Wits University Honors Pioneering Black Cardiologist

Wits University in South Africa conferred an honorary doctorate in medicine on 94-year-old Prof Kubedi Patrick Mokhobo, recognizing him as southern Africa’s first black cardiologist. Mokhobo began his schooling at age 10, working to support himself while excelling academically. He faced significant obstacles as a black student under apartheid, requiring permission to study at white universities, but persevered to become a medical pioneer.

Mokhobo not only broke barriers in South Africa, qualifying as a doctor in 1957 and becoming the first black registrar specializing in paediatrics and internal medicine, but also extended his expertise to Eswatini and Lesotho, helping to establish their medical institutions and journals. He later served as minister of health for Bophuthatswana, championing community-based healthcare.

In an acceptance speech delivered by his granddaughter, Mokhobo urged new graduates to use their skills to benefit both South Africa and the wider African continent. His autobiography, From Nowhere to Somewhere: An Uncharted Destiny, details his remarkable life.