Your right to protection against bait marketing

Suppliers are not permitted to mislead consumers in respect of pricing, the nature, properties, advantage or uses of goods or services advertised, if such goods or services are not actually available for purchase or procurement in accordance with these standards.

Suppliers are obliged to include limitations in respect of the availability of goods or services when advertising such items, and honour such agreements.

Your right to protection against negative option marketing

Suppliers are not permitted to promote any goods or services or automatically enter consumers into agreements for the supply of goods or services, i.e. if consumers receive unwanted or unsolicited goods or services, they are under no obligation to pay for these goods or services.

Your right to protection against direct marketing

Suppliers or services providers that directly market any goods or services to consumers must inform them of their right to cancel the agreements within the cooling-off period of five (5) business days.

Suppliers or services providers, which directly market any unsolicited goods or services to consumers, are not permitted to solicit payment for these items, subject to certain conditions.

Where are mammograms done?

Mammograms are done at Groote Schuur and Tygerberg Hospitals, says Dorothy Du Plooy, spokeswoman of Cansa. These hospitals have Breast Clinics where patients are seen after referrals from various health facilities. There are also a number of private institutes that offers mammograms.

A mammogram

What is a mammogram?

Mammograms are a screening service to confirm an abnormality of the breast. Women are advised to have a Mammogram after the age of 40 years or earlier if they are high risk.

How important is support from family or friends when someone has breast cancer?

The Breast Cancer Survivor/Patient needs her family and friends to be a support while undergoing treatment and afterwards. It is a very emotional journey.

Tip on supporting someone with breast cancer:

Be willing to listen, accompany her to her treatment and hospital visitations, understand that she is not always going to have the energy top get her through the day, allow her to grieve the loss of a breast, her hair, her active lifestyle. Cansa’s toll free number is 0800226622. Readers can get contact numbers, names for the nearest support group.

More information on www.cansa.org.za.

MELISSA NEL

“Gaan elke jaar vir ‘n mammogram, en onthou borskanker is nie ‘n doodsvonnis nie.”

Foto ter illustrasie

Só sê Annette Pekeur, ‘n voormalige verkoopsagent van Macassar wat verlede jaar op 3 Augustus ‘n knoppie op een van haar borste gevoel het. Op 1 November verlede jaar het sy ‘n dubbele masectomy ondergaan. “Ek wou net ontslae wees van die pyn,” vertel. Na die borskanker kon sy nie meer haar arms hoog oplig nie.

Pekeur is tans ‘n vrywillige werker vir Pink Drive aan Macassar daghospitaal. Die organisasie bied aan dienste vir gratis mammogramme.

Pekeur se lewe het drasties verander toe sy met borskanker gediagnoseer is: “My baas het my afgedank en ek is tans besig met ‘n saak teen hom te maak.” Daar was ook ‘n gebrek aan familie ondersteuning. “Ek het op die grond geslaap en ek het baie keer nie kos gekry by my suster -hulle nie. Ek kon toe nie my pille drink nie, want ek het nie geëet nie.”

Pekeur se dogtertjie het angstig geraak. “Sy wou nie hê ek moet my oe toemaak nie (as ek gaan rus). Sy was te bang ek gaan dood. Sy is alright nou.”

Nog ‘n groot pyn is haar familie wat niks met haar te doen he nie. Sy woon saam met die Williams-familie wat hulle oor haar ontferm het.

Pekeur voeg by hulle kort ondersteuningsgroepe in hul gemeenskap, want “nie almal is so sterk soos ek nie”.

Hoewel sy nog werkloos is, is sy steeds vol hoop. “Dit is nie seer nie (om vir ʼn mammogram te gaan nie). Jy moet net ontspan.”

With Guy Fawkes (5 November) being around the corner, the Animal Rescue Organisation is pleading with owners to keep their pets safe.

Please keep your pets safe this Guy Fawkes.

“With all the excitement and colourful displays across the sky, very often people forget that animals are not familiar with the Guy Fawkes festivities. Every year we are flooded with emails and owners looking for their pets who have gone missing as a result of Guy Fawkes celebrations,” said Karen De Klerk of the Animal Rescue Organisation.

Here are a few tips on how to keep your animals safe and comfortable during the festivities:

Never take your dogs to a fireworks display.

Keep your cats and dogs inside before fireworks are let off.

Prepare a den for your pet where it can feel safe and comfortable.

Encourage calm behaviour with your pet.

Draw all blinds, windows, doors and all open area’s in your house.

A bone or a chewable toy can be great for relieving stress for your pet.

If you have any concerns or suspect an act of cruelty is taking place call your local Metro police on 021 5961999 or contact the 24 hour SPCA Inspectorate on 083 326 1604.

(The above article was supplied by the Animal Rescue Organisation: 021 396 5511.)

MELISSA NEL

Stigma and prejudice is fuelled by a lack of knowledge and increasing public awareness about mental disabilities will reduce discrimination, says Gadija Koopman, Deputy Director of Cape Mental Health Society. 

Koopman says people with mental disabilities are often mistreated by their family, friends and the community. “People with mental illness are challenged by the stereotypes and prejudices about mental illness and have difficulty accessing employment and housing.”

A recent report done in Bonteheuwel by medical students of the University of Cape Town – Natalie Chong, Farai Mabunda, Leya Motala, Sameshan Pather and Tristan Rensburg – revealed 63% had positive attitudes towards those with mental illness. A total of 81% of the population believed that mental illness was attributed to stress; whilst genetics, drugs and social problems were beliefs about causation that were held by 77%, 75% and 70% respectively.

The report revealed the community are unable to identify the difference between mental illness and general illness, such as epilepsy, high blood pressure, cancer and HIV/ Aids. Many are unaware of the link between drug abuse and mental illness. “Drugs can have a negative effect on the nervous system, the mood disorder and psychosis,” the report read.

Another aspect of the project showed the community had limited knowledge concerning the Mental Health Care Act (MHCA) of 2002. The MHCA aims to provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to the mentally ill. Next of kin or a spouse or a parent of someone with a mental illness can request for involuntary admission granted if the person with the mental illness is unable to make an informed decision to get medical treatment. This person must have seen that person within seven days of the application made. The doctor will decide if the person is mentally ill or not.

For more information visit: www.capementalhealth.co.za.

MELISSA NEL

They are being taught to become gardeners and these learners of Blossom Street Primary have already stepped in to combat climate change together with their educators and the community. “There are more tornadoes, ice of the poles melting, and tsunamis… all because of climate change,” Michael Davids, principal of the school, said during a school assembly last week.

Learners ready to tackle climate change. PHOTO: MELISSA NEL

The school started a garden and recycling programme last month and is planning to enter a Schools Climate Change Challenge competition. Five teams at the school will adopt a certain issue regarding climate change, like waste management, biodiversity, and energy, Davids told the learners.

Melanie Jones of Waste to Wealth facilitates the gardening and the company she works for sponsors the resources. “If the worms are too dry, they will die,” she told the learners as they prepared the compos for the earth worm garden. The learners eagerly gave their hands for the worms to crawl on as demonstration of what it looks and feels like.

Ziyanda Mhlola, a gr.6-learner says some of them had to take the seed home to plant. “We had to mix the beach sand and soil, put the seed and water in. I changed the places of where the plant stood outside my house, because the sun didn’t always stay where it was.”

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) will be held in Durban later this year to discuss issues regarding climate change.

MIESHKA PAUL

Irritation, short temper, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping or sleeping more than usual, and saying things like ‘I am stupid’, are symptoms of depression matriculates often experience during their final examinations, says the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).

Try not to panic, say experts, stay positive during exams.

Cassey Chambers of SADAG warns suicides increases during matric exams and parents should therefore be on the look out for depression signs in order to seek professional help.

Several school principals gave tips on preventing exam stress: 

Mr. Williams of Heideveld High School said learners should prepare by working through old question papers and should speak to peers to understand their working material.

Study late before exams and not two nights before the time, advises Mr. Boughwan from Cathkin High School. “Stay focused and don’t stay away from class because you are stressed.”

Mr. Jacobs from Bridgetown High School encourages his students to make use of the school to study. Work out a study time table, and instead of coming to school two hours before the time, arrive is an half and hour before you write.  

“Stress kicks in when you discuss with your friends what you have studied.” He added learners need to enter the exam room with a positive mind. “Make the most of your time and do your best.”

SADAG’s toll free number: 0800 567 567.

Your right to sales records

Consumers have the right to demand confirmation of purchases made in the form of receipts or invoices.

Suppliers are required to include, via receipts or invoices the following:

Suppliers full contact information, business names and Value-Added Tax (VAT) registration numbers.

Name and description of goods;

Date/s on which the transaction/s took place;

Unit price of goods purchased;

Quantity of goods purchased;

Total price of transaction/s including any applicable taxes; and

Full contact information, business names and addresses.

Your right to disclosure by intermediaries

Intermediaries, such as brokers, sales representatives and estate agents, are required to disclosure their affiliations with the entities / persons they represent/

Your right to identification of deliveries, installers and others

Deliveries, installers and others are required to visibly display name badges or similar identification, to the satisfaction of consumers, when delivering or installing goods/ products.

Consumers have the right to demand identification from the deliverers, installers and others, prior to allowing delivery or installation of goods/products.  

Next month: Consumer Right No.5 – Right to fair and responsible Marketing

A protection order becomes valid only when the perpetrator receives a copy of the protection order. The victim does not personally deliver the Protection Order to the perpetrator.

The victim must take the protection order to the nearest sheriff of the court or the nearest police station where the perpetrator resides or works.

It is recommended that the victim elects the police to deliver the protection order as there is no cost involved.

94% reported that receiving the PO made them feel safe.

MELISSA NEL

“You are only disabled once your environment disables you,” said Ghalieb Essop of the National Youth Development Association (NYDA). He raised this as the Disability Workshop Development Enterprise’s (DWDE) Youth with Disabilities Career Fair will be hosted on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 18-19.

Most people with disabilities get training for jobs but have trouble being employed because of employers not being "knowledgeable".

The event is to focus on young people with disabilities and how they can engage with business service providers across the province.

Essop says that employers out there are willing to employ disabled people, but they are not knowledgeable to make the workplace accessible. “The necessary resources such as your equipment and the accessibility to public transport should be in place.”

According to him South Africa is one of the countries that support the equality  of disabled people best. “The way for it to benefit you is to know your rights.”

He feels there should be a monitoring body which would see to employers go the extra mile to employ people with disabilities. Essop added we have a Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities (Ms Lulama Xingwana) who is not even a person with disabilities. “Who would know the needs of a disabled person better than a person with disabilities?”

Karina Fischer, programme manager of DWDE, says there are often graduates who come back after their training to complain about not finding jobs. “It’s like immediately after employers see a person has a disability, they (the employer) puts the CV aside.” She added the career fair is to create a platform for employers to see people with disabilities have the capability to do a job.