You South Africa 01 Apr 2021

EVERY so often I check in with myself to think about all the things I’m grateful for. Always on my list is being able to work at YOU. What a privilege to be able to be a part of this mighty machine, where talented people produce world-class content to give you, our readers, your weekly fix. The people I work with are incredible and I wish you could see them in action. Everything you see on these pages is the result of hours of crafting, trying to ensure we live up to the standards you expect of us. We do everything in our power to make sure you get bang for your buck because we know just how precious that buck is, especially as we’re dealing with the effects of the Covid-19…

YOU GAVE ME A CHANCE! WRITERS are a fragile bunch. We find it hard to believe our friends and family when they tell us we’re talented, yet we cling to every criticism that’s thrown our way. Nothing boosts a writer’s spirit like words of encouragement or feedback from a stranger. That’s what happened to me when my short stories were published in YOU magazine in the 25 June and 3 December 2020 issues. I was filled with joy and disbelief that my stories were published in a nationally recognised and reputable magazine. I used that inspiration and momentum to face my biggest fear: writing and publishing my own book. Fast forward a few months later and this young man from the rural outskirts with big dreams has successfully published his first collection of…

In response to Beg whose pet hate is tattooed bodies (YOU Say, 18 March): I couldn’t agree more. My other pet hate is mothers who pierce their little girls’ ears at an early age. Who gives them the right to do that? Why don’t they leave it until the child is 18 and can make up her own mind if she wants to have pierced ears or not? P BALDWIN, SMS My pet hate is people who don’t mind their own business. KEEP IT PRIVATE, SMS To Joy who’s asking for more TV shows to comply with Covid stories (YOU Say, 18 March): no thanks! I don’t want any more shoved down my throat. I watch TV to relax. If people don’t know about protocols by now, they never will. D COATES, SMS I hope that…

I wonder how Prince Harry can square his wife’s constant moaning with the family who lovingly supported him all his life? I feel particularly sorry for the queen who, if reports are to be believed, has done everything in her power to try to keep Harry in the fold (YOU, 25 March). She doesn’t deserve the public whipping her grandson and his wife have subjected her family to in recent weeks. The royal family can rightly fear that every future contact with the Sussexes will lead to more moaning from the famous whingers. How sad it’s all come to this. MAGDA, EMAIL Many people hailed what they saw as the bravery of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in talking about her mental health issues in the interview with Oprah. They appeared to see nothing…

PERFECTION. That’s how Gayle King described Oprah Winfrey after her jaw-dropping interview with Prince Harry and Meghan. Gayle may be a bit biased, of course – the TV personality is Oprah’s bestie after all. But she isn’t the only person to feel this way. The general consensus after the two-hour tell-all is that yes, it was pretty much perfection from start to finish. The queen of talk served up everything viewers expected and more – much more. It was impossible to tear your eyes away from the 67-year-old TV veteran as she wooed her royal guests into opening up on every topic from race to trauma and their joyful baby news. It was a reminder that, while streaming services may have killed the old-school TV many of us grew up with, nothing pulls…

SHE has spent most of her career caring for people on the cusp of death and knows how important it is for them to die with dignity. As a palliative care physician, Dr Sue Walter has long been fighting for her patients to have the right to end their lives. But when she was diagnosed with a terminal illness herself, she took things to the next level: all the way to the high court in Johannesburg. Sue (47) is fighting for terminally ill patients such as herself to have a choice to end their suffering either through physician-assisted suicide (PAS) or euthanasia. PAS is when a doctor gives you the prescription for medication to administer yourself, whereas euthanasia is when a doctor administers the lethal dose. “I want to change the law, not just…