Table of contents for 2021-09-22 in Post

Staff Reporter VARIOUS physical and lifestyle factors can increase the likelihood of developing high blood cholesterol. Being aware of the risk factors helps to identify the changes necessary to lower the risk. Some of these risk factors include: Eating too much saturated fat. Medical conditions such as an underactive thyroid gland or chronic kidney failure. Family history: If a parent or grandparent had high cholesterol, this trait can be inherited. Some people have naturally high blood cholesterol levels, due to a rare hereditary condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). If one family member is diagnosed with FH, it is important that all members of the family have a full fasting lipogram done to test if they also have FH. Physical inactivity. Being overweight or obese, especially around the middle.…

THE death of television actor Sidharth Shukla, 40, due to a heart attack earlier this month has many questioning the health and lifestyle of young people. Shukla, best known for his role as Shivraj Shekhar in Balika Vadhu, was known for his passion for exercise, fitness and meditation. While obesity, sedentary lifestyles and old age are traditionally existing reasons for heart ailments, health experts suggest increased workouts, stress and currently Covid-19 can also add to the risk. Dr Anand Kumar Pandey, director and senior consultant, cardiology, at the Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi, India, said: “Generally cardiac issues are considered to be associated with obesity, old age or unhealthy lifestyle, but the fact is even a healthy young person apparently following a fitness regime can also suffer from a heart…

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) There is luck around you this week as a dream is taking hold. This is a good time for you generally, with good news coming to you. There will be a solution to a problem from an unexpected source. Be open to receiving this. Lucky colour: turquoise. TAURUS (April 20 –…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za TWO Phoenix policemen have been found not guilty of killing a Phoenix man, but Judge Bruce Bedderson, sitting in the Durban High Court, was critical of the manner in which they conducted themselves. Warrant Officer Theagasen Naidoo, 47, of Stoneham Drive, Phoenix, and Constable Tristan Pillay, 33, of Eastbury, Phoenix, were found not guilty of killing Seelan Pillay. The victim was 46 when he died on May 12, 2019. Two other Phoenix men, brothers, Anben “Fat Cat” Chinsamy, 48, of Ravenstone Place, and Sugendran “Shoes” Chinsamy, 32, of Treehaven Place, were co-accused in the matter. They were found guilty of murder and are on bail awaiting sentencing. Pillay, of Grassfern Road, in Phoenix, died after he was set alight on May 10, 2019. He was badly burnt and…

POST REPORTER THE South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is set to hold hearings on the recent unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The hearings, which among other things will investigate the causes of the looting, arson, killing and destruction in the two provinces, are scheduled to take place from November 15 to December 3. They will be presided over by a panel comprising: commissioner André Gaum (chairperson of the hearing panel), commissioner Chris Nissen (deputy chairperson), and commissioner Philile Ntuli (chief panellist). External experts will be appointed by the panel, if required. Gushwell Brooks, SAHRC communications co-ordinator, said the hearings would investigate the causes and the impact of the unrest on human rights. He said the panel would inquire, make findings, report on and make recommendations and directives…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za From the loss of loved ones to the birth of their children, Tevin Basheer and Kashif Ally have been at each other’s side. Basheer, 27, a sales trainer, said he met Ally, 27, a sales agent, both of Phoenix, while in high school. He said while they were not close at first, a friendship grew after Ally saved him during an attempted robbery. “We never really spoke much until one Friday when a group of us left school to attend mosque and I was almost robbed. I was walking behind the group when three men with knives surrounded me. “I just got a new phone and one of them held a knife to my neck. I froze. Kashif turned around and ran to my aid. It is…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za AYANDA Ntshangase and Shivaktha Singh’s friendship started six years ago at a peace club. As pupils of Queensburgh Girls’ High, they attended the extracurricular event aimed at finding solutions to various issues and challenges. In the process, they found each other. Ntshangase of Hillcrest and Singh of Malvern, both 21, say they are more like sisters, and the keepers of each other’s secrets. They even choreographed a dance called the Yonce ShiYanda that they have been doing since high school. “I love that Shivaktha is understanding and always has time to help whenever I need advice. I’ve never had a situation where I would tell her things then she passes them to someone else, so I trust her a lot. That’s why I plan to keep her…

WHEN you see pictures of the Dickason family, you see love. There is lots of hugging, lots of kissing and plenty of smiles. Graham and Lauren Dickason seemed happy as a couple and as a family. They were married for 15 years and had three daughters – twins aged 2 and a 6-year-old. Both were medical doctors, he an orthopaedic surgeon and she a general practitioner. In August this year, the family left Pretoria to start a new life in Timaru, a town in New Zealand. Days after their Covid-19 quarantine period ended, their three children were found dead in their home. Lauren was arrested for the killings and, following a court appearance, was sent to a hospital for mental observation. Those who knew her spoke of her love for…

THE article “Hope for foreign trained doctors,” (the POST, September 8-12), highlights one of the worst forms of government incompetence in South Africa. Obsession with race has divided our country and has seen people placed in critical positions with no experience or expertise. Politicians must realise that South Africans, irrespective of their race, have had enough of appointments based on the colour of the skin and not on the ability to deliver. Since the Department of Health introduced race quotas in medical school admissions, we have seen aspiring, dedicated and bright Indian South African students register at foreign institutions to qualify as doctors. The fact that they did this at huge sacrifice and cost, is testament to their commitment to the profession. Once qualified, their hopes of returning to the…

AFTER being confined for 18 months at home due to the Covid-19 lockdown, we took a break at the Drakensberg recently. Our destination was the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife Giant’s Castle camp. It indeed was a pleasant stay. Just being among the snow-capped mountains was a refreshing experience. What marred our stay was travelling to our destination. We took the Nottingham Road route and the road was riddled with potholes all the way from Rosetta past Kamberg and up to the entrance gate of Giants Castle. This route does not bode well for the ailing tourism industry, which is trying to attract tourists to the various destinations. Fortunately, our return trip to Durban was via an alternate route – getting to the N3 via Estcourt – as advised by the…

THE election of Cyril Ramaphosa as president of the ANC by the closest of margins in December 2017 has culminated in a new trajectory from the Zuma-led years. For many South Africans, who hoped for better years since democracy, this became a beacon of hope. We have all been well-acquainted with the failures of government at various levels. The common thread in all these failures is the appointment of incompetent persons – which ties in with cadre deployment – corruption and the arrogance that have crept in during their years of governing. Ramaphosa’s election to power unveiled the tyranny prevalent within the higher echelons of power in the ANC, especially the NEC, during the Zuma era. Ramaphosa has, at best, tried to deal with the obvious issues of corruption…

morgan.bolton@inl.co.za AS is the case with anything new, there are unquantifiable unknowns, undetermined parameters and undefined limits in understanding and comprehension. For those who have not been following the Cheetahs and Kings in their now concluded jaunts of Europe’s rugby fields, this is an inescapable truth. The Sharks, however, have a fairly solid idea of what to expect when the play Munster on Saturday (kick-off 8.35pm) in their opening match of the United Rugby Championship. “Munster have been very successful over the last number of years,” said Sharks attack coach Noel McNamara in a media briefing yesterday. “They’ve got a settled coaching team, obviously they have a South African coach in Johann van Graan. Stephen Larkham, Graham Rowntree and JP Ferreira have been there for the last couple of…

THE rock and surf fishing has been a bit tricky. When conditions line up the action has been wild, but the sea has been difficult to predict. The North Coast has seen a lot of good action with both edibles and inedibles. Unfortunately, this past weekend saw lots of weed in the water from the recent rains and big seas. This makes fishing very difficult. However, a good number of edibles were caught while scratching, and some decent inedibles were landed by those looking for that bigger fish. Pink prawn has been the most successful bait for the scratching fish and has accounted for a number of species. The bigger inedibles have shown a preference for mackerel and redeye combination baits. The beachfront saw plenty of angling action this past…

Nikita Chiniah nikita.chiniah@inl.co.za THE paediatric haematology oncology unit at Grey’s Hospital in Pietermaritzburg will host a childhood cancer awareness programme tomorrow. With September marking Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, there will be talks by medical professionals, pharmacists, parents of children with cancer, and survivors of childhood cancer. Dr Kamalina Coopasamy, a paediatric oncologist, said: “We want to bring some positivity, hope and relief to children who are fighting the illness. We also want to educate the community on the early warning signs of childhood cancer to prevent late diagnosis.” She said the international awareness symbol for childhood cancer was a gold ribbon. “Gold is a precious metal. Similarly, gold symbolises the resilience, courage and strength of our precious childhood cancer heroes.” According to research by Coopasamy, more than 300 000 children…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za A banana and a bottle of water. That is all a businessman was given by kidnappers who held him for three days. The 31-year-old man arrived in South Africa nine years ago from the Indian state of Gujarat. He opened a cellphone repair shop in the Durban CBD. His family, including a 3-month-old baby, live in India. His brother, a business partner, is his only relative in South Africa. Last Thursday evening, the man, who asked not to be identified, closed his shop and was going to his car when four men surrounded him in the parking lot. They claimed they wanted to borrow a wheel spanner. When he tried to fight them off, they stabbed him in his right shoulder. He was also hit on the…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za Nadarajen “Nat” Murugan, 77, and his wife, Neela, 67, believe they were destined to be with each other despite their marriage being arranged. The Wyebank couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on August 22. Murugan said Neela was his maternal uncle’s granddaughter. “In the early days, it was common for one to marry into the family. I knew Neela because we were both born and raised in the same area (Wyebank). So when my parents decided it was time for me to marry, they chose her. I was happy because we got along well. She is still beautiful,” said Murugan. He said in 1969, his dad approached Neela’s family who agreed to the union. Murugan, who worked as an accountant at a cold drink bottling company…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za AMMERLEEN Naidoo and Zodwa Nobela’s paths crossed in 2012 at a supermarket franchise at the Gateway Theatre of Shopping. “I started working as a butchery assistant and that’s when I met Zodwa,” said Naidoo, 29, of Phoenix. “I was still a newbie when I met her. She was a general worker. Zodwa showed me around and ensured I was comfortable. She became my go-to person whenever I needed help. I trusted her because she was a straight talker and honest.” Naidoo, a mother of two, said their friendship grew because they spent most of their time together during and after work. “We ate our lunch together and walked to the taxi rank. We spent a lot of time talking about our families, life, religion and beliefs. Zodwa…

Nokuthula Mabuza nokuthula.mabuza@inl.co.za IN 2011, Daniel Alick and Ncinci Joy Bhodoza met while attending an acting class at the Tongaat Library. Today, they are best friends and colleagues at a health and learning centre. Alick, 22, and Bhodoza, 25, both from Tongaat, said their friendship was instant. “We greeted each other and never stopped talking. It’s not every day that you meet people and they are easy to talk to. We sat next to each other almost every day of the acting classes,” said Alick. “The more time we spent together, the more we discovered that we liked the same things, including watching horror movies. Joy is caring and down-to-earth and so am I.” Alick opened the Alick Health and Learning Centre in 2017. It is a non-profit foundation aimed…

THE whirligig of time ushers in Heritage Day reminding us of its profound importance. According to the National Heritage Resources Act (1999), its purpose is to encourage communities to nurture and conserve their legacy so that it may be bequeathed to future generations. It is an opportunity for reflection, renewal, resolve and resurgence. The mother tongue is the soul of our heritage and the root of our culture. It defines our identity. Regardless of one’s ethnicity, everyone’s mother tongue is near and dear to him or her. It is like one’s own mother and should be treated as such. Our Indian mother tongues came from India with our indentured ancestors in 1860. Toiling tirelessly in slave-like conditions through torture and tears, sacrifice and struggle, they ploughed difficult furrows…

FILL UP, says a petrol station. Not only can you now refuel your car, you can also fill up your own belly. Yes, a garage in Johannesburg has been granted the first liquor licence to sell wine to thirsty motorists. Drink and drive happily on our roads. How convenient and thoughtful. Of course, from a business point of view it makes sense. Business is all about sales and profit. Everything else – health, safety and the environment – can go to hell. Drunk-driving is one of the major contributory factors for the carnage on our roads. This was seen clearly during the lockdown. When alcohol was banned, there was a sharp drop in trauma patients admitted to hospitals. But as soon as the ban was lifted, hospitals were flooded with…

NOVEMBER 1 is the date for the local government elections. The right to vote is a symbol of our equality and the source of our liberty. We should never forget what it took to win the right to vote and how important it is to the workings of a free and democratic society. We have an obligation to safeguard – for ourselves and our posterity – the blessings of our Struggle heroes who fought to achieve democracy. And the most fundamental obligation is the responsibility of every eligible citizen to vote. We have witnessed first-hand how fragile our democracy has become – under assault from all factions – and how much effort is required to safeguard it. No matter what you believe or whom you support, it is your…

FORMER England captain David Beckham’s son Romeo has begun to follow in his father’s footsteps, with the 19-year-old making his professional soccer debut for Inter Miami’s reserve team over the weekend. Romeo, one of Beckham's five children with wife and fashion designer Victoria, played for American third-tier club Fort Lauderdale in their 2-2 draw with South Georgia Tormenta on Sunday. Fort Lauderdale is the reserve team of Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer club co-owned by Beckham. “Blessed to have made my pro debut,” Romeo said in a post on Instagram with a photo of himself in the No 11 jersey. ”Full focus on to the next match.“ The teenaged midfielder played alongside the talented Harvey Neville, the son of Inter Miami head coach Phil Neville. Neville and Beckham…

The Western Province Cricket Association announced last week that Hashim Amla would not be returning to South African domestic cricket. Despite retiring from international cricket in 2019, the Proteas legend continues to play professionally and starred for Surrey in the English County Championship earlier this month. One can’t hold this against Amla. Given that he is now 38 and only has a short time left in the game, he needs to make decisions which are beneficial to him. AmaZulu show resolve in CAF Champions League After losing their CAF Champions League first preliminary round against Malawian side Nyasa Big Bullets two weeks ago, Benni McCarthy’s AmaZulu showed tremendous fortitude to recover and hammer the Malawian giants 3-1 away from home last week. Usuthu have now advanced to the second…

Latoya Newman latoya.newman@inl.co.za WORLD Heart Day on September 29 will see the culmination of month-long efforts to raise awareness around cardiovascular health. September is Heart Awareness Month. This year, the Heart and Stroke Foundation South Africa (HSFSA) has driven education and awareness around cholesterol. According to the World Health Organization, cardiovascular disease (CVD) remained the world’s number one killer with 17.9 million deaths a year. The HSFSA said in South Africa, CVD caused one in six deaths, and that every day 225 South Africans died from heart disease and strokes. Professor Pamela Naidoo, the chief executive of the foundation, said with the Covid-19 pandemic, people with non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, were more vulnerable to severe infection. Added to this, she said raised total cholesterol was a cause of disease…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za A Toyota SA Motors employee has been suspended following threats and insults he allegedly made on social media. Khehla Leonard Mngwengwe made the comments on a live feed hosted by comedian Karou Charou on September 10. During a discussion on the violence that took place in Phoenix during July this year, Mngwengwe posted: “Wait until the army disappears and we will never forget nor forgive. We will make sure we triple by hundreds of what you did to innocent black people. You must know that you c****** will never rest.” Several people criticised the post, with some writing to Toyota South Africa where Mngwengwe works as a production team member. These included Dr Ash Naidoo, who wrote: “While the Toyota employee has made these utterances in his…

Nadia Khan nadia.khan@inl.co.za SINCE they met three years ago, Pranashen Pillay and Sinenhlanhla Mdlalose have been inseparable. They say it is because they have a lot in common. Pillay, 35, of Shallcross, met Mdlalose, 32, of Luganda in Pinetown, in 2018 when she was employed at a residential facility for the aged. They are social workers there. Pillay said Mdlalose’s first task was to participate in an activity that required them to sit with each other over three days. “We developed a close bond. Perhaps it was our sense of humour, good looks, and the fact that we had experienced similar circumstances in our personal lives that provided a shared common ground,” he said. “I remember during the first week of meeting, she protected me from bullying. She earned my…

Janine Moodley janine.moodley@inl.co.za AFTER meeting on social media four years ago, Ouvesha Rabinund Moodley and Alice Sibiya, both from the Bluff, have become best friends. Moodley, 33, who runs an advertising business, said Sibiya had messaged her on Facebook to help with donations for the Blind and Deaf Society. She described their friendship as crazy, loving and supportive. “I always say we are Freaky Friday. I’m more black than she is, and she is more Indian than I am. “We just vibe, and I love her company. If ever anyone has made me laugh in the past four years, it’s her. I would never want to lose a friend of her calibre. “The most special thing about us is our love for God. Our friendship is based on our love…

Jacob Tema MORE people were raped in South Africa between April 1 and June 30, 2021, than died during the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country. That excludes the more than 5 700 people who were killed during that time, with those deaths including the heartbreaking statistic that a woman is murdered every four hours in South Africa. My work with Rays of Hope, an Alexandra-based NGO that helps improve the livelihoods of people within the community, sets out to address the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) in the township. Based on what I’ve seen doing this work, I believe that anger is at the root of gender-based violence. It shatters families and traumatises the community, rather than political legacies. We’re not going to change the…

MIDDLE Eastern countries have some of the world’s most beautiful women and Afghanistan may not be different. But sadly, due to religious attire regulations, the world never gets to see this radiance. The implementation of Sharia law under Taliban rule in Afghanistan will see women suffer Kafkaesque degradation and humiliation. They have already separated the different sexes at universities. A women’s rights demonstration was also efficiently thwarted, and not one woman holds a senior post in the newly-formed interim government. The Taliban seeks international legitimacy but behind the verbal placebos and plastic smiles lurks the raw animal magnetism of terror. They have made it known in no uncertain terms they will govern according to Sharia law. They are a new force in the corridors of international politics and they have…

FROM September 17, the Tamil and Telugu-speaking communities began observing Purtassi, an annual festival on the south Indian calender until mid-October. Many devout people avoid non-vegetarian foods, alcohol and smoking. During the Covid period, we need to use this time for introspection as a community. We also need to be guarded against unscrupulous priests. I have witnessed many devotees fall at the feet of supposed religious teachers and leaders, especially during this period. Sadly, some of these individuals manipulate the masses for their own pecuniary benefit. It is important to remember a fundamental Hindu teaching that your blessing comes from your mother or elders first and it is simply not given due importance. Some of these religious leaders are failing our society as they do not share any morals, values…

ONCE again, Heritage Day is upon us. What does it mean to us as individuals? What does it mean to us as a nation or even as humankind on earth? When we think of heritage, we think of the financial wealth that our parents and elders leave for us at the time of their demise. But without disciplined usage, even that wealth could be depleted in no time, and instead of appreciation, all we may be left with could be regret and grief. But heritage could mean more than just wealth. It has a lot to do with the ethics and morals that our parents and elders have instilled within us, which could include respect, honesty, cleanliness, patience, forgiveness, absence of anger, and the value of true education. They know…

The Ryder Cup does not begin until Friday, but the gamesmanship was well under way at Whistling Straits on Monday as European captain Padraig Harrington and his US opposite number Steve Stricker put their poker faces on, refusing to tip their hands. Players will spend the next three days getting a feel for the rugged layout that hugs the Lake Michigan shore with practices providing an endless source of speculation over possible pairings until all is revealed by the two captains ahead of Friday’s opening session. “That’s your job in the media is to make a story out of it,” said Harrington. “I’m not going to say what it means or what it doesn’t mean (players practicing together). “I do have ideas about what should be happening in practice, but…