Open-Day – get there!

Your Life Magazine 

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VOLUME 4 Issue 3 2015 

Open-Day – get there!

CONTENTS 

04 

Editor’s Letter 

05 

Poems 

06 

WE NEED WRITERS!!! 

Get in contact with us 

8 

Meet our Contributors 

4 

10 

Xenophobia 

14 

Open Day 

Universities in the spotlight 

18 

Really Silly Science 

10 

20 

Fashion 

The Trend You Are 

22 

Winter Fashion Ideas 

Get creative. Invent your own style 

24 

Meet the Team 

Lucian Fuerto 

2 

>>>Hola MaHigh-School 

22

CONTENTS 

28 

Genetically Modified Foods 

gmo??? omg!!! 

30 

Know your Language 

And be proud of it 

28 

32 

Book Review 

The Alchemist by Paul Coelho 

33 

The Quotes Game 

34 

For Each his Own 

The science of watching movies 

34 

36 

Alphabets 

Where did this all start? 

40 

Oxford University Press 

The importance of a dictionary 

42 

Asia 

Where Art Thou Going? 

43 

Win an Ubuntu T-Shirt 

Enter now to win! 

42 

44 

Out Next Issue 

>>>Hola MaHigh-School 3

From the Editor 

Editor’s Letter 

The new edition is finally out, 

with lots of good things to read. As 

usual of course. 

Xenophobia is something horrible and it is 

again hitting us hard as a society. Sikosane 

has written a very insightful article on this 

topic. It has not been an easy article and it is 

nearly impossible to balance any views on it. 

How can we even try to be balanced when 

the emotions are running so high, but, 

Sikosane has made the best attempt I have 

come accross. 

Our fashion writer is back! Four pages this 

time. People, he is brilliant and has managed 

to advise us all on what to wear (and not) for 

this coming winter. 

The fashion pages are also starting our 

revamp of lay-out. Not that it needs to be 

‘pop’, but the colourful articles will have a 

less serious look. I am always looking forward 

to see what Sifiso has cooked up for us, and 

this edition is no exception. 

Sifiso’s story is also in this edition. These 

are very personal stories from our writers. I 

try to see if we can have a ‘meet the team’ 

story every month now, and Sifiso’s article 

is a great read. It is written with passion and 

feelings that can be felt. This is quality stuff. 

Languages is always a hot topic. This time it is 

Sikosane who is giving it a bash. Languages do 

define us, but they should not dominate us. 

I imagine there are as many opinions as we 

have people on this earth. 

Film from Pinky: she had a stab at the music 

scene in the previous issue and now it is the 

film scene to be looked at. It is not just about 

the latest films, but a lot more. How do we 

go about watching a movie? Is it the movie 

or is it social? Why and how. Again, quality 

from Pinky and we shall expect more from 

her if she continues to write articles of this 

standard. 

The most difficult one I have reserved for 

last: Alphabets. Oh my! Fikile has been in 

on braille and sign language. But it touches 

on one thing: Alphabets! Where do they 

come from? How many are there? They 

look so different but are there any common 

denominators? This will in all likelihood get 

into at least a mini-series of 3-4 articles. 

Of course we have really silly... something. 

This time it is science. And the quotes! And 

a bit on the outside world. And book review! 

Here’s to a good read as usual. 

Sybil 

holamahighschool@gmail.com 

www.romele.co.za 

4 >>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL

Suid Afrika, Luister 

Poem 

My provinsies is hol soos ‘n binne-oor 

Ek hoor hoe my bewoners roesemoes 

Liefde oes, verwyt, mekaar vertroos, skoor 

Soek met die goor hede, nooit tevrede 

Aanhou kibbel oor die verlede 

Luister, ek bewaar julle verlede 

My las word nou te swaar 

My grense raak voos van die eggo’s 

Te veel vloeke laat my paaie bars 

Jare se trane laat my riviere oorvloei 

So word ons saam verweer deur dit wat was 

My grens drade en julle gebede 

Fluister en knal al hoe harder om hulp 

Ongehoord in elke nag se ontskuld 

Johannes Coetzee 

CALL FOR POEMS 

I like poems. Those make my day. … and here is the challenge. 

Anyone out there having poems? I would be so happy to see some. 

But not just any poem. As you can see, Johannes is excelling in Afrikaans poems. 

Can we do poems in all official languages? Can we do more? Can we use this as 

an opportunity to excel in our mother tongue (whatever that really is)? 

I have one myself (not so great, but I am also learning) 

Time 

Time is my friend 

Time is weird 

Time cannot be measured 

And yet we have minutes and days 

and years 

Time is now but time has gone 

and yet to come 

Yesterday cannot be measured 

Yesterday is not here anymore 

And tomorrow has not arrived and 

it might never be 

The only time we have is now 

and now is important 

And what we do now will be forever 

although it has already passed 

Sybil 

>>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL 

5

We Need Writers! 

Our writers are growing up and getting older. 

Which is good. BUT... It means that they leave us! 

Therefore: Would you like to write for us? 

What is required? 

It is rather easy 

• You have to be in high-school – Grades 10 to 12; 

• Impeccable in your preferred language. It may not 

be English which you will prefer to write in. THAT 

we will support as we don’t want to be English 

only; 

• Passionate about your topic. No dull articles here. 

Do you get anything 

out of it? 

Well, not money. Unfortunately. 

Not yet at least... BUT... 

If we publish your articles you 

will have: 

• Your bio appear in the magazine; 

• A photograph of yourself; 

• You can put it on your CV; 

• You can use us as a reference. 


Is it 

important? 

YES it is. 

Look here 

What 

to do 

Email me on 

ivan@romele.co.za 

with the following information: 

Name 

School 

Cell number 

E-mail address 

And we will get 

back to you! 

“My name is Rofhiwa and I love to write. I think I’m a rather decent 

writer too. I took my talent and have used it to express my thoughts 

on international dealings of the world which have been published 

in Hola MaHigh School. It has paid off, not only is my work printed 

for young people in the country to read, but, it also contributed to 

my getting a bursary from CNBCAFRICA to do my postgraduate 

studies. Would be a lot harder to get by if I didn’t have platforms 

like Hola to boost my future.” 


7

Contributors 

Lushian Fuerte. Opinionated and enthusiastic. I’m not an expert at what I do but 

I do try my best to share all of my knowledge and advice with everyone through 

my writing. I believe in being who you are and doing what makes you content 

and happy with yourself. Through experience, I’ve learnt that if what defines 

you is what you wear, then you should be happy with yourself at all times. 

As always, a bolt from the blue,here comes me!!! My name is Sello Atlegang 

Aliaah, a seed of today, a flower of tomorrow who lives in Soshanguve, a 17 

year old who’s in Senthibele High. I’m here to knock you out, so watch out!!! 

Pinky Rapoo is a creative writer by nature and not yet by profession.She lives 

in Vosloorus and is currently in grade 12 at Vosloorus Comprehensive Secondary 

School. Listening to music is her hobby,writing is her passion. Her motto is 

“Think twice before speaking,think three times before acting and think thoroughly 

before writing”. 

My name is Johannes Coetzee. I’m a young man who is determined and 

approachable.I love being me, I like to express my feelings through 

writing. I’m passionate about South Africa and the world. 

Writing is my passion and I love and live books. I love talking and being 

surrounded by people. I have a bubbly personality and I enjoy laughing and 

living a life full of adventures. I matriculated in 2014 and I’m currently an intern 

with the Realema programme that aims at getting the youth to be teachers since 

we have a shortage of them. I’m studying to be a teacher at my previous school 

with the aim to give back to my community. 

My name is Mbalenhle Augustine Sikosana. I was born 09 August 1996 and grew 

up in Ekangala. I’m currently a Grade 12 pupil at Ekangala Comprehensive High 

School. I love reading, listening to music and writing. Motto: Life is a blessing, 

enjoy it. 

My name is Fikile Unifire Zulu. First and foremost I’m a career driven, bold, diligent, 

go-getter and self-motivated young lady from Evaton West in the Vaal Triangle. I’m 

a firm believer in reading because it nurtures ones’ mind and makes you see the 

world from a new perspective. I co-founded a non-profit organistation and I also 

write. I love relaxing with nothing but a book and I enjoy writing. 


Editor 

Sybil Otterstrom 

sybil@romele.co.za 

Website 

www.romele.co.za 

Advertising Sales 

011 614 5046/2094 

076 360 1792 


Publishing 

Romele Publications cc 

PO Box 53056 

Troyeville 2139 

011 614 5046/2094 

Enquiries 

Romele Publications cc 

32 Eleanor Street 

Troyville 

011 614 5046/2094 


Production & 

Art Direction 

Sybil Schneider 

gaggle@icon.co.za 

Publisher 

Sybil Otterstrom 

Hola Ma High School 

When you post 

your comments 

here, it will go 

to our Website 

Follow us on Twitter 

@holamahigh 

When you post 

your comments 

here, it will go 

to our Website 

Printing 

United Litho 


9

Xenophobia 

Being a foreign national living in 

South Africa it doesn’t mean that you are suddenly 

a drug dealer, you steal people’s jobs or 

you are here to bring the country’s economy down. 

There are foreign nationals who are in this country 

legally and are paying tax. Mostly that doesn’t seem 

to get to the heads of some South Africans. As a result 

this has sparked a 

wide range of xenophobia 

and afrophobia 

attacks. 

Xenophobia is 

a strong dislike 

of foreigners 

and afrophobia 

is also a strong 

dislike of fellow 

Africans living in 

another country. 

There are many 

reasons why 

foreigners from 

countries such as 

Zimbabwe, Somalia, 

Nigeria, Malawi, 

Kenya, etc., 

come to South Africa. 

Some come 

looking for better 

lives and find jobs, 

some run away 

from their countries 

because of political reasons. 

South Africa, being one of the powerhouse countries 

in Africa, attracts many foreigners and tourists daily. 

Over the last days Xenophobia has made television 

and newspaper headlines with politicians, leaders, 

government officials and some ordinary South Africans 

calling for peace but that seems to have fallen 

on deaf ears because almost everyday new attacks on 

foreigners take place. 

The worst xenophobic attacks have been taking place 

in KwaZulu-Natal. Most belive that the comments 

made by the Zulu king, King Zwelithini about foreigners 

triggered those attacks. The king was quoted as 

saying “foreigners must pack and leave this country 

“. Obvious with the huge number of people under 

the king’s leadership in KwaZulu-Natal, attacks were 

bound to happen. 

Whether the king 

was misquoted by 

the media or not, 

he should always 

be careful what 

he says as people 

may blow things 

out of proportion. 

As South Africans 

we must understand 

that this is 

a crime against 

humanity. If you 

kill a foreigner you 

must know that 

you kill someone 

else’s husband, 

father, brother, 

or another family 

member. 

The issue of Xenophobia 

runs deep. 

It is more than 

just a strong dislike 

of foreigners, it is a release of anger and emotions 

about the situation of the country. Pity that foreigners 

are an easy prey. 

President Mandela once said: ”Never again shall it 

be that this beautiful land will experience the oppression 

of one by another.” 

But it is not the case as oppression, whether by race 

or nationality, is still rife in South Africa. 


Xenophobia 

What is happening in our country today is a huge disappointment 

after 20 years of democracy. It is very 

clear that peace, reconciliation and Ubuntu is a far 

dream for many than will not be realized soon. As a 

country we need a strong leadership that is going to 

be able to carry us in this difficult time. Emotions are 

still running high. 

Even calls for a peace march 

organized by the eThekwini 

Municipality on 16 April 2015 

had an unexpected turnout. It 

so happened that some group 

protested against the peace 

march. Who would have 

thought that? Who wouldn’t 

want peace? 

The reason is there are still issues 

on ground level that need 

to be sorted out soon before 

we see a repeat of the horrible 

xenophobic attacks that took 

place in 2008. In the heart of 

all this, strong police presence 

was visible throughout the 

CBD in Durban. Rubber bullets 

were also used to disperse the 

masses of people promoting 

xenophobic violence. 

My heart goes out to those 

foreigners who are used as scapegoats to escape unemployment, 

inequality and poverty. That is why we 

have seen many incidents of looting of foreign shops 

and even the people attacked and harassed. These 

are criminal acts which should be condemned. 

Those who loot and take products belonging to another 

person are criminals, period. We must understand 

that how much is opportunism and how much 

of these acts are xenophobia. 

In the dark ages of apartheid, South Africans had a 

refuge in other African countries. They were welcomed 

with open arms and they were never attacked 

or told they must go back to their country. 

We should do likewise. After all we are all Africans, 

Some foreigners bring skills into the country. For 

example we have shortage of teachers, so by that 

they are able to assist. In the PSL (Premier Soccer 

League) there are foreign players who play in our 

domestic league. These players 

bring skills and fans love 

them. What will happen if we 

say foreigners must go back 

home. We need to look at the 

broader picture here. 

The Freedom Charter states 

very clearly that we ought to 

protect foreign nationals. No 

country can live in isolation. 

Mutual respect is golden. 

Foreigners are not animals, 

they are our fellow brothers 

and sisters. Let us love our fellow 

Africans. After all, we are 

all humans and we need one 

another. Stop Xenophobia. 

Promote peace. Let us live by 

the spirit of reconciliation and 

Ubuntu. 

Leaders, whether politicians 

or royalty, should think twice before making comments 

about foreigners as this is still a sensitive issue. 

Stop being opportunistic. Maya Angelou once said: 

“A bird doesn’t sing because it has an answer, it sings 

because it has a song.” 

You don’t have to march to show that you are antixenophobic, 

the little generous act you can perform 

to a fellow african will go a long way. Love South Africa, 

Love Africa. Stop Xenophobia. 

Staff Reporter 


11


University of Fort Hare 

University of the Free State 


Let us agree on one thing: Open Day at 

universities and colleges are not to be missed, 

but how to start? 

Life after Matric without Internet is in reality a nonstarter. 

The amount of information you will have to 

pick up is online, so there is no way out of it. 

Also look at it like this: how to do research on a 

university without being online? Doesn’t work, does 

it? 

The starting point is to get acquainted with your 

institution of choice. Get onto the Website and look 

at what they offer. 

What should you look out for? 

Courses: Do they have what you want? At what level? 

Institutional score Total 100 

100 University X 

Courses Total score = 70% 

Course 1 - Masters 60 30 

Course 2 - PhD 10 5 

Alternative 1 15 15 

Alternative 2 10 15 

Alternative 3 5 100 70 3 68 

Accommodation Total score 10% 

Rooms 60 60 

Campus 20 10 

Friends 20 100 10 0 70 

Transport T otal score 15% 

Combi 60 40 

Car 15 15 

Bicycle 15 0 

Walk 10 100 15 5 60 

300 95 198 

… and so on 



Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 

University of Pretoria 

It is important to see the aspects of your next move. 

Deadlines: you have to know. You have to be serious 

here. 

Campus: Where and how do you get there? Is 

accommodation available if need be? Cost of 

accommodation? 

Bursaries: What is on offere? What are the deadlines? 

Do you qualify? 

Fees: This is crucial. 

Life beyond studies: You do have a social life as 

well. Sports? Clubs? These things are important. You 

cannot spend the next 2-3-4-5 years locked inside 

your brain with just books. 

All of these things can be looked at online (by and 

large). It is a time consuming exercise. Get plenty of 

air time. But how else do you start? 

How to grade an institution? It is time to bring out 

the excel spreadsheet now. Try to evaluate what 

is important to you. Take in all the different factors 

above. It could easily look like: (See box on right.) 

Will it always work? Maybe not, but it gives you an 

idea of how to try to grade institutions. It gives you 

the chance to be a bit more ‘scientific’ about the 

choices you want to make. 

If you try to figure out what is important to you, you 

should also be able to quantify this. That means to 

put a number to it. 

After all is said and done, you might still vote with 

your heart rather than your system. Will this be 

wrong? 

Never discard your ‘gut feeling’. There is a reason for 

you to have a ‘feel’ for a certain institution and its 

environment. It is based on an intuitive understanding 

of things which nobody really can put a value to. That 

is important in making healthy decision. 

Intuition can also be wrong and a scientific approach, 

at least, will force you to consider options prior to let 

your ‘heart’ take over. Walking into it with your eyes 

wide open is the minimum you can do. This at least 

should give you a feel for what to go for. 

And now to the day itself! 

So, you arrive at the Open Day event. Loads of 

people. All very confusing. 

Spend time. Do not rush it. The people are there 

to answer all your questions. Prepare yourself well. 

Have your list of questions made up before you 

arrive. Have your score sheet ready. Show them. 

Maybe they have comments. 

Talk to other students. Get a ‘feel’ for their daily day. 

Rhodes University 

University of Stellenbosch 


15


Tswane University of Techology 

University of Cape Town 

Are they happy? 

The important aspect is: The people are interested in 

having you to join them. They are interested in YOU! 

That is something worth thinking of all the time. 

Should you just focus on what you think you want to 

do? No, please go and see everything. Who says that 

what you decide in 2015 is what you will major in in 

say 2020? Maybe what you see from other faculties 

will make you reconsider? Ever thought about that? 

National Institute for Higher Education, 

Northern Cape 

Maybe the choice is more than just education. Maybe 

it is a choice of an institution as well. True that what 

you decide now may have to feed you for the next 40 

years (and that is scary at best). 

But if you decide to only go for the educational 

choice, you may lose out of 3-5 years of youth. And 

that will never come back. 

My only advice is: make sure you understand all the 

parameters. 

University of KwaZulu-Natal 

When to start? Grade 10 is an excellent time to start 

going to Open Day’s. After all, the more you know, 

the better your choices will be. 

Colleges 

We have really only spoken about university. That is 

because the Open Days are happening now. We will 

follow up with more on this topic. 

University of Venda 

University of Western Cape 

16 >>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL 

University of South Africa (UNISA)


universities in South Africa 

Name Location Website 

Cape Peninsula University of Technology Western Cape www.cput.ac.za 

Central University of Technology Free State www.cut.ac.za 

Durban University of Technology KwaZulu-Natal www.dut.ac.za 

Mangosuthu University of Technology KwaZulu-Natal www.mut.ac.za 

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Eastern Cape www.nmmu.ac.za 

North-West University North West www.nwu.ac.za 

Rhodes University Eastern Cape www.ru.ac.za 

Tshwane University of Technology gauteng www.tut.ac.za 

University of Cape Town Western Cape www.uct.ac.za 

University of Fort Hare Eastern Cape www.ufh.ac.za 

University of Johannesburg gauteng www.uj.ac.za 

University of KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal www.ukzn.ac.za 

University of Limpopo limpopo www.ul.ac.za 

University of Pretoria gauteng www.up.ac.za 

University of South Africa gauteng www.unisa.ac.za 

University of Stellenbosch Western Cape www.sun.ac.za 

University of the Free State Free State www.ufs.ac.za 

University of the Western Cape Western Cape www.uwc.ac.za 

University of the Witwatersrand gauteng www.wits.ac.za 

University of Venda limpopo www.univen.ac.za 

University of Zululand KwaZulu-Natal www.uzulu.ac.za 

Vaal University of Technology Mpumalanga www.vut.ac.za 

Walter Sisulu University for Technology and Science Eastern Cape www.wsu.ac.za 

• National Institute for Higher Education - Northern Cape Northern Cape www.nihenc.ac.za 

• National Institute for Higher Education – Mpumalanga Mpumalanga www.nihemp.ac.za 

• The last two are brand new. 

Source: www.smartstudent.co.za 

It is important to understand the difference between 

university and colleges. 

Check out Website. We will start covering Colleges 

there. 

University of Johannensburg 

Vaal University of Technology 


17

Science 

REALLY SILLY 

SCIENCE 

This is a most wonderful article on science 

taken to its extreme. I don’t understand even half 

of it, but probably some of you do – or should – 

or soon will. All of this was sourced from Wikipedia. 

Knot theory 

In topology, knot theory is the study of mathematical 

knots. While inspired by knots which appear in daily life 

in shoelaces and rope, a mathematician’s knot differs 

in that the ends are joined together so that it cannot 

be undone. In mathematical language, a knot is an 

embedding of a circle in 3-dimensional Euclidean space, 

R3 (in topology, a circle isn’t bound to the classical 

geometric concept, but to all of its homeomorphisms). 

Two mathematical knots are equivalent if one can 

be transformed into the other via a deformation of 

R3 upon itself (known as an ambient isotopy); these 

transformations correspond to manipulations of a 

knotted string that do not involve cutting the string or 

passing the string through itself. 

The Grandfather Paradox in Time Travel 

The paradox is described as follows: the time traveller 

goes back in time and kills his grandfather before his 

grandfather meets his grandmother. As a result, the 

time traveller is never born. But, if he was never born, 

then he is unable to travel through time and kill his 

grandfather, which means the traveller would then be 

born after all, and so on. 

However, a number of hypotheses have been 

postulated to avoid the paradox, such as the idea that 

the past is unchangeable, so the grandfather must 

have already survived the attempted killing (as stated 

earlier); or the time traveller creates—or joins—an 

alternate timeline or parallel universe in which the 

traveller was never born. 

Liar Paradox 

In philosophy and logic, the classical liar paradox or 

liar’s paradox is the statement of a liar who states that 

he is lying: for instance “I am lying” or “everything I 

say is false”. If he is indeed lying, he is telling the truth, 

which means he is lying... The simplest version of the 

paradox is the sentence: This statement is false. (A). 

If (A) is true, then “This statement is false” is true. 

Therefore (A) must be false. The hypothesis that 

(A) is true leads to the conclusion that (A) is false, a 

contradiction. 

If (A) is false, then “This statement is false” is false. 

Therefore (A) must be true. The hypothesis that (A) is 

false leads to the conclusion that (A) is true, another 

contradiction. Either way, (A) is both true and false, 

which is a paradox. 

Really ‘Heavy’ Maths 

Kurt Gödel published this paper in 1930 on 

mathematical logic: “On Formally Undecidable 

Propositions of Principia Mathematica and Related 

Systems”. Anyone? 

Spacetime 

Typically we operate in a 3-dimensional world. Add the 

fourth dimension – time – and we have spacetime. 

Spacetime can be bend by gravity. Time is not universal. 

The fourth dimension describes not a progression of 

time but of events. In any event, we need either 11 

dimensions or 26 dimensions to accurately describe 

the universe. 

Nibiru Cataclysm 

The Nibiru cataclysm is a supposed disastrous 

encounter between the Earth and a large planetary 

object (either a collision or a near-miss) which certain 

groups believe will take place in the early 21st century. 

Believers in this doomsday event usually refer to this 

object as Planet X or Nibiru. 

The idea that a planet-sized object will collide with 

or pass by Earth in the near future is not supported 

by any scientific evidence and has been rejected as 

pseudoscience and an internet hoax by astronomers 

and planetary scientists 

International Flat Earth Research Society 

Modern flat Earth societies, formerly represented by 

the International Flat Earth Research Society (IFERS), 

are present day organizations which aim to promote 

the idea based on a disputed quote in the Bible that 

the Earth is flat instead of an oblate spheroid.>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL

Fashion 

The Trend 

You Are 

Don’t you get tired? I mean all the without anyone making a fuss about it. 

time you open fashion pages and you read 

about what to wear and what not to wear? So, I guess popularity does influence the image of 

In a way, you let a stranger create your image. a certain brand into it being that seasonal trend. 

Question is, why do you follow trends? To be 

popular? To fit in? To make yourself feel better 

knowing that you own the latest item? 

Sure, it is ok to want to know the latest fashion 

and trends that are making the rounds, but, do you 

really have to follow every fashion trend that is out 

there? 

Last winter, Aztec prints were making the headlines. 

They became popular. Much to every fashion eye 

anticipation, the hype around them has died out 

and sadly, you no longer seem “cool” when you 

wear your Aztec dress, legging or tops that cost you 

a fortune. Sad isn’t? 

We all know how popular the Converse sneakers 

became last year. Every ‘kool keed’ had a pair. 

You felt different without Converse. Just before 

they became a hit again as they have done over 

the years, All Star was just a shoe you could own 

We typically don’t really know why we follow 

trends but we do it anyway, because that is how the 

human brain is programmed. But doesn’t the urge 

to be yourself and be unique kill you inside? The 

need to know that you can be different not just by 

how you look, but what you wear? 

The need to be unique doesn’t necessarily have to 

make you a fashion flop. You don’t have to start 

wearing ‘whatever’ you can put together in the 

name of being “unique”. 

That is totally wrong. 

Who doesn’t remember the Dashiki? Jogger pants? 


Fashionn 

Delela? Capri’s? Crop tops? 

All these fashion items were quite a hit last year. 

Literally, every teenager owned at least one of the 

items mentioned item above. 

Think about it, you 

were just cool about 

25 weeks ago but 

not anymore. That 

ought to tell you 

something about 

trends. 

Not all trends are 

bad. Some trends 

do stick around. 

And it doesn’t hurt 

to follow a certain 

trend once in a 

while, as long as 

it doesn’t end up 

consuming who and 

what you believe 

in with regards to 

fashion. 

Beyoncé is not the 

only one who can 

start a trend you 

know! So, what are 

you waiting for? 

Clothes make you happy. That is what I believe. 

They make you feel good about yourself and build 

your personality. We all know that feeling when you 

get a new wardrobe, you can hardly wait to start 

dressing up in your clothes. 

That’s the feeling that 

you should get every 

time you get a new 

wardrobe. 

Not like some dull 

old lady getting new 

slippers (sorry, but you 

get the picture). 

You don’t necessarily 

have to be a 

fashionista to match 

really great items. 

Play around with your 

wardrobe, it is yours 

after all. 

You’re in charge, not 

some celebrity who 

gets told what to wear 

and what not to wear. 

Be YOU and do YOU. 

Staff Reporter 


21

Fashion 

Dear Winter... 

We Are Ready 

Feels like it was just summer a few 

weeks ago. Winter came early this year. No 

need to panic, I have you sorted on what to 

wear this winter. 

Winter is my favourite month because 

it has less 

The old-school coat is still in. Don’t throw it away. 

Spice it up with a jean that you have packed 

away. Remember, coats work best with Skinny 

jeans or leggings. Don’t go for the skirt and 

leggings and coat combination. It’s really out of 

line and makes you look silly. 

If you are stuck and really don’t know what 

to wear with what, just wear your jeans and 

boots. Trust me, this combination is a killer, yet 

still simple. It’s really not necessary to pull a 

Rihanna look all the time. Sometimes plain is 

really stylish. 

Don’t throw away your Aztec prints yet. They 

really work well with leggings and any denim. 

Just be able to play around with them. 

Scarfs are making it back in, again another 

trend which will stay. Get one for yourself. 

Besides it being handy when it is one of 

those cold days, scarves really do bring out 

your inner cuteness. 

rules, unlike summer. 

The latter requires you to follow the rules 

and colours, whereas winter, well, let us be 

ourselves in whatever we wear. We don’t 

have to try so hard to piece together items, 

it just comes naturally. 

What is important to know about winter is 

that, you can use your old trendy clothes 

to still look stylish without having to go 

out and buy a whole new wardrobe. Waste 

of money. Remember that ripped jean you 

bought last summer? Winter is not about to let it 

go either. I always say, open your closet and play 

around with your clothes. They are yours after 

all. Stop following rules and trends, this time just 

do YOU. 

With that said, here is my advice for this winter/ 

Autumn: 

Ladies 

Try it. 

Tip: Less colours, more clothes. But remember, 

less is more. We are not on the North Pole. Wear 

what suits you best and what you are happy 

with. 

Gents 

I know most of you don’t really like taking 

advice? I mean who wants to be told what to 

wear? Certainly not me. But here is my two cents 


Fashion 

gents... Winter is in our favour because whatever we wear, works. So, 

work on your grey and black. Best colours for winter. 

If you own a pair of Palladium boots, wear them with any jean. You’ll 

see the magic they bring. Keep in mind, less colour. 

Any white shirt and jean outfit is a yes. Simplest outfit you can pick 

out. No need to fuss around if you don’t have anything to wear for 

the day. 

COATS! Why not? Get one. You’ll see how sophisticated you will 

look. Remember not to overdress, work on what you have. 

Fashion is not about having the latest clothes whatsoever, it is 

about wearing what you are comfortable in and what makes you 

happy. If you are comfortable in your own outfit, it will reflect. 

You’ll see. 

Got any fashion tips you wanna share? Tweet us! We are always 

looking forward to hear what you have to say. 


23

Meet the Team 

Lushian Fuerte 

It seems weird, being able to really call 

myself a writer. I guess I have been a writer for as 

long as I can remember. Born into a family where 

education is valued, I was always encouraged to write. 

I knew writing was my passion when I wrote my first 

poem in third grade: Her Heart 

Clot Love. 

I was born in Johannesburg but 

had to move to Mpumalanga 

at a tender age. Raised by the 

strongest woman the earth 

has ever had, my grandmother 

made sure that whatever I did, 

I never forgot how important 

education was. 

I never had a ‘normal’ 

childhood. I mean even I don’t 

know what that it is but I just 

never had that childhood that 

every kid seemed to have. 

I “wasted” all my time on 

reading. I could read all day and 

still want to read more. 

My family would sometimes 

scold me for refusing to go play 

but I knew what I wanted to 

do, and that was to make my 

grandmother proud. 

Fast forward to 2014, when I first read an issue of 

Hola MaHigh-School. I think I knew from the very 

first time that I read it, that I would also like to be a 

part of it. I sent an email to Sybil and she responded. I 

had already planned all my articles. And quite frankly, 

I was not interested in writing about Fashion. It felt 

like a drag for me. Yeah I love fashion, who doesn’t? 

It was after my first article about it that my passion 

grew more intense. 

Being a young writer for Hola MaHigh-School felt 

great. A feeling that I cannot explain. I was happy that 

I was in a place where my talent and knowledge were 

finally embraced and accepted. It was a new chapter 

for me, creating a new book. 

Something worth valuing? It doesn’t have to be much. 

I’m not saying we all should be writers, but, for every 

dream, there is an opportunity. 

We all deserve to be given the chance to share 

our dreams with the world. 

And that’s what Hola does. It 

empowers young people with 

knowledge and values their 

dreams and believes in them. 

It is not just about being part 

of a magazine but being a part 

of a family. A family that clicks 

with you. Isn’t it that one starts 

being truly happy when you find 

happiness within yourself and in 

what you do? 

I want to look back one day and 

be proud of the people I have 

met in my life. I have met a whole 

lot of celebrities but, have you 

ever met that certain someone 

whose knowledge and outlook 

on life made YOU start thinking 

so hard and try to re-evaluate 

your own life? That’s just how it 

has been ever since I met Ivan. 

Someone who encourages me 

and my goals. I know my work is 

good but Ivan makes me want to 

do it a whole lot better. It really touches the soul to 

find someone who believes in you. 

Above all I’ve said, thank you Sybil and Ivan, for 

everything. For being patient with me and never 

giving up on me. And for deciding to click on my email 

that day and read my article. You’ve opened new 

doors for me. Your support and enthusiasm means a 

lot to me. 

Hola to me is a place of discovering who I really am. 

The minute I start typing, I know I cannot stop. 

I am a train. A moving train. Ready to stop and drop 

off my talents then continue moving forward to gain 

more knowledge and share with others. 

Your work should not just end up being just dream. 

Why not turn your hobby into something real? 

I am Lushian Feurte, aka Sifiso Ngwenya, and this is 

my story. 



HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL 

27

Science 

Genetically modified food 

(GMO). That is a big topic. Is it good or bad? I 

have an opinion, but I am not going to tell you 

about my thoughts. I will provide facts in this article, 

then you make up your minds. 

Background to this 

We will focus on plants, otherwise we go into sciencefiction 

rather than trying to keep it within reason. 

The background for GMO is simple: better crops. If it 

is possible to ‘create’ new crops with a resistance to 

diseases and with a higher nutritional value, well, that 

is not so bad. That is the background. 

Let us look at an example: the potato. If we can make 

a potato immune to blight (some disease) and less 

prone to bruising and make it also better (healthier) 

when fried (chips!), then we have achieved something. 

GMO is not there to grow weird things or cross a potato 

with an elephant. It is rather pedestrian technology, 

really. 

When did it all start? 

GMO is not new. Even when people in Mesopotamian 

crossed their wheat crops with some other one’s they 

found, well, GMO. They did interfere with nature. 

When we ‘design’ a new rose, well, it is also genetic 

modification. 

Without looking at the actual DNA sequences, scientist 

did catalogue the different traits and how they 

could let these be inherited. Cross-breeding is not 

new. 

Where are we now? 

Via different scientific methods we can now sequence 

the entire DNA of just about anything. Let us look at 

the potato again. So we know exactly the string of 

DNA. We know what gene is coding for what. Let us 

then imagine we have a few types of potatoes. One is 

immune to diseases and we have found which gene 

is coding for that. Then we take that gene and put it 

into a potato which grows faster and bigger. Smart? Is 

it any different form trying to cross them in nature? Is 

it not just speeding up nature a bit? 

But who is doing the actual gene manipulation? In 

essence, big industrial groups like BASF, Bayer and 

other chemical and pharmaceutical companies. Such 

companies design and build a new plant by using an 

existing plant as the base platform. Inserting, activating, 

de-activating or removing genes are all done in a 

laboratory under strict controls. Testing of such a new 

plant is extensive. 

The catch is that they can then ‘patent’ this new plant. 

The cost of development is somehow of course passed 

to the growers if they want to use this new plant. 

Is it then an economical viable solution? If a farmer 

must invest more money into buying seeds but the 

seeds will give him a higher yield, yes. It makes sense. 

But do we see any GMO foods? Oh yes: 


Science 

According to Wikipedia, 90% of all mealies grown in 

the US are GMO. 90% of all soybeans and 45% of all 

sugar are GMO in the US. 

I will guess the percentage could be more or less the 

same all over the globe. The big question is of course 

if it is dangerous to eat GMO. 

GMO and Health: Is it dangerous 

Do we die if we eat GMO? Do we grow an extra head? 

Is it harmful to us? Why not just stay with what we 

know. 

Wiki has this reference: In 2012, the American Association 

for the Advancement of Science stated that 

“consuming foods containing ingredients derived 

from GM crops is no riskier than consuming the same 

foods containing ingredients from crop plants modified 

by conventional plant improvement techniques.” 

The American Medical 

Association, the 

National Academies 

of Sciences and the 

Royal Society of Medicine 

have stated that 

no adverse human 

health effects related 

to GM food have 

been reported and/or 

substantiated in peerreviewed 

literature 

to date. If this is the 

case, then we may 

ask why. 

Is it because the 

companies designing 

new plants actually 

do know what they 

are doing? If that is 

so, we should not be 

surprised. Companies 

like BASF, Bayer and 

the likes, are not ‘cowboys’. 

The other reason could be that the legislation surrounding 

GMO in terms of regulating the development, 

usage and testing is sufficient. If that is so, we 

ought to be proud of the legislators ...or could it be 

that we have just been lucky up until now. That longterm 

impact has not surfaced yet. 

What if the scientists don’t know what they are really 

doing. They don’t know the impact of a specific gene. 

They think they know, but now suddenly there is a 

mutant out there. And we eat it! And die! Or something 

similar. 

Here is the ‘natural selection and cross-breeding’ 

example. Not a real one. Just one I have invented: 

A farmer in South Africa has found that if he takes 

a potato from Free State and cross it with one from 

South America, he can grow bigger potatoes in half 

the time. And 30 years from now we find out that 

those will cause cancer. That is a natural selection. 

Not GMO (really). So the dangers could be lurking out 

there anyway. 

Is it more dangerous because it is a person in a lab 

coat? Or is it safer? 

Legislation is going towards mandatory labelling of 

GMO products. Then the consumer can choose. 

Perspective 

So, let us go back to 

nature. Ecological 

farming. No pesticides 

and things. 

That could mean 

that the farmer will 

have to chuck 50% 

of all food grown 

because it is full of 

diseases (blight, insects, 

bruising, and 

much more). And 

the remaining 50% 

is low-yield. This is 

purely speculative, 

but just imagine if it 

is reality. 

How can we then 

feed 8 billion people 

on this planet? 

And imagine the 

food pricing? And 

who can then even afford to buy food? 

Maybe there is no alternative to GMO? If we want 

to have an expanding population, we cannot feed all 

with conventional methods. 

Conclusion 

If GMO is labelled, you have a choice. But be prepared 

to pay more for non-GMO food. Your choice.>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL 

29

Education 

Being You 

is to know your language 

“Our language is like a pearl inside a shell. 

The shell is like the people that carry the language. 

If our language is taken away, then that would be like a pearl that is gone. 

We would be like an empty oyster shell”. 

What I understand about the 

above quote, is that every person has 

a responsibility to protect his or her 

indigenous language and preserve its future so that 

future generations may learn from it. 

Being able to communicate clearly and confidently 

is a key function for all. Knowing how to speak your 

home language fluently connects a person to their 

ethnic group and in that way identity is shaped. 

Knowing where you come from as a person is vital. 

30 

>>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL

Education 

I remember talking to my friends one day and one 

of them asked me if I am Zulu since I speak Zulu so 

fluently. My reply was that I am not a Zulu. I am an 

Ndebele. I was so embarrassed as I could not even 

utter one Ndebele word or even write one down. 

I went back home a thought about it deeply. I 

personally think it is embarrassing to say you are an 

Ndebeld only by surname. 

I don’t want to play the blame game but I think 

parents need to step up and teach their kids about 

their roots. It is no use enriching and promoting 

another language while rejecting and looking down 

on your own. 

Here in South Africa we have eleven official 

languages. There is a reason why all those languages 

are recognized as being official rather than one 

language such as English or Afrikaans. It is important 

to emphasize that South Africa is not a monolingual 

society. 

Many black people think that speaking English is 

being intelligent or it is something that has to be 

highly praised especially in young black people. 

Why don’t we take pride in your own culture and 

heritage? Why don’t we greet in IsiNdebele, Zulu or 

Tsonga for example? 

You find most young people talking to each other in 

English whereas they can speak with one another in 

their own African languages. It doesn’t help mastering 

a language that is not your own while neglecting your 

own mother tongue. It is like throwing your own 

identity away. 

Some young black people even go to extremes of 

changing the pronunciation of their surnames to 

make them sound more American. You’ll find that 

a person’s surname is Zwane, but when he or she 

pronounces it, it’s like “Zwe-yne” which is totally 

wrong. 

Slowly but surely African languages are dying in South 

Africa. I understand very well that English is a global 

language. Whereby at least every person must be 

able to write and understand English but, because 

of identity we ought to know our language as well. 

Some may argue that it us not important to know 

your indigenous language as a black youth these days. 

I talked to my sister about this issue and she said 

“everything revolves around English. When you 

communicate in English people understand you 

better, it is easy for people to listen to you and respect 

you. When you talk your indigenous languages it 

becomes as if you are not educated. People won’t 

even look at you.” 

She further made an interesting point that she writes 

her subject exams in English and job interviews are 

conducted in English. She concluded to say I should 

stop blaming black youth for abandoning their 

mother tongue; I should blame the education system. 

I completely disagree. If my sis continues with this 

mentality then her kids are in deep trouble. Because 

cultural heritage and knowledge is passed on 

throughout each generation by language and actions, 

language is integral in affirming and maintaining wellbeing, 

self esteem and a strong sense of identity in 

a person. 

Not enough is being done at schools to promote 

indigenous languages. We find that black people have 

to learn Afrikaans because some instructions will be 

carried out in Afrikaans. In black schools learning 

English is compulsory for all learners. 

Children should be taught their mother tongues. 

Speaking indigenous languages at home will go a long 

way. There is a time and place where it is necessary to 

speak English such as in job interviews. 

The media promotes America as the “wow” country. 

Youth envy that. Young minds get influenced easily. 

The importance of learning English and speaking 

English competently for all South Africans is not 

disputed. 

However, it is equally important for all South Africans 

to recognize the languages that were spoken in South 

Africa years ago. It is in my heart that everyone will 

take pride in his or her language as I am also learning 

IsiNdebele. 

One’s language is ownership, it is what we know as 

people, it is how people identify themselves, it is our 

community bond. Language recognizes and identifies 

you, who you are and what your are all about. 

Know your language first before learning others. 

Know it, understand it and relate to it. 

And most of all, be proud of it! 

I am Mbalenhle Augustine Sikosana-Jali lika 

Thamane, a pround Ndebele and I love my 

language. 


31

Book Review 

I DON’T NORMALLY read fables but I 

must say, I was intrigued by this book after a friend 

suggested it. The book centres on the shepherd 

Santiago, who has happily tended his flock of sheep 

and felt quite content for the lifestyle he has chosen. 

One night he dreams of a treasure buried at the base 

of the pyramids. Unsure what 

to do with this information, he 

eventually embarks on a quest 

to find this treasure (his personal 

legend) and encounters a host of 

people who help him, hinder him 

and provide insight on his journey. 

As an allegory, the book explores 

the author’s views on the 

meaning and purpose of life, and 

how we get sidetracked from 

doing what we truly desire (and 

value). 

At one point he meets a Muslim 

man who has dreamed of 

travelling to Mecca his entire life, 

but has always found excuses why 

not to go. 

Eventually, after his interactions with Santiago, the 

Muslim man realizes that he has not gone to Mecca 

because he fears realizing his life’s dream, and losing 

his reason to live: “Because it’s the thought of Mecca 

that keeps me alive. That’s what helps me face these 

days that are all the same, these mute crystals on the 

shelves, and lunch and dinner at that same horrible 

cafe. I’m afraid that if my dream is realized, I’ll have 

no reason to go on living. 

“You dream about your sheep and the Pyramids, 

but you’re different from me, because you want to 

realize your dreams. I just want to 

dream about Mecca. 

“I’ve already imagined a thousand 

times crossing the desert, arriving 

at the Place of the Sacred Stone, 

the seven times I walk around it 

before allowing myself to touch it. 

I’ve already imagined the people 

who would be at my side, and 

those in front of me, and the 

conversations and prayers we 

would share. But I’m afraid that it 

would all be a disappointment, so 

I prefer just to dream about it.” 

Other characters have similar 

obstacles that prevent them from 

pursuing what they desire in life. Conversely, some 

characters are in pursuit of their personal legends, 

and their interactions with Santiago help them both 

on their journeys (he meets an Englishman trying to 

learn how to turn lead to gold, and falls in love with 

a woman whose personal legend was to find and 

love him). 

Some Quotes from The Alchemist by Paul Coelho 

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” 

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.” 

“One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving.” 

“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure. 

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, 

everything around us becomes better too.” 

“So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you.” 

“The secret of life, though, is to fall seven times and to get up eight times. 

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” 

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.” 

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.” 


Quotes Games 

Quotes 

John Adams was the 

first Vice President 

of the United States 

of America and the 

second President of 

the USA. 

“There is danger from all 

men. The only maxim of a 

free government ought to 

be to trust no man living with power to endanger 

the public liberty” 

“Our obligations to our country never cease but 

with our lives” This is like JFK: Ask not what your 

country can do for you, but what you can do for 

your country. Where did he get the inspiration 

from? 

Muhammad Ali 

Jinnah was a Muslim 

politician in the Indian 

subcontinent and 

leader of the All India 

Muslim League who 

founded Pakistan 

and served as its first 

Governor-General. 

“The prosperity and advancement of a nation 

depend upon its intelligentsia.” 

“My message to you all is of hope, courage and 

confidence.” – No doom and gloom here. 

We continue with ‘founding Fathers’. 

Churchill – I have to – no way out! 

“To improve is to change, so to be perfect is to 

have changed often.” 

“I hate nobody except Hitler 

— and that is professional.” 

“Success consists of 

going from failure to 

failure without loss of 

enthusiasm.” 

Sun Yat-sen was a 

Chinese revolutionary 

leader and statesman 

who is considered 

by many to be the 

“Father of Modern 

China.” 

“In the construction of 

a country, it is not the 

practical workers but the 

idealists and planners that are difficult to find.” – 

Stand up and be counted! 

“Only powerful people have liberty.” – Says it all. 

“An individual should not have too much 

freedom. A nation should have absolute 

freedom.” 

It is claimed to be his: “To understand is difficult; 

to act is easy.” 

“Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to 

evil.” 

José de San Martin (25 

February 1778 – 17 

August 1850), was an 

Argentine general and 

the primary leader 

of the southern part 

of South America’s 

successful struggle for 

independence form 

Spain. 

“The conscience is the best and most impartial 

judge that a righteous man has.” – True 150 years 

ago. And also today! 

“One should be under no illusions as to the future 

of the Old World. The real contest in the present 

day is purely social.” – 150 years ago? I thought it 

was yesterday? 

“My best friend is he who rights my wrongs or 

reproaches my mistakes.” – Eternal 


33

Entertainment 

FOR EACH HIS OWN 

It is said that a picture tells a thousand matters, the time spent with the loved ones and 

words; film just had to put those pictures in catching a movie, or is it just an excuse? Or is all 

motion. Like music, film also has a variety of genres. that matters keeping up with the trendy movies? Oh 

A few of those being comedy, fiction, horror, action well, clearly reasons vary and there’s just no definite 

and many others, even the sub-titled ones. For the reason why. 

mere fact that people do not have the same interests 

regarding films, is there not a genre in film that draws 

more audience than any other genre? 

Perhaps there is, yet it might depend on age groups. 

There’s a high chance that the youth would not watch 

the black and white films but our old parents, uncles, 

aunts and so forth love them. 

This may show a 100% or 0% probability that quality 

matters most. And again, we cannot deny the fact that 

there are film producers that have produced timeless 

films, that can still give you the same feeling you had 

the first time you watched it. Even watching these 

numerous times. Some comes to mind... Titanic, The 

Matrix, Lord of the Rings and many more. 

How or why people watch movies might not be pretty 

obvious as there are different ways to embrace films. 

Somehow it depends on the atmosphere as well. 

Some love being at home with their families just 

enjoying a movie on DVD, some love being alone at 

their computers, watching movies through YouTube 

(these are the people who like convenience), others 

enjoy going to the cinema to watch. 

Is watching that movie all that matters? Is all that 

We now have the epic films which are time-less and 

those were intended for viewing on the big screen. It 

was an outing to go and see a movie at the cinema. 

Now we may have a consumer-view on movies. We 

consume a movie because we have a little bit of time 

and need to ‘kill’ it. Do we then care whether it is a 

‘good’ movie or not? Does it then lower the quality? It 

is not an event to log into YouTube to watch a movie. 

It is consumption. 

So whereas mom and dad were carried away by ‘Gone 

with the Wind’ and could watch it many times, our 

generation tend to combine a trip to the movies with 

an outing. Going to the mall, do things, like shopping 

and then take in a movie with friends. 

What does it do to quality? To the amount of movies 

being produced? That is the right question to ask, 

as they say in iRobot! … but you have to answer it 

yourself. 

Pinky Rapoo 


Education 

ALPHABETS 

The first thing that comes to mind when you read or 

hear about alphabets is ABCD and so forth. However 

have you ever stopped for a second to wonder how 

they were formed? Where they originate from? How 

they came about to be 26 and not 30, 10 or even 5? 

Well I have also wondered, hence, I decided to take it 

upon myself to find out. 

The English dictionary defines the word Alphabet 

The word Alphabet alone has different origins. It’s 

fascinating how the formation of Alphabets started 

out. Different language contributions made a huge 

impact on the modern alphabets we have come to 

know it and are used to. History, therefore, need to 

be well guarded and studied with much anticipation. 

Imagine if all these Alphabets weren’t formed in the 

early years? Maybe we could be using 50 complex 

alphabets and probably be called 

by another name. It is scary 

enough to think that. 

All these Alphabets have made 

it much easier for us to write, 

even though back then, it was 

challenging to fuse information. 

The scholars of the bygone era 

figured if two or more languages 

can form an incredible invention 

in language an Alphabet would be 

born. 

The use of alphabets traces back to 

ancient Egypt. 

Throughout history of writing 

systems it is also evident that 

vowels and alphabets are closely 

related. Different languages have 

their own alphabets for instance 

Burmese (Myanmar) is composed 

of circulat shapes that must be 

drawn clockwise. 

Sinhalese (Sri Lanka) which has 

more than phonemes though 

only 38 are frequently used in 

contemporary language. 

as a “set of letters and symbols in a fixed order used 

to represent the basic set of speech sounds of a 

language, especially the set of letters from A to Z.” 

The English word Alphabet comes to us by way of 

Latin from the names of the first two letters of the 

Greek ALPHA and BETA. These Greek words were in 

turn derived from the original Semitic names of the 

symbol: aleph (ox) and beth (house). 

Georgian has its own language and 

alphabet and is squeezed between 

Turkey and Russian. 

Tagalog (Philippines) originates from Indo-European 

scripts. It was once written from the bottom up, it 

began to flow from left to right and the characters 

were rotated 90 degrees. 

Hanacaraka (Indonesia) originally developed on the 

Indonesian island of Java. The alphabet has been 

ejected by the Latin system. 

36 

>>>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL

Education 

There are about 40 different alphabets in the world 

in usage today. 

The most commonly used pure/true alphabets 

(a system of writing in which symbols or letters 

represent all the sounds in the language) are Latin, 

Greek, Cyrillic, Armanian, Georgian and Korean. 

Hebrew and Arabic are written from left to right. 

Quite interesting when you think about it. 

Language evolves with time and it is no different with 

alphabets either. Perhaps a century from now a new 

form of writing shall be introduced no one can really 

tell. 

ABCD we have come to love has remarkable origins 

behind it, in some languages they are also written/ 

read differently proves to me that as language 

understood differently and so are people - when you 

speak to them in a language they understand they 

will listen to you. 

Even though 26 alphabets we know are widely taught 

everywhere, there are 12 letters that didn’t quite 

make it to the alphabets list. And that was some 

2 000 years ago, and we are now stuck with what we 

have. 

Here they are: 

1. Thorn 

Derived from the Old English runic alphabet Futhart 

(Ye olde coward) ‘y’ was then replaced with ‘th’ 

overtime due to Gothic style scripting made the 

letters y and th look similar. 

2. Wynn 

Another one of the Futhark runic alphabets, Wynn 

was adapted to the Latin because it didn’t have the 

letter that fitted the W sound perfectly. They then 

stick together two VV. However, that wasn’t quite 

right according to them so the idea became quite 

popular to the point they actually ended up stuck 

together then our beloved W was born. 

3. Yogh 

This particular letter stood for a throaty like noise 

that was common in the Middle English words like 

Bach ‘ch’. French scholars back then didn’t like the 

non-Latin letters and started replacing in all instances 

of yogh with ‘gh’ in their texts. 

4. Ash 

This letter is mostly used in Greek or Roman style 

text. At one time the ae grapheme was an honorary 

English letter back in the days of Old English. 

5. Eth 

Eth is a sister to thorn, originating from Irish. It was 

meant to slightly represent a different pronouncing 

of the ‘th sound’ more like in ‘thought’ or ‘thing’. 

6. Ampersand 

Originally it was called ‘and’ and sometimes ‘et’ (Latin 

word for and). & was often placed after Z and recited 

as ‘end per se and’ meaning and ‘and in and out of 

itself’ or ‘ standing on its own’. 

7. Insular G 

Referred to as Irish G, this letter was used for hard G 

sounds like ‘growth’ whereas yogh was used for ‘ogh’ 

sounds such as ‘tough’. 

8. That 

Just like there was a letter for and there was also a 

letter for that which was a letter thorn with a stroke 

at the top. 

9. Ethel 

Similar to ash, ethel was once considered to be a 

letter at some point. It was used in words such as 

subpoena or foetus. Well, nowadays its only replaced 

by e. 

10. Tironian ond 

Marcus Tillius Tiro, Roman writers Cicero’s PA is 

responsible for inventing a shorthand system called 

Tironian notes, the letter ond was birthed there. 

11. Long S 

Since the beginning of 19th century the practise of 

using long s was abandoned. It is hard to believe it 

was an early form of a lowercase. Even though it 

didn’t change the pronunciation at all many thought 

it weird. 

12. Eng 

Alexander Gill the Elder invented this letter in 1619, it 

was meant to represent a velar nasal which is found 

at the end of words like king or ring. He’s intention 

was for the letter to entirely take the place of ng. 

Though it didn’t take off like the other letters, it still 

lives on in the International Phonetic Alphabet. 

Look forward to next month! 

There is more in store for you. 

By Fikile Unifire Zulu 


37

How do I become a filmmaker? 

Before answering the question of how one becomes 

a filmmaker it is important to outline the scope of the 

film & TV industry. 

The Film & TV industry also referred to as the digital 

media or audiovisual industry, forms part of the very 

complex and varied media, entertainment and cultural 

industries. 

There is broadcast television with its news, sports, 

investigative journalism, inserts, magazine, sitcoms, 

game and talk shows which involve an assortment of 

production, research and studio skills. 

of the advertising world, the commercial. 

Choosing a career in the film and television industry 

is exciting for any young person. But along with 

the excitement, perceptions of glamour and trendy 

associations, comes a lot of hard work, dedication, 

jostling for jobs and long, long hours. In spite of these 

demanding conditions, many people find the creativity 

and excitement of bringing a film to life more than 

makes up for the hard times. You too can realise 

your dream of being part of this sector if you do the 

homework, understand the industry and go about the 

journey in the correct way. 

Then there is what is commonly known as ‘long form’ 

- the mostly location-based television or drama series, 

or features. There is also animation, corporate or 

documentary productions. And lastly of course the gem 

For more information on the film & TV industry as 

well as information on educational institutions which 

offer filmmaking courses you can visit the Gauteng Film 

Commission website on www.gautengfilm.org.za 

Gauteng Film Commission, 56 Main Street, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa 

Tel +27 (0) 11 833 0409 • info @gautengfilm.org.za 

An agency of the Gauteng Provincial Government

Every child deserves a dictionary’ – 

raising awareness about the value of education 

14 April 2015: In celebrating 

100 years of contributing 

to education in South Africa, Oxford 

University Press Southern Africa 

(OUPSA) has launched its flagship 

centenary campaign, “Every child 

deserves a dictionary”. The campaign 

will see the educational publisher 

donating 20,000 dictionaries 

to schools across South Africa that 

would otherwise not have the funds 

to buy such an important and valuable 

resource. 

“To celebrate 100 years of making a difference to education in our 

beautiful country, we aim to donate 20,000 copies of our Oxford 

South African School Dictionary to learners and schools across the 

country that do not have the funds available to buy such an important 

resource,” says Steve Cilliers, MD 

of Oxford University Press Southern 

Africa. 

“We call on the public to get behind 

the initiative and to show their support 

through our ‘Every child deserves 

a dictionary’ campaign which reminds 

South Africans of the power of knowledge, 

the value of education and the 

importance of giving our learners 

the chance to fully realise their own 

potential.” 

The “Every child deserves a dictionary” campaign 

aims to create awareness about the 

value of education and language. To kick-start 

OUPSA’s centenary, 10,000 dictionaries are 

currently being distributed to schools in the 

Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, North West, Free 

State, Gauteng and Western Cape. 

The donations are facilitated by the Adopt-a- 

School Foundation which has also helped select schools to receive 

the dictionaries, in communities where this NGO is active through 

educational upliftment programmes. 

During the second phase of the campaign, members of the public 

will be encouraged to place a ‘pledge’ - without any cost to themselves 

- on the everychild.oxford.co.za website. 

Each ‘pledge’ will result in one dictionary being donated. 

In total OUPSA aims to donate 20,000 dictionaries with a value 

of R2.2 million. Donations to schools in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo 

and the Northern Cape take place during the second part of the 

campaign and additional books will be dispatched to the remaining 

provinces during the course of the year. 

Established in South Africa in 1915, OUPSA is 

a leading publisher of educational material for 

schools and higher education. OUPSA is especially 

well-known for its trusted dictionaries 

and excellent literacy material. 

The Oxford South African School Dictionary 

was developed in consultation with a range of 

South African teachers and language experts 

and addresses many common usage mistakes that South Africans 

(learners and adults alike) make. The dictionary is aligned to the 

curriculum and is one of the non-fiction top-sellers in the country. 

“We truly believe that every child does deserve a dictionary, arming 

them with the resources they need to help them with their education, 

as education is the key to social transformation in South Africa 

and a way to unlock opportunities for the youth of the country,” 

adds Cilliers. 

“This campaign is not just about giving something back to the learners 

of South Africa; it is fundamentally about the value of words, 

literacy and books.” 

Sindiwe Magona, internationally recognised writer, activist and 

teacher who has built her life out of words, shares her views on why 

every child deserves a dictionary: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsj 

ErTi8URQ&feature=youtu.be

E-mail info@romele.co.za 

with your 

Name, Cell Number and E-mail address 

YOU COULD BE A WINNER!!!

ASIA: 

Where Art Thou Going? 

We continue with a bit on continents. 

It was such fun doing the one on Europe. 

Now for Asia! This huge mysterious place. 

Let us do geography first. 

Asia is about 30% of the world’s landmass with 60% 

of the population - some 4,4 billion people. Asia also 

has deserts and empty spaces, which means that the 

areas that people occupy is crowded. Very crowded. 

Wikipedia says: In the late 1980s and early 1990s, 

Japan’s GDP was almost as large as that of the rest 

of Asia combined. In 1995, Japan’s economy nearly 

equaled that of the USA as the largest economy in 

the world for a day, after the Japanese currency 

reached a record high of 79 yen/US$. 

Economic growth in Asia since World War II to the 

1990s had been concentrated in Japan as well as the 

four regions of South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and 

Singapore. It is forecasted that India will overtake 

Japan in terms of nominal GDP by 2020. By 2027, 

according to Goldman Sachs, China will have the 

largest economy in the world. 

Asia has got it all: oil, diamonds, gold and everything 

else. 

India has more than a million millionaires, but 

also 20% of the world’s poor live in India. And not 

all countries in Asia are rich. Look at Kazakhstan, 

Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Mongolia and so on. 

The differences are huge. 

What we need to remember is that Asia was 

devastated after World War II. There was not much 

development outside of Japan and the Philippines 

to begin with. And what was left after 1945 was just 

about nothing. 

How did they do it? 

We might laugh at the Japanese workers’ zeal, but 

let us face it. If all workers show up two hours early 

for work (and not expecting any pay for that) and 

go home 2-3 hours later than expected (and not 

expecting pay for that) and where taking annual 

leave is showing no commitment to the company (so 

you don’t go on holiday), well, no wonder they are 

so successful.. 

With China unleashing the creativity and the zeal of 

its billions after waving goodbye to communism, it is 

no wonder that China will be the dominant country 

within the next 20 years. 

It is education. Any Asian country is focused on 


Foreign Affairs 

educating its people. Any family is focused on 

educating its young. Any sacrifice is not too big for a 

good education. 

Try to get into a Japanese university? Unless you are 

at the very top (globally) forget it. 

In Singapore, chewing gum is banned as it pollutes 

the pavements and the entire country. 

We may laugh at it, but it creates 

dedication and respect shared by 

all. 

True that manufacturing in 

China or Korea are tops (cars 

for instance), true that IT 

companies (TATA, etc.) are 

tops, true that consumer 

electronics from Asia are 

tops, but… is it all rosy? Is 

it all where we should be 

heading? Maybe not, because 

it is not without problems. 

Wiki says: Asia’s large economic 

disparities are a source of major 

continuing tension in the region. Some nations 

like Japan, India and China are topping the chart, but 

not all are. 

The large number of cheap labour in the region, 

particularly in China and India, cannot continue. 

The rising standard of living will eventually lead 

to levelling of salaries and wages. That means the 

competitive advantage will go away. 

India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers and not 

exactly the best of friends. That means that military 

spending is a factor. China is arming as well and the 

expenses have to be met from the national coffers. 

In essence: it cannot be spent on alleviating poverty 

and creating more jobs. 

The more interesting threat for the future is the 

potential global danger posed by the economy of 

Asia as it grows the accumulation of foreign exchange 

reserves. The countries/regions with the largest 

foreign reserves are mostly in Asia : 

• China (Mainland) $2 454 billion 

• Hong Kong $245 billion 

• Japan $1 019 billion 

• India $ 284 billion 

• Taiwan $ 372 billion 

• The Republic of Korea $ 286 billion 

• Singapore $ 206 billion 

This increasingly means that the interchangeability 

of the Euro, USD and GBP are heavily influenced by 

Asian central banks. 

Isn’t this good? Well, yes. But if we look at what 

happened in Middle East in the 1970’s, we might see 

the same happening now. Asia is pooling so 

much money that they have problems 

spending it. The oil producers 

of Middle East had the same 

problem. 

Commitment of untold 

billions to long-term 

projects is good, but if 

there should be a hiccup? 

As happened in the 1980’s 

when the oil producers 

(Iran being one of them) 

had to re-prioritise? Then 

suddenly the infrastructure 

projects will have to slow 

down, the social system might 

have to take a knock… and then we 

have 4,4 billion unhappy people. And 

that will not be great for anybody. 

Pollution and energy consumption will be a growing 

problem. China has tons of coal, but coal is not green! 

The day that 4,4 billion people will be consuming 

energy (electricity, oil, gas, heating, air con, industry, 

the works) as we see in Europe and US will be the day 

where we are seriously running out of energy. Unless 

we do something. 

Is it all doom and gloom when 

looking into the future? 

No, as long as we have the chance to eradicate 

poverty and to bring the rest of the world into the 

same standard as we otherwise see in US and 

Europe. Never mind that countries like Japan, 

Singapore, Taiwan and so on have passed Europe in 

living standards. We talk about the other countreis 

that is not-so-well-off. 

Sustainable energy (wind, solar, wave) is a reality 

and we see Asia being on the forefront. Universal 

standards will mean something. The millennium 

goals will be achieved. And isn’t that what we want 

as humanity? 

So, the question is: Asia – where art thou going?>HOLA MAHIGH-SCHOOL 43

Sport 

What is in store for us in the next issue? Well, we should start to look at 

‘what next …’ and that is a bit hectic. We will try to provide some guidance 

but it will be based on a lot of input from different institutions. 

What is certain is that Fikile will carry on with the Alphabets. That is such a 

fantastic topic. I am looking forward to see how this develops. 

In Our Next Issue 

Where we are really short is in terms of international stuff. Rofhiwa used to 

write all of this, but now we have to make a plan. Is there someone who is 

both willing and capable out there? We are having fun with the ‘…., where 

art thou going?’ series. Europe and Asia are now done. Africa is such a tricky 

one so it takes a lot more time and Africa will 

be the crowning glory as the 

culmination of it all. Next one will 

probably be North America, unless 

someone out there has a better 

idea! 

‘Really Silly …’ I am starting to 

run out of ideas. No wait, I have 

it. Transport! Did you know 

that there was an idea about 

a nuclear powered car? They 

didn’t produce it because it 

would melt everything in a 

100m radius! Yes, transport. 

Quotes of course. I can’t 

live without those. 

I am trying 

to see what Pinky 

and Sikosane have 

for us. And 

we welcome Rosina back with 

us. She has a challenge… but I am not 

telling right now. 

However, it is something to look forward to. 

Fashion by Sifiso. Sifiso is capable of so much more, so we will have to wait 

and see what else he comes up with. 

… and look at the Website! That is where all the day-to-day stuff happens. 

At the same time, don’t forget to register on it. You will get automatically 

receive notifications of things happening. 

Looking forward to our next issue! 

Sybil

Open-Day – get there!

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