3 June 2020 by CXpress

3 June 2020

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Published hed every Wednesday by CXpress 2006 (Pty) Ltd - PO Box 1449, Plettenberg Bay 6600 - 6 Park Lane, Plettenberg Bay - Tel: 044 533 1004 - Fax: 044 533 0852 Email: editor@ editor@cxpress.co.za / advertising@cxpress.co.za Web page: www.cxpress.co.za Printed by Group Editors

Photo: Keegan Pierre Jordaan

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Braving the wave

Pro Pr P ro P ro Pl Plett let ett su s surfer urf urfer rfer rf er D Dylan yllan y nR Reddering edde edde ed deri ring ng rrides id ides de es sas surge urrge u ge o off g gi gigantic iga gant ntic tiic cp proportions ropo ropo ro port rtio ions s llast as a st w we week, ee ek k wh whe when en n climatic conditions coughed up an irresistible swell for those in the know on the wave-riding scene. Turn to page 3 to find out more about the surfing fraternity’s current quest to reclaim their unique sporting ground, as well as news on how Knysna is countering the incoming wave of Covid-19 infections with an eco-friendly feeding scheme.

Manage your lifestyle during C-19 p2

Readers’ lockdown musings

Handy tips for him and her

p6 & 7

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NEWS & VIEWS

3 June 2020

Guidelines on managing lifestyle diseases during exerted as your heart relaxes between beats. the coronavirus pandemic High blood pressure or hypertension is S the number of Covid-19 infections increases exponentially, Health minister Zweli Mkhize expressed concern about the huge risk group of South Africans suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity - in other words, comorbidities. ‘Comorbidity’ and ‘comorbid conditions’ are common medical terms referring to one or more diseases or conditions that occur along with another condition in the same person at the same time. “The concern,” said Mkhize, “is the fact that these are the most-common underlying medical conditions of those who have died of Covid-19 to date. “The most commonly associated comorbidities are hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. These risks are important to take into account because they are serious factors when it comes to the conduct of the Covid-19 infection.” Two years ago the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) and Medical Research Council described the problem of these non-communicable diseases as an ‘emerging epidemic’. Bonitas Medical Fund explains why you need to keep your finger on the pulse of wellness numbers. Weight and BMI Almost 70% of women and 40% of men are overweight or obese. Your Body Mass Indicator (BMI) calculator checks if you’re at a healthy weight. Calculate yours by dividing your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in metres (m), then dividing the answer by your height again to ascertain your BMI. • Underweight: less than 18.5 • Normal weight: 18.5-24.9 • Overweight: 25-29.9

• Obese: 30 or greater. Diabetes Over 4.6-million people in South Africa have diabetes - a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells and used for energy. The two main types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2, are different conditions but are both serious and need to be treated and managed properly. • Type 1 occurs when the pancreas stops producing insulin. It usually starts very quickly and in younger people. If you have Type 1 diabetes you need insulin injections to survive, as well as having a carefully balanced food intake and exercise programme. • Type 2 (formerly called adult-onset or noninsulin-dependent diabetes) occurs when the pancreas makes too little insulin or your body can’t use the insulin effectively. It usually develops in adulthood and is often caused by being overweight and not exercising. About 85-90% of all people with diabetes Type 2 are undiagnosed. This can result in serious damage to parts of the body and lead to blindness, heart attack/stroke, kidney failure, impotence and amputation, so it’s vital to be checked. The tests • Test 1: The Fasting blood-glucose test blood glucose is taken before you eat in the morning. Normal is 3.9-5.5 mmol/l, prediabetic or impaired glucose tolerance is 5.6-7 mmol/l, and diabetic is more than 7mmol/l. • Test 2: The HbA1c test - HbA1c levels determine your blood sugar control over time. Normal is less than 6%, prediabetic is 6-6.4%, and diabetic is 6.5% or more. Blood pressure More than one in three South African adults live with high blood pressure, i.e. the pressure in your arteries, which are the vessels that carry blood away from your heart. Blood pressure numbers mean the following: The first (or top) number is your systolic blood pressure, i.e. the highest level your blood pressure reaches when your heart beats. The bottom figure is your diastolic blood pressure, i.e. the lowest pressure

when the pressure stays elevated over time. Hypertension is often known as the silent killer, since nearly 33% of people who have it, don’t know it. The only way to find out is having your blood pressure measured. The blood range: Normal is 120/80 to 129/84, upper end of normal is 130/85 to 139/89, mild hypertension is 140/90 to 159/99, moderate hypertension is 160/100 to 179/109, and severe hypertension is more than 180/110. If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your arteries and heart and, if left untreated, hypertension can cause kidney failure, eye problems, heart disease and stroke. Says Principal Officer of Bonitas Lee Callakoppen: “When you consider the number of people in SA with hypertension, and that a South African has a heart attack every eight minutes, it makes sense to have your blood pressure taken regularly either at a local pharmacy or clinic, or when you visit your GP.” He urges all South Africans to be proactive and take control of their health by getting an annual wellness test done. “Knowing your numbers will help you to better manage your health, and ensure that your lifestyle diseases are under control, especially during these difficult times.” Bonitas has created a Covid-19 Hub on its website to help keep South Africans updated on the pandemic. In addition, the Fund has taken great strides to ensure that everyone receives the care and support they need during this time by home delivering hand sanitiser to highrisk members with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. The Fund has also established a Rapid Response Unit within its call centre to offer advice and support to members concerned about contracting Covid-19. As an added bonus, the Fund’s virtual care initiative, available on the Bonitas mobile app, allows members and non-members to consult with a GP from their home. “The Covid-19 pandemic has placed the world in a vulnerable position. We are committed to acting in the best interests of our members at all times and are taking key measures to ensure they are supported during this time,” concludes Callakoppen. • See the advert on page 5 for contact details.

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NEWS & VIEWS

3 June 2020

CXPRESS

Surfers upset with ‘senseless’ lockdown regulations HE local surfing fraternity was up in arms last week as allegations of arrests by Bitou municipal law enforcers did the rounds on social media and by word of mouth. The first in a tryptic of video clips shot and distributed by one of the town’s quintessential surf toppies shows a youngster in the back of a municipal vehicle, marked ‘Bitou Public Libraries’, before being taken to Plett police station by law enforcement officers. But according to Plett SAPS spokesperson captain Marlene Pieterse, no official arrests had been made. Pieterse on Monday told CXPRESS that, notwithstanding the claims that two males - a boy and an adult had been rounded up after a surfing session, there was no record at the local station of

any arrests, detention, or fines issued in this regard. “This is not the jurisdiction of police members but rather that of Bitou Municipality’s law enforcement department. However, I have received confirmation from them that there had been no arrests, even though surfing is still prohibited under Level 3 regulations,” said Pieterse. Clashes between law enforcers and board-riders along the Cape coast started shortly after the hard lockdown was announced late March. Times Live reported that, on Sunday March 29, two men in their early 20s were arrested in Jeffrey’s Bay after surfing at the world-famous Supertubes. The two were transported to the local police station and fined R5,000 each, according to Kouga

Municipality spokesperson Laura-Leigh Randall. Another much-publicised incident on May 5 in Muizenberg, Cape Town, saw two men aged 65 and 52 arrested when they were part of a group of surfers wanting to hit the waves under lockdown conditions. They were released from custody and are scheduled to appear in court in August. Official Level 3 regulations do allow professional surfers back into the water, but the question of social surfing under lockdown is still up for debate. At a media briefing on May 30, Sports minister Nathi Methethwa made it clear that only professional sports people may resume training and that non-contact sports may hold matches. Recreational surfing, however, is regarded as a “complex” issue.

Carp help feed Knysna’s hungry NYSNA Municipality has found an innovative and practical solution

in addressing the ecological challenge of the Groenvlei Carp infestation, resulting

FISH TO COMPLEMENT DAILY BREAD: The whole carp supplementing food parcels distributed in Greater Knysna will boost the nutritional value of these alimentary donations - pictured are, at left, Gift of the Givers representative Mario Ferreira and Renwill Hardnick of Knysna Municipality

in valued assistance to the less fortunate. “During the latter part of 2019 we were made aware of overpopulation of carp in Sedgefield’s Groenvlei,” said Knysna acting municipal manager Dr Michele Gratz. Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae - a large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While consumed in many parts of the world, carp is generally considered as invasive species here and elsewhere in Africa. “With these carp outside their native range, they have few natural predators here, so there is nothing to keep their numbers in check,” said Dr Gratz.

Visit www. cxpress.co.za for backto-school news, the latest C-19 stats, and a three-yearssince-the-fire report.

Sports, Arts and Culture department director general Vusumusi Mkhize hinted that the matter was still up for discussion with surfing associations. “This issue of water and the virus has been one of the more complex discussions based on science. There is a version of this virus thriving in cold environments and therefore there is a risk, if they are a group swimming together. “On the other hand, surfing is in open water - those are the issues we need to discuss,” said Mkhize, adding that they would liaise with Surfing South Africa (SSA) in this regard. The SSA Facebook page echoes this sentiment: “Surfing SA is currently engaging with a number of sporting disciplines that we believe qualify and should be per-

mitted to take place under the provisions communicated by government under Lockdown Level 3. “This is being done to ensure that the motivating factors in favour of resuming these non-contact sports are communicated to the relevant authorities. We assure surfers that every effort is being made to enable recreational surfing to be restored as soon as possible as a first step to normalising the sport.” Perhaps those lawmakers should be privy to Plett surfer Dylan Reddering’s description of his session captured in our cover image: “It has been a truly epic swell the past few days, moving the sand at the point to resemble the super-bank of almost a decade ago. “As surfers, our passion has been criminalised,

which leaves us little option but to stand up and claim it back. It’s not just something we do; it’s our church where we go to pray. “Frankly, the beaches and ocean fulfil that role for most of Plett’s residents, so I hope our local government gives serious consideration to this fact for the well-being of their people.” • Visit www.cxpress.co.za for more images and Reddering’s first-hand account of the ‘wave that got away’. Regular readers will remember that in June 2015 this Plett native, then aged 23, was attacked by a threemetre great white shark at the very same Lookout Beach surfing spot. We will also keep you posted on a get-together planned for Plett surfers as soon as the current regulations are eased.

She added: “CapeNature, the custodians of Groenvlei, have issued a permit to four private individuals to harvest this nutrientrich fish, which will now be distributed by Gift of the Givers, using the Knysna Municipal Food Parcel Database to ensure fair and equitable distribution. “We are extremely grateful

that this charity organisation has recognised the nutritional value of the carp and are offering cold storage for the fresh fish, which they will be adding to the food parcels delivered to those in need within Greater Knysna. “Garden Route District Municipality health inspectors were consulted when finalising the cold chain

management process of the fish once caught.” To ensure the fish is safe for human consumption the water quality was tested and freshwater ecologist Ben de Waal did internal and external examinations of the fish. Finally, a microbiological examination was undertaken at Outeniqua Laboratory.

CXPRESS

INTERVAL

3 June 2020

You do the worrying RESH out of business school, a young man answered a vacancy advert for an accountant. During his appointment, he was being interviewed by a very nervous man who ran a small business that he had started himself. “I need someone with an accounting degree,” the man said. “But mainly, I’m looking for someone to do my worrying for me.” “Excuse me?” the accountant said. “I worry about a lot of

things,” the man said. “But I don’t want to have to worry about money. Your job will be to take all the money worries off my back.” “I see,” the accountant said. “And how much does the job pay?” “I’ll start you at eighty thousand.” “Eighty thousand dollars!” the accountant exclaimed. “How can such a small business afford a sum like that?” “That,” the owner replied, “is your first worry.”

Little Johnny knows it all ITTLE Johnny was riding the elevator of a tall office building with his mother and father. He tugged at his father’s coat and when his father bent over, little Johnny whispered in his ear. His father frowned and shook his head. Little Johnny tugged at his dad’s coat and whispered the same thing again. “No,” said his father. When little Johnny tugged his father’s coat

for the third time, his father lost his patience and said sharply: “I don’t care how Superman does it! We’re going up this way!” --Little Johnny was being shown the shape of the earth on a globe atlas by his mother. After pointing to all countries with unusual shapes, she asks: “Now Johnny, what shape is the world?” Johnny replies: “Daddy says it’s in terrible shape.”

Joe arrives at a costume party with a girl on his back. “I’m a turtle,” he says. “Who’s that on your back?” “That’s Michelle.”

Next order, please ENNY was working the car service window at a fast-food restaurant. “May I take your order?” she asked into the intercom. Replied a voice: “Hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, deluxe burger, small and large roast beef, turkey club, chicken sandwich, regular fries, large fries, apple pie,

chocolate shake, vanilla shake, strawberry shake, Coke, diet Coke, 7UP and orange soda.” The workers made up the large order and filled several bags. When the customer drove up to the window and was given his bill, he was stunned. “I haven’t ordered yet!” he said. “I was reading the menu to my little girl.”

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A R I NG D N L D E F O E E A N R A N T T A N T A I N E G V I R A L A H E D I OU S A N E D E N Y

T U T U S WE I E B E M I S T R A L I T O L DO Y E N T Y I Z H T A B L E MOU Y E U P R Y I NG F S B H A R E A S T E S R E O T A K E NO F F

ON THE SOAPBOX

3 June 2020

Letters to the Editor

Email: editor@cxpress.co.za

Is it fair to inflict pain on those who carried SA’s economy during their working years? I refer to the Reserve Bank’s continued cutting of the repo rate: while this may be good for some people, it’s not great news for everyone. The South African economy is in terrible shape mainly, but not completely, due to the coronavirus. Interest rates are falling and it is speculated that they will fall even further before the end of 2020. The stock market All Share index has had fluctuations of up to 20,000 points in the past few weeks; the Business Confi-

CXPRESS

dence index is at its lowest point in 35 years, and the country has been downgraded to junk status by international bankers. All this comes on top of nine ruinous years of ANC rule under Jacob Zuma, from which the country is still trying to recover. All in all, our country is far from being in good financial shape. Retirees who rely on cash investments and stock market returns to survive on are in a perilous position. With inflation at 6% a

year, such people are between a rock and a hard place and must be looking down the financial road with great trepidation for at least the next eight to 10 months. Is it correct that the Reserve Bank inflicts such pain on all those thousands of former employees who helped carry the country’s economy during their working years? Surely they deserve a better deal during these uncertain times. Kevin Meineke, Plett

CONSULT A GP FROM HOME WITH VIRTUAL CARE ON THE BONITAS APP Virtual Care is free* for all South Africans to consult a GP from home during the lockdown period.

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Isolation Another locked down day Wife locked down in a country far away How does it start? Coffee for one Not much fun Night much better TV ‘till late No endless soaps Plunging necklines Endless legs Not good for a man In solitary confinement Reading ‘till two a.m. Uninterrupted by shouts Put those @#$%$%^

lights out! Morning starts Wash the dishes Mop the floors How I’ve grown to love The swirling rumble Of the washing machine Ironing is another matter Spurts of steam like a dragon’s breath But them creases just remain… Uninterrupted by endless chatter Cooking, she’s another thing Snacking for me the

way to go Sadly leading to endless weight gain Wine is finished, whiskey’s gone TV news says another two months to go Cat still hasn’t learnt to speak Tired of listening to endless drivel Both from me and cabinet ministers Are we going to make it? Of course we will But at what price… Paul Deans, Plett

For more information on COVID-19, visit www.bonitas.co.za/home/covid. *Consultations are free for a limited time.

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CXPRESS

3 June 2020

HIS & HERS FEATURE

3 June 2020

CXPRESS

3 June 2020

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