A 90-year-old former teacher has become a bit of a celebrity for her daily walks on the Sea Point Promenade during the level 4 lockdown exercise period.

Each morning, walkers and joggers wave and smile as they pass Yamina Oliver. The former teacher dons a face shield and her trusty walker as she braves the Prom for her daily exercise.

“I taught for 50 years and I actually taught until 80,” Oliver told TimesLIVE. “I used to walk in the morning and in the evening. But now I only do it in the morning. I love teaching, and what is so nice about teaching is that everybody here, who I don’t know, knows me because I taught them – and others I taught their children and grandchildren.”

Yamina Oliver takes a walk on the Sea Point Promenade each morning (Source: Chad Nathan/@gingerwithagopro)

Oliver has been taking her daily walks since President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that South Africans will be allowed to exercise between the hours of 6am and 9am on a daily basis. There are strict rules that come with the exercise period, however. Fitness enthusiasts are still required to maintain social distancing measures when exercising, and must exercise within a five kilometre radius of their homes.

“I couldn’t breathe with the other thing that I put on my nose, so my physiotherapist recommended this [a face shield] and I love it,” Oliver said. “It’s beautiful and also when everybody walks past it’s a pleasure because I don’t walk so fast. I get a bit lonely if there is no jogger. The other day a cop stopped me and I thought he was going to take me away … and he asked where I stay and said he is going to come and fetch me every morning.”

“Everybody is so friendly. I don’t see so well and I forget their names. But I love it.”

Picture: Chad Nathan/@gingerwithagopro

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