Vol8 no7 2016
heita!
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COVER Pic(K)
Visual Communication (Photography) student NOMSA MTSWENI was the photographer behind the lens of this edition’s cover photo.
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SINGING THE CHOIR’S PRAISES: BAZIBONKE SINDANE (23), an Office Management and Technology student at the eMalahleni Campus, is the Chairperson of the TUT Varsity Sing Choir that wowed audiences during the recent Varsity Sing competition. Asked why he likes singing in the choir, he says: It is a place where I can be myself with different characters and cultures who all share the same passion and a love for music. The choir is a home away from home for me. I am thankful to be part of the choir and to be a leader, friend and brother to my fellow choristers.
BUDDING AUTHOR: MONDE SOMZANA is a 26-year-old B Tech: Industrial Design student from Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. He is a fiction writer who is selling cupcakes on campus to raise enough funds to publish his first book, titled The Ashes: Age of Dark Winds. “All my life, I was surrounded by taxi drivers and street vendors. Those were the people I looked up to as my role models. I had to become better than that,” he said. The book was inspired by a recurring dream he had for three weeks. In the dream, seven children, who are really good friends, come together to play every day. Something interesting happens to their souls when they go to sleep at night. Their souls come out of their bodies and they experience countless adventures. On the photo, he poses with a dummy copy of the book.
please send your name and cell number to heita@tut.ac.za on or before 17 October. Mark the subject field: POWER
To win this
TUT BRANDED POWER BANK,
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS
LOOKING BACK AT THEIR JOURNEY
NOTHANDO NGWENYA (25)
N Dip: Information Technology (Communication Networks)
“Varsity is definitely not child’s play. I came here with a mentality that being far from home excuses me from my responsibilities. I played around and got excluded. After my appeal, I decided to become more serious about my academic work. My hardships taught me to never give up. I pulled up my socks and today I am graduating.”
NKOSENYE NKOSI (32)
N Dip: Information Technology (Software Development)
“Today’s standing ovation was nothing new to me. I have the talent of making an impression. During my studies, my perseverance was constantly tested. It built me into a strong person that I am today. The challenges stood out, but I made it. That’s what I will remember.”
LANDYNN LEIGHTON ECKSTEIN (28)
N Dip: Policing
“I will always remember how I kept my faith alive. I told myself that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. All the late nights I gave up are worth something today. I’m celebrating the hard earnings of my labour at the Gencor Hall like everyone else.”
NISCHAL SINGA (35)
N Dip: Policing
“I definitely will not miss the tests and assignments, but I will always remember how my friends and family stood by me. Their support was sufficient because it brought a great outcome. The exams were hectic, but I’m glad it’s over.”
BENEDICT HILL (35)
M Tech: Policing
“I think only the enrolment part of my journey was smooth. The hard work I put in will always remind me what I was working towards and that giving up was not an option. I will remember the adversities, only because they motivated me to work even harder.”
LINDA MABASO (23)
N Dip: Journalism
“I will always remember that it was all worth it in the end. In the beginning, you don’t even see where it’s going and you want to give up. One of the biggest challenges I faced was finding an internship. This has been the greatest learning curve of my life.”
THARINA STOLS (33)
M Tech: Language Practice
“I will always remember that there is room for improvement. It’s important to go back and reflect on your work. Having excellent supervisors helped me. I was pregnant when I enrolled. My daughter is two years old now and I am a graduate. It’s a lifelong memory.”
SOMELEZE MPETSHENI (22)
N Dip: Public Relations Management
“I will always remember that hard work paves you a smoother path. I have friends who lost loved ones along this journey and hard work and perseverance kept them going. I’m proud to see them alongside me in their gowns. Focus is important and we are now aiming for the red gowns.”
NTHABISENG MAPHOGO (22)
N Dip: Public Relations Management
“I will remember the friends I made and the anxiety just before the exam. Studying was fun for me. I loved it. I took it really easy and did everything in time and studied smart. It’s really not that bad if you know what you need.”
TO VIEW ANSWERS, CLICK ON ANY IMAGE ABOVE.
Heita! met up with nine students who graduated at the Spring graduation ceremonies in September and asked them what they will always remember about their days as students at TUT.
with fond memories
VOYAGE
Madeli Viljoen (24), a Jewellery Design and Manufacture graduate who was named runner-up of the 2015 De Beers Group of Companies’ Jewellery Design competition (also known as the Shining Light Awards), recently returned from Milan, Italy where she spent three months interning at the Forevermark Design and Innovation Centre as part of her prize. She shared the life-changing experience with Heita!
De Beers, together with Forevermark, has had an immeasurable impact on my life, my future and my career as jeweller and designer. As a recent Jewellery Design and Manufacture graduate, I was faced with the big decision of specialising in one of the many facets of the jewellery trade. By winning the Shining Light Awards, I was given the wonderful opportunity to explore and integrate in a fresh environment and become part of the industry which I have not yet experienced. I was also handed the huge privilege of inspiring fellow, up-and-coming young jewellery designers to follow their dreams and motivate them to keep working hard to achieve their goals and reach for the top!
• TUT students Lilja Hastie, winner of last year’s competition, and Louise Kriek, second runner-up, will travel to Milan next year as part of their prizes.
HOW HAS THIS COMPETITION
IMPACTED YOUR LIFE?
Madeli sightseeing at the Duomo di Milano cathedral, Milan.
Missed the original article featuring Madeli’s winning entry titled Infinitely Forever?
CLICK HERE.
says Madeli
HOW DID YOU
EXPERIENCE MILAN?
TELL US ABOUT FOREVERMARK?
My expectations have been trumped by the beautifully, majestic fashion capital of the world! Milan is awe-inspiring and definitely a city that I would wish to return to again and again. Here, many different cultures and styles come together, influencing new fashion trends, yet always keeping a touch of the Milanese elegance and sophistication.
Once in Milan, I was warmly welcomed by members of Forevermark Italy and quickly became part of the team. Forevermark is a very innovative company that makes a huge impact on the jewellery fashion industry worldwide. Nonetheless, each designer and member of the team is given the freedom to express their own creativity and individuality.
OPINIONS
HOW SATISFIED ARE YOU WITH YOUR STUDIES?
Are you one of the 797 TUT students who participated in the most recent Universum survey which is conducted annually to better understand student satisfaction and career expectations, among others? Then, you’ll find the following nine findings most interesting.
The South African Airways; Eskom; Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; Transnet and the SABC are among the employers that TUT students would most like to work for.
TUT students indicated their expected annual salary as R235 651. As in the past, male students nationally expect a bigger salary (R303 262) than their female counterparts (R260 265).
How do you know WHAT CAREER PATH IS RIGHT FOR YOU? The UNIVERSUM CAREER TEST can help you on your way: CLICK HERE!
TUT students score the University 6,9 out of 10 in terms of how satisfied they are with their studies. It is slightly lower than the average for all universities, which is 7,4. However, the results indicated vast differences in satisfaction levels across TUT campuses. The average for students studying at the Soshanguve Campus was 7,2, 7,0 for Pretoria Campus, 5,9 for Arcadia Campus and 5,5 for Ga-Rankuwa Campus. Unfortunately, the response rate at other campuses was too low to measure.
The survey also indicated that 60% of TUT students would choose another university if they were to restart their studies at any college or university. The University of Pretoria, University of Cape Town and University of Johannesburg are their top three alternatives.
About 80% of students had serious concerns about their job prospects, with one participant saying that “A degree does not provide the edge it used to.”
60%
TUT students are career-focused and their most important long-term career goal is "To be a leader or manager of people.” Nationally, it is “To be dedicated
to a cause, or to feel
that I am serving a
greater good.”
Asked for their top of mind
associations with the
University, the word “strikes” featured prominently across all campuses. Other negatives included “disorganised,” “embarrassed,” “I don’t belong here” and “unprofessional.” There were also many positive associations, such as “excellence,” “innovation,” “diversity” and “affordable.”
The majority of students (65%) indicated that they preferred social media
as a communication channel.
The affordability
of tuition fees came out tops as the variable that influences students most when choosing TUT.
TELL US A BIT MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHOIR. The TUT Varsity Sing Choir was established in 2016 for the purpose of the competition. However, the TUT Choir has a very long and proud history. Over the years, it has participated in various competitions, such as the Old Mutual Choral Competition and competitions hosted by the South African Tertiary Institutions Choral Association (SATICA). The choir consists of fifty choristers and has three conductors.
IT MUST BE A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE TO PLAN JOINT PRACTICE WITH MEMBERS COMING FROM ALL CAMPUSES? HOW OFTEN DO YOU PRACTICE AND HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT IT? The choir consists of students from all TUT campuses. Choir members are usually sent pieces to prepare on their own within their respective campus choirs. The respective choirs then meet at a central point for a three-day-long camp to fine tune the pieces, select songs and choose a conductor.
MUSIC
The TUT Choir in action.
TELL US ABOUT THE VARSITY SING EXPERIENCE? The TUT Choir participated in the competition in Nelson Mandela Bay in a recording studio setup hall with a live audience and four celebrity judges. We competed with Rhodes University and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and obtained third position. It was quite an experience for some of the choristers, since many of them have never before travelled by air.
WHAT ARE THE QUALITIES OF A SUCCESSFUL CHOIR CONDUCTOR, AND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES? You must have a love for music and respect for your choir. You must also be able to read and teach the music score and motivate choristers.
HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER OF THE CHOIR? (PLEASE PROVIDE CONTACT DETAILS). Any bona fide student may become a member of the choir by applying through the choir executive members: Bazibonke Sindane (076 233 7078 or bazibonkes@gmail.com) or Maleke Ntjana (079 283 2068/ 012 382 4254).
WHAT WILL THE CHOIR BE UP TO IN 2017? The Choir will definitely be participating in the Varsity Sing Competition again.
Hats off to
TUT CHOIR
Were you also glued to the television on Thursday evenings to watch the TUT Choir battling it out for the top honours in university choral music in the Varsity Sports and kykNET Varsity Sing competition? The choir may not have made it to the final round, but the choristers have certainly gained many more supporters in awe of the choir’s exceptional talent. Heita! spoke to choir master, Dennis Malanga.
Thabang Glen Dladla (23) is a third-year Sports
Management student at TUT and a Personal
Trainer at Virgin Active. He has also just completed his studies in Sports Psychology with Unisa. Jackey caught up with him to talk about his love for extreme sport, as he is also a gymnast, soccer player, basketball player and founder of Fitnessbang – a fitness training company that hosts regular fitness boot camps around Tshwane.
Jackey Masekela
Thabang Glen Dladla
SPEAK UP
WHEN DID YOU FIRST GET INTO EXTREME SPORTING? I have been involved in extreme sport for most of my life. I started as an athlete in Grade 1 and moved on to be a sprinter in Grade 3. I also started gymnastics in Grade 3. In 2003, I started competing on the international stage and got world recognition when I became a world champ in 2008 for rope skipping in the triple-under category.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP FIT AND HEALTHY? It is vital for people to keep fit and get involved in sports and physical activities to maintain and sustain a healthy lifestyle. Fitness reduces chances of getting sick with diabetes and blood pressure related illnesses.
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOT CAMPS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. I came up with an extreme sports boot camp concept that started in April 2016. I go to different regions to administer workouts that are safe and fun for the huge fan base that I now have as a fitness trainer.
WHO DO YOU LOOK UP TO AND GET YOUR INSPIRATION FROM? There are a lot of people who inspire me within the fitness industry. Mostly it is from clients who encourage me to keep going and who attend the boot camps that I put together.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE TO TAKE YOUR BOOT CAMP IN THE LONG RUN? I plan to take this concept internationally. My short-term goal is to go to different provinces as I have started communicating with different regions about the training boot camps. My company is now registered and I do fitness consultations, work with corporates, government and different communities.
heita!
STAY IN THE PICTURE
Heita! is an electronic student newsletter of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
It is edited and published by the Directorate of Corporate Affairs and Marketing.
EDITOR
Gerrit Bester
TEL 012 382 4306
WRITE TO US AT
LAYOUT
This publication may contain third party advertisements and links to third party sites. The Tshwane University of Technology does not make any representation as to the accuracy or suitability of any of the information contained in these advertisements or sites and does not accept any responsibility or liability for the conduct or content of those advertisements and sites and the offerings made by the third parties.
TAKE PART
win R300
It’s easy! All you have to do is answer the following
question (don’t fret, you should get the answer somewhere
in this edition): WHO IS THE CONDUCTOR OF THE TUT
CHOIR INTERVIEWED IN THIS EDITION?
Please send your answer, name and contact number to heita@tut.ac.za on or before 17 October. Mark the subject field: COMPETITION. The winner will be announced in the next edition. Only registered TUT students can enter.
Good luck!
WINNIE TIMBA (19), an Entrepreneurship student at the Pretoria Campus, is the winner of the competition featured in Heita! Vol8 No6 2016.
CONGRATULATIONS!
SPEND THE R300 WISELY.
The winner of the COOLER BAG is GERALD SAKOANE (24), a
B Tech: Civil Engineering student at the Pretoria Campus.
All work and no play make Jack (and Jill) a dull boy (and girl).