Prof Salome Maswime

Professor Salome Maswime is the Head of Global Surgery Division at the University of Cape Town; Director of UCT’s World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Integrated Clinical Care; and has been recently designated as the incoming Head of School of Clinical Medicine by Wits University. She is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, a clinician scientist, a pioneer in Global Surgery education, and a Global Health expert. She previously served as the Interim CEO of the Health Systems Trust, and has served in several boards of national and international organisations. She is the Vice-Chairperson of the Medical and Dental Professions Board and Council Member of the Health Professions Council of South Africa.  She is the Chairperson of the South African, and the SADC Safe Surgical Care Technical Experts Working Group; the founding President of the South African Clinician Scientists Society; and a member of the United Nations Core Stillbirths Estimates Group.  Her qualifications include, an MBChB at UKZN, FCOG(SA), MMED and PhD in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Wits University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. Salome has worked in several hospitals as a Medical Doctor, Specialist and Clinician Scientist. She is a Member of the Academy of Scientist and a Y-rated Scientist with the National Research Foundation. She has received numerous awards for her contribution to science and to healthcare, including the trailblazer and young achiever award by the President of South Africa in 2017; Mail and Guardians 50 most powerful women in South Africa in 2020; the NSTF SA MRC Clinician Scientist award for pioneering Global Surgery in Africa; and the International Healthcare Practitioner award from Zenith Global Health in the UK in 2025.

Martene Esteves

Martene graduated as a clinical associate from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2013. She faced unemployment after graduating until meeting an orthopaedic surgeon who opened up a door for her in clinical research in two sub-specialty fields, paediatric orthopaedics and paediatric surgery, while assisting with clinical aspects within each department, at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto. She then moved into full-time work in private practice and has moved through several departments including colorectal surgery, urgent care and medical oncology until finding her place in interventional radiology.

Dr Trudie Smith

Dr Trudy Smith qualified MBBCh (Wits) FCOG (SA) and Sub Speciality in Gynaecology Oncology She is a Senior Lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand.  And works at the Wits Donald Gordon Medical centre. She has been involved in numerous Clinical Studies and Protocols as well as International and National Reviews. She is a former President of the South African Menopause Society and still a member of the committee. She has developed a course on emguidence on menopause.  She has been a Member of the Scientific Organising Committee for several Conferences: SASOG, SAMS, SASUOG and Continence Association of South Africa. She has been involved in the Supervision of GEMP III and IV student projects, Clinical Teaching, Postgraduate Teaching, Registrar Training, Supervision of RegistrarMMed projects and a External Examiner at Undergraduate Level and Postgraduate Examinations.  Lectures at Medical School and on Radio and Television. Is also involved in the cervical screening Community Outreach Project. Given numerous lectures locally and internationally.  Has over 18 Research Publications.  She runs an Academic outpatient colposcopy unit with her colleague Dr Judith Carter and has attended several courses with the British Colposcopy society and has spent time at Cardiff University hospital in 2023 in their colposcopy unit.

Dinah Malekutu

Prof. Bob Mash

Bob Mash is a Past President of the South African Academy of Family Physicians and the current President of the World Organization of Family Doctors, Africa Region. He is a Distinguished Professor at Stellenbosch University and Head of the Department of Family and Emergency Medicine. He is an established researcher in South Africa and Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Primary Health Care and Family Medicine.

Prof Lekan Ayo-Yusuf

Prof Shabir Moosa

Prof. Shabir Moosa (MMed, MBA, PhD) is a Specialist in the User and Service Provider Management Cluster of the NHI
Branch, National Department of Health, and Associate Professor at the University of Witwatersrand. Head of Clinical Unit for Family Medicine in Johannesburg Health District (2006–2025), he led the Chiawelo Community Practice—a model of Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) for NHI. He also coordinates the African Forum for Primary Health Care (AfroPHC).

Dr. James van Duuren

Dr. James van Duuren is a young medical doctor, Mandela-Rhodes Scholar and public health activist with an extensive background in advocacy for Primary Health Care (PHC), including the integration of Community Health Workers into the public sector and strengthening of health governance through Clinic Committee and Health Forums. He was involved in coordination of civil society responses during COVID as the Convenor of the Health Working Group of the C19 People’s Coalition. He serves as the Chairperson of the People’s Health Movement SA, a health and social justice organisation with branches in over 70 countries and is on the board of the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP). He is also the Head of Health Informatics at the Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI) in Umkhanyakude, KZN.

Dr Madeleine Muller

Dr Madeleine Muller is a Family Physician at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in Mdantsane and a senior lecturer at Walter Sisulu
University, and has a master’s in health professional education. She is enrolled in her PhD Predoctoral year in HPE.  Dr Muller is convenor for the CMSA Diploma in HIV Management, and she serves on the National CMSA/SACOMD committee, which is responsible for implementing workplacebased assessments in postgraduate medical education in SA.  Dr Muller is part of the CMSA/SAAFP team rolling out the Supervisor Workplace Assessment and Teaching Training (SWAT) for clinical supervisors in South Africa.  Dr Muller is on the steering committee for the South African Association of Health Educationalists Eastern Cape (SAAHE) Chapter and is an executive committee member of the Rural Doctors Association of Southern Africa (RUDASA), where she oversees the mentoring portfolio and manages the Rural Onboarding program. She serves on the executive board of the Professional Association of Transgender Health in South Africa (PATHSA) and is on the NDOH Key Population Steering Committee.  With a strong passion for inclusive clinical care, sexual and gender health, and medical education, Dr Muller is dedicated to curriculum development and fostering the growth of emotionally competent, patient-centred clinicians.

Nabeela Sujee

Dr Mareike Rabe

Mareike Rabe, MB.ChB, MMed (FamMed), FCFP, is a family physician with more than fifteen years of clinical experience in
primary care across the North West and Western Cape Provinces. She is an assistant editor of the South African Family Practice Journal and serves on its editorial board, contributing to the advancement of family medicine scholarship.  Her current practice focuses on oncology, where she manages patients undergoing diverse treatments, coordinates inpatient cancer care, and leads interdisciplinary teams, including social workers, dietitians, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists, in delivering comprehensive cancer-related interventions. Her work spans both active oncological treatment and palliative care, ensuring continuity and patient-centered support.  Mareike previously served as a clinical editor at the Knowledge Translation Unit, where she led a team of physician editors in developing and updating evidence-based clinical content for the Practical Approach to Care Kit (PACK) and Adult Primary Care (APC) programmes. This role strengthened her expertise in knowledge translation and clinical guideline development, bridging research and practice to improve healthcare delivery.

Dr Zanele Bosch

I am a health practitioner working in the space where clinical medicine, systems thinking, and everyday human experience
meet. My work is rooted in the belief that symptoms are rarely isolated events, but rather signals from a larger, interconnected system that includes biology, lifestyle, environment, and emotional wellbeing.  Over the years, I have become increasingly drawn to a more integrative approach to care — one that slows things down enough to listen properly, to patterns, and to the story behind the presentation. This has shaped the development of my work within the Philani Integrative Health Programme, where we focus on restoring balance and function rather than chasing symptoms in isolation.
At the RUDASA conference, I am honoured to share aspects of this journey and the evolving framework we are using in
practice. My intention is to contribute to a more grounded, collaborative way of thinking about health — one that holds
both science and humanity in the same room.  I remain committed to learning, refining, and staying curious about what truly supports healing in real people, in real lives

Dr Luvuyo Bayeni

A visionary force in South Africa’s health landscape and a trailblazer in strategic public service transformation. With over a
decade of leadership spanning from Clinical Management to Executive roles, earning a reputation as “Dr Fix-it”. Currently a Chief Director responsible for Human Resources for Health at National Department of Health, known for his commitment to innovation, resilience, and community-focused health solutions with emphasis on teamwork, communication and transparency.  Embracing his communication capabilities and in-depth understanding of Human Resources for Health, he is a parttime lecturer at University of Pretoria (UP) and guest lecturer for University of the Witwatersrand (WITS).  Health Workforce Stream Lead for the G20 Health Working Group. He continues to represent the Department and advocates for the HRH Strategy at various national and global platforms, including as Chairperson of Governance Committee of AU Health Workforce Task Team (HWTT) His contribution to Public Health Advocacy led him to host DR B Talks hosted on digital platforms (Facebook and YouTube) which empowers viewers with health and social topics. He also features as a guest on weekly (Wednesdays) radio slot Tru FM where he present health topics

Prof. Mergan Naidoo

Dr Elamin Mohamed

Dr. Elamin Mohamed MBBS, FCFP (SA), M.FAM.MED, MPH, (MBA). Family physician and public health practitioner.
He is currently a lecture at the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care – University of Witwatersrand. Was the former senior policy research analyst at the Council for Medical Schemes and director – non-communicable diseases, disability and
geriatric services at the South African National Department of Health. Healthcare Consultant to many local and international
organizations in the fields of health policy analysis, training and development and healthcare systems strengthening programs.

Dr Uvi Naidoo

Clinical specialist paediatrician with an interest in childhood tuberculosis and immunology. From my own personal health and clinical/laboratory experiences, it is unfortunate still in my lifetime that TB continues to be a trying disease to understand and contextualize globally through its high burden. Children remain a vulnerable population group. We possess limited yet evolving knowledge of their host responses to TB which sadly impacts infection/disease detection and management. My current work is translational and hopes to better understand immune responses of children afflicted by this dreaded scourge. Since 2011, I have focused the ensuing years to better understanding the TB basic science world and have gained experience at lab level within the vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutics space. This has been an invaluable asset as a clinician. October 2021 update: Following personal health experiences with DR-TB and severe COVID19 as a patient, I’ve become more aware of the stark gaps that exist between science and clinical work. I currently have a battle against Long COVID and have been unable to work for the past year. I am still optimistic! Come 2023, it’s my sincere hope to rejoin the battle against #EndingTB by 2030; empathising much more with those that suffer; and challenge the existing systems in place that continue to make TB so prevalent still.

Ass Prof. Elma de Vries

Elma de Vries, MBChB, MFamMed, FCFP(SA), PhD (Health Science Education) is a family physician who is passionate about the right to access healthcare for marginalised populations. Elma is the MBChB Programme Coordinator at the new medical school at Nelson Mandela University in Gqeberha, and enjoying the adventure of developing the MBChB programme with a dynamic team.  As a family physician in a joint appointment, research has been a small but significant part of my career. I have always focused on research that is relevant and can make a difference. Early in my career, my focus was on rural health. This focus shifted in later years to service delivery challenges in my context such as chronic disease care and antimicrobial stewardship. My interest in medical education and my passion for gender-affirming healthcare found expression in my PhD research, which is “How can the process of professional identity formation of a gender-affirming practitioner inform medical curriculum change?”

Celene Coleman

Celene Coleman is a researcher dedicated to advancing health equity in South Africa, with a strong focus on rural communities. She currently serves as Policy and Research Officer at the Rural Health Advocacy Project (RHAP), where
she leads strategic policy and advocacy initiatives that bridge academic research and grassroots realities.  Celene holds a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Johannesburg, where her research explored perceptions and experiences of menstruation among students.  Her academic interests span social justice, gender studies, rural health and the role of social media in shaping public discourse. She has co-authored several RHAP publications, policy briefs on health system strengthening, and articles in public health platforms. Passionate about linking research to real-world policy solutions, Celene brings energy, creativity and a collaborative spirit to the advocacy space. Her career is driven by a commitment to ensuring that rural voices are heard, health systems are strengthened, and equity remains at the centre of health reform in South Africa.

Dr Bavani Naicker

Vuyelwa Radebe

Vuyelwa Radebe is a qualified Biokineticist whose professional career began in clinical practice, where she gained extensive
experience in exercise rehabilitation, health promotion, and the management of chronic diseases through evidence-based
exercise interventions. She currently serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Lifestyle Medicine at Stellenbosch University, where she is involved in teaching, research, and community engagement initiatives focused on improving health and wellbeing through physical activity.  Her work is centred on understanding and promoting the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of noncommunicable diseases, improving quality of life, and addressing broader public health challenges. A key area of interest is increasing equitable access to physical activity and exercise services, particularly within underserved, rural, and resource-constrained communities. Through her academic, professional, and advocacy efforts, she strives to contribute to the development of sustainable, contextually relevant, and evidence-based strategies that support healthier and more active populations. Vuyelwa is actively involved in professional leadership and governance. She serves on the Board of the Biokinetics Association of South Africa (BASA), where she holds the Public Health portfolio, and is a member of the Executive Committee of Rural Rehab South Africa (RuReSa). Through these roles,
she contributes to advancing public health, rehabilitation, and physical activity opportunities across South Africa.

Dr Juli Switala

Juli Switala is a Paediatrician with a sub-speciality in Infectious Diseases, based in Cape Town South Africa. She is currently the Senior Technical Specialist: Paediatric HIV and TB at the Aurum Institute. In this role she has served as the technical lead for paediatric care on TB and HIV implementation projects in multiple countries, as well as diagnostic and treatment research roles.  She currently serves as a member of the TB Think Tank Child and Adolescent working group and was one of authors of the updated national Child and Adolescent TB Management guidelines as well as a Quick Reference Guide. She has worked in a variety of settings, provinces and low- and middle-income countries. provinces in South Africa including leading the paediatric unit of Brooklyn Chest Hospital, a TB centre of excellence in Cape Town. Her priorities are enabling decentralised high-quality prevention, diagnosis and treatment for DS-and DR-TB & HIV in children through practical support of willing but overwhelmed health workers and systems.

Dr Gail Ashford

Gail Ashford is a Specialist Family Physician in private practice, part of the Specialist Family Physicians in Private SFPP subsidiary of SAAFP. She has been in private practice since 2008 treating patients with chronic conditions (such as HIV, Diabetes, Hypertension, Obesity, Mental Health issues, Autoimmune conditions, chronic fatigue syndrome) and is actively involved in advocating for the discipline of Family Medicine in South Africa.  Part-Time Lecturer and Facilitator, Department of Family Medicine, Wits MedicalSchool. Podcast/Radio Talkshow: Hosted a regular monthly HIV chat on a mental health platform called Panda (now called October Health) in 2024.

Jana Retief

Dr Jenny Nash

Dr Jenny Nash is a Specialist Family physician with a Diploma in HIV management, who is working in the Amathole District Clinical Specialist Team (DCST). She worked at Mseleni hospital in rural northern KwaZulu Natal for 10 years, before moving to the Eastern Cape in 2008. She is passionate about providing integrated, quality health care to rural communities, mentoring and teaching health care workers. She has also been involved with analysing access rural communities have to surgical services, the skills needed for the “hub and spoke” district model to be effective, and how to address the gaps in clinical skills. In 2014 she was awarded the RuDASA Rural doctor of the year award, and in 2015 the SAMA Border Local hero award. In 2022 she was presented with a Certificate of Achievement by the District Manager for diligence in her work, and in 2023 received an award at the Provincial Batho Pele Awards for “Innovations: Rural health projects”.  

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Russel Rensburg

Russell Rensburg is a health activist working towards equitable health access to quality health care for rural and underserved communities and currently serves as an Executive Director for the Rural Health Advocacy Project and the TB Accountability Consortium. He has over 15 years’ experience working on strengthening health systems, with 8 of those spent managing technical assistance in Eastern and Southern Africa. He has a strong interest in strengthening the responsiveness of public finances towards equitable health access. He has served as a commissioner on the South Africa Lancet Commission for Quality Health Systems and the ministerial task team that developed the National Human Resources for Health Strategy. He currently serves as a community representative on the SA Nursing Council, co-chairs the SANAC CSF TB Technical Task Team and is a member of the ministerial advisory committee health benefits package

Prof Motlalepula Matsabisa

Prof Matsabisa is a Professor of Pharmacology. He is currently the Director of the Indigenous Knowledge Systems (Health) Lead Programme (IKS) within the Department of Pharmacology, School of Clinical Medicine, and Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State and director African Medicines Innovations and Technology Development (AMITD). Professor Matsabisa is the visiting Professor at the Busitema University in Uganda.  Prof Matsabisa is the co-chairperson of the Complementary Medicines Committee (CMC) of South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and a reviewer of Complimentary medicines product dossiers. He is currently a member and chairperson of an expert Working Group set up by SAHPRA & Government to advice on the establishment of a regulatory and registration framework for African Traditional Medicines proprietary commercial products. He is a member of the Presidential Cannabis and Hemp Development Masterplan. Prof Matsabisa is the Chairperson of the WHO Afro Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicines.  Professor Matsabisa is a member of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative medicine.

Dr Lionel de Gouveia

Dr Lionel is based in KZN, senior doctor at Nurture Ilembe – physical rehabilitation hospital located in Ballito (KZN). He has recently completed a Fellowship in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) and works in an acute rehabilitation facility. He also runs an IDT practice for home-based care and recovery. Awards include the Mail and Guardian – SA Top 200 Young in 2020, and the Fellowship Impact Wards – IRF Fellowship in 2026, and is currently a member of SASPRM/ISPRM, SASCA and SANRA SASIM and SAVIMS.

Dr Vincent Maphai

Dr Vincent Maphai has distinguished himself in careers in academia, private sector, and public service.  He graduated from UNISA with BA degree in 1975 and then proceeded to the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium, where he completed a Bachelor of Philosophy cum laude in 1976 and Master’s Degree in Philosophy magna cum laude in 1978. He earned a PhD degree from the University of Natal in 1991, completed an advanced management programme at Harvard University.  Over two decades, taught at various universities both locally and internationally. He was professor extraordinaire in the Department of Political Science at the University of South Africa (UNISA). Currently he is senior research fellow at the University of Johannesburg.  He held fellowships at Harvard University (1988), Princeton University (1989) and Stanford University (1995). In the private sector, he was the Corporate Affairs and Transformation Director at The South African Breweries Limited for 10 years, and Chair of BHP Billiton Ltd, South Africa for 5 years

Dr. Motlalepula Yvonne Mokgalagadi

Dr. Motlalepula Yvonne Mokgalagadi is currently a Technical Assistant: Primary Health Care, at the National Department of Health. She is a primarily a qualified Primary Health Care Clinical Nurse Practitioner and has more than 20 years of experience in District Health Services. She further holds a PhD: Nursing specialising in Health Systems Research, a Master of Life Skills & Counselling, Community Nursing Science, Bachelor of Arts specialising in Policy Studies, as well as Advanced University Diploma in Health Science Education and Health Service Management

Dr. Asafika Mbangata

Dr Asafika Mbangata is a Family Medicine Specialist currently working for a global pharmaceutical company.  She obtained her MBChB degree at Walter Sisulu University (2013), Obstetrics Diploma from the Colleges Medicine of South Africa (2017), HIV Diploma from the CMSA (2019), Fellowship of the Colleges of Family Medicine (2022) and MMed from the University of Pretoria (2024).  Her passion lies in empowering people from all walks of life through health education as she firmly holds the view that quality health care services should be standardised for all, and not a privilege for the elite.  Dr Mbangata was voted as one of the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans 2017 and Women Changing SA 2019. Recently she was nominated for the Young Achiever’s Award by the Clinix Group. Dr Mbangata is the current chairperson of Rural Doctors Association of South Africa (RuDASA) which advocates for better quality services in rural areas.

Dr. Sarah Day

Dr Sarah Day currently serves as the Research Director at in the University of Cape Town’s (UCT) Department of Family,
Community and Emergency Care (FaCE), having previously held research roles at UCT’s Cancer Research Initiative and
School of Public Health, the University of South Africa’s Institute for Social and Health Sciences, and the University of the Witwatersrand’s Psychology Department. Her work focuses on transdisciplinary research that addresses inequities in health systems. She has a particular interest in community engaged and participatory methods, and has worked across cancer care, palliative care, and violence and injury prevention, focusing on collaborating with community members, patients, healthcare workers, and community organisations to develop contextually relevant research approaches and interventions.

Dr. Simon le Roux

Dr Simon le Roux is Acting Head of the Division of Global Surgery at the University of Cape Town. His work focuses on improving access to safe surgery and anaesthesia through education, leadership, and health systems strengthening, particularly in underserved communities across Africa. He is passionate about developing future leaders and building partnerships that translate evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care.