High School is a stressful place for any student.
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Now try to imagine being a student in one of the six provinces where the Preliminary Examinations have been postponed due to the ongoing strike.
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The fact that exams have to be postponed is bad enough, but how are the students dealing with it?
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What’s the big deal?

Preliminary exams are important because the results of the exams are the ones students use to apply for the college or university they aspire to go to after high school. Therefore, students need to achieve good marks in order for the universities to consider accepting them.
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Postponing these exams is only causing more stress on the students and teachers themselves.
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All universities and colleges have cut-off dates for when applications can be sent in, and if the exams are postponed indefinitely, this can cause a major disruption in the application process, as half of the country will not have any results to hand over.
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The preliminary exams are also supposed to help Matriculates prepare for the final exams at the end of the year. When I was in high school and had to write these exams, I had to write three sets of exams in my final year. There were the June exams, which my whole school wrote, and then there were the Prelims and finally, the Finals.
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As you can imagine, this is quite a bit of work to take in, a lot to study for, and stress levels can go sky high.
Which is the last thing any student needs.
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Preparing for Life Isn’t Easy.

Not only do matriculants have to worry about getting good marks in all their sets of exams this year, they also have to worry about the places they choose to go to next year.
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You can’t just type in a name on Google and expect to find the perfect place to go after you’re done with high school; it takes research, enquiries, phone calls, emails, applications and in some cases, disappointment to finally decide where you’re headed to get the degree or other qualification that will shape your life.
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It’s Not Easy…

Nothing in life is too easy, you have to work for everything you want and then learn to appreciate it once you have it.
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You can do it!
I wish every student in this country the best of luck for the rest of this year. It has been an eventful one, full of disruptions, distractions and more holidays than school days.
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No doubt, this will affect the work that you are all trying to get through.
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My heart goes out to the matriculants of this year especially. The education  system requires teachers to jam everything and anything they can into the last year of your high school career and that can be pretty scary. But I assure you, if I can do it, so can you.
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All it takes is a little determination and a lot of hard work.

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In previous weeks I have spoken about going out into the big, bad world and trying to make a success out of yourself. I have often mentioned the importance of marketing yourself and building yourself into a valuable tool that won’t be discarded when the bosses feel that they need to make a bit more money. And trust me when I say there are fewer worse feelings than being replaced or retrenched because you don’t bring enough value to a team. I have spoken about going out and doing courses or receiving training so that you can become more specialized, and thus more valuable.
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But then I realized that I had been talking a lot about the final target of becoming specialized and not much about how you can go about getting yourself specialized. And I am not going to talk about how to get enrolled in courses or the different ways you can get specialized. Instead, I want to talk a bit more about the importance of setting your goals and keeping your mind focused on achieving those goals.
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You have no doubt heard all about how important it is to set goals. I have recently been doing a lot of work and using different sources and they all talk about the need to set goals. But there are some common themes that seem to be coming out of all these sources, and that is the need for clear, precise, positive and achievable goals.
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The purpose of a goal is to give you something to aim toward and to do. I agree that to be a millionaire is a goal (Or famous sportsman or coach etc) but that is a poor goal because it has no precision and it is not achievable by itself (Unless you are a billionaire). So using our millionaire example (And not assuming we are billionaires), how could we go about achieving that goal?
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You will need to make quite a few other goals to get there, so becoming a millionaire is the final achievement. We need to take stock of what we have, what we want and what we need to do to get there. And it is very important to quantify everything we do. But what does that mean? It means we need to give numbers to everything.
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Our final goal is to become a millionaire, thus R1 million in our bank account (That is quantified) so that we know when we have reached the goal. It is so important to quantify all your goals, with dates, times, percentages, scores (whatever you need to measure) so that you know whether you have achieved a goal or not.
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To get to this goal, we now need to make lots of little goals. As mentioned, they must be measured and achievable. So we need to get trained as an economist to get that final goal. We must enrol in a business school (achievable) and we will start in July 2010 (Date and thus precise). If I just said I need to enrol, I can keep pushing the deadline back as I know I don’t have a final date.
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Next we need to pass our degree as an economist and work for a big company. We will need good marks over 4 years. So we aim for 75% over 4 years (Again, achievable and precise). We aren’t going to aim for 100% as that is so improbable it is pointless, and if you don’t achieve it you become disheartened. I also mentioned that goals need to be positive. If I set the goal as don’t fail or don’t get kicked out, then I am being negative and might not achieve my goals.
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Being positive is one of the most important parts of goal setting. Keep your goals positive so that you can achieve and push yourself. Keep yourself positive as it will help to keep those goals in sight and achievable. It can be so important to keep yourself around positive people as negativity will bring you down. There are very few really successful people who are very negative and that is not coincidence.
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So when you are planning what you want to do with your life or even what to do next, be sure to do some planning and set some goals. But remember, when you are setting your goals, keep them clear, precise, positive and achievable and make sure you write them down so you don’t forget them.

What is happening to the world?a

That is the question I ask myself when I see the headlines these days, or hear the news on the radio or television.
Because from what I see, we have simply fallen into madness.
I only hope there’s a way out.
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Our country, which has just emerged victorious in hosting one of the most successful Soccer World Cups the world has ever seen, is now tumbling headlong into a devastating crisis.a
Our people, who had so eagerly shown their smiling faces and united spirit have now turned against their own and are too easily showing how to throw their toys out of their cots when they don’t get the things they want.a
The strike that has been going on for almost a week now has shaken every community down to its roots and its steadily getting more and more out of hand.
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This is what it’s comes down to.

The Government Health Workers and Teacher’s Union strike has cost up to at least ten lives in less than a week. This has mostly been a result as negligence within the government hospitals.

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The protestors have barricaded the entrances to hospitals, denying doctors and nurses any access to their patients.
They have even gone so far as to barge into an operating theatre during a patient’s surgery to pull the nurse out.a
The schools have ‘shut down completely’ and left the students wondering how they’ll cope with the exams that are coming up in less than two weeks.a

People who have taken oaths to save lives are turning away people in need of serious medical attention. And for what you may ask?
For a wage increase.
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Do you blame them?

I agree that without these people, we would have no education system, no health service. No nurses, doctors or teachers. And these people build our country just as much as the government does. So yes, I agree, they deserve more than they get. They take care of your children during the day, they teach them everything they need to further themselves in this crazy thing we call life. They deal with floods of teenagers battling self esteem issues, puberty and homework all day. They are the parents away from home.
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These are the people that perform miracles. They witness the birth of a baby every day, they save lives.a
So once again, yes. I believe that these people are unappreciated and under-compensated for their patience and commitment.
What kind of example is this setting?
We’ve gone from Feeling the Love, to ‘Feel it, its war.’

And that’s simply heartbreaking.
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My heart goes out to every person writing Matric this year. Exams are difficult enough, and Matric is hardly a party, but after having the disruption of the World Cup and now this…. They have been deserted at a most crucial time and need all the luck they can get. I worry about all the innocent bystanders this strike is affecting, the patients in the hospitals, the students, and all the ‘little guys’.

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These are the people suffering the most because of the selfishness of others.
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All pictures supplied by www.news24.com

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In South Africa there is massive unemployment and I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that it can be quite tough to find a job. I am sure you have probably been trying, and even if you have a job, chances are you didn’t just walk into it. You probably had to work hard to get there or prove yourself in some way. What I am saying is that it is not easy to get a job. It becomes even harder when you are trying to find a job and you don’t have any qualifications.

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This last week I encountered a situation where a person was struggling to find a job and I thought I would help them out. It started a week ago, I was at a friends place enjoying myself and trying to convince them that they should lend me Batman (Awesome game btw). My stay then got a little bad when an ex-friend (a friend break up) walked in with my friend’s brother (obviously they are still friends).

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Being polite I tried chatting to them to break the silence and awkwardness. I asked about work and they said they been out of a job for a while and struggling to find a job. So stupidly I said I would keep an eye out. I went home and told my gorgeous girlfriend and she told me her school is looking to employ some assistants.

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So I let the ex-friend know and said he must send CV. That is when we discovered that he had no qualifications. He had worked as a motor mechanic and auto electrician (which are his skills) but he had no courses or certificates backing up that he can open your car up and not destroy it (as I would). But then the school said that because we know him they could help out a bit and take him on and get him qualified.

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So we let him know that he had to come and meet the people between 11 and 12 on Friday and he couldn’t lose the job. At 9:30 on Friday I got a message saying that they haven’t heard whether he coming or not. So I messaged my friend and explained the situation. I explained that he has nothing and now a place is willing to take him on and get him qualified (So even if he leaves he can get a job elsewhere because now he has qualifications).

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At 11 I met with my friend who had made several phone calls to convince him to go. It seems like he didn’t like, or appreciate, the offer. Claimed he was working and all sorts of other things. Eventually my friend convinced him but now we had to find and take him. By the end of it we couldn’t find them in time. Turns out they was at a tattoo parlor with my friend’s brother (who had a car).

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Then the excuses started and it was someone else’s fault. My friend couldn’t direct us there, his brother selfish for getting tattoo and a whole bunch of others. Turns out they had been at parlor since 9. The school will never take him now because he has wasted their time and effort. Worse is that the people that tried to help, the people that supported him, now look silly and have wasted their energy.

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In this situation, the person has not realized that he was given a life line. He has no qualifications and, unfortunately, the world requires that you have them. You can’t be a manager without having plenty of experience (cos you started managing at 16) or you have courses in management (both is better). When you are as qualified as a rubbish collector, you can’t afford to waste chances (I’m being harsh but that how I feel about them). Even when you have qualifications, it is never too late to learn and do new things.  

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The key to picking yourself up is to recognize your strengths and your weaknesses and then find a way to use them to your benefit. They could work on cars, so getting qualified would be a breeze. Furthermore, even if you know cars you have to keep learning due to the technology in the new cars being so advanced now. But they thought they were worth gold and were probably insulted by being trained.

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Life doesn’t give you many chances and only a lucky few will never need to work. For the rest of us, take your chance when it comes. It might not be what you want now but something little is better than nothing, especially when it will build you in the long run.

I am an impulse buyer. At least, compared to my sister, I am. If I see something in a store that I like and can afford, I buy it. And if I can’t quite afford it, I wait until I have the money and then I’m out like a shot to get it.

I don’t gather all the shop pamphlets and compare prices. I don’t bargain-hunt or haggle or wait for a better deal.

Personally, I don’t have the patience. But I am increasingly starting to believe I should develop some, for it may save me quite a bit of money.

Paying For Quality?

Just recently, I broke my almost-still brand new Skullcandy headphones. And for someone like me, who pretty much lives on an iPod, this was a tragedy. Never mind the fact that they are Skullcandy and do not come cheap!
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When calling the telephone number on their website, I discovered that because I had damaged my headphones through the jack, they were unserviceable so I could not get my original pair fixed.
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I had also bought a pair of earphones home for my sister, and she had discovered that when plugged into a computer, they give her an electrical shock. And that cannot be good!
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When mentioning this to the technician, he did however, assure me that they would test my sister’s headphones when I bought them in.
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Although it is by no one’s fault except my own that my headphones broke, I find it slightly frustrating that they cannot be fixed. Considering how much this particular brand costs and that they are supposedly of a much higher quality than any other brand of headphone, how can the company not assure consumers of their ability to be repaired?
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And this may just be me, but surely the most common thing to happen to a pair of headphones is that the jack plugging them into the device gets damaged!

Know about the product

Perhaps, as a consumer, I expect too much. Perhaps not everything that is manufactured can be repaired. But this is not the first time this has happened to me and I am slowly beginning to lose my faith in the products we are sold.
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We spend vast amounts of money on products that promise us they are different but are they really?
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Perhaps if I had researched the Skullcandy brand before I had jumped into purchasing the headphones I would have been able to find out if they were truly worth it. If they were indeed the higher quality, best kind of headphone out there and not just a name and a logo.
Perhaps I would have discovered that the warranty service doesn’t cover all repairs that may be needed and therefore decided that, combined with my bad luck with headphones and my general clumsy behavior, spending that much money on something as trivial as headphones just wasn’t worth it.

It never hurts to be aware.

I now collect shop pamphlets and compare prices. I have yet to wait for the better deal, but I’m leaning towards it as they always seem to come out right after I have bought something. My advice to you, my friend, is that you do the same. One can never be too careful these days, and no one likes to be ripped off.
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So take caution and do your research. You may find it does you a lot of good.

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Very recently there has been a series of events that should start to make us worry a little. These events are probably easy to ignore for the vast majority of people but they could have major repercussions for us in the future. And these events have been mostly focused on the media and the reporters who we rely on to tell us what is happening in this country.

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A few weeks ago, there was an article about Bheki Cele signing what looked like a dodgy deal when he purchased a new police head quarters for R500m. This article was reported to us by Mzilikazi wa Afrika. Within a few days of this article being published, wa Afrika was arrested. But according to many accounts, he was not arrested by a nice policeman wanting to ask a few questions, but by several men with a serious agenda from the Hawks unit.

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He was taken to Mpumalanga, questioned and some serious charges were laid against him. At this point I want to point out that just the way he was arrested is not a standard procedure and it certainly looks a like there is a bigger picture. There are some good articles and groups who have written on the subject (Just Google Mzilikazi wa Afrika to read some of them).

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But I believe this event is just a minor distraction from what is definitely a much bigger picture. Shortly after this incident, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) came out in arms and demanded that wa Afrika be charged with High Treason. For those who don’t know, high treason is not a joke, it is perhaps the worst crime you can commit in a country and many countries still apply the death penalty if you are found guilty of high treason. This would very effectively silence wa Afrika and many other journalists.

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The ANC has recently been pushing for a Media Tribunal, which will punish bad reporting, as it claims that there is too much false or misleading reporting going on. The media has stated many times that there are people that make mistakes, but there are already ways to deal with them. I was listening to 702 earlier and an editor came on and said that there are channels to complain through if you are wronged, and the Ombudsman can even be called in. And apparently the Ombudsman doesn’t take the medias side very often and can be very harsh in punishing them. But clearly that is not enough, we need to jail them. Bear in mind it is the Mail & Guardian that led to the conviction of Jackie Selebi.

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And just to compound the picture a bit more, there is currently the Protection of Information Bill in parliament. Since many of us don’t hang around parliament or politicians, we don’t often hear of bills that might be passed. But this one is causing quite a storm, especially amongst the media and oppositions.

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The Protection of Information Bill, basically, will allow the state to classify information as confidential, secret or top secret depending on how it affects national interest and safety. In fact, whatever information is deemed to be harming the national interest can be classified. Now we have probably all heard that the US government will classify things that the public can’t handle, like the JFK assassination and the addresses of informants on WikiLeaks. We still don’t really know much about the JFK assassination other than he was shot on Elm street in public.

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So how do we decide what is in the public interest? And who gets to make the decisions? Surely the president being found photographed with 10 lovely ladies all in the same Jacuzzi is not going to reflect well, so we classify it in National Interest. Keeping the people safe and happy? Or protecting the President? Look at what happened to Tiger Woods, I’m sure he would love for that to have never come out. The problem comes in when determining what national interest is, or personal/ party interest. Already there is evidence that the ANC doesn’t differentiate between state and party, it is all ANC.

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But worse still, I did some surfing through our legislation and found the Promotion of Access to Information Act. (The difference between an act and a bill is that an act is signed in as law while a bill is still trying to get signed in). Already on the first page they describe why they introduced this act. The Act states that the government before 1994 was very secretive and unresponsive and this led to abuse of power and human rights violation. The act further states that we have a right, as enshrined by our constitution, to access information held by the state as this will allow us to protect our rights.

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The Act also mentions that “the State must respect, protect, promote and fulfill, at least, all the rights in the Bill of Rights which is the cornerstone of democracy in South Africa”. The Act was introduced to promote transparency and accountability by giving effect to the right to access information. There are certain instances when the public are not allowed to access information (such as national security) but generally we can.

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The proposed Bill could very easily do away with all that. And in doing so will just promote the ANC to the same level as the Apartheid government, which millions had to bleed, suffer or die to remove from power. So keep your eyes and ears open and voice your opinion on the subject. Maybe even organize some protests at University like they did in the old days. Recent riots at Wits have been pretty tame and selfish, maybe it is time to up the tempo so that they get the message.

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And remember, if there is no one able to tell us what is happening with the politicians, it just leads to serious abuse of power and suffering for the rest of us.

By: Victoria Taylor

There is nothing better than sitting on the beach with the sun on your face and a cool cocktail in your hand. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore is so relaxing and it’s not difficult to forget about all the things that are weighing on your mind.

What more could a person want, sitting under palm trees in a paradise?

In Johannesburg, a beach is the last thing you’re going to stumble across, let alone palm trees. But there is a place not too far away that any peace-lusting Joburger can disappear too for a weekend.

The City of the Sun.

I always hear so much about Sun City, but until recently I had never been lucky enough to go. And so when the time came for a few friends and I to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, we headed off to soak up the sun on the closest beach we could find.

Which happened to be at Sun City.

And we were not disappointed!

After the long and exceptionally cold winter, a day in the sun was just what we needed and we were more than happy to discard our jerseys and jeans for a pair of shorts and our costumes.

Too much fun!

I am not too proud to admit I screamed like a little girl as I hurled myself blindly into a tunnel of darkness, clutching on to my little blue tube for dear life. And as I shot out into the sunlight and landed in a pool of freezing cold water, I couldn’t help but scream with laughter. Looking over at my equally cold friend, we shared excited grins that probably resembled the smiles of a couple of ten year old boys.

We hit the tube ride twice, and after deciding it was simply far too cold to do it again, we headed towards the sandy beach that overlooks the Valley of the Waves.

Break out the Sun Block.

I honestly didn’t think I would need the sun block I had packed under the insistent eye of my sister, but one should never be in the sun without it and so we lathered up nicely.

And in no time, I was lying back in the sun shine with the between my toes and a cocktail in my hand. The ‘waves’ crashing along the horizon, children playing in the little pools.

Small children are lucky in the way they don’t feel the cold. They can swim and run through sprinklers come rain or shine. Sadly, we lose the urge to do that as we grow older. And so, that thought in mind, I wonder why Sun City doesn’t have heated water for all their wondrous attractions. It would make sense, when you get to thinking about it. With heated pools and water, people would flock to Sun City all year round.

They probably do anyway, but water just a few degrees warmer in the Valley of the Waves and in all the rides would guarantee a constant usage and there for an influx of more money.

And that place must rake it in!

Sun City certainly is one of the best places to go when you just need a break, a few days away from the things you see every day. It a beautiful destination and it almost feels like you should have to use your passport to get there.

I would recommend it any day!

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Today was probably a good day if you are a scholar at government school. This is because these schools are manned by public servants and the public servants decided that today would be an excellent day for them to strike for better wages. If you are at any of the schools where teachers have been striking, you got a four day weekend, courtesy of the public holiday yesterday.

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For those who are not aware, the public servants (which consist of teachers, policemen, fire fighters etc) were offered a 6% wage increase but they felt that many other unions received much more so they have gone on strike. They are demanding an 8% wage increase, which isn’t too much to ask, as well as a R1000 a month housing allowance.

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It is the allowance which I think is interesting and might be asking a little too much. They probably got the idea from Eskom, whose employees demanded a housing allowance. So if they don’t get all their demands, I think it will be because the housing allowance was pushing the barrier a little. But I did enjoy the statistics on how much the ministers and president earn (Thank Mr Vavi)

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At this moment I just want to assure you that I whole heartedly support striking as a means to get fair treatment. You need to speak up to unfair or oppressive conditions and striking is a very effective method. Many might think that rioting is as effective but it just lowers your standing and makes it tougher for people to sympathise with you.

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I also think this group should be commended as they have not torn the streets apart and played in the filth. That is quite unlike some of the others in the workforce who felt that acting like a savage is the way to get noticed, be taken seriously and make a statement for demands.

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But amongst all these strikes for wage increases over the last year, there have also been many jobs lost. The number is over 500 000 (as far as I am aware) jobs lost in the last year. So this means that the systems should be under pressure if they are releasing workers at an incredible rate. It also means that it becomes even harder to get a job now.

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To get a job in an environment where there are not many is tough. It becomes even tougher when you do not have anything that makes you more valuable than the person next to you. In this environment you can’t rely on luck alone to get a job, you need to equip yourself with skills and attributes that make you valuable.

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You can do this by recognising your strengths and building on them. Make yourself useful to other people, rather than being just like everyone else. I wrote a piece on building your brand a while back. If you are big, you could try becoming a sportsman or, more likely, a bouncer or body guard. Try and think outside the box in terms of physical stuff.

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But where you will really separate yourself from the rest is through education. Try and take courses to improve your knowledge, add them to your CV. Take classes at a school, university or college to further increase your depth and understanding as well as developing many other schools.

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If you are short on cash, apply for a bursary or scholarship. There are many places that might sponsor you if you can use your skills to help them. Many places may even fund you as part of their charity requirements (the really big companies have to do charity work).
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You need to do what you need to do to make it out there, and education is the best long term strategy. It will take a little time but it will last a lifetime. But make yourself valuable by getting qualifications and improving your knowledge. It is only a few courses to go from a gardener to a grounds man.

A friend and I decided to trick ourselves into thinking it was a Saturday by going out on a Sunday night. So we headed to the new Hooters Bar that opened up in the Buzz Shopping Centre on Witkoppen Road in Fourways.
I know what you’re thinking… ‘There’s a Hooters here?’
And the answer would be yes. The “delightfully tacky yet unrefined” chain has opened up in South Africa and is quite the ‘in’ place to be.

Fun way to start the week.

As you can imagine on a Sunday night, the place wasn’t exactly packed, but it wasn’t really dead either. There were a few happy chappies at the other end of the bar, dancing away to the old school music that played through the speakers. Hooters girls dashed past us in their tiny neon orange hot pants and little white tank tops, each one laden with giant mugs of alcohol. You have to believe it to see it, but a girl can pick up four mugs of beer.
And contrary to popular belief, Hooters is not a ‘titty’ bar but is actually a fully franchised restaurant and bar.

What’s On The Menu At Hooters?

Taking a glance through the menu, I happened to see that there is quite the variety of food available from the kitchen. Ranging from oysters to steak, vegetarian dishes to their very own ‘Hooterstizers’, they cater to pretty much any one’s hunger craving.
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The place itself has an easy atmosphere, everyone knows what they’re doing as they send an order whizzing above your head on a wire linking pegs to the kitchen.a

The waitresses sing along to the music as they move between tables and the patrons sing along in their chairs.

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So, we had a few drinks and met a bunch of people on the way. And although the place got steadily emptier, we barely noticed. We stood outside in the cold but we barely cared. I can safely say I laughed for at least ten minutes straight and had to wipe tears from my eyes at the end of it all. Which came all too soon as the place closes around eleven on a Sunday night.a
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We went looking for a good night out and we had one at Hooters.

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They have warm and friendly staff who are always up for a laugh and their service is impeccable. With a casual, cheerful atmosphere it’s the kind of place that attracts interesting, free-spirited people. I had a lot of fun and I would definitely recommend it to my friends as a place to meet up at and have a laugh at after work.

Contact Hooters: Call ++27 11 658 0311 or visit www.hooterssouthafrica.com for more information on upcoming events and any other fun stuff that’s happening soon at Hooters.

On the glorious day of June 8 2010, an engineering masterpiece was unveiled to the citizens of Johannesburg. Completed a full nineteen days ahead of schedule, the Gautrain offers a train service between the area of Sandton and O.R Thambo International Airport that is hassle-free, great for the environment and much faster than going by car.

What does it all mean?

For residents of Sandton, Rosebank, Marlboro, Midrand, Hatfield and Rhodesfield (Kempton Park) it means that getting to either Johannesburg, Pretoria or O.R Thambo International Airport just became a lot easier. It also means that traveeling between the place mentioned above also becomes simpler, as all that is required is to get to the station closest to you and hop on a train.

What if you can’t get to a station?

Never fear! If you are unable to get to a station easily, the Gautrain has a bus service that runs between certain areas everyday. They are approximately twenty minutes apart and the routes are conveniently placed at the bus stops.a

These busses are easily recognised by their stunning gold colour that matches the train and transport commuters to the individual stations via certain roads.
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To board one of them, you will need to have a valid gold Gautrain card.

These cards work much like the ones used in overseas public transport systems. In order for them to work, you need to have a certain amount of money on them. This can be done at your closest station with the help of the friendly staff. Then you’re ready to swipe the card and be on your way!

But does it work?

I have been fortunate enough to use these services, both the Gautrain and the bus service, and in my personal opinion, being a student that does not hold a drivers license, I adored it. My sister and I walked up to a bus stop on Friday of last week and climbed onto an almost empty bus, hitching a ride to the Sandton station. Catching the train to the Rhodesfield station was quick and simple, with absolutely no complications beside the fact that we were cautioned about the water we were taking with us.

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All in all, using the Gautrain to get to where we needed to be turned out to be not only quicker than driving, but also a ton more fun.
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All this planning and construction and this extraordinary transport system is far from complete. The Second phase of the train plans to link Sandton to park Station in Johannesburg and also the route from Midrand to Hatfield. This phase should be completed in approximately 54 months.
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I believe that the Gautrain is yet another magnificent thing that has happened to this country and I intend to use it as often as I can and with a great amount of pride. Not only is it safer than driving a car round our roads, but it is friendlier to the environment as well. So if your a business person, scholar or pretty much any kind of commuter and a ‘green’ person, I’d recommend using the Golden Bullet.

It’s definitely an experience.
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Toll free call centre: 0800-GAUTRAIN (0800-42887246). The call centre is operational weekdays between 7AM – 7PM and has an answering machine for after hour calls.