QnA: Dr Sindi Van Zyl

Dr Sindisiwe van Zyl is a medical doctor with a special interest in HIV medicine, women’s health and mental health issues. She uses social media to share health-related information. Dr Sindi loves radio and has a show on KayaFM, Sidebar with Sindi, which broadcasts Monday to Thursday 7pm – 8pm. In her spare time she tweets a lot and has started cooking a lot more, thanks to lockdown.

What is your current state of mind?
Covid-19 and lockdown have been quite draining for me on a mental health level. I’m very opti-mistic about life but I’m losing my fire now.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
My kindness. I am too kind and sometimes I get scammed.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Kindness. I am so blessed to be married to the kindest person I have ever met in my life.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
The work that I do on social media regarding HIV is my greatest achievement.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
I have been there. My Mom’s passing away broke me.

What is your most marked characteristic?
My bubbly character.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Living in an apartment in New York.

It doesn’t matter how ridiculous the dream is. Dream it!

Dr Sindi Van Zyl

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
I can’t stand people who are unkind.

Which living person do you most admire?
Sade — she is perfect.

Which phrase do you most overuse?
“OhmyGucci!” is a fave.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Medicine. I really love what I do. I knew from the age of four that I wanted to be a medical doctor.

When and where were you happiest?
September 2017 — Times Square, New York. I had finally visited my dream city. I stood there looking at the lights. I let go of a lot of emotional baggage in that moment. It was magical.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I’d love to be able to dance. Like proper dance!

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A dolphin. I love them so much.

What is your most treasured possession?
My LV bags.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Wow. I have never thought about this. I have no idea…

What is your greatest fear?
I have already crossed this bridge. I didn’t think that my Mom would die. I know our parents get old and eventually die but I didn’t think it would happen to me.

What do you consider the most over-rated virtue?
Not sure but I’ll tell you what I think is the most important one — forgiveness.

On what occasion do you lie?
I try not to lie.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would try and be more discerning of people and situations. I don’t always read people and situations well and I find myself in messes.

What is your favourite occupation?
TV news anchor. I am not leaving this planet before I become one. I have always admired them.

Who is your hero of fiction?
Spider-Man.

What is your greatest regret?
I love fashion. Camper had a store in Maponya Mall. There was a pair of shoes I was eyeing and I kept procrastinating the purchase. When I was ready to buy them, the store had shut down.

What is your motto?
“God hears the whispers of your heart,” — basically it doesn’t matter how ridic-ulous the dream is. Dream it!

How would you like to die?
In peace.