Vula polls
Ikey Tigers break Pukke hoodoo
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Campus shifts into top gear
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Clubs strut their stuff at O-Week
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Sharing wealth from the Hoodia trade
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Students blitz city with pure SAX Appeal
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Nobel winner offers science and responsibility
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Second-best of starts for UCT
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Welcome boost in internet bandwidth
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UCT prepped and ready for Varsity Cup
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Freshers' Braai welcomes new students
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The Ikey Tigers maintained their decent start to this year's FNB Varsity Cup when they edged bitter rivals North West University's Pukke by 18-11 at UCT on 8 February. 
Thanks to 2010 soccer world cup preparations countrywide, UCT's smorgasbord of student activities, orientations and registrations kicked off early this year, early enough for a formal start to lectures on 8 February. 
The RAG Big Bash on Friday 5 February will see a wrap of Orientation Week, or O-Week as it has been dubbed, when clubs and societies set up stands to showcase their offerings. There are over 95 sports clubs and recreational societies at UCT, including the gymnastics, archery and kung fu clubs.
A lively panel discussion on the worldwide marketing of Hoodia and its effects on the San people served to launch a book on the subject, co-edited by Dr Rachel Wynberg of UCT's Environmental Evaluation Unit, and to welcome the 40 delegates to a UCT training course to build African capacity in access and benefit sharing.
UCT students beat the early bird and were out on the streets as early as 05h00 on 4 February, dressed as outrageously as possible to flog the latest issue of SAX Appeal to amused motorists. It was all to benefit RAG's primary beneficiary, SHAWCO, and their health and education support in many of the city's marginalised communities.
Nobel Laureate Richard Ernst had his work cut out for him when he delivered UCT's first Vice-Chancellor's Open Lecture for 2010 on 1 February titled Fascinating Insights in Chemistry, Biology and Medicine by NMR and MRI. His audience was something of a mixed bag, ranging from attentive school learners to lay scientists to knowledgeable colleagues.
Stellenbosch University Maties may be setting the pace in the FNB Varsity Cup following their 68-20 thumping of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Madibas on match day one on 1 February, but UCT's 30-all draw against Free State University Shimlas is the Ikey Tigers' best start yet in the tournament.
Here's good news on the bandwidth front; a significant hike in capacity is due to take effect at UCT on Tuesday 2 February. Strictly speaking, UCT was going to see a huge growth in internet bandwidth only after connection to SANReN (South African National Research Network). But delays in the project meant that this would have happened much later in the year. 
After two promising campaigns, the UCT rugby first team is upbeat about its chances in the upcoming FNB Varsity Cup, which kicks off on Monday, 1 February, with the side playing Free State University's Shimlas in Port Elizabeth in the first of the four games on the day.
Heavy south-easterly winds may have troubled many Capetonians on 28 January, but it didn't deter hundreds of first-year students from partying at UCT's 2010 Fresher's Braai. Organised by the Student Orientation & Advocacy Centre, the braai is the main event to celebrate the arrival of new students and their entry into the world of higher education and university life.
