Division of Rheumatology, UCT

Expertise Shaped
by Decades of Care

We are an internationally recognised academic rheumatology division — built on rigorous science, committed to our patients, and devoted to training the healthcare workers South Africa needs.

Our Mission

Where Academic Excellence Meets Practical Care

The Division of Rheumatology at the University of Cape Town is one of Africa's leading academic units dedicated to the study, teaching, and treatment of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). Anchored within one of the continent's foremost research universities, we operate at the intersection of world-class academic rigour and the realities of healthcare delivery across South Africa.

Our work spans three inseparable pillars: delivering comprehensive, holistic clinical care to patients with RMDs; training healthcare workers at every level — from medical students to experienced specialists; and conducting research that advances the understanding and management of these conditions in African and global contexts.

We believe that excellent rheumatological care should not be confined to tertiary hospitals. Through our educational resources, guidelines, and professional development programmes, we extend the reach of specialist expertise to frontline healthcare workers across the country.

"In Good Hands — because every patient deserves the confidence of knowing their care is grounded in evidence, experience, and genuine commitment."

Leadership

Head of Division

Portrait photograph of the Head of Division

Head of Division

Head of Division — Rheumatology, UCT & Groote Schuur Hospital

The Division of Rheumatology at UCT is led by an academic rheumatologist with extensive clinical expertise, a strong record of postgraduate supervision, and an active research programme in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Under their leadership, the division has grown its reach both locally and across the African continent, strengthening its position as a nationally significant academic centre.

With deep commitment to education and workforce development, the Head of Division has championed the division's mission to make evidence-based rheumatological knowledge accessible to frontline healthcare workers — from nursing staff in rural clinics to specialist registrars in academic hospitals.

The division's research agenda spans inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases, and the epidemiology of rheumatic conditions in South African populations — combining basic and translational science with clinical study. Active membership in leading international rheumatology societies keeps the division connected to global standards of practice and emerging evidence.

MB ChB · MMed (Medicine) UCT Department of Medicine NRF-Rated Researcher International Rheumatology Society Member Groote Schuur Hospital

Full academic profile, qualifications, and publication list will be published on this page shortly.

Our Team

The People Behind the Division

Our team brings together clinicians, researchers, and educators united by a shared commitment to advancing rheumatological care in South Africa and beyond. The division spans consultant rheumatologists, specialist registrars in training, clinical academics, allied health faculty, and research and administrative staff.

Consultant Rheumatologist

Clinical Staff — Groote Schuur Hospital

Specialist clinical expertise in inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases. Active in postgraduate teaching and patient-facing clinical work at Groote Schuur Hospital.

Registrar in Rheumatology

Postgraduate Specialist Training

In postgraduate specialist training within the division, contributing to both clinical service and supervised research under faculty mentorship.

Research Coordinator

Research & Academic Support

Supports the division's active clinical research portfolio, coordinating studies and liaising with national and international research partners.

Clinical Academic

Teaching & Clinical Service

Combines a clinical workload with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching responsibilities across the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Allied Health Faculty

Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation

Delivers specialist rheumatology teaching to physiotherapy students, bridging rehabilitation science with clinical rheumatology management.

Administrative Coordinator

Operations & Communications

The operational backbone of the division, coordinating appointments, resources, and communications between clinical and academic teams.

Full Team Profiles Coming Soon

Named profiles, photographs, and individual academic credentials for all division members are in preparation and will be published here shortly.

Credentials & Affiliations

Grounded in World-Class Academic Standards

Our credibility is built on our affiliation with the University of Cape Town, the rigour of our research, and our active engagement with the global rheumatology community.

University of Cape Town

The Division sits within UCT's Faculty of Health Sciences — consistently ranked among the top 100 universities globally and the highest-ranked African university in major international rankings.

Groote Schuur Hospital

Our clinical home is Groote Schuur Hospital — a leading academic teaching hospital with a long history of medical firsts and a commitment to advancing patient care in sub-Saharan Africa.

International Society Memberships

Division members hold active membership in leading international rheumatology organisations, maintaining connections to global standards of practice, research networks, and emerging evidence.

NRF-Rated Researchers

The division's research leadership includes National Research Foundation (NRF) rated academics — a recognised mark of active, original, and peer-reviewed scientific contribution to their field.

What Sets Us Apart

Academic Credibility. Practical Purpose.

There are many rheumatology services across South Africa. What distinguishes the UCT Division is the combination of internationally credible academic rigour with a genuine, sustained commitment to practical impact — reaching healthcare workers and patients far beyond our hospital walls.

UCT Affiliation — Internationally Recognised

Our connection to UCT brings the weight of a globally respected research university to every guideline, seminar, and resource we produce.

Teaching at Every Level of the Health System

From first-year medical students to experienced GPs seeking specialist guidance, our teaching spans all disciplines and career stages — a genuinely comprehensive educational reach.

Resources Built for Frontline Realities

Our guidelines and learning materials are designed with the South African healthcare context in mind — practical, evidence-based, and accessible to a nurse in a rural clinic as much as a specialist registrar.

A Bridge, Not an Ivory Tower

We occupy a deliberate position between high academic output and practical healthcare impact — ensuring that the advances made in our research and clinics translate meaningfully into improved care across South Africa.

Research & Teaching

Notable Outputs

The division's academic output reflects decades of sustained commitment to advancing rheumatological knowledge. Full research profile, publication list, and awards are being compiled for publication.

40+

Years of academic rheumatology at UCT, building one of the continent's most experienced specialist divisions

4

Healthcare disciplines served through teaching: medicine, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and nursing

SA & Beyond

Research and educational reach extending across South Africa and into the broader African and international academic community

Research Focus Areas

The division's current research spans inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus, and the epidemiology of rheumatic conditions in South African and African populations — addressing both clinical and basic science questions most relevant to the communities we serve.

Explore our research
Our History

A Division Built Over Decades

The Division of Rheumatology at UCT has a long history of academic and clinical excellence in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases. Established within UCT's Department of Medicine, the division has grown from a small specialist unit into a nationally significant academic centre that trains clinicians, conducts research, and sets standards for rheumatological care across South Africa.

Over the decades, the division has contributed meaningfully to South Africa's understanding of diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and other connective tissue conditions — in a population context that differs from many of the global studies on which clinical guidelines are based. This local grounding, combined with international academic networks, gives our work a relevance and credibility that serves both our patients and the broader healthcare system.

Today, the division continues to evolve — expanding its digital educational footprint, deepening its research collaborations, and renewing its commitment to making specialist knowledge available to every healthcare worker who needs it. A full historical profile and timeline of milestones is being compiled for publication.

You're in Good Hands.

Whether you're a healthcare worker seeking clinical resources, a patient looking for support, or a researcher interested in collaboration — we're here for you.

Resources for Healthcare Workers Information for Patients