South African politicians are in danger from an epidemic far worse than Covid-19. Just looking at them, I can see their lives are threatened. The Government’s own statistical service gives grim data on it. It causes far more deaths than cigarette smoking or alcohol. When I look at Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who justifies the ban on legal cigarettes on health grounds, I fear that her own health might threatened by this epidemic, which kills more people than lung cancer.
The epidemic is obesity.It is the worst health problem in South Africa, which has among the highest obesity levels on Earth. Obesity leads to a range of illnesses, leading to death and disability. Strangely enough, cigarette smoking seems to give some protection against Covid-19, while obesity makes it worse.
Whenever I see African National Congress (ANC) ministers in the flesh (of which they usually have lots), I am filled with concern. I have only seen photographs of Dr Dlamini-Zuma but these give me cause to be troubled about her health. I am so worried about her. If lockdown is justified against the relatively mild epidemic of Covid-19, then surely more draconian measures are justified against the obesity epidemic afflicting our ruling politicians.
If Dr Dlamini-Zuma feels that she can force personal choice on the public to protect their health, then surely we the public may suggest personal choices on ANC politicians to protect their health.
TB and diabetes
Statistics South Africa gives diabetes as the number one single cause of death for females in South Africa. (For males, TB is number one, diabetes number seven). Obesity is a leading cause of diabetes. Dr Tim Noakes describes diabetes as a plague ravaging South Africa, and he blames it on unhealthy eating, notably excessive consumption of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) gives a measure of a healthy ratio of height to weight. It is far from perfect but it gives an indication. To work out your BMI, take your weight in kilograms and divide it by the square of your height in metres. A healthy BMI is 18.5 to 24.9. Overweight is 25 to 29.9. Obese is over 30. (My own is just under 22.) Doctors tell us that even the ‘overweight’ category presents health dangers. I greatly fear that the BMI of Dr Dlamini-Zuma and other ministers is over 25.
The ANC, led by Dr Dlamini-Zuma, has banned legal cigarettes and alcohol for the duration of lockdown – and perhaps forever after it – to protect our health. (They don’t seem to care about the health effects of illegal cigarettes and alcohol.) My suggestion against the worse threat of obesity is this. All national and local politicians holding power should be legally required to have their BMI measured. The results must be made public. Any politician with a BMI of over 25 must relinquish office immediately, without pay, and should be forced to undergo a healthy regime of wholesome food and exercise until she or he achieves a BMI of below 25. Then, if a panel of medical experts approves, she or he should be allowed to resume political work – with six-monthly checks on his or her weight.
(The following paragraphs deal with the threats to children of obesity. In case any children are reading, I had better explain that ‘obese’ just means ‘fat’, which is a nicer word that everybody understands. I am going to use it now.)
Ban fat politicians from office
I wish to ban fat politicians from political office for their own good. But I am even more worried about their influence on impressionable children. Obesity is a pestilence among our youth, jeopardising their futures. Children are easily influenced by adult role models. When I was young (1950s), our heroes were cowboys. So when we saw Marlborough man, bronzed, rugged, handsome, sitting on a horse with six guns on his hips, smoking a cigarette, we thought, ‘We can also become tough cowboys if we smoke a lot of cigarettes.’
The heroes for most youth in South Africa are sportsmen, rock stars and politicians. They realise that politics is an easier route to money and power than the other two, which require talent. So when they see their political heroes, the ANC cabinet ministers, the children think, ‘We can also become rich politicians if we get fat like them.’
Dr Dlamini-Zuma’s ban on cigarettes and alcohol has already caused devastating economic harm and, if continued indefinitely, will cripple our tourism industry, wreck our wine industry, and cause massive unemployment. That is a price she is willing for everyone else to pay for her health concerns.
My ban on fat politicians would be complemented with a ban on all sugar products, all cakes, buns, chocolates, sweets and soft drinks, and the shutting down of all our sugar cane farms. This would also cause economic devastation and unemployment but no doubt it would be worth it to protect the health of the fat ones who lead our destiny.
The views of the writer are not necessarily the views of the Daily Friend or the IRR
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