Grit and courage get him there
HE HAD to beg and borrow and sometimes missed class if he could not raise the money needed for transport.
But, a year on, 22-year-old Siyabonga Memela beams with pride. He finally made it. He is now a qualified scuba diver.
Memela’s story is not simply about a young man pursuing his dreams – it’s more than that.
He is among KwaZuluNatal’s statistics of child-headed households – children, some as young as 9, forced to become breadwinners when parents have either died, mostly of HIV/Aids, or have become terminally ill and unable to care for them.
But Memela’s resilience to challenge his circumstances – and pursue a career in diving when he could barely swim – bears testimony to his ambition.
“We lost both our parents and my brother, sister and myself
Child-headed households in numbers
live alone. Life has been very difficult and when I failed my matric because I did not pass maths and science, I thought I would never be able to do much. I tried to make some money as a handyman, but I wanted something better in my life,” he said.
“When I heard the Sharks Board was offering training to become a professional diver I immediately applied, even though I had never dived before. I was told I had to do a oneyear course in boat building, repairs and maintenance before I could be selected for the diving course which is a Class 4 category (entry point for scuba diving up to 30m).
“I struggled and sometimes didn’t even have money for transport so had to stay at home, but I didn’t give up. I now am preparing to go to the next level to secure a job in the marine industry, as I need a Class 3,” he said.
A Class 3 qualification allows diving up to a depth of 30m with umbilical diving equipment, such as air pipes, attached. Divers can work in commercial diving and it also allows them to work on scientific research projects and in the marine diamond industry.
“The first time I dived, it felt like I was going to another world. It was an incredible thing to see and it opened my eyes to so much. I felt like I was outside of my body but underwater,” said Memela.
With a dire shortage
of skilled black professionals in the marine sector, Memela is poised to make waves.
The country’s marine transport and manufacturing sector is the first priority project being rolled out in the government’s Operation Phakisa initiative. With a potential GDP contribution of R177 billion by 2033, the government is sweetening the deal to ensure private sector stakeholders embrace partnerships to unlock the economic potential of the country’s oceans. It is, agrees leading marine firm Subtech, a recipe for success.
“With Subtech a homegrown company in the port of Durban, we recognise the need to be part of developing our marine sector. We support and are fully committed to job creation which is why we have agreed to partner in this training programme with the Sharks Board,” says the company’s chief operating officer, Gert Muller.
For Memela, this is just the start. “I am poor, so I know I have to work harder for a better life. I have many dreams. I want to travel to other countries. I want to motivate others. I want to go places.”
Nicolette Dirk
MORE than 2.2 million South Africans have Alzheimer’s, and many live with the stigma attached to the condition.
With September being World Alzheimer’s Month there is still a need to address the challenges the 44 million people living with dementia worldwide still have to face.
Alzheimer’s South Africa spokeswoman Debbie Beech said more than 2.2 million South Africans were living with the disease.
“In South Africa there is also still the stigma in rural areas that people with Alzheimer’s are ‘bewitched’ or are simply acting out,” said Beech.
She added that people exposed to stress or who had a family history of Alzheimer’s were predisposed to the disease.
But a lack of exercise, obesity and generally an unhealthy lifestyle could also increase the chance of getting Alzheimer’s.
“The brain is a muscle that needs to be exercised. This can be done through crossword puzzles, reading, exercise and stress reduction.
“This can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s,” said Beech.
Mood swings
Some symptoms include memory loss, difficulty naming objects, lack of hygiene and extreme mood swings.
Diagnosis of the disease was one of the main challenges, she said.
“Unless you are seen by a neurologist or psychologist it is difficult to diagnose.
“In the public health care sector, patients suffering from Alzheimer’s are also often misdiagnosed,” said Beech.
She said Risperidone – the common medication used to treat Alzheimer’s – was not very effective.
Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo’s spokeswoman Colleen Smart said Risperidone was used in state hospitals for diseases such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and psychosis.
“Risperidone is not indicated on the provincial formulary for Alzheimer’s or dementia. Medicines used in the state (hospitals) are approved by the South African regulatory body for medicines.
“The province has not received any reports or signals of harm connected with Risperidone,” she said.