Table of contents for 2021-10-13 in Post

Q: Why do you think it is important to vote in the municipal elections? A: It is important. I have registered to vote, and will be doing so. Everyone must contribute to the country. I went to school and I have an education, so I make it my business to know what is going on. I have a part to play in the community. The councillors who we vote for have a role to play to make things better. I think voting should be compulsory. Although I don’t have much of a future right now, I will still participate. Q: What do you think the municipality has been doing well? A: The municipality gives us shelter but no food. We are grateful for the shelter at least. Over the lockdown,…

Puja Gupta WOMEN are 40% more likely to develop knee osteoarthritis and 10% more likely to develop hip osteoarthritis than men. This also contributes to significant morbidity and mortality in post-menopausal women – because women have a lower peak bone mass that is compounded by the hormonal changes that occur at the time of menopause. Manish Sontakke, a senior consultant in orthopaedic surgery at Hiranandani Hospital in Mumbai, India, said osteoarthritis was a silent disease until fractures occurred, which caused important secondary health problems and even death. “Women tend to ignore their health or put the health of their family before their own. “Hence, the chance of deteriorating bone health among them is higher than before,” said Sontakke. He said when a woman reached menopause, her estrogen levels dropped…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za A SHAKASRAAL father was killed in a car crash while returning home from work on Friday night. Ivan Pillay, 53, of Protea Heights, was a manager at Checkers Hyper in KwaDukuza. He was also the founding member of the Shree Shiva Soobramanier bhajan group. His brother, Collin Pillay, said the accident occurred on the R102 near Groutville. “My brother was in the passenger seat. There were two other occupants, the driver and another passenger. At 9pm, he phoned his wife Charmaine to tell her he was leaving work. While travelling, he texted her to inform her that he was on his way home. When he did not reach home by 10pm, she called him. An unknown man answered his phone and told her that Ivan had been…

RAMYA Jawahar Kudekallu, a 32-year-old advocate from Bengaluru, who has been appointed as the chairperson of New York City Bar’s International Human Rights Committee, is set to address community hardships and ensure change. “I was nominated for the committee after the background checks, and I am extremely happy for being confirmed with an esteemed honorary title. The committee did not have a woman of colour as the chairperson. They have also picked a non-white young woman. I am ready to take (the) risks involved with this responsibility. Fighting for human rights is always challenging, whether it is in India or anywhere. New York is comparatively safer,” Kudekallu told IANS. Her role includes leading the committee's work, continuing the ongoing work, seeing how it can intervene with the issues of the…

WE ARE on level 1 of the lockdown and a fourth wave is expected in a few weeks. In every corner of our country, dedicated men and women perform the task of preparing our dead for burial. The gratitude and respect from the public is immeasurable but that has not stopped many from trying to express it. In a titanic undertaking, the burial teams fearlessly forwent their resting time to respectfully lay another soul to rest. Not all heroes wear capes. Amid the most frightening plague this century, the real heroes wear protection gear and work with spades. They are fully aware that they could also become the next victims of the virus. Their bravery is an undertaking that no award on Earth can adequately pay tribute to; a class…

THE recent looting and damage to property was a disaster and billions of rand were lost – not only by business but also by the country. It will take a while before the businesses are up and running. Some will not reopen because of fear of more looting. Some foreign businesses may shut shop and decide that South Africa is too risky a country to invest in. Buildings that were burnt and destroyed will take a long time to repair. The looting has caused serious unemployment. Unfortunately, black people will be worst affected. The police, who must safeguard the public and provide security at all times, were complacent during this time. The looters were fearless and continued their looting, unhindered by the police. Heavy goods like stoves, fridges and…

THE POST’s generous coverage (October 6-11) of the various political parties contesting the November 1 election provided much food for thought. Voting for a ward councillor may seem confusing given the number of parties vying for support, particularly as the DA claims only it has the muscle and the means to challenge the ANC. But experience shows that is not the case. Having been a DA councillor for 15 years, I can vouch that service as a ward councillor is about personal application and endeavour and has nothing to do with party affiliation. The only time DA support applied was when I moved notices of motion, which, of course, were supported by the entire caucus. But apart from that, as a ward councillor, I rowed my own boat. So, it…

FORMULA One medical car driver Alan van der Merwe risks missing more races, after his absence from Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix, due to his decision not to get vaccinated for Covid-19. Van der Merwe, 41, and F1 doctor Ian Roberts tested positive independently for the coronavirus ahead of the race and did not travel to Istanbul, with the FIA’s Formula E crew standing in. Both had been in the medical car at the previous Russian GP in Sochi. The South African said on Twitter it was the second time he had contracted Covid-19 and he had not been vaccinated for personal reasons. “From what we understand, there are a couple of countries that you probably won’t be allowed to enter unless you’re vaccinated,” Formula One’s race director Michael Masi…

Q: Why do you think it is important to vote in the municipal elections? A: It is our responsibility as citizens. Voting is an important part of any democracy. Voting gives citizens a chance to choose their government leaders and the opportunity to voice their opinions on the past performance of officials and express their opinion on public issues. If we don’t vote, we can’t complain. Q: What do you think the municipality has been doing well? A: In the early days of the lockdown, the homeless were sheltered by the City of Durban. It was an extraordinary task that required the efforts of many officials and charities but it worked well and efficiently. Thousands of people were placed in temporary housing. It was a goal the government achieved quickly.…

Duff is a psychic medium, soul coach, spiritual mentor, healer and animal communicator. She has been connecting with spirit for over 20 years and runs her business, Quantum Soul, from Waterfall in KwaZulu-Natal. Listen to her on Lotus FM, live at 1.30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, as she connects with loved ones in spirit, and on GlowTV on Sundays after 8pm. Contact her at 072 986 5514 or email sharron@quantsoul.com sharron duff ARIES (March 21 – April 19) Take time out to appreciate the beauty around you and relax. You are surrounded by support, even if you don’t feel it right now. Hard work is paying off and you are being recognised. Lucky colour: blue. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) You may be given an opportunity to…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za SUNIL Parekh and Anil Singh loved keeping fit. Both belonged to the Tongaat Panthers Athletic Club, and met regularly while jogging. On Saturday, while out on a run, they were killed after being knocked down by a car. The alleged driver of the vehicle, Ali Mohamed, 29, fled the scene before he crashed the car into a minibus taxi. None of the passengers of the taxi was injured. Mohamed was arrested and charged with culpable homicide and contravention of the Immigration Act. He appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court on Monday and the matter was adjourned until next week for him to apply for bail. He is being detained at the Tongaat SAPS. Parekh ran a car licensing business while Singh was an account administrator for a…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za INSPIRED to change the face of Hindu literature for children, a Johannesburg mother recently launched her second book, Ram and Sita – the Story of Diwali. Sarika Besesar-Ramdhani, 36, formerly of Durban, said the 32-page picture book was based on the Ramayan. “In my adaptation, I have worked through the ancient text to thread together the most significant events of the epic into a simple tale for children to understand,” said Besesar-Ramdhani. The book followed Prince Ram and Princess Sita from the palace of Ayodhya to their life in exile in the Dandaka Forest. “There, their strength and courage are put to the biggest test of all, when Ravan, the King of the Demons, captures Sita to keep as his wife. “Join Ram and Sita on this…

Us or me? IF THE ANC had done what it promised, it would have been the natural home of Indian South Africans. Classified as black, Indians were marginalised under apartheid, forcing many to join the Struggle for freedom. Initially, this was done under the banner of the Natal Indian Congress and the Transvaal Indian Congress. But, over the years, both organisations became so involved in the ANC that, by the eve of 1994, there was no need for separate bodies. In the initial years following democracy, the country’s diversity was embraced. It seemed as though South Africa did belong to all those who lived in it. But, over the years, things have changed. Society has become increasingly divided along racial lines. Those who belong to minority communities have struggled to…

THE one thing that has not evolved is the constant traditional war between the virtual, intangible concepts of absolute truth and damning lies. The debate over anti-Covid vaccines is one such example. As a child, one of my cousins had asthma but my aunt was from a family that did not believe in modern medicine or hospitalisation. My dad threatened to obtain a court order to get the child admitted. Once, I happened to read a book published by a church organisation. It was titled Evolution: Fact or Theory? This was in the mid-’60s when I was a teenager. My dad glanced at the title and without opening the book, said: “Why are you reading that rubbish?” He was a real anomaly. Having completed Standard 2 in a Gujarati…

IN RESPONSE to the letter “Visvin, whose fooling who?” (the POST, September 29 - October 3). The writer is shallow minded when he brought up that Reddy refused to approve a big screen TV at the Chatsworth Stadium. This was such a trivial issue against critical issues, which impacts on service delivery in our communities. Reddy’s stance, by refusing to approve a big screen TV, is admirable given that, even at that time, we experienced service delivery issues. To this day, Reddy fights for bread and butter issues in our communities. It is clear that he is doing excellent work, and therefore, we get these petty distractions from other political parties. I challenge political parties in this local government elections to have a live debate with Reddy instead of tarnishing…

THE biggest topic in Chatsworth is the recent alleged sighting of Highway Sheila. A metro cop was terrified after he almost rammed into a person dressed in white in the late part of the night. Fear among our community has prompted me to write about Highway Sheila. This is also a reminder about the fantasy world we live in to the point of utter stupidity. The Higginson Highway is infamously associated with the legend of Highway Sheila. According to some residents, she was a young girl killed in a car accident, and after her untimely death took to the highway to get revenge. My question: Is Highway Sheila real? This myth has been going on for nearly 50 years, and it will never stop. We need to dispel this myth…

Charlene Somduth charlene.somduth@inl.co.za PRIVATE transport providers and carpool drivers have accused the Chatsworth Minibus Taxi Association of using bullying tactics to stop them from picking up passengers. The association however claims they are only clamping down on unlicensed transport providers who are unfairly affecting their business. Bashir Razak Ismail, the spokesperson for the association, said Covid-19 and the recent looting had impacted negatively on the taxi industry, just like other businesses. It had lost customers and profits declined. “Some of our commuters have lost their jobs, while others are still working from home. But since June we noticed a large number of seven-seater vehicles – like Avanzas, Datsun Go, and microbuses – operating in the mornings in Chatsworth with full loads of passengers. We realised this could also be…

THE offshore fishing has been filled with epic fish and some big hidings from the depths. The north coast has seen amazing fish caught by both the bottom fishing fraternity and the gamefish guys. The yellowtail have been breaking the handles off of KPs in the hands of those too slow to keep up with the runs. These are immensely strong fish for their size and they deserve a lot of respect. Look at using a decent rod with plenty of backbone and a lot of forgiveness. Something in the 2.4-metre (8ft) range is long enough to absorb the darts but short enough to put the hurt on the fish when you pull. Pair this with a 10inch KP and 100lb-200lb braid and you are holding a weapon. Let the…

FORMER England cricketer-turned-commentator, Geoffrey Boycott, has said that the Australian bowling unit “is far superior to England’s” in Australian conditions, adding that the tourists should be wary of the host country’s media, which can be “cruel”. “If players on both sides stay fit then you have to admit the Australian bowling unit is far superior to England’s in Australian conditions,” Boycott wrote in his column for The Telegraph on Monday. “The Australian media get behind the home team, and try to help by undermining England. They can be cruel,” he added. Boycott, while praising England skipper Joe Root, also laid bare the shortcomings in the touring party’s batting line-up, saying that there is “not a very good batting line-up behind him”. “He (Root) is in the form of his life,…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za A Bakerville Gardens father who was killed in a fire at his home, has been hailed for his commitment to protecting his community. Mogarasathavan Jay Kistasamy, 65, of Barvale Drive, was killed after a fire broke out in his home on Tuesday morning. The father of three had partitioned his home so as to let some of the property out to tenants. Kistasamy lived on the bottom floor. He shared the area with tenants Sarah Naidoo, her husband, Marcus and their two children, a 3-month-old and 6-year-old. Elton Appalsamy, lived alone on the top floor level. Naidoo said the area had been without electricity since Monday morning. “The electricity went off at 8am. We initially thought it was load shedding but after waiting four hours it didn’t…

VINOD MIRANI ARYAN Khan, the 23-year-old son of Shah Rukh Khan, along with his friends, have been accused of using banned drugs at a rave party while on a Goa-Mumbai cruise liner. Nobody, or just a few, would know or care to know the names of the others who have also been arrested. As far as the media, including social media, is concerned, the news would mean nothing if a star or a star’s son was not involved. As the story goes, there was a tip-off to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) about a rave drug party slated to take place on a cruise liner. The NCB personnel travelled on the same cruise pretending to be fellow revellers and, in due time, raided the party. One of those allegedly…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za A PRIMARY school principal from Chatsworth has been recognised for his contribution to education. Rishichand Sookai Budhal, principal at Rose Heights Primary School, received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Department of Basic Education’s 21st Reimagined National Teaching Awards (NTA). The NTA is part of the Teacher Appreciation and Support Programme (Tasp), which was launched by the basic education minister in 2015. Its goal is to acknowledge, appreciate and celebrate teachers’ excellence in diverse contexts. The event was held at Emperors Palace in Gauteng last Wednesday. Budhal, 61, of Queensburgh, studied teaching at the then University of Durban-Westville. He later obtained a PhD in psychology, and published five education-related books. “I feel happy to be recognised for my contribution towards the betterment of education and the lives…

I WILL never condone the acts of killing and criminality during the July unrest. Those found guilty must face the full might of the law. More than 300 people were killed and more lives could have been lost had it not been for the heroic action of law-abiding citizens. The July unrest took place during a national lockdown when a curfew was in place. People moving around after 8pm was in itself unlawful. “Phoenix Massacre” was trending on social media long before the news broke that 36 lives were lost in Phoenix. Videos of black people being butchered were circulated, which fuelled the racial narrative. However, most of the footage was recorded in other countries, some dating back years ago. The outrage and media hype around the Phoenix killings were…

THE letter by Nethraj Rampersad, “Visvin, who’s fooling who?” (the POST, September 29-October 3), begs a response. Rampersad is on record for making wild, unsubstantiated statements. Last year, he commented on drag racing and was forced to eat his words after the truth was told. Rampersad is playing cheap politics. In a letter to the editor, Visvin Reddy exposed the fact that the DA included one of his candidates on its list without authorisation to do so. The writer claimed to respond to Reddy but makes no point whatsoever in relation to the accusation levelled by Reddy against the DA. Rampersad’s letter is a pathetic attempt at a public relations exercise for the DA. My advice to the party that is a front for the white elite, is to…

ON NOVEMBER 1, the local government elections will be held, and all eligible voters are urged to vote. Each vote is important and matters. This will be the first time that such an election will be held while the Covid-19 pandemic exists. Voters must use wisdom, discernment, and exercise due caution in making good choices, as the consequences are important. As a democracy, we have come a long way but more remains to be done for the benefit of our country and its diverse people. It is paramount that the new municipal councillors and councils execute their constitutional obligations successfully and timeously. There must be effective service delivery, good governance, and a clean administration, with requisite public participation where/as applicable. Please be wary of looters, capturers, charlatans and fraudsters –…

I HAVE been in the nursing profession for about 20 years, and I have seen a lot. Gender-based violence (GBV) is high. Female nurses, my colleagues, remain silent on this issue. They are subjected to verbal, emotional, psychological and, at times, sexual abuse by some doctors and still remain silent. Why? – I always ask. Doctor groups own the hospitals, and this places them in esteemed demi-God positions. However, I wish to state that not all doctors can be painted with the same brush. The ones I talk of act ethical but they are worse than street scum as to how they conduct themselves. Female nurses, who bear this, just suffer in silence. If they speak out, they lose their jobs as these are the guys who control the hospitals.…

IT’S pucker time for political parties as the local government elections approach, the harbinger for the 2024 national elections. The ANC is in trouble for corruption in municipalities, non-existent service delivery, and the recent unrest and failed police action. The opposition has smelt blood in the water and is circling in a feeding frenzy, knowing chunks can be bitten off the ANC. The ANC must now face its own demons of ignominy, dishonesty and indolence. I expect some seismic shifts in voter trends and patterns, which could mean significant gains for the DA and the EFF. There are a plethora of smaller, minority parties that could divide the vote. While they bring a fresher voice to the crowded field, they offer little but their presence when you look at the…

PARIS Fury “doesn’t get jealous” at her boxing champion husband Tyson receiving so much attention from female fans. The 31-year- old Paris, who has been with Tyson since she was 15 and with whom she shares six children, fully understands why women want a piece of him. “If Brad Pitt walked in here now, I’m grabbing hold of him and having a cuddle – that doesn’t mean I want to have an affair with him!” Speaking to the Sun newspaper she said: “These young women that come over to Tyson (in public), they don’t bother me. I don’t get jealous.” Tyson, 33, beat Deontay Wilder by a knockout in the early hours of Sunday morning to retain his WBC belt in their trilogy fight. With Tyson having spoken previously about…

IRELAND’S Amy Hunter celebrated her 16th birthday by becoming the youngest player to score an international century, as she guided her team to an 85-run victory over Zimbabwe in their women’s one-day game at Harare. Ireland reached 312-3 in their 50 overs on Monday thanks to Hunter’s unbeaten 121 off 127 deliveries, a knock that included eight fours. Zimbabwe managed 227-8 in reply as the visitors claimed a 3-1 series victory. Belfast schoolgirl Hunter eclipsed India’s Mithali Raj, who held the record after her unbeaten 114 against Ireland in a one-day international (ODI) in June 1999 at the age of 16 years and 205 days, according to ESPNCricinfo. Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi is the youngest man to score an international century. He had hit 102 runs against Sri Lanka in an…