Germaine Dias

Germaine Dias saw an ambulance when he was 21-years-old, and it sparked a desire to make a difference in the world. Today, he’s the resident medic at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), and while many might only notice him in an emergency situation, Dias and his team are always in the background, ensuring the health and safety of all on campus.

Born and raised on the Cape Flats, it was when he was a young man, living in Strandfontein, Mitchells Plain, that he was mentored and introduced to the idea of a career as a paramedic.

Dias cut his teeth in the public sector before joining UWC as the resident medic. His only association with the University at that point was that his sister studied at UWC.

At first he started as a volunteer. Today he has a wealth of experience under his belt, including in very pressurised situations where life and death are on the line. At UWC, the demands are different from being a medic on the streets of Cape Town. Dias and his team on campus have a deep sense of purpose that is rooted in healthcare. He doesn’t hesitate when asked what the best part of his job is. 

“Helping students. Being able to assist and provide guidance, and you know as a seasoned medic and as an adult with teenage children, I can understand their difficulties,” he said.

Germaine Dias is passionate about keeping UWC students, staff, and guests safe and healthy.

He’s also on hand to assist staff and has, since his arrival at UWC in 2023, helped many who have come knocking on his door. 

“With staff, we understand that the demographic is different and staff are likely to have different issues than students,” said Dias.

At events like the UWC soccer tournaments, Dias and his team are there keeping a watchful eye. Making an impact at UWC brings him a different kind of adrenaline rush. He’s not racing down a Cape Town highway to get to an injured patient, and incidents of violent crime are now a distant memory for him. But he emphasises that his commitment to the students and staff doesn’t waver. “From our side, we’re always trying to improve our efficiency and our effectiveness so that we can actually reach the majority of the student population. A lot of what we do is also mitigation planning and being prepared for any scenario,” said Dias.

They are a small team of six, and Dias acknowledges that no one works in silos; they have to work together. Preventing and mitigating emergencies, but also responding to them, is all in a day’s work for him and the team. Dias said being a medic can be a thankless job, and he’s become accustomed to helping people with little to no acknowledgement. 

“If you say thank you or don't say thank you, it’s neither here nor there because I come from an environment where I treated people who were sometimes hostile, or hesitant to accept help, and at the end of the day, you do what you can to help.”

It’s comforting to know that Dias and his team are always on standby, on the sidelines of an event or at their offices on University Avenue, ready to assist.