Monday, 17 August 2026

Dr Mpo Sandamela said obesity is a disease, not laziness: BMI above 30 counts as obese, weight-loss surgery can be the mainstay, and patients need lifelong diet, exercise and follow-up to avoid regaining weight.

Sandamela said stigma stops people seeking help, with obesity affecting employment, finance and healthcare treatment; he argued clinics, schools and workplaces should treat it as a health issue and stop discrimination.

Professor Olekan Ayo Yusuf said vaping and hubbly are driving a smoking rebound, with one in four South Africans smoking, one in 13 vaping, and one in five 13-17-year-olds vaping; the bill would tighten advertising and public smoking rules.

Professor Dirk Kotzé argued South African parties are increasingly speaking to narrow constituencies rather than the wider electorate, with low turnout, weak trust in institutions and identity politics reshaping local elections.

The Usindiso building fire case was delayed again while the state reopens parts of its case; the court is still dealing with discrepancies in victim identification after the 2023 blaze that killed 76 people.