* TUT BRANDED TUMBLER
Photography student lets fuller-figured women shine
An SA-Ethiopian learning experience
WE CHAT TO:
Filmmaker on the move
TUT’s Best Lecturers
Mr & Miss TUT (Pretoria)
Vol11 no1 2019
heita!
STAY IN THE PICTURE
please send your name and cell number to heita@tut.ac.za on or before 28 February 2019. Mark the subject field: TUMBLER
To win this
TUMBLER,
Visual Communication
(Photography) student,
FIKILE BOOYSEN (25),
captured our first cover image of the year. The image formed part of a 3rd-year research project that looked at how contrast in portraiture enhances the image to grab the attention of the viewer, how it creates a mood, and how it contributes to expressing emotion of the subject photographed.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
FILMMAKER on the RISE
Up-and-coming filmmaker Asemahle Majola (25) is a TUT Film graduate making big strides in this cut-throat industry. Sol, a film she produced, was screened at the 2018 edition of the Cape Town International Film Market and Festival. Heita! scooped an interview!
Filmmaker Asemahle Majola (25).
TELL US WHAT THE FILM IS ALL ABOUT. Sol embarks on an adventure to discover the truth behind his father's death after he heard that he would be commemorated by government for being a former political activist. To view the trailer CLICK HERE.
IS IT THE FIRST FILM THAT YOU PRODUCED, AND
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE? No, however it is the first film I've produced to be selected for screening at multiple film festivals. The experience was just amazing. I worked with a team that was present in every single step of production. Never did I feel stressed or unprepared.
THE FILM ALSO
FEATURES TUT DRAMA
STUDENTS . . . The film features mostly TUT students. During the project we found it very important to not only have a TUT crew, but also work with TUT Drama students. Producing this film was an opportunity to showcase the talent and potential of everyone involved.
WHAT WAS THE FEEDBACK/RESPONSE AT THE
FESTIVAL? The feedback was amazing. The fact that two cinema theatres were sold out spoke volumes to me and the team. People appreciated the honesty of the story as well as the different perspectives that each character brought to the film.
YOU COMPLETED YOUR B TECH: FILM AND
TELEVISION PRODUCTION IN 2016. WHAT ADVICE
DO YOU HAVE FOR STUDENTS CURRENTLY STUDYING
IN THIS FIELD, AND WHAT ARE YOUR FONDEST
MEMORIES OF YOUR TIME AT TUT? Do internships during the course of your studies. Nothing will prepare you for the industry more than being in industry. So, go out there. Ask questions and continually avail yourself for outside projects. My best moments at TUT were the Drummies Extravaganzas.
YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING AT AN ADVERTISING
AGENCY IN THE MOTHER CITY. WHAT DOES A
TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR LIFE LOOK LIKE? I work for Publicis Groupe as a Junior Producer for their production agency, called Prodigious. My day is filled with many brief meetings. I produce content for Radio, TV, social media and, at times, stills for billboards.
WHAT IS THE BEST FILM OF ALL TIMES? Eish! That's a hard one. I'm not sure of all times, but it's a film that has stuck with me since I watched it in my Film Theory and Criticism class. It's called Argo and is directed by Ben Affleck. I somehow can't get that movie out of my head. It's a well written film of a story that most are not likely to tell, or, if they do, they won't know how to treat it. You can tell that every detail of every scene is intentional.
"Producing this film was an opportunity to showcase the talent and potential of everyone involved."
"Nothing will prepare you for the industry more than being in industry."
“Showing that you care by developing relationships with the precious people behind the student number.” – Elaine Relling (Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment)
CREAM OF THE CROP
“Being passionate about imparting knowledge that serves as a catalyst for influencing one’s destiny.” – Thuli M Makhura (Faculty of Information and Communication Technology)
“Having an inquiring mind, diversifying presentation techniques and being able to relate the subject content to the students’ reality.” – Chantelle van Wyk (Faculty of the Arts)
THEY ARE ALSO AMONG
THE CREAM OF THE CROP:
FACULTY OF SCIENCE:
Dr Erika Jordaan
FACULTY OF
MANAGEMENT SCIENCES:
Yolande Smit
FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND FINANCE:
Dr Louis Smidt
FACULTY OF HUMANITIES:
Dr Claribel Lancaster
Three of TUT’s best lecturers named at the University’s Academic Excellence Awards end of last year tell Heita! what are the qualities that set them apart from the rest?
HERE, THERE & EVERYWHERE
IN PARIS: MADELI VILJOEN, alumna of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts (Jewellery Design & Manufacture), represented SA at the Bijorhca International Jewellery Design Awards in Paris, France. Her striking earrings design aims to raise awareness for endangered bird species. As a finalist she gained VIP access to the Bijorhca Expo and the extravagant awards ceremony afterwards. The three prize winners (from France) were named on 20 January and the top ten designers' entries (including that of Madeli) were framed and displayed throughout the Expo with exposure to thousands of visitors from industry. “It was a proud moment to represent South Africa in France,” says Madeli.
SIBUSISO SIBANYONI (23) is a third-year Photography student who is using his camera to change the perception that one, especially women, should look a certain way to fit in. Almost a year ago the lad, who hails from Maphotla in Mpumalanga, started taking photos of fuller-figured women, mostly at the Union Buildings and Magnolia Dell in the capital, where he has since become a familiar face. Sibusiso says everyone should feel appreciated, no matter what they look like. The project has attracted a lot of media attention, with several newspaper and television interviews. CLICK HERE.
PERCEPTIONS
CHANGING
MINISTER ON CAMPUS: Minister of Higher Education and Training, DR NALEDI PANDOR, paid TUT a visit on 22 January to engage with stakeholders and get first-hand experience of the current situation at the University. During her visit she met with the Executive of TUT’s Council, acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Stanley Mukhola, and members of the Executive Management Committee (EMC), as well as other stakeholders, including the Institutional Forum, organised labour and the transitional Student Representative Council (SRC). Minister Pandor also did a walk-about on the Pretoria Campus with members of Council and the EMC.
CROSSING BORDERS
Four M Tech students, two from TUT and two from the Addis Ababa University (AAU) in Ethiopia, share their highlights of an exchange programme in terms of which they crossed borders to visit each other’s universities.
Master’s degree students who participated in an exchange programme between TUT and the Addis Ababa University are (from the left) Fekadu Demissie (35), Kgaogelo (Cow)
Mashilo (24), Nhlakanipho Zwane (25) and Mesay Kebede (34).
KGAOGELO (COW) MASHILO (24)
M Tech: Fine Art (TUT)
“Every single moment in Addis Ababa was memorable. I will never forget the hospitality of the Ethiopians. Besides the language barrier, we felt at home and comfortable all the time. THE PRIDE THEY STILL HAVE IN THEIR CULTURE AND RELIGION IS ADMIRABLE and evident in everything they do, including their art and music. I was particularly blown away by the ‘Fab Lab’ (Fabrication Lab) at the Alle School of Fine Arts and Design, (AAU), which has some of the latest digital technology. As a sculptor, I was captivated by the 3D-printer and CNC milling machine.”
NHLAKANIPHO ZWANE (25)
M Tech: Motion Picture Production (TUT)
“One of the standout moments of my time at the AAU was the long conversation I had about Ethiopian cinema with Abebe Ketsela, Cinematography lecturer. Ketsela gave me AMAZING INSIGHT INTO THE NATURE OF ETHIOPIAN CINEMA, WHICH WILL ENRICH MY OWN RESEARCH. Visiting the Haile Selassie Library at the AAU and the University cafeteria were interesting experiences as well. I met talented Filmmaking students who are also working in industry and received a digital copy of the first published book on Ethiopian cinema, titled Cine-Ethiopia: The History and Politics of Film in the Horn of Africa (2018). Furthermore, I gained considerable knowledge during the workshops I attended that explored the significance of the Arts and the Humanities.”
MESAY KEBEDE (34)
Master’s Degree: Film (AAU)
“At the TUT Arts Campus we witnessed the student projects from the previous academic year, and the quality of the work bodes well for South Africa and by extension, the rest of Africa. THE CAMPUS IS THE ENVY OF MANY INSTITUTIONS IN AFRICA AND BEYOND. The provision of well-equipped studios and workshops, presided over by qualified and dedicated instructors, and the presence of inquisitive and daring students, is a recipe for success, which we hope to replicate back home.”
FEKADU DEMISSIE (35)
Master’s Degree: Fine Art (AAU)
“When we first arrived in the City of Tshwane, it looked like a small place, but the more we explored the city, I realised that it is actually large. The weather is rather humid, but bearable. One of the things that fascinated me about the city was the high level of security. There are check-in and check-out points almost everywhere, which is not common in Addis Ababa. However, the most amazing part of my visit was seeing THE ARTS CAMPUS, A BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS THAT IS A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR LEARNING. I really enjoyed walking around the various studios and labs, seeing the artworks and designs of students.”
>>> The exchange programme was initiated by Pfunzo Sidogi, lecturer at the Department of Fine and Applied Arts. As part of the programme, participants shared their research with undergraduate students and staff. The programme was supported by the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) through its African Pathways Programme (APP) and BRICS Teaching and Research Mobility Grant. <<<
A LEARNING
EXPERIENCE
ACROSS BORDERS
FACE 2 FACE
From legalizing marijuana to making SA a better place
Mr & MISS TUT share their views
Nathan Phetla (20), a third-year Mechatronics Engineering student, and Noscelo Mzala (21), a third-year Food Technology student, are Mr and Miss TUT (Pretoria Campus) 2019. Heita! met them on a sunny summer’s day.
IT’S A NEW YEAR WITH NEW OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO DIFFERENTLY THIS YEAR? NM: Getting out of my comfort zone. I think I’ve limited myself a lot in the previous year. So, more pageants it is. I’d like to be an example to many young women and show them that anything is possible through God. NP: I want to promote extramural activities to students. Many first-year students only know about sports and not about the other societies that they can join, which are essential for self-development.
WHAT IS YOUR OPINION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL COURT’S JUDGEMENT THAT MADE IT LEGAL FOR ADULTS TO CULTIVATE AND SMOKE MARIJUANA IN THEIR HOMES?
NM: It hasn’t killed anyone due to overdosing, unlike other drugs. But, it’s good that it is tackled from a legal point of view. NP: Unlike alcohol, marijuana does not decrease driving abilities. I’m really neutral about it. I do not necessarily promote its use, but don’t have a problem with people using it appropriately.
DOES YOUR GENERATION SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA? NM: Yes! Lately, many opportunities are placed on social media platforms and that’s where we tend to find ourselves. NP: Yes! Some of us actually get most of our opportunities from social media as this is a broad platform.
IT IS SAID THAT CHANGE BEGINS WITH YOURSELF. WHAT CAN EVERY SOUTH AFRICAN DO TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY A BETTER PLACE? NM: Appreciate yourself and do not focus on what other people say. Making change within, leads to change outside. NP: Acknowledge yourself and make sure you do not let your potential go unnoticed.
"Making change within, leads to change outside."
-and-nathan-phetla-(20)-crop-u164403.png?crc=318625557)
AREN’T BEAUTY PAGEANTS SO LAST YEAR? NM: No! They boost self-esteem. Pageants are often more about confidence than beauty. NP: Not at all! Beauty pageants do not only focus on the ideal physical appearance, but also help you reach your potential and to overcome your weaknesses.
"Acknowledge yourself and make sure you do not let your potential go unnoticed."
Nathan Phetla (20)
Noscelo Mzala (21)
All work and no play make Jack (and Jill) a dull boy (and girl).
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
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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.
OUT & ABOUT
The winner of the KEYRING is LEBOHANG NGWENYA (21), a Nursing student at the Pretoria Campus.
WIN A
LAPTOP BAG
Please send your name and contact number to heita@tut.ac.za on or before 28 February 2019. Mark the subject field: LAPTOP. The winner will be announced in the next edition. Only registered TUT students can enter.
Good luck!
SMILE MASHISHI (23), a Logistics student at the Pretoria Campus, is the winner of the competition featured in Heita! Vol10 no8 2018.
CONGRATULATIONS!
SPEND THE R300 WISELY.
