes culminate to achieve Highway Africa’s ultimate goal.
The conference is designed to allow distinguished and educated delegates to network with current and future media professionals so as to educate each other on the problems facing African media, which is the oppression faced by African journalists within Africa and the lack of an African voice in the global media empire.
The oppression of African media is a serious problem has it hampers the growth of free speech within Africa. If we as future journalists become afraid of telling or speaking the truth because we are afraid of what out very own government will do to us then we will surely fail as journalists. As journalists we have the duty to rely the truth to the public and we should be protected to do so. Therefore it is important for organisations such as Highway Africa to stress this issue as they have the influence and contacts for a solution to be made.
African media has for so long just been a channel for the whole world to hear about the problems arising in Africa. Delegates of this conference believe it is time for that to change. The whole world turns a blind eye when Africa achieves beyond expectation or better than their Western counterparts so it is up to Africa to form a stronger voice so that we as Africans can tell the world when we achieve and keep the world informed about the news and affairs that arise from Africa.
Being at the conference has been a good experience for me so far as it shows me how to properly interact with delegates. The experience I believe has also helped me a lot as it has shown me the manner in which to properly approach speakers during seminars and the confidence to pose questions towards them. The Highway Africa conference also enables me to network with various people that can benefit me in the future and it allows me to make valuable contacts that I can hopefully utilise one day for my own personal advantage