TuksVillage

Here we live

Here we live

Dear Villager

Congratulations on being accepted to the University of Pretoria and to TuksVillage!

We warmly welcome you to quite simply the best residence at UP and we trust that

you will feel right at home in this fantastic community of friends.

Since our establishment in 2008, TuksVillage has been leading the way in the

development of progressive and fresh residence reforms not only at UP but in the

whole of South Africa. This special and unique residence offers you a unique

university experience and residence life compared to the more traditional residences.

As soon as you walk into TuksVillage you will become part of a community where we

uphold a code of mutual respect and understanding with the common focus on

academic excellence.

At TuksVillage we identify ourselves as a world class African residence, combining

world class facilities with a distinctly African ethos of communal respect and

tolerance.

At TuksVillage all Villagers are afforded the right of respect and considered

completely equal in every sense of the word regardless of your age, year of study,

gender, race or any other fact.

You will also be given a great amount of freedom, a luxury other residences do not

afford to their first-years and a luxury which we will most definitely assist you in

managing responsibly.

We are the Residence Management Committee of TuksVillage which consists of the

executive committee (chair, vice chair, secretary & treasurer, and VC manager) and

20 block managers (1 male & 1 female for each block). We take responsibility for

discipline, facilities and wellbeing of each Villager, as well as manage the portfolios

mentioned below. We exist to serve and are hard at work preparing for your arrival.

You can be guaranteed that every effort is being taken to ensure that your transition

into TuksVillage and university life will be a smooth and seamless one. We look

forward to meeting and getting to know you individually. We wish you luck for your

academic year, may your results reflect your hard work and endurance during this

stressful period.

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Meet your Residence Management Committee:

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EXCO):

Chairperson: Samuel Varrie

BCom Law 3rd year

“You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together we can do

great things.”- Mother Theresa

Vice-Chairperson: Tshepiso Mathole

LLB Law 3rd year

“If the crown fits, wear it and all that it comes with and reign.” - Tshepiso Mathole

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Treasurer and Secretary: Phenyo Letlape

LLB Law 4th year

“Sometimes, it’s what you don’t do that makes you who you are.” - CM Punk

Village Centre manager: Rose Murunzi

BCom Econometrics

“You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.” - Andrew Murphy

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BLOCK MANAGERS

Block A

Simamkele Mtsengu

BCom Accounting Sciences 1st

year

“It is not how you fall that matters the

most but it is how you get back up.”

- Rocky Balboa

Dylan Thatcher

BEng Mechanical Engineering 1st

year

“Great men are forged in fire, it is the

privilege of lesser men to light the

fire.” - The Warrior Doctor (Doctor

Who)

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Block B

Thandolwethu Ndlazi

Bsc Biological science 1st year

“There is no force equal to a woman

determined to rise.”

- W.E.B. Dubois

Liam Gourlay-Smith

BEng Mechanical Engineering 2nd

year

“Live fast. Die young. Have a good-

looking corpse.”

- Daniel Taradash

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Block C

Nicole Anderson

BCom Entrepreneurship 1st year

“Life doesn’t require that we be the

best, only that we try our best.”

- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Lethuxolo Nzima

BSc Actuarial and Financial

Mathematics 1st year

“We may encounter many defeats

but we must not be defeated.”

- Maya Angelou

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Block D

Keneilwe Lehobye

BCom Accounting Sciences 1st

year

“Wherever life plants you, bloom with

grace.”

- French Proverb

Dylan Grubb

BCom Accounting Sciences 1st

year

“The same hammer that breaks

glass forges steel.”

- Italian Proverb

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Block E

Lisa Mlahlwa

BA Psychology 3rd year

“Doing what you like is freedom.

Liking what you do is happiness. Be

sure to have a passion for what you

will be studying.”

- Lisa Mlahlwa

Joshua Thiselton

BEng Mechanical engineering 2nd

year

“Sometimes when I close my eyes, I

can’t see.”

- Unknown

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Block F

Celeste Khuzwayo

Bsc Food Science 2nd year

“Don’t follow the crowd, let the crowd

follow you.”

- Margaret Thatcher

Thokozani Makhubo

BEng Electrical engineering 3rd

year

“Fear not to reach your limits, you

will never reach them, unless you

were born not to fail in life. Hence

the ability to fail is the greatest

lesson that creates opportunities for

you to grow.”

- Unknown

Here we live

Block G

Boipelo Phuti Tshukudu

BCom informatics 1st year

“Living my life like its golden.”

- Jill Scott

Cameron Roberts

BSc Computer Science 1st year

“The world won't know who you are,

wear it like armour.”

- Tyrion Lannister

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Block H

Robyn Culverwell

BA Law 1st

“The only person you are destined to

become, is the person you decide to

be.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ndaba Mazibuko

BA Law &Psychology 1st year

“Quote? Wait, let me google one.”

- Ndaba Mazibuko

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Block I

Dineo Hoilejane

BSc Medical Sciences 2nd year

“Believe in yourself and all that you

are, know that there is something

inside of you that is greater than any

obstacle.”

- Christian D. Larson

Xander Josh Hageman

BEng Civil Engineering

“A river cuts through rock, not

because of its power but because of

its persistence.”

- Jim Watkins

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Block J

Celia Erlank

BA Sport Psychology

“When ‘I’ is replaced with ‘we’, even

illness can become wellness.”

- Malcom X

Nkanyezi Nhlumayo

BEng Mechanical engineering

1st year

“My thoughts are stars I cannot

fathom into constellations.”

- John Green

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RMC Portfolios

Academics

We are aware that transitioning into tertiary life and its academic demands is quite an adjustment,

which is the reason behind our mentorship programme. The mission of the Academics Portfolio is

to enhance the academic atmosphere of TuksVillage and provide support to you through mentoring

to assist in developing your academic and life skills in order to have a successful academic year.

During the first semester, first-years will be allocated members of the RMC or other senior Villagers

and meet with them periodically to help with the challenges of student life.

Culture:

Our portfolio seeks to create a comprehensive programme in which the ability of Villagers to

express and critically engage on an empathetic and intellectual level with the cultures and views of

others is fostered. Secondly, we hope to create an environment which encourages fulfilling

intellecual conversation and where different cultures and cultural activities flourish, enhancing the

communal ‘Village experience’ and allowing Tuksvillage to be a truly World Class African

residence.

Environment and Outreach:

The environment and outreach portfolio is in charge of maintaining the award-winning status that

TuksVillage has as an environmentally friendly and philanthropic residence. The portfolio facilitates

and organises various events and campaigns in order to allow villagers to get involved in both

environmental and community outreach projects. This portfolio strives to encourage well-rounded

students who are concerned about world issues.

Sports:

The purpose of the Sport Portfolio is to organize recreational sport activities for Villagers, support

and facilitate those who want to take part in organised sport and promote healthy living within

TuksVillage. This year, we intend to achieve these goals by creating more internal sports “clubs” for

Villagers who are interested in different sports such as tennis, squash, basketball, golf, running and

walking, yoga, etc. In terms of external events (tournaments or matches played against other

residences) we will focus mainly on hockey, netball, volleyball, cricket and soccer. We also want to

encourage students to perform well in their academics and HAVE FUN!

Here we live

Social:

The social team is responsible for planning social events at TuksVillage that further our vision of a

world class African residence. Because TuksVillage has no hierarchy system, students of all years

are brought together in the name of good fun, in order to further the atmosphere of community and

inclusivity which we hold so highly here. At social events, Villagers establish strong and lasting

friendships within the residence, welcoming them into our diverse family. To comfortably participate

in social Village and Wi-Week events, bring along: Swim-wear, Sports-wear, Formal wear, Cultural

clothing, any talent-related equipment (musical instruments etc.) Red, green and/or orange

coloured clothing for the Robot Social.

Marketing:

As human beings we place a lot of emphasis on perception. How we perceive a circumstance,

challenge or even a residence can often be a subconscious catalyst and sometimes play a role in

certain outcomes The Marketing and communication portfolio is responsible for the marketing and

brand image, both internally and externally, of this world class African residence. This is achieved

through events such as open days, promotional items and residence clothing and community

projects.

Sundowner:

Moving away from the traditional clubhouse vibe, where only alcohol was sold to students, the

Sundowner Portfolio aims to educate students about the sophisticated consumption of alcohol.

This is achieved through wine tastings and other similar events. In partnering with other portfolios,

we put together an atmosphere where students can engage with each other on an intellectual level.

In keeping with our world class African residence our vision is to create a space of relaxation,

higher level thinking, but most of all, a place where you can “chill”.