Local Faculty

I am an early-career researcher with a growing portfolio in children’s heart disease, digital health, and artificial intelligence (AI). My primary focus is congenital heart disease (CHD), a common condition affecting 9 per 1,000 live births with major impacts on global morbidity and mortality.

My epidemiology background underpins my work. I am lead author of the PROTEA registry rationale, design, and results paper, and of a landscape analysis of paediatric and congenital heart disease
services in Africa. These studies highlight service delivery gaps and provide an evidence base for interventions to improve access and equity in paediatric cardiac care across Africa.

I have a strong and expanding interest in data science, with experience in statistical programming and database development. Looking ahead, my research is increasingly focused on the use of digital health and AI to advance diagnosis, care delivery, and health system performance. I am particularly interested in the application of AI to assist with echocardiogram image classification and congenital heart disease detection. These technologies hold great promise for decentralizing access to care, supporting frontline providers, and improving early diagnosis in low-resource settings. I am also leading the development of a federated paediatric cardiac imaging biobank and associated AI pipelines to support interdisciplinary research in CHD and rheumatic heart disease.

As AI becomes more embedded in global health research, I believe it is critical that LMIC countries are included, not only as beneficiaries, but as active contributors to training data, model development, and validation. Ensuring representation of LMIC populations is essential to avoid perpetuating historical biases and to build technologies that are relevant and impactful. My mission is to help build a health system that is data-driven, inclusive, and centred on the needs of children with heart disease in Africa and beyond.

Jameelah Bassardien Representing CAPSSA, A cardiovascular Radiographer with 11 years of paediactric Radiology imaging expertise.

Marguerite Blignaut is a principle investigator within the Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa (CARMA), Division of Medical Physiology at Stellenbosch University.

Her research focus on mitochondrial dysfunction in obesity and cardiovascular disease. She has a broad background in genetics (MSc Genetics, SU) and biochemistry with training in mitochondrial function, in vivo and ex vivo cardiovascular function analysis in animal models of obesity, and in vitro cell culture model development. During her PhD, for which she received the prestigious Harry Crossley bursary, she also visited the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to visit Rutherford Appleton Laboratories (RAL) in the UK for three months as a Newton-funded sandwich student, where she furthered her training in advanced microscopy and cell culture techniques. Dr Blignaut obtained her PhD in Medical Physiology from Stellenbosch University in 2019, and continued with a post-doctoral fellowship, for which she received the National Research Foundation Innovation Post-doctoral fellowship (2019-2020). She also returned to RAL as a visiting scientist during that time, and has since been employed as a researcher at Stellenbosch University.

She most recently led the second-ever research team from Africa on a month-long research visit to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Janelia research campus in the USA. Dr Blignaut is currently developing a novel 3-dimensional insulin-resistant cardiovascular models to study mitochondrial dysfunction. This exciting project, funded with an NRF Thuthuka award (2022-2025), and MRC Early Investigators programme (2025-2027), has contributed to collaborations with a wide range of scientists, including physicists and engineers.

She was awarded the Discovery Best Oral presentation award at SA Heart in 2022 and has been recognized as a next-generation researcher within CARMA. In 2024, she was was awarded the Excellence in Research and Innovation award in the Early Researcher Career category by Stellenbosch University.

Marguerite also serves on the South African Society for Cardiovascular Research (SASCAR) executive committee, a special interest group.

Associate Professor Dirk Blom (MBChB, MMed, FCP (SA), PhD) is the Head of Division of Lipidology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and heads the Lipid Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Dr Blom’s personal research interests include genetic disorders of lipoprotein metabolism with a particular emphasis on dysbetalipoproteinaemia and familial hypercholesterolaemia which is particularly common in South Africa. His unit has participated or is participating in multiple trials of novel agents for the management of heterozygous and homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia, familial chylomicronaemia and atherogenic dyslipidaemia. Other interests include familial chylomicronaemia syndrome, lipodystrophy, PPARgamma mutations and statin associated muscle symptoms.

Dr Blom is a member of multiple international societies and currently serves on the executive committee of the Lipid and Atherosclerosis Society of Southern Africa. He is the current President of the International Atherosclerosis Society.

George Comitis is a Paediatric Cardiologist based at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the Western Cape Paediatric Cardiology Service. He started his career training as an anaesthetist but then switched to Paediatrics qualifying in 2004.

He then spent two years working in Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London before returning to South Africa to train as a Paediatric Cardiologist under Prof John Lawrenson at Red Cross Children’s Hospital and Tygerberg Hospital, qualifying in 2010, after which he was appointed as a consultant in the same department. Since 2022, he has served as Vice-President of the SA Heart Association Western Cape Branch as well as on the SA Heart Association Education Committee. He is currently the Head of the Western Cape Paediatric Cardiology Service which is a cross-platform service between Red Cross Children’s Hospital / University of Cape Town and Tygerberg Hospital / Stellenbosch University.

He also serves as Director of Echocardiography as well as being part of the Cardiac Catheterization and Interventional team at Red Cross Children’s Hospital.

Dr Reyna Daya is a specialist physician and endocrinologist working in Gauteng. She is a senior clinician in the Department of Internal Medicine and the Head of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Helen Joseph Hospital, a tertiary academic hospital attached to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Dr Daya is the current chairperson of SEMDSA (Society of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa). She also does limited private practice as a specialist endocrinologist at the Sandton Medi-Clinic.

Dr Daya is well known regional and local speaker at CMEs. She is also an invited editor to multiple National Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Journals. In addition, Dr Daya sits on National Drug Advisory Boards for Diabetes and other endocrine disorders.

Dr Daya clinical and research interest is in diabetes and thyroid disorders. She is well published in the field of Diabetes and Endocrinology and holds a Masters in Medicine from University of the Witwatersrand. Dr Daya is currently working on multiple diabetes related studies as well as supervising Masters students and a number of publications.

Prof. Faadiel Essop is a professor and director of the Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa at Stellenbosch University’s medical school. He completed his undergraduate and doctoral studies at the University of Cape Town, and thereafter a BA (Hons) degree (Arabic Studies) at the University of the Western Cape. He was awarded the Chevening Fellowship (Leeds, UK) and was a Fulbright Fellow at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School.

Prof. Essop is an NRF-rated internationally acclaimed researcher and is investigating the effects of chronic stress on human health. He was a recipient of the university’s teaching excellence award (twice) and is a Teaching Advancement at University (TAU) fellow. Prof. Essop was former Presidents of the Physiology Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) and the African Association of Physiological Sciences, and previous chairperson of the Research Advisory Committee of the SA Heart and Stroke Foundation. He is currently an elected council member of the International Union of Physiological Sciences. He is also a Fellow of the American Physiological Society and was awarded the PSSA’s prestigious Lifetime Career Achievement Award for research excellence. Prof. Essop was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa in 2023 and was recently awarded the prestigious TAU Fellow award for his innovation in curriculum development, inter-disciplinary work, and holistic student training in the medical field.

Dr Ricardo Gonçalves completed his undergraduate and internal medicine training in Pretoria. He completed his cardiology training in Johannesburg. He has been in private practice since 2012 at Olivedale and Glynnwood Hospitals. He is passionate about preventative and therapeutic lifestyle modification including nutrition, exercise and sleep.

He also practices general cardiology and interventional cardiology. He has an enduring interest in research and medical education. He is currently a member of several professional bodies including SA Heart and the European Society of Cardiology and has several publications.

Dr Govender is a Cardiologist who did a fellowship in Electrophysiology in Vancouver, Canada.

Since her return to South Africa, she’s been in private practice in Johannesburg. She also does cases at Baragwanath Hospital.

Hello, my name is Nondumiso Memory Hadebe, a Paediatric Cardiac Technologist at Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH). I graduated from Durban University of Technology (DUT) with National Diploma in Clinical Technology specialising in Cardiology, 2012. I further obtained Bachelor of Technology (2013) and Master of Health Sciences Degree (2020) in Clinical Technology from DUT. I also have a Certificate in Enrolled Nurse (2009) from Church of Scotland Nursing Sub- campus and SickKids Advanced Paediatric Cardiology Programme from SickKids Children Hospital (2021).

My work integrated learning was completed at Groote Schuur Hospital. I have experience in both adults and paediatric cardiac technology. I have worked at Madadeni Provincial Hospital (01/11/2012- 28/02/2015) and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH; 01/03/2015- 30/09/2017) before joining NMCH on 01/10/2017.

My interest is in paediatric cardiology which started at CHBAH where I got exposure and currently have 8 years’ experience in paediatric cardiology. As part of B Tech Degree, we had research project module where I develop an interest in research which was enhanced by CBHAH paediatric cardiology journal clubs. Additionally, to my day-to-day work, I supervise cardiac technologist students including their research projects. I have participated as an external examiner for practical clinical technologist exams of cardiac technologist students at DUT.

Ever since I started my career, I learnt that the heart is an important yet small and complex organ in the body, however paediatric cardiology has taught me how complex it can be and that further enhances my love for paediatric cardiology and its research.

Full time consultant: Division of Paediatric Cardiology in the department of Paediatrics, Johannesburg
Hospital. 1989-1992.

Part time consultant: Division of Paediatric Cardiology in the department of Paediatrics, Johannesburg
Hospital. 1992 -1996.

Private practice: 1992 – present time (Sunninghill Clinic).

Areas of Interest:
Interventional and therapeutic cardiac catheterisations.
Ultrasound and foetal echocardiography.

Society Member:
South African Heart Association.
Paediatric cardiac society of South Africa.

Hobbies: Wildlife and bird photography. Golf

• Currently in private practice at Vincent Pallotti Hospital.
• Previously senior specialist and cardiology consultant at Groote Schuur Hospital.
• Previously director of Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory at Groote Schuur Hospital.
• Previous chairman of Private Practice Committee, South African Heart.
• Previous secretary of SASCI.
• Previous vice-president of SASCI.
• Faculty member of SA Heart, Africa PCR and Europe PCR on numerous occasions.
• Proctor in South Africa and Kenya for rotablator, CTO, complex PCI and TAVI.
• Organised 5 SASCI symposia for SA Heart meetings.
• Published 2 peer review articles.
• Published 2 book chapters.
• Editor of Heart Matters.
• Editorial Board Life Healthcare Publication.
• Innumerable presentations and abstracts at local and international meetings.
• Active participation in many international trials.
• Innumerable invited lectures.
• Examiner for College of Medicine Certificate in Cardiology and for UCT MMed theses and MD theses.
• Chairman of the M&M meeting for the past 11 years.

Past-President of the South African Heart Association SA Heart® 2018 – 2020

• Clinical Cardiologist, Netcare Linksfield Clinic since 2000
• Graduated University of Witwatersrand MBBCh 1984
• Registrar internal Medicine, Charlotte Maxeke Hospital, University of Witwatersrand 1987- 1992
• Fellow of the College of Medicine of South Africa 1992
• Consultant Cardiologist, Charlotte Maxeke Hospital and University of Witwatersrand & 1992 2000
• Fellow of the American College of Cardiology (FACC) 2014
• Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) 2019
• I am excited about the future with a massive interest in disruptive technologies in medicine /
  cardiology – this was since I chaired the 2017 SA Heart® Congress – “fundamentals to
  innovation”
• Have since been invited to give many lectures re AI in healthcare / cardiovascular medicine
• Honorary life membership of SA Heart® in 2021
• Exercise fanatic – CrossFit
• “Obedient husband” – Father of two sons and one daughter; my big boys (29 and 27 years)

Charles Kyriakakis is an Interventional Cardiologist practicing at Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town.

His interests include complex coronary interventions, TAVI valve implants, and left atrial appendage occlusion.

He is actively involved in the work-up and management of patients who have suffered from a cardioembolic stroke, and he has a keen interest in both valvular heart disease and cardiomyopathy.

John Lawrenson is the former head of the paediatric cardiology service of the Western Cape Province. He is still actively involved in research and teaching at Red Cross Children’s and Tygerberg Hospitals

Dr Angélique Lewies (PhD Pharmaceutics, MSc Biochemistry) is a Senior Lecturer and Division Head of Tissue Engineering and Cell Biology within the Robert WM Frater Cardiovascular Research Centre, in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of the Free State (UFS). She leads the Advanced Cell Culture Systems (ACCS) research group at the Frater Centre, where she supervises multiple postgraduate students across Honours, MSc, MMedSc, and PhD levels.

Recognised as a Y2-rated researcher by the National Research Foundation (NRF) since 2024, Dr Lewies’ research is anchored in the development of advanced 3D in vitro models, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies, and tissue engineering platforms to address cardiovascular disease and drug safety challenges.

A major focus of her work is the mitigation of cardiotoxicity caused by approved chemotherapy drugs. Her team uses 3D cell-based systems, nanoparticle formulations, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to identify cardioprotective interventions while preserving anticancer efficacy. In parallel, they investigate the cardiotoxic and cardioprotective effects of phyto- and mycochemicals.

In the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, Dr Lewies’ group are working towards developing xenograft (non-human) tissues with reduced immunogenicity that support cell infiltration, remodelling, and regeneration, with translational potential in cardiac surgery. A current line of inquiry includes integrating recipient-derived iPSCs with decellularised scaffolds to create patient-specific grafts.

Dr Lewies is a member of the Executive Committee of the South African Society for Cardiovascular Research (SASCAR).

Dr Farouk Mamdoo graduated with an MBBCh from the University of Witwatersrand Medical School and obtained the FCP (SA) and Certificate in Cardiology (SA) and was awarded the Jock Gear Memorial Award and SA Heart Award for best oral congress presentation.

He underwent training in Interventional Cardiology at the Washington Hospital Centre,(USA), Advanced Echocardiography at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Centre,(USA), Cardiac Synchronisation Therapy at Santa Maria Della Misericordia Hospital, (Italy).

He was Director of the Transoesophageal Echocardiography Unit and began the 3D Echocardiography Service at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital publishing the TORCH Registry Data and various other publications/presentations in journals such as Circulation, the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging and the SA Heart Journal.

Dr Mamdoo is a Lecturer and Co-Ordinator for the Graduate Entry Medical Program in the Unit for Undergraduate Medical School Education, the Department of Physiology and the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand as well as an External Examiner.

He is a Director for The Cardiovascular Research and Training Unit in Johannesburg and the Structural Heart Centre at the Netcare Alberton Hospital with proctoring roles for a number of multinational companies for interventional procedures including complex interventional coronary revascularization, structural heart interventions e.g., TAVI, LAA Occlusion, balloon valvotomy, pacing, cardiac resynchronization therapy, 3D transoesophageal echocardiography and cardio-oncology imaging.

His interests include acute coronary syndromes, heart failure management and structural heart disease.

He was Congress Chair for the SA Heart Annual Congress for 2022 and 2023 and is on several advisory bodies for device and pharmaceutical companies.

He is the current President of the Johannesburg Branch of SA Heart.

Professor Pravin Manga was previously the academic head of Cardiology and the head of the Department of Internal Medicine at Wits. Currently, he holds a visiting professorship in the Department of Internal Medicine at Wits. He is the founder and Editor of the WITS Journal of Clinical Medicine and continues to teach and pursue research interests in the Division of Cardiology.

Dr Vijay Mammen is the Head of Paediatric Cardiology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto, Johannesburg. He is also a lecturer in the Department of Paediatrics and Child Health at Wits University.

He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate training at Wits University. He also completed his fellowship in Paediatric Cardiology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital. He has a keen interest in all aspects of Paediatric Cardiology, including interventional cardiology.

Dr. Musa Mayayise is a cardiologist at Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria, South Africa and has been practising as such since 2015.

Dr. Mayayise has a keen interest in preventive cardiology, with specific focus on, inter alia, hypertension; coronary artery and chronic diseases; arrhythmias; and sudden cardiac death.

He has an abiding love for sharing information and passing knowledge; has an extra ordinary ability to simplify complex cardiology concepts; and is a regular radio and TV guest on the subject of cardiology.

Dr. Mayayise holds a Certificate in Cardiology for Physicians from Colleges of Medicine of South Africa, completed a Fellow of College of Physicians FCP (SA) programme, has a Master of Medicine: Internal Medicine from Limpopo University, now known as Sefako Makgatho university, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Natal University.

Dr.Mayayise is an executive member of SA Heart® Tshwane Branch.

Dr McCutcheon grew up in Johannesburg and completed his BSc, MSc and MBBCh (in 2003) at the University of the Witwatersrand. He then completed his FCP(SA) (Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and the Wits Academic Hospital circuit) and cardiology (Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital) in Johannesburg in 2012. Dr McCutcheon worked as a consultant cardiologist in Johannesburg for 3 years while completing his PhD research before moving overseas for further training. In 2018, he completed a 2-year fellowship in interventional cardiology in Belgium (University Hospitals, Leuven (UZL)). After that, he was appointed as permanent staff/interventional cardiologist at UZL and assistant professor at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL) up until 2021. After a further 18 months of working in the NHS, he has settled in Windhoek, Namibia. His research interests include complex PCI, microvascular function, and HIV cardiology.

Prof Ruchika Meel is a general cardiologist and clinician scientist in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand. She has an interest in clinical cardiology and cardiovascular imaging. She has a passionate interest in research with to date 1 book publication, four book chapters and 49 research articles and over 60 congress presentations. She is currently involved in research projects related to aortic aneurysms and valvular heart disease.

She is a Fellow of European Society of Cardiology, European Association of Cardiovascular imaging and serves on various committees. She has received multiple awards for conference presentations and was the recipient of Carnegie doctoral and post-doctoral awards. She was awarded the prestigious TH Bothwell research prize in Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand school of clinical medicine annual awards ceremony. She has recently been appointed as the Editor-in-Chief of the South African Heart Association Journal.

Dr Martin Mpe is a private cardiologist at Raslouw Private Hospital in Pretoria and Netcare Pholoso Hospital in Polokwane, South Africa. He is also a session cardiologist and acting HOD of the Heart Unit at No. 1 Military Hospital in Thaba-Tshwane in Pretoria, where he assists in interventional cardiology and cardiac pacing, including cardiac resynchronisation therapy and ICD implants.

Academic and Professional Qualifications:

• MBChB Medunsa, Pretoria, South Africa
• M. Med (Internal Medicine), Medunsa, Pretoria, South Africa
• FCP – Colleges of Medicine of South Africa
• 2001 – Registration as a Cardiologist with the Health Professions Council of SA (HPCSA)

Membership of associations:

• President: South African Heart Association.
• Past President: Heart Failure Society of South Africa (HEFSSA).
• Past President: Southern African Hypertension Society (SAHS).
• Advisory Board Member of the SA Hypertension Society
• Past Chairman: Aero-Medical Committee (AMC) of the SA Civil Aviation Authority

Currently involved in teaching post graduate students in Internal Medicine and fellows in cardiology in clinical and interventonal cardiology. Liason for the heart team with cardiothoracic department. Past examiner of the College of Medicine of South Africa certificate in cardiology.

Interest in preventive cardiology and rheumatic heart disease. Currently working on maximising good clinical outcomes in resourse deprived communities.

• Clinical Head Division of Cardiology
• Chris Hani Baragwanath and the University of the Witwatersrand.
• Member of the Publication Committee of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR).
• Member of the Board of the Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty of the University of the Witwatersrand.
• Member of the Medical Advisory Committee of GEMS.
• Member of the Medical Advisory Committee of Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
• Member of the Abstract review committee of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).
• Member of the Abstract review Committee of the Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR).
• Site Principal Investigator (PI) for INVICTUS Trial, DETERMINE study, DECLARE study, PEGASUS-TIMI 54,
• CLARIFY study; and Sub PI for VICTORIA study, Emperor study, Dalheart study

Mpiko Ntsekhe is the Hellen and Morris Mauerberger Professor and Chair of Cardiology, at the University of Cape Town, and Head of The Cardiac Clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital. He is the current Vice President of the Pan African Society of Cardiology-South Region, past Vice President of the SA Heart Association and has held numerous leadership positions in organizations which seek to improve cardiovascular health access and care in South and sub-Saharan Africa. Ntsekhe has degrees from Brown (BA), Columbia (MD) and the University of Cape Town (MPhil & PhD) and completed his Internal Medicine and Cardiology specialty training at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. He is a well published, respected teacher-trainer, and clinician-researcher, with specific interests in the intersection between communicable and cardiovascular diseases in Africa, and leveraging clinical trials to build clinical and research capacity across
Africa while addressing the major causes of CVD related morbidity and mortality on the continent. For his contributions to cardiovascular medicine, Ntsekhe has received special recognition from the SA MRC, NRF, SA Academy of Sciences, UCT College of Fellows, and American College of Cardiology.

Professor Ntobeko Ntusi is the President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) effective 1 July 2024. He joins the SAMRC from the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital where he was the Chair and Head of the Department of Medicine.

He is a distinguished and highly respected figure in the medical community as a key global opinion leader. His lifelong passion for evidence-based healthcare, health systems research, noncommunicable disease multimorbidity, and universal health coverage has positioned him as a trailblazer in medical research.

Prof. Ntusi is committed to advancing medical research and innovation; and is passionate about
improving healthcare outcomes aligned with the SAMRC’s mandate to advance the nation’s health and quality of life. His leadership spans various national, regional, and international platforms, where he has played pivotal roles in shaping academic agendas, postgraduate medical education standards, and advancing key national strategic priorities. His commitment to mentoring young professionals and supervising postgraduate students underscores his passion for nurturing the next generation of medical leaders, instilling hope for the future of medical leadership.

Prof. Ntusi obtained a BSc(Hons) degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Haverford College, USA, and an MBChB degree from the University of Cape Town. He is a qualified physician and cardiologist, and holds numerous additional qualifications, including a DPhil in Cardiovascular Medicine from the University of Oxford, St. Cross College, and an MD in Cardiology from the University of Cape Town.

Through his research partnerships and collaborations, he has extensive experience with basic science, translational and clinical research. He has built strong links with colleagues in clinical medicine, immunology, molecular genetics, physics, biomedical engineering, and biomedical statistics; and he has shown capacity for performance in scientific investigational teams and is suited to being part of multi-disciplinary and multi-centre clinical studies.

Prof. Ntusi provides key scientific leadership globally through boards and scientific advisory committees of numerous organisations he serves on.

Prof Pecoraro is a cardiologist pursuing an academic career in South Africa.  My career objectives are to contribute to the accessibility of advanced health care for all people of South Africa, and to improve the outcome of patients through locally relevant research. My special interests include echocardiography, the management of acute coronary syndromes and infective endocarditis.

Professor Timothy Pennel is the Head of Division and Chris Barnard Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Cape Town. His area of expertise focuses on heart and lung failure and vascular graft tissue engineering. His laboratory research concentrates on the mechanism of vascular graft healing in high-porosity conduits, electrospun degradable polymers and decellularized xenografts. His vision is to re-establish University Hospitals as centres of excellence for quaternary based care whilst training emerging Cardiothoracic surgeons as clinicians and researchers.

Dr Phophi Raphulu is a Paediatric Cardiologist and lecturer based at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and University of the Witwatersrand. Her special interests are advanced echocardiography, foetal cardiology, paediatric cardiac interventions and research.

After completing her MBCHB undergraduate studies at the University of KwaZulu Natal in 2008, she did her internship and community service in the Gauteng and Limpopo provinces.

She obtained a Diploma in Child Health in 2011, when she was serving as a community service doctor in Paediatrics. Dr Raphulu went on to join the University of the Witwatersrand in 2013 where she did her Paediatric training and obtained a Masters degree with distinction.

She qualified as a specialist Paediatrician in 2017 and then went on to start her Paediatric Cardiology fellowship at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and University of Witwatersrand. She continues to work as a Paediatric Cardiologist at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital with the intention to expand her knowledge in Foetal Cardiology. She recently spent some time at the Foetal Heart Program in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to get some experience in Foetal echocardiography. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Raphulu enjoys research. Her latest publication was “Balloon Valvuloplasty for valvar pulmonary stenosis: a 34-year experience at a large tertiary-level hospital, Southern Africa’ which she presented at the 8th World Congress of Paediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery in Washington DC.

Dr Darshan Reddy is a cardiothoracic surgeon practicing at the Lenmed Ethekwini Hospital and Heart Centre in Durban. 

Dr Reddy completed his undergraduate medical degree at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and his cardiothoracic surgical training at the University of Kwazulu Natal (UKZN), completing both a Masters in Medicine and the Fellowship of the Colleges of Cardiothoracic Surgeons of South Africa. Dr Reddy spent a year as a visiting clinical lecturer in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery at the University of Michigan and has a special interest in the surgical treatment of paediatric and congenital heart disease.

Dr Reddy holds leadership positions in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the World Society of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery (WSPCHS), and the African Society of Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery (ASPCHS).  His interests include complex neonatal cardiac surgery and rheumatic mitral valve repair.

Suriah Salam is a registered nurse with 15 years Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory experience. Suriah has qualified with a Bachelor’s Degree in nursing from the University of Kwa Zulu Natal in 2007. Community service completed at Dundee Provincial Hospital in 2008. She has worked in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at National Guard King Abdul Aziz in Jeddah. Suriah is the current co Vice Chair of CAPSSA.

Hans Strijdom is a clinician-turned-academic, and currently Professor and Head of the Division of Medical Physiology and Deputy Director of the Centre for Cardio-metabolic Research in Africa at Stellenbosch University. In 2015 he was awarded funding via the ERAfrica programme (EU FP7) and became the project coordinator of the EndoAfrica study consortium that investigated vascular changes in people living with HIV (PLWH). For the past number of years, he has published extensively on the interaction between HIV and cardiometabolic changes in PLWH. He recently received grants from the NIH and NRF for a study that explores mitochondrial function in PLWH with cardiometabolic disease in South Africa and Kenya. Hans, a C2-rated scientist with the NRF, has published 66 peer-reviewed articles and presented over 80 papers at
national/international conferences, including 16 as an invited/keynote speaker. He has supervised 21 doctoral candidates, 22 Masters candidates and hosted 8 post-doctoral fellows.

Hans is a full-time lecturer in postgraduate and undergraduate human physiology for health sciences students. He has won several general performance (research, teaching and service) and undergraduate teaching awards, and received the Lifetime Career Award from the Physiological Society of Southern Africa in 2024.

Dr Dineo Tsabedze is the Head of the Nuclear Medicine Department at the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and the Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital. She is also the President of the Female Academic Fellowship Alumni Association, and a Clinician-Scientist with a PhD in Internal Medicine from the University of the Witwatersrand. As part of her PhD thesis, Dr Tsabedze trained machine learning algorithms to predict the risk of all-cause mortality in patients hospitalised with heart failure. Dr Tsabedze obtained her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Cape Town and has a Master’s degree in Nuclear Medicine, passed cum laude. Her dedication to research is underscored by a robust publication portfolio, with over 30 publications in international peer-review journals. Her remarkable contributions to cardiovascular research have been acknowledged with grants and awards
totalling over R5 million.

Wanda Tshabalala is a cardiologist at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic hospital. I have a special interest in General cardiology with a special interest in the critical care cardiology and electrophysiology.

Nqoba Tsabedze, an associate professor at the School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand, is deeply committed to cardiology.

He is the Academic and Clinical Head of the Division of Cardiology at the University of the Witwatersrand and the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital. He also serves as the Deputy Chairperson of the South African Heart Association Board and an Executive Board member of the South African Hypertension Society, demonstrating his active involvement in shaping the future of cardiology in South Africa.

As the President of the Heart Failure Society of South Africa (HEFSSA), he promotes African heart failure research and treatment. His admission as a fellow of the European Society of Cardiology in 2022 further validates his commitment. Nqoba’s passion for teaching and training undergraduate and postgraduate students is a testament to his dedication to the field.

Nico started his career at the department of cardiology at UFS. After doing a fellowship in Leuven, Belgium, he moved into private practice at Bloemfontein Mediclinic where he practiced for 12 years. He then  moved to Gqeberha where he practiced at Greenacres hospital.

He was recently appointed as head of cardiology at UFS and Universtas hospital.

Professor Richard van Zyl-Smit is a Professor of Pulmonology and consultant pulmonologist, and Deputy Head of the Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town South Africa. He is a principal researcher at the UCT lung Institute. Currently he serves as Chair of the American Thoracic Society International Health Committee and the immediate past-president of the South African Thoracic Society.

After qualifying as a pulmonologist in 2007, he completed his PhD investigating the effects of tobacco smoke and nicotine on human pulmonary defence mechanisms to tuberculosis infection. He was supported by an NIH Fogarty fellowship and additionally completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at UMDNJ. His major research interests are airways diseases specifically; asthma and COPD with a focus on tobacco, household air pollution, electronic cigarettes and their impact on pulmonary immune responses (to pneumococcal and mycobacterial infection) and the development of COPD, particularly in low-income settings.

He has over 120 peer review publications spanning smoking cessation, vaping, tobacco smoking and infections, TB and critical care to asthma and COPD. He is a frequent speaker at both local and international meetings and educational events. He is a international Global GINA Asthma ambassador and serves as the South African representative on the international GOLD COPD committee.

He is passionate about writing and mental health, having authored two books on mental health and sustainability in academia and medicine. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic he wrote weakly reflections on life through the lens of COVID-19 and ICU later published as ‘thoughts on a Saturday morning’. His first book a personal reflection on burnout, academic pursuits and mental health.

Dr. Charle Viljoen is a Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at Netcare Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital in Cape Town. He has a strong academic and clinical background.

He graduated MBChB with distinction from the University of Pretoria, achieving the highest marks in his final year, and completed a Master’s degree in Internal Medicine as well as a PhD at the University of Cape Town. He trained in Cardiology at Groote Schuur Hospital, followed by further subspecialist training in Cardiac Electrophysiology.

He received the International Resident Leadership Award from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in 2018 and was selected for the World Heart Federation Emerging Leaders Programme in 2019. He holds EHRA certification in Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices and became a Fellow of the European Society of Cardiology (FESC) in 2023.

His clinical interests include arrhythmias, device therapy, and heart failure, with a particular focus on conduction system pacing (CSP). With a strong commitment to medical education, he developed the ECG APPtitude mobile app, which has been downloaded over 30,000 times globally.

Dr Viljoen serves on the executive committee of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Society of Southern Africa (CASSA) and has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications, including in European Heart Journal (EHJ) and Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC).

Dr Annemarie Wentzel is a senior lecturer and researcher at the Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), NWU. Her research focus is Stress Physiology with specializations in neuro-cardiology, neuro-endocrinology, and cardiometabolic stress-reactivity. She aims to address the molecular, physiological and clinical implications of acute stress responses and sustained stress, to identify early pathways of intervention, in cardiometabolic diseases. Dr Wentzel has authored 28 research papers, 39 national-and international conference proceedings in leading physiology-and clinical journals, and she has received awards on her stress-focussed work from the American Heart Association 2023. She is the first author of defining papers identifying alternative etiologies of T2DM and was awarded the USA’s NIH Coleman-Innovation Award for her clinical-epidemiological research introducing a stress-based focus in T2DM. Annemarie and her team also identified cumulative stress as an independent cardiometabolic risk factor in young adults and continue to explore the psychophysiological and neuro-endocrinological-based mechanisms in stress, and stress control. She has been funded by the SA-NRF, SA-MRC, NIH, NIDDK, NIMHD (USA), and HSFSA. She is training 4-PhD, 10 MHSc-students, and have trained 5 NIH Post-Bac Fellows, and 3 visiting clinicians. She is the PI of the SweetHeart study, a clinical-epidemiological study assessing the genetic, molecular and physiological mechanisms of stress in T2DM, employing traditional and advanced analytics, including neural networks. Annemarie firmly believes that science is a team sport, and aims to translate these fundamental physiological insights into improved clinical interventions.

Professor Liesl Zühlke is Vice President of the South African Medical Research Council and a paediatric cardiologist at Red Cross Children’s Hospital and UCT. A global leader in rheumatic and congenital heart disease, her work spans clinical care, implementation science, genetics, and health systems strengthening. She is committed to advancing equity, empowering women in medicine, and shaping a resilient, inclusive research ecosystem across Africa.

She has over 250 publications, conference proceedings and book chapters, an her h-index of 60 , she has been cited over 88 000 times and was the 2018 recipient of the MRC/Dfid African Research Leader Award, the Winner of the NRF award for Social Impact in Research, the International Metrodora Award for Public Health and Research and the UCT Vice-Chancellors Alan Pfifer Award for research. She was recently inducted into the prestigious UCT College of Fellows, UCT’s highest academic honour, inducted in 2024 into the The World Academy of Scicence, a Member of the South African Academy of Sciences (MASSAf) and is NRF-B1 rated.