Pretoria News Weekend Saturday, February 13, 2021

PAIR WANT TO DIE WITH DIGNITY A RIGHT TO EASY DEATH ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE CONTROVERSIAL issue of physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia for terminally ill patients will once again come under the spotlight later this month in court. This time around, a doctor as well as her patient will ask the court to develop the common law to allow for these processes. Suzanne Walter, 47, a palliative care specialist, and her 71-year-old patient, Diethelm Harck, both from Johannesburg, will turn to the high court in Johannesburg for an order directing the government to enact legislation which would allow for physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. In papers issued at court, it is stated that both Walter and Harck had been diagnosed with terminal diseases and that they wished to end their lives…

LAST CASE HEARD IN 2015 THE issue of assisted suicide previously came before court in 2015, when lawyer Robert Stransham-Ford asked the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to order a doctor to give him a lethal dose as he was terminally ill. Judge Hans Fabricius at the time ruled in his favour, but his order became moot as Stransham-Ford died two hours before the judgment was delivered in his favour. The matter was taken on appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein as the HPCSA and other stakeholders feared that the judgment would set a precedent for other such cases. But as that case was brought on an individual basis, the court said it was moot and not a case where the issue of assisted suicide should…

ROMANCE Lots to do to mark this Valentine’s Day SAKHILE NDLAZI sakhile.ndlazi@inl.co.za THOBILE MATHONSI African News Agency (ANA) THOBILE MATHONSI African News Agency (ANA) DESPITE the pandemic, love will once again prevail when love-birds celebrate Valentine's Day tomorrow. Apart from for the masks, sanitisers and social distancing, few things remain constant about this day of love – deciding what to buy, and how to spend it with your significant other. Luckily the capital city has numerous events up its sleeve to give couples one less thing to worry about. Podcaster, producer and house DJ, Oscar Mbo as well as singer-songwriter Brian Temba will be performing at Blizz Lounge in the Pretoria CBD this Saturday. The duo will present a night of love for fans with music and dance to set…

PANDEMIC Ivermectin gives me a spring in my step, says gogo ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za ZELDA VENTER A RESIDENT of a Pretoria East old age home said she has a spring in her step these days – and she swears it is because of her once-a-week dose of ivermectin. Hendritta Magnus admitted that she had not spread the word around about her hefty bottle of this animal muti in her bathroom cupboard yet to her fellow residents at the retirement village. “Only one old man here knows, because he uses some no-name brand horse muti which he believes will combat Covid-19. The 88-year-old man simply shakes his head at me about my ivermectin, but it's just because he's unhappy that I would not try his remedy,” she said. Magnus,…

TERTIARY EDUCATION Unisa’s academic year opens JAMES MAHLOKWANE james.mahlokwane@inl.co.za THE FIRST woman to hold the position of principal and vice-chancellor of Unisa, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, yesterday declared the institution’s 2021 academic year open. Although the virtual ceremony initially had its fair share of technical difficulties that frustrated the audience, LenkaBula eventually delivered her first main address since becoming the head of the university. Notwithstanding challenges such as the opposing of the one-semester academic calendar, LenkaBula said she was looking forward to a productive and progressive 2021. LenkaBula said the Covid-19 pandemic had had a negative impact on students, who struggled to cope with the online learning and subsequently saw some drop out. It also took the lives of students and staff in universities. LenkaBula said: “Our university opening today takes…

CAUTION Covid-19 third wave warning from experts RAPULA MOATSHE rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za SCIENTISTS in Gauteng have warned of the possibility of a Covid-19 third wave – despite the imminent mass vaccination operation. This was revealed yesterday during a media briefing by the provincial coronavirus command team, which gave an update about the status of the pandemic. Professor Bruce Mellado, a provincial command council member, noted that the City of Tshwane was doing fairly well in terms of a decrease in infections. The city was officially below the medium risk compared to other districts in the province. While the province was on a downward trajectory in terms of infections, scientists warned of the possibility of a third surge. “What is the possibility of resurgence, given that the numbers are now going down, but…