ANCYL to launch door to door campaign

By Vincent Morifi

THE ANC Youth League (ANCYL) at the Turfloop campus of university of Limpopo, is preparing for the campaign which will be conducted during second semester when students return from winter recess.
The door to door will seek to know the challenges faced by the students and the solution on how to prevent the issue of financial exclusion which is the primary aim of the campaign.
"There are many students who have been expelled from the institution due to finance, we as Youth League want to ensure that we joint together with students to fight financial exclusion". said the general secretary of the Youth League Castro Modiba.
There are many challenges faced by the students such as mode of transport, lack of kitchens, cold water in residences and others, the Youth League that the campaign will help students to overcome those challenges.

Castro concluded by saying that they are also in preparation for Galla dinner which both the students and the management will donate money in order to assist those who have been expelled because of finance and were about to graduate.
Students are encouraged to participate in the campaign in order to solve those issues.


Criminology students join forces with SAPS

By Vincent Morifi and Madimetja Mashishi

University of Limpopo (UL) third level criminology students have declared cooperation with the South African Police Services (SAPS) during a presentation at UL’s R-40 conference hall.

The event, hosted by the criminology department in the School of Social Sciences on May 14, 2008, saw a number of honourable guests from both the university’s security section and the SAPS. The motive behind the presentations and the research conducted by the students was to investigate factors contributing to crime within the campus and come-up with possible solutions to ensure a much safer environment for the university community.

One of the groups presenting at the event recommended that an electric fence be installed surrounding the campus, which university head of security, Skhumbuzo Vilakazi, replied to by saying that the university is currently budgeting for the fence to be installed. He further added that a strategic plan is done annually by the security councils in both the Turfloop and Medusa campuses of the university, and installing the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and sensor gates is part of the project index.

Kholofelo Rakubu, the event coordinator and organiser said the aim of the occasion was to establish a working relationship with the police, which she believes has been accomplished. She said they wanted to collaborate with Safety & Security and the police because they felt that working with these two units will ensure that crime is curbed entirely. “We felt that there is no working relationship with the police and we should get involved,” explained the well-spoken criminology lecturer. Students felt that they are now well prepared for the workplace since some of them will be graduating at the end of the academic year. During the presentation the students received guidance from the SAPS members who were present at the event and University of Limpopo’s safety and security head.

One of the students is Tlou Hlahla who had this to say: “this presentation developed us to be able to work with the police.” Superintendent of the SAPS said that he was satisfied with the presentation and was adamant that the students were ready for the work place. Rakubu said that now that the students have completed the theoretical part of criminology, they will next semester deal with the practical part of the field.
It was said that any student who sees any criminal activity on-campus should report it at campus control or call the police superintendent on 082 565 6654.


Radio Turf held a Soccer Tournament

By Madimetja Mashishi

Radio Turf organised a soccer tournament this past weekend. The tournament was a cup competition between ten of the best teams the Greater Mankweng area had to offer, and seniorjournalism.com was there to cover the finals.

The main event was between University of Limpopo FC and Juno Aces- and the winner was to walk away with four thousand (4 000) hard South African Rands and a trophy. Walking away with the prize money was the UL FC who defeated Aces by a hard-fought 3 goals to 2.

Mr. Tibane and Bra Stan Masenya of Radio Turf were the organisers and they said they were satisfied with the event and were already anticipating the next one. The pair is hoping that the next event boosts 16 teams from around the Greater Mankweng area and double the current prize money. “We want to take children off the streets, alcohol and drugs,” said the organisers when asked what motivated them to start the event.

The finalists, Juno Aces, walked away with a cool R1 700, while two runner-ups of the tournament shared an awesome R 800 .00
The sponsors of the event were Radio Turf and Sammy’s Restaurant.



The UL set for an ever- blazing Freshers’ Ball

By Madimetja Mashishi

They have performed individually at campus gigs, now these six hip-hop cats are preparing to release a mixtape come August.

Blazey, Dimiz, Gubz, Jerry, Mercury, and Suzan are the next big thing to explode out of the University of Limpopo. These lyrical and vocal geniuses are backed by BNP Records and own funding, for their studio time and marketing campaigns.

Blazey is not a stranger to the entertainment scene of the UL’s Turf Campus- he performed in several campus gigs, including the prestigious Talent Night sponsored by, among others, the teeth-brush specialists Oral B, where he thrilled the audience when he sang Gold Digger alongside Mash of Mash Productions. Blazey also performed alongside the American rapper-cum-poet, Toni Blackman, in a concert hosted by the United States Embassy in South Africa at the University of Limpopo’s Great Tiro Hall last year. Neither new is Suzan, she has been involved with the Performing Arts Department’s Talent Night Shows since last year.

In an exclusive interview with seniorjournalism.com, Blazey said the reason they have started this project is to give up-and-coming artists a podium to showcase their talents. “We want to create a platform owned by the public… for ourselves by ourselves,” said Blazey who added that they expected other artist-hopefuls to take over the mixtape project once they are done with it. Blazey said they took their work to Ben, Nico, and Peter of BNP Records who saw an opportunity in giving these lyricists an opportunity. Even though BNP had no capacity of signing these artists, they offered them studio-time so that they themselves can get exposure as record producers.

The mixtape, they promise, will not lose the traditions of a mixtape, since these guys are recording solo tracks and, at times, featuring on each other’s tracks. The guys are not waiting for manna to fall from our global-warming-affected heavens; instead they are looking for sponsorship.
They say they are currently in talks with the SRC, and they are planning on approaching the Department of Arts and Culture to fund their project.

Fans and critics will not have to wait until August, when the mixtape drops, to start nodding to these crew’s vibrant sounds though- a CD-R will be available in June. Expect to be rocked by these MC’s at the UL Turf Campus’ Freshers’ Ball.


ACDPYL and SCO baying for Sasco's Blood

By Madimetja Mashishi

The African Christian Democratic Party Youth League and Student Christian Organisation are calling for the removal of the South African Student Congress in student politics participation at the University of Limpopo.
This follows the alleged murder of one of the students, Essue Mhlongo, who was allegedly killed by some Sasco members while on a trip back from Tswhane( Pretoria) where students were handing over a memorandum, against fee increases at the university, to the South African Education Minister, Naledi Pandor.

Meanwhile the answer to the question of whether Sasco will contest in the upcoming elections remains unanswered.


UL Students are Mourning

By Vincent Morifi

The SRC of the University of Limpopo (Turfloop Campus) convened in a meeting discussing the issue of supporting the students of TUT when they where to deliver the memorandum to the minister of education. Students of the University of Limpopo evacuated the campus at 6:00 on the 22 February 2008.

Students of the University of Limpopo were also delivering their memorandum. All school political organisation were there, excluding the chairperson of the SRC. Some of the students who did not manage to attend that trip were curiously waiting for the report. It came as a shock to the university community that one of the student was attacked in a taxi and thrown out through the window.

One of the student who was in that taxi said that people were fighting at the back of the taxi until they threw one of them out of the window. It is alleged that SASCO members are the ones who caused the scene. The student, Esseu Mhlongo, who was murdered was a member of one of the political organisation by the name of Student Christian Organisation(SCO). Students has yet received the feedback because of the brutality that has taken place.

On Sunday, students from different organisations gathered together at Thami Square discussing what is going to happen next.
Students have agreed that on Monday there will be no classes as students are going to the Magistrate's Court in Mankweng to ask the court to deny bail for students who were arrested. They also agreed that SASCO offices must be closed with "immediate effect" as they are murdering students instead of leading them to greener pastures. The students also requested the SRC to humbly tell Prof. Mokgalong (university vice-chancellor) and management to avail themselves in the memorial service which will be held at the University of Limpopo Turfloop Campus on Wednesday.