Now the chef (we should never trust a thin chef, should we?) faces expulsion despite shedding 30kg since he moved to the city of Christchurch six years ago. While we sympathise and understand that Albert might have good reasons to want to live in the land of the All Blacks, our advice is to tell them to go to hell. Who really wants to live in country that discriminates on the basis weight? At least in SA you know you will be discriminated against because you are white, or coloured or Indian or are not a close friend or family member of a member of parliament or the president.
Buitenhuis and his wife, Marthie, moved from South Africa to Christchurch in 2007. At the time, the chef weighed a healthy 160kg. Until now his work visas had been renewed. But in May the couple was told their work visas had been declined because of Albert’s weight.
According to news reports the Kiwi immigration spokesman said Mr Buitenhuis’s application had been rejected because obesity put him at “significant risk” of complications including diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. “It is important that all migrants have an acceptable standard of health to minimise costs and demands on New Zealand’s health services,” he says.
