Fight or Flight: the journey of an amateur MMA fighter

Follow Michael Pietersen as he prepares and 

fights his debut Mixed Martial Arts battle.

Cape Town based actor Michael Pietersen, 25, has been throwing punches for the past 4 months, at the Tricore Gym in Brackenfell, in preparation for his first Mixed Martial Arts fight.

The fight night, held at Tricore Gym on the 15^th of November 2014, delivered an unexpected ending for the young fighter’s first fight.

The dilemma in reports about Malema

 Julius Malema's profile picture on his public Facebook profile

As a reporter it is "virtually impossible" to portray the character accurately of EFF party leader, Julius Malema, says Daily Maverick journalist Richard Poplak.

Yesterday Poplak spoke about the difficulties and the necessity of covering the 2014 election's "main protagonist" and his party, in a talk about political reporting at the University of Stellenbosch.

"I would say I would have an easier time direct calling Pope Francis than getting in touch with the spokesperson," the black bearded journalist joked.

Twenty-four journalist students, attentively listening to the bass-toned voice of the veteran journalist, giggled.

This following a question by one of the students, S'thembile Cele, on the largely negative lights in which mainstream media paint the EFF and their leader.

"Yes, a lot of the coverage has been dismissive. Yes, a lot of the coverage has been downright insulting, but I think it is a two way street.

According to Poplak the media cannot take blame "for a whole bunch of conclusions that seem very intuitive".

"Malema is a difficult character to cover. First of all, the EFF has done a bad job at sitting down with mainstream media.

"At press conferences he is great, but in terms of one-on-ones, where members of the press can get a sense of who Julius Malema is, most of the times that's happen for myself has been by fortunate accidents and I think that's on the EFF, certainly not on me. I've been trying to report this as best I can."

Amid Poplak's dialogue Cele interupts: "Is that not part of the game, in order for us to play into his hands? He is saying he is not white and that is how many black feel."

"For sure," Poplak declares. To many South Africans, including Malema, mainstream media is considered representative of white power, which provokes hostility.

"That said, once you do interact with the guy, you realise very quickly that he's just got a great political mind."

Malema is an "extremely compelling presence, unlike anyone I've seen ever"; "he has tapped into a very, very real need" of South Africans wanting to be heard and he speaks to the "taste of the times".

"If there's an take away from this election, it's how quickly and how profoundly the EFF came on the scene," says Poplak, who will be releasing a collection of his reports on the elections in a book titled When Malema comes.

"In terms of the fact that he's going to be a great politician that's going to bring us an utopian future where the whole country looks like downtown Stellenbosch? I can't tell you. The problem is I have no idea."

Diminutive chance of assault in Stellenbocsh

Despite the growing concerns over student safety on the Stellenbosch University campus, reported crime reflects a slim chance of being assaulted in the town of Stellenbosch. 

According to the reported crime figures of 2013, the likeliness of assault in this Boland town is less than 1%.

Although these assault statistics reveal the unlikeliness of assault in other towns housing well known universities, it is 0.4% points more likely to be assaulted in Potchefstroom, home to the North-West University, than in Stellenbosch.   

The following graph reveals how diminutive the number of assault cases are in town's housing large tertiary institutions such as Stellenbosch University, North-West University, Rhodes University and the University of Fort Hare.

Chance of assault per inhabitant

Stellenbosch: 0.9%

Potchefstroom: 1.3%

Rhodes: 0.4%

Alice: 0.3%

Following a series of assault on students, including the attempted abduction of student Ilze-Dene Oberholzer, on her way to a test earlier this year, students and parents have been up in arms over Stellenbosch campus security. 

The university issued a statement saying the institution would not "merely accept the escalating crime" and implementation a safe walking route initiative and organised student transport during the examination. 

15 Rugby teams of drug dealers arrested weekly in Gauteng

More than 15 rugby teams of people are arrested every week in drug related crimes, in the Gauteng province, according to a media statement released by Drug Watch, an anti-drug organisation.

The Drug Watch initiative has confiscated R4 million worth of drugs , since it's launch in June last year, almost equaling the salary of the president of the United States, Pres. Barack Obama. 

“The majority of these arrests were made following tip-offs from members of the public," says Gauteng police spokesman, Brigadier Neville Malila.

Head of Crime Line, Yusuf Abramjee explains that aid of the aid of the community to the police “make it uncomfortable for drug dealers and manufacturers to continue holding the public at ransom.”

Below is an info graphic displaying the weekly number drug related arrests made in Gauteng-areas, which will hamper illegal drug activity in the province. 

Propane leak possible cause of deadly blasts in Taiwan

Propane gas has been identified as the cause of the deadly gas explosions, in the city of Kaohsiung in Taiwan, which killed 24 and injured 271 has possibly been identified, reports ITV news.

#Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah says at least 5 explosions shook Kaohsiung; National Fire Agency says 5 firefigh... http://t.co/ZC7ruK52Hq
— 757Live World (@757LiveWorld) July 31, 2014

— 757Live World (@757LiveWorld) July 31, 2014 Propane gas leaking from underground pipelines may have caused the explosions, reports ITV news .

According to Breakingnews.ie the city's mayor Chen Chu asked residents of the Chian-Chen district , where petrochemical companies have pipelines lined next to the sewage system, to evacuate the area. 

Breakingnews.ie also reported that the fire brigade received reports of the leaking gas for more than three hours before the explosions started at midnight. 

The series of explosions cut the power and caused 20 000 residents to plunge into darkness, reported CCTV.

Bomb threat in Bloemfontein shopping centre

Bomb threat in Bloem

The Pick n Pay Centre, in Southern Centre in the Fichardtpark area, in Bloemfontein received various warnings this morning from an anonymous caller about a bomb that would go off in the centre by 11:00 today, reports News24.

Bomb search

BREAKING NEWS: Bomb squad, K9 as well as fire brigade on the scene. Police confirm bomb threat at Bloem Southern Centre. #BombThreat
— OFM (@OFM9497) July 31, 2014

The K9-unit evacuated citizens form the building and searched for the alleged bomb, says Ofm. According to the local radio station no bomb was found and proceedings returned "to normal". 

RT @OFMNews9497: Things back to normal at Southern Centre Mall in Fichardtpark after alleged bomb threat. pic.twitter.com/8CwW5wxF2I
— OFM (@OFM9497) July 31, 2014

Goeie reënweer-markies naby Stellenbosch

In 'n Kaapse winter verander alles: jy het 'n sambreel by die voordeur, 'n sambreel in jou kar en 'n 'baba'-sambreel wat in jou sak pas. Jy kyk op weather24 voor jy in slegte weer planne maak. 

Die Kaapse weer staan nie stil nie en nog minder jou lewe. Come hell or high water. Letterlik. 'n Mens kry mos net eenkeer 'n week 'n naweek. 

Hier is 'n gids na die naweekmarkies naby Stellenbosch: hoe modderig, hoe duur*, hoe ver**, hoe lekker en hoe rëenbestand hulle is. Sodat jy nogsteeds jou pannekoek, jou gourmet burger en jou olyftapenade kan inkry tydens jou beperkte aftyd. Al is dit ook nou rëentyd. 

Die Woodmill mark

'n Groep markgangers staan om 'n geseelige vuur buite die Woodmill mark.
Die mark word binnenhuis aangebied by die Woodmill gebou op die Vredenburg pad. 

'n Mens kan Oreo-koekie and room
kolwyntjies geniet by die fees. 

Hoe ver: 3.7km 
Hoe duur: 'n Glas wyn - R15 en op. Craft bier - R18 en op. 'n Kopie filterkoffie: 'n Wafel met roomys: R, Pizza: 
Hoe modderig: Daar is nie 'n druppel modder nie. Die parkeerarea is gesteen en die markarea is binnenahuis.
Hoe lekker:

Jongmense geniet die Woodmill markie se gesellige kuierarea

Liezel Swiegers, Mia Conradie en Danielle Roets en hulle
glasies rooiwyn. Hierdie vriendinne woon gereeld die verskillende
 markies in Stellenbosch by, as 'n sosiale bymekaarkomplek.  

Lisa Hitchens en Ivaricia Daniels hou die waghond van markie
se kindersorg vas. Ouers kan hulle kinders teen R30 in hierdie
speelkamer los. Wanneer hulle vra na hulle ouers, stap die
versorgers saam met hulle om hulle self aan hulle ouers in die
aangrensende markarea te versorg. 

Hoe rëenbestand: Hierdie markie is die mees rëenbestande markie met binnenshuise stalletjies en 'n moddervrye parkeerarea.
Wanneer: Sommige Vrydae, 16:30 - 22:00

Die Slow Food mark
Hoe ver: 2.5km
Hoe duur: 'n Glas wyn - R15 en op. Craft bier - R18 en op. 
Hoe modderig: Glad nie. 
Hoe lekker:
Hoe rëenbestand: Die meeste stalletjies is eerder binne of goed beskut onder 'n opslaantent. Daar is 'n paar stalletjies op die buitewyke van die mark wat nie beskutting vir besoekers bied nie en die arme handelaars staan onder tentjies wat op hulle koppe en op hulle produkte lek. 
Wanneer: Saterdae, 09h00-14h00
Die Route 44 mark

Hoe ver: 8.5km
Hoe duur:
Hoe modderig: Redelik. Die markarea is onderdak en daar is 'n vloer, maar die parkeerarea is 'n moddermoeras.  Jy sal dalk jou oë moet toeknyp en in 'n modderasie trap om by jou kardeur in te kom. Dis nogals tragies as jou kar pas gewas is. 
Hoe lekker: 
Hoe rëenbestand:
Wanneer: Elke Saterdag en Sondag

Stil to come...

Die Blauwklippen mark

Hoe ver:
Hoe duur:
Hoe modderig:
Hoe lekker:
Hoe rëenbestand:
Wanneer: Elke Sondag

*Die afstand is van die middel van Dorpstraat in Stellenbosch gemeet
**Die pryse is die van die goedkoopste pizza, bier, koffie, wyn, bier en wafel wat die joernalis kon kry by die mark. Natuurlik kan die onderskeie stalletjies intussen hulle pryse verander of die produkte kan goedkoop/duur wees en aaklig smaak of die porsie kan te klein/o f te groot wees. Ons joernalis is nog nie ryk genoeg om al die produkte aan te koop en te proe- of grootte-toets nie. Sy is ook nie simpel genoeg om omkoopgoed te aanvaar vir verniet te proe- of grootte-toets nie.