Taking Back The Night - Grocott's Mail

Grocott’s Mail Tuesday, 27 April 2010News11Inter-Varsity debate still unresolvedStacy MorelandRepresentatives fromRhodes University’sadministration met withstudents in an open forum recentlyto discuss the possibilitythat Rhodes might withdrawfrom the Inter-Varsitytournament. The three-daysporting competition betweenRhodes, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan,Fort Hare and WalterSisulu universities is oftencriticised for the noise, messand drunkenness it encouragesevery August.Condemnation of Inter-Varsity peaked last year afterthe racist verbal abuse of ProfFackson Banda by a Rhodesstudent, who was clearlyidentifiable in his traditionalpurple overalls, during Inter-Varsity weekend. Campusnewspapers also reportedthat security guards were assaultedby students, visitingand local students assaultedeach other, while pepperspray and force was used tocontrol the crowd on severaloccasions.In November last yearthe Students’ Sports Councilcreated a task team to defendRhodes’ involvement in theevent. Head of the Council,Jess Goble, said the Dean ofStaff reporterFOR Vikash Mathura, obtaininghis MBA degree involvedheartache – literally.On 1 August 2008, he foundhimself unexpectedly havingto undergo open-heart surgeryto remove a two-inchorthopedic nail that had beendislodged from his elbow, travelledthrough his veins andpenetrated his heart.Despite this dramatic turnof events, Mathura continuedhis studies unabated, flyingto Rhodes nine weeks laterto attend the third stint of hissecond year on the Masterof Business Administrationcourse.Mathura, who is based inJohannesburg, says he “fellin love with the institutionand with the Grahamstownfolk” when he did his PMEat Rhodes in 2006. Furthermotivation to do his MBAhere came from the fact thatRhodes Investec BusinessSchool (Ribs) was voted as oneof the top 100 business schoolsin the world.At the recent graduationceremony of the CommerceFaculty, he was awarded theMBA Fellowship Award, anaccolade conferred on himby his fellow students. Thisaward is given for leadershipattributes which in his caseinvolved having to represent,support and hold together avery diverse group of individualsfrom a range of culturesand backgrounds.Mathura says, “I thinkthey voted for me because I’moutspoken yet diplomatic.”Students was originally not interestedin continuing Rhodes’participation. “I think that theadministration took our spiritfor granted,” says Goble, “butwe were determined.” She believesthe Dean’s support atThursday’s debate was a signthat she too “got caught up inthe excitement”.The debate highlightedwhat Lt Colonel Willie du Plooyof Grahamstown’s SAPS called“the ugly side” of Inter-Varsity.He implied that publicdrunkenness, noise, theft,the illegal sale of liquor, urinatingin public as well asdrunken driving occurredoften over the weekend. “Allthat stuff you’ve just mentioned– that’s like a normalFriday or Saturday night,”responded a student.Municipal CouncillorMichael Whisson seemed toshare Du Plooy’s views, sayingthat residents left townevery August to escape “theepi-centre of drunken revelry”,while those who remainremember it for its drunkenand racist incidents, not sport.However, this week, ColFrankes de Vis, who representsGrahamstown SAPS onRhodes’ Safety and EventsCommittee, said that the policehave no major concernsHe survives open-heartsurgery – and still passesRos Parker of the BusinessSchool confirms this: “He alwaysmade sure the studentsgot what they needed.”Mathura is currently employedby Ellerine HoldingsLimited (EHL) as the DeputyManaging Executive of theBeares/Lubners FurnitureGroup and he hopes to contributetowards making EHLa world-class entity in the retailsector. His outgoing personalityhas also led to himbeing a popular host on twoRadio Lotus programmes.The MBA class sometimesreferred to him as “ourDJ”. Mathura believes hisRhodes MBA expanded hisability to think about businesssolutions more laterally.“I believe that the MBAdegree makes one wiserand smarter, not necessarilymore intelligent.”The second most valuablething about his MBA experiencewas the lasting relationshipsthat he formed, whomhe calls his “friends for life”.Mathura says his near-deathexperience has made himmore introspective about thethings that are really importantto him, like his wife andtwo children.His family flew to PE withhim and then enjoyed thescenic 140km drive to Grahamstownfor the graduationevent – their first trip to theEastern Cape. Mathura willbe registering for his PhD atRibs in 2011 and says, “Onceagain, Rhodes University ismy academic institution ofchoice.”with Inter-Varsity. De Vis saidalthough reports accusingstudents of noise pollutiondoubled, there was no “realcriminality”. He added thatwhile the police “don’t say it’sright – this is a varsity town”.He recommended that residentsexercise some patiencebut if they could not; “go visityour aunt in Bedford”.POST 1: CLERICAL ASSISTANT:LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOP-MENTDIRECTORATE: LOCAL ECO-NOMIC DEVELOPMENTPOST LEVEL: 09SALARY SCALE:R 90 012 – R 104 568MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONAND EXPERIENCE: Grade 12.Must be able to communicate effectivelyin at least two official languagesrelevant to the Eastern Cape.COMPETENCE/SKILLS RE-QUIRED: Computer Literacy, Typingskills and Telephone etiquette skillsKEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:Secretarial and Administrative Assistantto the Managers in the Directorate.Act as a receptionist. Typingof all letters and correspondence. Filing.Making appointments, travelingand accommodation arrangements.Distribute correspondence and recordall outgoing mail. Preparing itemsfor the agenda of the Economic Developmentand Tourism PortfolioCommittee. Taking minutes of allmeetings relevant to the directorate.Prepare any other lawful and relatedduties as required by the Director.POST 2: 3 X ARTISANPLUMBERDIRECTORATE: TECHNICALAND INFRASTRUCTURAL SERV-ICESPOST LEVEL: 09SALARY SCALE:R 90 012 – R 104 568MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONAND EXPERIENCE: Must be aqualified plumber with two yearsrelevant experience.COMPETENCE/SKILLS RE-QUIRED: Code E Drivers License,ON OR OFF... The debate on the future of Inter-Varsity is quite tense as can be seen from thisphotograph. Photo: Nikki BrandGood communication, supervisoryskills. Must be computer literateDeputy Vice-ChancellorDr Sizwe Mabizela said that“the majority who attend Inter-Varsityare responsible, itis only a few who shame andembarrass the university”.While Student RepresentativeCouncil (SRC) PresidentEric Ofei challenged localsand the university saying “ifyou have time to complain,you must have the time to dosomething about it.”This week Goble andGeorge Kahn, SRC’s vicepresidentexternal, imploredthe university to take ownershipof Inter-Varsity to makeit a successful and safe experiencefor everyone. “Therewas insufficient security andplanning last year,” said Kahn,“but those problems can beovercome.“The university needs tocome on board, last year theevents at which students ranamok were organised by students,the university needs toput its money were its mouth is,take this event seriously and donatetime and human resourcesto proper organising.”Mabizela has asked that theSports’ Council convene a meetingwithin the next two weeksat which the various parties willagain discuss Inter-Varsity.Goble hopes that this meetingwill see the conclusion ofthe debate. “We are alreadyplanning for Inter-Varsity, wefeel so strongly about it, we’reIncorporating Grahamstown, Alicedale, Riebeeck East & surrounding rural areasEXTERNAL POSITIONSKEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:Maintain, operate water reticulationnetwork for continued water supply.Investigate reports and solve.Responsible for his/hersubordinates. Perform any otherrelated duties as instructed by superior.Interacts with community, otherdepartments when need arises. Writereports.POST 3: 3 X FINANCIAL IN-TERNSDIRECTORATE: FINANCIALSERVICESSALARY SCALE: R 6 800 per monthor R 81 600 per annum and 13thCheque equivalent to one month’s salaryMINIMUM QUALIFICATIONAND EXPERIENCE: The applicantsmust have a tertiary qualification withAccounting as a major subject.COMPETENCE/SKILLS RE-QUIRED: Communication, Attentionto detail, AnalyticalKEY PERFORMANCE AREAS:Assisting with the compilation of legalcompliance reports (e.g. reportsto National / Provincial Treasuries,reports to DPLG, Statistical Informationto various institutions). Assistingwith the Compilation of Grant relatedreports to relevant government departments(e.g. Equitable Share, MunicipalSystems Improvement Grant, FinancialManagement Grant, etc). Assistingwith Asset Management (includingupdating the Asset Register) andresponsible for various reconciliations(such as Debtors, Creditors, PayrollControl Suspense, Bank, etc.). Assistingthe department during the budgetformulation process and assisting withany accounting functions within thejust going ahead as normaland hoping for the best,” saysGoble.While Goble says there isa possibility that the universitywill allow Rhodes’ sportsmenand women to take partin the event, but not allowRhodes’ to host it in futureshe says that “a large numberof the administration are keento keep it in its entirety”.Finance Directorate (e.g. Payroll Administration,Revenue Management,Expenditure Control, Cashiering,Storekeeping, etc.).Note: That Financial Intern will berotated within various Sections of theDirectorate. They will be required tosign a contract, with the municipality,which is limited to a minimum periodof 36 months (or three years).BENEFITS: Include 13th cheque,Housing Subsidy, Medical Aid, Retirement/PensionFund, Group Life, andgenerous leave. Please be advised thatapplication for employment should becompleted on the official applicationform of the Makana Municipality andtherefore Z83 forms will not be accepted.No faxed or e-mailed applicationswill be accepted. All enquiriesshould be directed to the HumanResource Manager and applicationforms are available from the HumanResource Section: Telephone no.046-6036123. One application formmust be completed for each vacancy.Application forms must be accompaniedby a Comprehensive CurriculumVitae, Certified copies of an ID, DriversLicense (where necessary) andQualification documents. Applicationsmust be posted to the Human ResourceManager, P.O Box 176, Grahamstown6140. Canvassing of Councillors andOfficials will automatically disqualifyany applicants. Makana Municipalityis an Employment Equity, AffirmativeAction Employer. If the candidate hasnot been contacted within a month afterthe closing date he/she must acceptthat his/her application was unsuccessful.No application will be consideredafter the closing date.CLOSING DATE: 7 MAY 2010N. BAARTMUNICIPAL MANAGER