Image Source: Activo Health
Local – Diabetes & NCDs Advocate Thapi Semenya highlights the urgent need for greater diabetes education in South Africa, particularly around diet, as new figures show the disease has become the leading cause of death in the country.
Semenya pushed back against the idea that poor management of diabetes stems from carelessness within communities. Instead, she pointed to a systemic gap in how information about the condition is communicated to the public, especially around culturally specific eating habits.
“I wouldn’t necessarily label it as carelessness, but I would say there’s a lack of education about diabetes within the media, within everything that we do.”
Managing Diet Without Losing Cultural Staples
Semenya addressed concerns that managing diabetes requires abandoning traditional South African staple foods. She stressed that living with the condition does not mean an overhaul of one’s entire way of eating, but rather a more measured, sustainable approach built around portion control.
“I think, for me, it was very manageable, and it’s also why I keep saying to people, do what works for you. It’s all about portion sizes, and you know obviously how much you take in of this food as well.”
Building the Right Healthcare Support Team
Semenya emphasised the importance of building a support structure around medical guidance for newly diagnosed patients, rather than attempting to navigate a diabetes diagnosis alone. She noted that patients are often overwhelmed with information immediately after diagnosis, making a trusted care team essential.
“I think it’s very important to open that conversation with your healthcare provider and then build a team out of that as well.”
Beyond individual diagnosis, Semenya warned that the problem is being compounded at a societal level, citing unhealthy school tuck shop offerings and wellness trends, such as sugar-laden matcha drinks, that market themselves as healthy while quietly driving up sugar intake among young people.
Going forward, she said her advocacy will centre on breaking diabetes education down into simple, relatable terms, arguing that awareness campaigns only succeed when the information they share is one people can actually understand and apply to their daily lives.
