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Why on earth is this alumni maga-zine called The Cathartic? Well,

this is the story, the telling of which owes much to Jannie Louw’s book “In the Shadow of Table Mountain”.

We go back to a September evening in 1921, when students of College and University Houses returned to their rooms after one of the sumptuous meals for which the university residences have always been, and continue to be, justly famed. On their beds lay the new maga-zine The Cathartic, Spasm 1.

The Editorial explained that the Uni-versity of Cape Town Quarterly was “lit-tle apt to accept articles which are scarcely in keeping with the dignity of a Universi-ty publication.” They further explained that they wished to publish material of a facetious and flippant nature. It is here that we first find the reference to “Ikey”, which was used by Stellenbosch stu-dents when referring to UCT ones. The diminutive of the Jewish name Isaac, it corresponded to “Maatie’, derived from the sister university student habit of call-ing each other “ou maat”.

Sleuths attempted to track down the anonymous editors of The Cathartic by following up an invitation for contribu-tions to be submitted to Room 11, Su-preme Court Chambers, Keerom Street. The address transpired to be a public toilet. The Editorial of the November edition advised its readers not to jump to conclusions about its editorship, but their cover was soon broken: they were the medical students RE Stevenson, FA

Donnolly, RF Lawrence and D Vollett. They were summoned to the Principal Sir John [“Jock”] Carruthers Beattie, and Stevenson related “Jock sent for one of us; said that he had read The Cathartic with pleasure and amusement; …..but that as it had descended to telling a joke which he had heard as a small boy of 11 years in preparatory school….there were to be no more Cathartics”.

We now proceed to June 1930, when the magazine reappeared

in a new guise Cathartic, Vol 1, No. 1. It was described as the official organ of the Students Medical Society, and its Editors were Dr Louis Bosman and Mr T Levitt. Its Editorial aims were lofty and pure, and the authors included many distin-guished members of staff: Professors Lancelot Hogben, WA Jolly, MR Dren-nan, Doctors Barnard Fuller, George Sacks and M Cole Rous. Number 2 fol-lowed in December 1930, and No. 3 in May 1931.

Alas, the May issue turned out to be a veritable bombshell. The article “Sex and Society” and some of the other con-tent was regarded as unforgivable. The matter was raised in a biting editorial in the lay press. Cathartic was successively condemned by the University Principal, the University Council, and the matter was raised in the House of Assembly. The magazine was regarded as scandal-ously indecent and offensive, and the editorial board were forced to resign.

A new journal appeared called

I’nyanga, with serious content and and contributions from both staff and stu-dents. One of the student editors was Marinus van den Ende, later to become Professor of microbiology. This was to sur-vive for nearly 50 years, and was replaced by Pulse. On the 15th May, 1952, once again a light veined journal appeared: Cathartic, Vol.1, Spasm 1. The lifetime of this resurrection was also short, and it, too, was once again banned for being of-fensive to the extremely delicate sensibili-ties of the Faculty authorities.

JP van Niekerk, the Dean, breathed life into it for the fourth time in Sep-tember 1994. Its purpose was now to be a magazine for alumni. JP stated in an Editorial [from which I have borrowed the title Why Cathartic?] “Medical grad-uates, especially at class reunions, have frequently expressed the feeling of lack of communication with their Faculty after leaving. We have therefore revived The Cathartic to remedy this deficien-cy.” The first Editorial Committee was: Ralph Kirsch [Chair], George Dall, Kaai de Kock, Maurice Kibel, Tim Noakes, Terry Murray, JP van Niekerk, Elizabeth van Rijssen and Brian Williams.

This fourth resurrection of Cathar-tic has lasted eleven years. We promise that we will remain pure and inoffen-sive. Well, we will try. And as JP wrote “A cathartic from time to time may be good for us.”

David DentDeputy Dean

UCT MediCal alUMni Magazine OCTOBeR 2005

Why “The CaTharTiC”?

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By Clare Jeffrey

UCT’s Institute of Infectious Dis-ease and Molecular Medicine

(IIDMM) was officially opened in March this year

Centrally positioned as a domi-nant architectural feature on the Health Sciences Campus, the IIDMM comprises a new central, cylindrical-shaped building which connects and incorporates the newly refurbished Wernher Beit North and South build-ings. The new Institute is home to more than 60 researchers who belong to various focussed research groups which are hard at work looking at solutions for some of Africa’s most urgent health problems, including HIV/AIDS and TB.

The IIDMM has attracted world-class researchers from all over the world and is already providing a sup-portive and nurturing environment for the next generation of African medical scientists. Its official opening was marked by a series of functions to honour the support of donors and all those who contributed to the project’s success.

The celebrations began with a Do-nor Acknowledgment Function held in the IIDMM’s state-of-the-art main lecture theatre. UCT Vice-Chancel-lor, Professor Njabulo S. Ndebele, thanked those who had contrib-uted to, and worked for, the Capi-tal Campaign that raised funds for the 7000m2 building. To mark their support, donors received elegantly framed photographs of the newly re-furbished 80-year old buildings with insets of images of the dramatic glass construction of the Wolfson Pavilion. Professor Ndebele made special men-tion of the outstanding contribution of the UCT-UK Trust and Dr Stuart Saunders, and said their efforts to-

ward the IIDMM campaign were ex-traordinary.

Professor Ndebele said the gifts that made the IIDMM possible came in different sizes related to resources and circumstances, but they were all very welcome and equally appreci-ated.

“They provide solid evidence of trust in UCT and in our scholars and students – they make a different kind of future for South Africa possible. The research and capacity develop-ment that will be done at the IIDMM will fully justify your confidence and support,” Professor Ndebele added.

The focus then moved to the Wolf-son Pavilion where a large gathering was addressed by the Dean of Health Sciences, Associate Prof Gonda Perez, the Director of the Wellcome Trust, Dr Mark Walport, and Prof Ndebele. The Wellcome Trust has provided major programme funding for several prominent scientists in the IIDMM – eight of the 11 Wellcome Trust Fel-lowships awarded in South Africa have been to IIDMM Members.

Professor Ndebele said the Insti-tute was designed to be a place where

iiDMM OPeNiNG CereMONy

“The Pavilion where we are

gathered is meant to be a concourse

of people and ideas”

The new IIDMM building

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the research work of mature scientists flourished and young scientists grew. “The Pavilion where we are gathered is meant to be a concourse of people and ideas. The spectrum of skills and knowledge is sufficiently wide that few problems will long remain short of advice or an answer based on ex-perience and insight.” He added that the advantages of a university setting will be added to that of a research in-stitute and that research results will be presented and exposed to construc-tive comment by peers and mentors.

Dr Hasmukh Gajjar, Chairman of the Campaign Committee gave a speech on behalf of the donors and called the Institute “an aggregation of many different and narrow special-isms, one that creates a link amongst these many branches of activities and personalities”.

Dr Gajjar reminded the gathering of the word “consilience” – the jump-ing together of ideas and knowledge and called the IIDMM a “Consilience of an institute of research, UCT, and the post-democratic South Africa and the African continent. “The outcome and output of investment by govern-ment, academics, donor partners and many other aggregated stakeholders have a singular vision – to relieve the population of the previously men-tioned diseases and to improve the lives of all the peoples of the conti-nent and South Africa,” he said.

IIDMM Interim Director, Prof Wieland Gevers, introduced a varied programme of musical entertainment, including an HIV-AIDS theatrical performance by the Masiphumelele Community-against-HIV/AIDS ini-tiative, and a very moving perform-ance of the death scene from Verdi’s “La Traviata” by Nokrismesi Skota, Nhlanhla Mweni, Amos Nomnabo, Graham Bourne and Nonceba Shozi.

Dramatic photographic works of art by Prof Geoffrey Grundling were unveiled by the Vice-Chancellor and guests then had the opportunity to tour the new facility and meet the IIDMM Members and their scientific teams.

(Top to bottom) Works-of-Art by Geoffrey Grundlingh in the IIDMM entrance foyer; performance of the death scene from Verdi’s “La Traviata”; Vice-Chancellor Ndebele, Wieland Gevers and Gonda Perez at the opening; and the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre Drama Group entertains the audience

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By Wieland Gevers

The Wellcome Trust is one of the world’s largest medical charities

and a dominant player in the UK in terms of the funding of health-related research. It has become particularly well-known internationally through its principled pursuit of open access in the dramatic race to sequence the entire human genome at the turn of the last century, just under 50 years after the Watson-Crick double-helical model of DNA unlocked the hitherto blocked conceptual doors to genetics and most of modern biology. Its policies and practices are bywords for thorough peer review and scientific excellence.

The Trust’s international pro-gramme accounts for just over 10% of the annual expenditure of somewhere over 400 million pounds, or R5 billion, and consists mainly of:

i.) major long-term Centres in a number of developing countries (e.g. the Af-rica Centre for Reproductive Health in KZN);ii.) North-South collaborative project grants;iii.) International Senior Research Fel-lowships (ISRFs) originally awarded in Australia and New Zealand, extended to South Africa in 1994, to India in 1999 and to selected countries in East-ern Europe in 2002 (when the involve-ment of the original Australasian coun-tries fell away).iv.) a major equipment scheme (discon-tinued in 2001); and v.) a number of other capacity-building fellowships at pre – and post-doctoral level.

This article describes how one of the largest research-stimulation pro-

grammes in South Africa took place quietly over the decade since 1994-5, mainly, but not only, through the award of ISRFs, of which two thirds (8 out of 12) were competitively won by UCT-based scientists in a common annual selection process involving candidates from ALL the participating countries. In each case the award was for a highly productive researcher either coming to work at UCT or already working here. The Fellowship award provides funds to cover 5 years of personal salary, salaries for 2-3 post-doctoral fellows or research assistants, essential new equipment and consumables. The programme of inves-tigation in each case must be focused and ambitious, carried out in a selected field. Fellows are eligible to apply for project or equipment grants from the Wellcome Trust during or after their Fellowship periods.

Each Fellow must be sponsored by a scientifically reputable “host” in the de-partment or institute concerned. The requirement for institutional sponsor-ship is that “the host institution should be able to provide a future career posi-tion for the Fellow, subject to its usual selection procedure”.

The policy states that “it is hoped that on completion of his or her award the Fellow would be given the oppor-tunity to become a more permanent member of staff”.

The initial South African participa-tion took place under the auspices of the Colleges of Medicine SA (CMSA), and involved the function of a panel of South African “pre-selectors” (coordi-nated by the South African MRC) who examined the applications and solicited referees’ reports before recommending their top candidates for interview by the international panel set up by the

a DeCaDe Of WellCOMe TrusT researCh fellOWshiPs aT uCT

– a little known but significant story

“each fellow must be sponsored by a scientifically

reputable “host” in the department

or institute concerned”

Prof Wieland Gevers, former interim director of the IIDMM and writer of this article

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Wellcome Trust and chaired by one of its governors within the International Programme. A few years later, Wieland Gevers succeeded John Terblanche as the South African coordinator, and the COMSA role was changed in that one of the panel members (Ralph Kir-sch) was nominated by that body. From 1998, the Trust ran the entire applica-tion and pre-selection process from Lon-don, using the South African panel as a locally informed group for the rating of both preliminary and full applications. I served on the International selection panel until 2002, recusing myself fully whenever a UCT candidate was being interviewed and considered for selec-tion. I also handled all correspondence that had to do with ISRF arrangements with Trust officials throughout this pe-riod.

It is noteworthy that the Wellcome Trust found it convenient to locate

the selection meetings in Cape Town for both the 2002 and 2003 cycles (for reasons of economy, convenience and quality of the experience).

The Trust organized a general reun-ion of all the current ISRFs in 2002, when several of the South African Fel-lows were invited to present their work. More recently, a joint meeting of cur-rent South African and Indian Fellows was organized in order to promote net-working between these two groups of scientists.

The ISRF selection history for South Africa is as follows (UCT Fellows with asterisks, all working within the Insti-tute of Infectious Disease and Molecu-lar Medicine, IIDMM since the launch-ing of this entity in 2003):• 1994 Candidate pre-selected by real panel, but not approved by the interna-tional panel.• 1995 Dr Albert Beyers, returning from Oxford University to the Univer-sity of Stellenbosch’s MRC Centre for Molecular and Cellular Biology (died soon after completion of Fellowship)• 1996 Overseas-based candidates pre-selected by local panel, awarded ISRF at Wits University by international panel, but declined in order to emigrate to the USA

• 1997 *Israeli scientist working at UCT-based MRC Research Unit, Dr Arieh Katz , awarded first of 8 UCT IS-RF’s (IIDMM Member).• 1998 *UCT-based South African Dr Peter Meissner of the UCT/MRC Liver Research Centre awarded ISRF (IIDMM Member).• 1999 *An ISRF awarded to Dr Frank Brombacher (German national, already UCT-based, IIDMM Member), and another to *Dr Hugh Patterton, South African returnee from the USA initially based at the University of the Free state, but appointed in the Dept of Molecular and Cell Biology, Faculty of Science before taking up his Fellowship (IIDMM Member). • 2000 One ISRF awarded to South African Scientist, Dr Lynn Morris of the National Institute for Communica-ble Diseases (NICD).• 2001 *Newly appointed UCT Pro-fessor of Medical Virology, Indian-born and US–trained Dr Girish Kotwal awarded an ISRF (IIDMM Member)• 2002 *One ISRF awarded to Dr Heinrich Hoppe, recently returned from the USA, based in the Division of Pharmacology at UCT (IIDMM Mem-ber) and a second to Dr Gregory Blatch of Rhodes University’s Departmental of Biochemistry and Microbiology.• 2003 *Two ISRFs awarded to South Africans Dr Ed Sturrock (IIDMM Mem-ber) and *Dr. Gordon Brown, working at Oxford University and returning to UCT’s IIDMM in May, 2004 to take up his Fellowship.

It is worth noting that a 5-year Well-come Trust Advanced Career Award

in Tropical Medicine (about R10 mil-lion) was made to Dr Robert Wilkin-son of Imperial College, London, to be taken up at the IIDMM as an Institute Member in August, 2004; an interme-diate-level award Tropical Medicine award was made to Dr Stephen Lawn of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to enable him to work at UCT in the IIDMM for 4 years from 2004 onwards, and a “junior” award in this scheme to Dr Mark Nicol, already at the IIDMM at UCT. These are the only awards in the scheme made

“The total value of the 8

Wellcome Trust isrfs and the 3

Tropical Medicine fellowships held

since 1995 is about r65 million

(2005) rands”

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to South African-based researchers up to the present time.

An arrangement was made between UCT (Professor Wieland Gevers while Senior DVC on the university execu-tive in consultation with the Deans of Health Sciences and Science) and Wellcome Trust representatives that the University’s required commit-ment to longer-term employment of ISRFs after completion of their 5-year Fellowship periods, could best be expressed by placing the candi-dacy of those UCT-based ISRF’s who did not already have posts to which they would return post-completion of their Fellowship, before a full selec-tion committee for consideration of specific proposals for their continued employment at UCT. Two UCT-based Fellows have come though this proc-ess, A/Prof Arieh Katz (re-appointed as a full-time academic in the IIDMM and the Division of Medical Bio-chemistry, Dept. Clinical Laboratory Sciences), and A/ Prof Peter Meissner (re-appointed as a full-time academic jointly based in the IIDMM and the Department of Medicine).

The total value of the 8 Wellcome Trust ISRFs and the 3 Tropical

Medicine Fellowships held since 1995 is about R65 million (2005) rands. Additional grants made to Fellows, a number of major equipment grants, and a R8 million donation for the new Research Animal Facility of UCT and the MRC, bring the total benefit to somewhere in the region of R80 mil-lion. (There have also been significant Wellcome Trust awards made to UCT academics under the North-South col-laborative scheme, estimated to be in the region of 15 million.)

The latest position concerning the ISRFs is that the impact and relative value of the scheme has been reviewed by Trust officials in a framework where the separate Inter-national programme of the Wellcome Trust has been discontinued and its components absorbed into the main thematic grants programme operated in the Trust’s UK system. The scheme is continuing with participating coun-

tries being South Africa, India, and a number of selected Eastern European countries, and remains highly com-petitive.

The active involvement of the Wellcome Trust in South African health-related science, the scale of financial support, and the incentive to expatriates or foreign scientists to consider re-establishing themselves in South Africa, have all been hugely beneficial in creating a new “window of opportunity” and “vision of what is possible” for talented scientists at the peak of their powers. The crea-tion of the IIDMM at UCT around 8 of the 12 South African International Senior Research Fellows and ex-Fel-lows, plus the three Tropical Medi-cine Fellows, has been instrumental in re-opening the issue of whether the national higher education system in its current organizational model is compatible with an adequate level of “brain gain and re-gain”, with con-centration and critical mass, and high standards of both research work and training of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Locating the Research Institute within a univer-

sity setting enables the advantages of both systems to be tapped while care-fully guarding against their respective disadvantages.

The Director of the Wellcome Trust, Dr Mark Walport, attended

and spoke at the Opening Ceremony of the IIDMM on 23 March 2005, and was a plenary speaker at the associated Opening Conference devoted to the topic “Understanding the major infec-tious diseases of Africa”. Two Nobel Prize-winners, Dr David Baltimore and Dr Sydney Brenner were also ple-nary speakers in one of the most suc-cessful conferences ever held at UCT. Dr Walport praised UCT for its strong showing in the Fellowship schemes of the Trust, and for the vision it had dis-played in establishing the IIDMM on its campus.

It is clear that the story of the Well-come Trust’s support for research in the health sciences at UCT, quiet but substantial, values-based and effective as it has been, is one of the most en-couraging signposts for the future of high-level research and training at the university.

The director of the Wellcome Trust, Mark Walport & Frank Gannon at the open-ing ceremony of the IIDMM

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ClaSS OF 1 954

50 years on, it was indeed a pleas-ure and a privilege to meet with

one’s classmates again. Whilst the main emphasis of the reunion was to have contact with those of one’s own class, this year many of the scheduled events occurred in parallel with that of the members of the 40-year reun-ion, allowing for an even further ex-tension of contact with erstwhile col-leagues.

The opening programme on Thurs-day, 9th December 2004, was the reg-istration and Dean’s welcoming cock-tail party at the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine building at Medical School (IIDMM). We were entertained by members of the UCT College of Music’s opera singers. Prof Ralph Kirsch, Head of the Department of Medicine, in the absence of the Dean, addressed both classes. A special reference, by the way of an apology, was made acknowledg-ing the fact that regrettably little was achieved in eradicating the policy of discrimination that the students of colour were subjected to at that time.

A special feature was the gift of a bag, which contained various articles donated by pharmaceutical firms, given to each graduate as well as a peak cap with “50 year UCT Medi-cal Class Reunion (1954-2004)” em-bossed on it.

On Friday, 10th December, we as-sembled for coffee in the upstairs area of the Barnard Fuller Building at Medical School. Ample time was available for circulating amongst our colleagues and renewing old acquaint-ances. The tour of the new Student Learning Centre was a real eye-open-er. The use of individual computers with the utilisation of teaching disks requiring students to give feedback in addition to the utilisation of interac-tive group discussions with their tu-

tors, has totally revolutionised the teaching methods in the early years of the medical curriculum. The new process of learning was explained to us by Dr Laurie Kellaway.

For many of our colleagues the visit to the Christiaan Barnard Transplant Museum at Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) was a totally new experience. Walking through the long corridor named “Hospital Street” in the new GSH was also an experience which was so different from the memories associated with the old hospital in which we received our clinical train-ing. A delicious finger lunch was served in the Tafelberg Room of the GSH.

What was certainly a highlight of the whole reunion, was the introduc-

tion of the Regraduation ceremony, which was instituted for the first time this year. Dressing in the MBChB gowns in the Ben Beinert Room of the Students’ Union Building prior to entering the majestic and impos-ing Jameson Hall, was truly an exhila-rating experience. With family and friends sitting in the wings, the entry of the Academic Procession, accom-panied by the singing of Gaudeamus, brought back memories of the gradu-ation process 50 years before. Regret-tably, due to the passage of time, the faces in the Academic Procession were all new and virtually unknown to the “out of town” colleagues. However, we were nevertheless able to imagine the presence of our old and revered Professors – Frankie Forman, John

2004 reuNiONs

Front Row Petrus Botha, Hackey Edelstein, Nic NelSecond row Lampy Maresky, Eric Rosen, Victor Dubowitz, Sue Greyling,

Winifred van der Ross, Malcolm Bowie, Ian Huskisson, Maxwell Moss

Third Row Peter Horrigan, Mossie Silbert, David Stein, Yehuda Kaplan, George Pillay, George Decker, Len Anstey

Fourth Row Ian Bouchier, Joc Forsyth, George Boyes, John Williamson, Peter Edington, Simmy Bank

Fifth Row Geoff Howes, Harold Robertson, Peter Le Riche, Leslie Peters, Gerry Rosendorff, Philip Lanzkowsky

Back Row: Sid Hart-Davis, FW Brönn, Chris Blignaut, Ephraim Benjamin, Garron Caine, Hans Loock

Absent: Eddie Berman, Danny Danilewitz, Mike Rorke, Francois van Greunen

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Brock, Jannie Louw, James Louw, Papie Erasmus and even Maxie Dren-nan. What a debt of gratitude we owe to them and other teachers now long departed.

We were addressed by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Njabulo Nde-bele, the Dean, Professor Nicky Paday-achee, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cheryl De La Rey and Emeritus Professor JP van Niekerk. A special medal from UCT celebrating its 175-year anniversary, was given to each Regraduate. The very full second day terminated with a braai in the evening where we met at the IIDMM building at Medical School. Once again, we were given the opportunity to mix with our colleagues and renew long lost links.

The 3rd day of our reunion, Sat-urday 11 December, was devoted to our academic programme. Five pres-entations, all of a high standard, were given. An extremely interesting presentation of “Forty Years in the Bush Hospital in Malawi” was given by Chris Blignaut. Photos of most bizarre pathologies were shown, with remarkable treatment given by him with only very basic facilities availa-ble. The presentation by Simmy Bank on “The scope of things to come” was an interesting and encouraging look into the future of Gastro-Enterologi-cal Investigations. “Ramblings of a Country Boy” by Victor Dubowitz took one through the years, begin-ning in Beaufort West, through all his tours to various cities and countries during his years of academic progress and research into Neuromuscular Dis-orders, a subject in which he has be-come a world authority. His return to his roots in Beaufort West was the cul-mination of his talk. A truly academic

presentation of “Laboratory Surveil-lance as a tool in Public Health” was presented by Joc Forsyth. Tracing the source of an infection with the po-tential for becoming a serious public health hazard, was described in a most professional manner. The love which Mossie Silbert has for Latin, was used as a background for the talk entitled “Audi Alteran Partem” (a brief review of patient-centredness). Referring to his role model, his late uncle Frank Forman, Mossie emphasised the im-portance of listening to one’s patients, an art which is rapidly dwindling into obscurity in this present day and age.

In the second half of the morning, each colleague was offered a few min-utes to give input on his career. As could be expected, such a short time made the overview extending over half a century, extremely difficult. The presentations were most interest-ing and it was quite enlightening to hear what some of our classmates had achieved during their years in prac-tice.

That night, the Gala Dinner, held at the Alphen Hotel, Constantia, was a resounding success. The ladies were presented with a corsage donated by Hackey. The class photograph taken on the steps of the Alphen Hotel gardens, was a graceful, relaxed and friendly representation of the good vibes that existed between the mem-bers of the group. The meal was tasty and the alcoholic and other spirit was excellent, with Hackey having pro-posed a toast to the Class of 1954 and Ian Huskisson responding on behalf of the class. During his address, Hack-ey apologised for and made reference to the meagre efforts the MSC of the day was able to make to overcome some of the unacceptable apartheid

practices of that time. How embar-rassing it was for all of us when the students of colour were asked to leave the E-floor Lecture Theatre as a white patient was being used for clinical demonstration. It needs to be put on record that, as a result of MSC’s repre-sentations to the Dean of the day, no white patients were subsequently used for clinical demonstrations, making it unnecessary for the loathsome prac-tice of expecting students of colour to leave the lecture theatre.

The final event of the reunion was the visit to Robben Island on Sunday morning. This event is always destined to be an emotional experience, cou-pled with admiration for those who survived the many years of physical insult and hardship. Particularly stir-ring was the respect one felt for our Madiba and admiration for the mar-vellous spirit of reconciliation showed after his release and in his subsequent term as President. Parting from one another on our return to the Main-land, was very sombre and sad. The prospect of meeting again in 5 years time is something which we look for-ward to.

For our classmates, some statis-tics: Of the 126 students in our year (1954) there were only 12 female stu-dents of which 5 are deceased and 2 attended the reunion. 40 classmates attended the reunion. 35 are known to be deceased, 25 never replied to our circulars, 16 replied but they were unable or unwilling to attend and 10 classmates were “lost” - meaning that we had no contact with them and they did not feature on our database. 9 classmates came from overseas of which 5 are Professors. 2 classmates were local Professors.

Finally, the success of these reun-ions is due to the sterling efforts and organisational expertise of our Alum-ni Officer in the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, Joan Tuff. She was ever available, obliging and reliable. Thanks Joan. May you continue with your good performances for many years to come. We salute you!

Hackey Edelstein

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ClaSS OF 1964

Our reunion had a momentous start with registration and cock-

tails in the Institute of Infectious Dis-eases and Molecular Medicine build-ing, Medical School. It was 40 years since graduation and many were some-what apprehensive about the planned celebrations. Would we find meaning; would we be able to communicate; could there still be bonds or signifi-cant feelings among people after so many years? The answer, in a nutshell, was overheard in a passing comment, “I have never before seen a group of men emoting so much like women”.

From the start the pleasure and excitement were tangible. There was no doubt that the six formative years spent together had laid solid founda-tions to these special friendships. Fri-day morning produced a fascinating tour of new and developed buildings at Medical School. Banks of high-tech computers, an extended and modern-ised library, revamped lecture theatres and small group discussion rooms were some of the advances that today’s students enjoy.

The Chris Barnard Museum brought back many memories of the old GSH and the excitement of the first heart transplant which took place 4 years after our graduation.

After a delicious finger lunch we headed for the Jameson Hall where we joined up with the 1954 graduates for a re-graduation ceremony. This could have been such a flop! “Who’s idea was this anyway?” The ceremony went smoothly and efficiently and the speeches were succinct. As each one walked up to be recapped, a short cita-tion of achievements was read to the audience and waves of pride and broth-erhood/sisterhood swept through all. How amazing it was!

The braai at Medical School on Friday evening was another roaring success of shared stories and excellent fare.

The Academic Meeting on Satur-day morning held in the old E Floor

Lecture Theatre, demonstrated superb standards of medicine and individual achievements. The presentations were outstanding and no matter which fields or super specialities that were discussed all were readily understand-able and absorbingly interesting. The additional cultural presentations were bonus-plus value.

A wonderful reunion dinner was held at the Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel, Foreshore, on the Saturday evening. Paul du Plessis, our class rep of medical school days, gave an inspir-ing, deeply moving, thought provoking and nostalgic speech which illustrated his qualities as a mensch and why we had elected him as class rep in the first place

Following the speech various class-mates told stories and anecdotes which added further to the memories, bonding, hilarity and enjoyment of the evening.

Sue and John Colley generously hosted the Sunday meeting at their home, Lievland Wine Estate, a superb culmination of four days of reunion celebrations which were magnificent, significant and tender beyond our ex-pectations.

Finally, special thanks to all those who joined in this momentous reun-ion for coming and adding to the mo-ment and to Joan Tuff for her detailed organisation and outstanding work.

Fay Thornley

Front Row Gordon Marsa, Ed Coetzee, Fay Thornley, Lionel Wolff, Basil Ho Yuen, David Wheatley, Judith Landau, Jonathan Scher, Sid Bloch

Second row Warwick Morris, Gerda Veldman, Dawood Khan, Derrick Billett, Ron Schneeweiss, Ian Bernadt

Third Row Ralph Kirsch, Phil Garratt, Pete Turner, Herschel Flax, Paul Du Plessis, Alan Rose, Peter Steven, Ian Osborn, Meyer Rabinowitz

Fourth Row: Denis Nathan, Peter Levin, Rob Young-Thompson, Martin Kift, Tim Mears, Ian Crooke, John Colley, Peter Kirsten, Susan Wells, Dudley Werner, Kelly Seymour

Fifth Row: Milton Meyers, Wilf Millin, Mike Mair, Gerry Riemer, Teddy Pillay, Ivan Berkowitz, Jan van den Ende, Jim Crosier, Paul Wilson

Back Row: John Anderson, Max Klein, John McConnell, David Walker, Barry Munnik, John Milne, Roy Cooke

Absent: Annette Goosen, Roger Melvill

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ReFleCTiOnS On THe ClaSS OF 1964

By Paul du Plessis Class Rep and Speaker at the Gala Dinner

These have been three stimulating, meaningful, memorable and even

historic days. And we the 54 or more of the class of 1964 who have gathered are deeply indebted to the organising five – Ralph Kirsch, Ed Coetzee, Irwin Combrink, Fay Thornley and Joan Tuff.

These have been days to rekindle memo-ries,These have been days to gather fresh inspi-ration,These have been days to renew friendships and even forge new ones,These have been days of new learning,These have been days of joy and laughter, of celebration and fun,They have been days that have served to remind us what fortunate people we are.

We have been remembering so many to whom we owe a great debt in these days. I’ve been thinking of the patients who allowed us to form a re-lationship of learning with them. How grateful I feel to them. How can we say thank you to them now?

I recall the first patient I was as-signed to clerk in D1. She allowed me to feel the taut sclerodermatous skin over her knuckles; she told me of her increasing breathlessness; she men-tioned difficulty with swallowing.

I recall a patient with a lung abscess in the same ward. Yes, I’d examined her clubbed fingers and listened to the bronchial breathing over the cavity, but it was the social history that took my attention. She shared with me details of her family life. Can I ever remember the shock when I walked into the ward and found her bed empty – she’d died of a massive haemoptysis.

And do you remember me present-ing to you a patient in the A-floor lec-ture theatre? She told me: ‘Ag dokter,

ek het sommer geweet dit was die suik-ersiekte. Ek het gesien hoe die miere agter my pee gekom het!’

And so I could continue. Our grati-tude to those who shared themselves with us in this way is great.

We were fortunate to have studied in one of the most beautiful locations in the world, on the slopes of Devil’s Peak, looking out on a Cape Town that in 1960 was being carved up by Solly Morris’s road systems and Hen-drik Verwoerd’s apartheid. It was a Cape Town that has faced a succession of plagues – smallpox that was about to be eradicated, tuberculosis that was far from being under control. HIV had not yet arrived. These and many other threats to life and existence were the agenda for our learning.

We were fortunate to have had such a marvellous faculty of teachers. We’ve recalled some of them again. Each of them left their mark. Can I ever forget Jannie Louw when I think of gastro-duodenal surgery and the importance of not eating oranges? Or that even a person like Prof Brock could develop late-onset asthma? They shared them-selves with us as people.

Legends have grown up around them, and they are mostly true. Take the day when a newly arrived fourth year medical student entered the lift and seeing the slightly built man in a white coat near the door, said ‘E Floor please.’ Imagine his embarrassment when he discovered that the ‘liftman’ was none other than Frank Forman. It was he who calmed me as I rushed to a patient having a massive haematem-esis. ‘Take your time,’ he’d said. And then there was the day when Prof Eales took us to bedside and asked what was wrong with the patient. I could feel no pulse, there was no BP. My classmates roared as Eales barked at me: ‘He’s dead!’

It was the same Eales to whom I’d gone when I’d seen blisters emerge on my hands. I was quite sure it was por-phyria, and had already started to trace my ancestry to see which Dutch family was responsible for my disease. ‘Where have you been this weekend,’ was his question. I paused and told him about

a walk along the contour path. ‘O, it’s the blister bush,’ he remarked.

Uys had his birds; WPU Jackson had his flowers; Doc Ramsay was a commentator – was it baseball or foot-ball? And there was D J Coetzee, the anatomy curator. He was also a writer. What was it he wrote? ‘Living with the Dead’? I suspect he’d need another ti-tle for the class of 2004 – maybe ‘Liv-ing with Computers’.

We had our visiting professors. There was Brink from Karl Bremmer who was probably glad to get back home after our children’s Afrikaans for a day. But we were glad to have our man, Brock back. And there was the pathologist, Anderson from the US. He was author of a large text-book; we thought he’d be good, but once again we were glad to have our bushy-eyed Thompson back. The cartilage knife we gave him as a retirement gift was no indication of the respect we felt for him.

There was more to our teachers than medicine; they concentrated on more than disease; there was more than one string to their bow; here were colour-ful personalities who helped shape our approach to illness and disease.

In the midst of it all we were for-tunate to have so much fun together, which is probably why we’ve wanted to get together for this reunion. Our pa-per darts suspended a physics lecture; we enjoyed the thrills of the PMH Fly-ing Squad through the back streets of Woodstock for another of the 20 catch-es that had to be recorded, weight and all, just like a fisherman. Do you re-member the amusement of arriving to see the new Obstetrics block named: St James’s Palace? And a rubber glove blown up as a balloon at a PMH party? I see these days they go in for metal ones in the Health Sciences Faculty building!

We listened to Hymie Gordon put the case against the new Medical School badge – ‘It’s Mercury’s winged rod and not the serpent-entwined staff of Aesclepius,’ he argued. He lost the debate, and as a result UCT medical graduates have proved themselves as good in communication skills as in the

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art of healing. There was Sax Appeal and Rag and

Golda Selzer’s Shawco. We learned so much through participation in the clinics. We filled paper packets with Aspirins in third year, diagnosed the common cold in fourth year and mi-tral valve disease in fifth. And we were trusted with managing clinic affairs. It was fun – good fun. We learned so much from it all.

The early 1960s were sad days for South Africa as Dr Verwoerd withdrew us from the Commonwealth and re-lentlessly implemented pass laws and separate this and that and anything else he could think of. Apartheid laws were applied to our own class that most knew nothing about until years later. We were fortunate that the 9% of the class who were people of colour accept-ed their place quietly and with a dignity we can and should recognise now.

But foment was rising. Who of us will ever forget watching the silent march of tens of thousands of mainly black South Africans past the medi-cal school? The name Mandela meant little to us. We had our noses to the grindstone. We were learning to be doctors. We didn’t know what to make of Adrian Leftwich or the qui-etly-spoken and gentle physiotherapist whom some of us knew, who joined in attempts to register protest which led to their detention. Nor did we know what to think of Ray Hoffenberg who not only made the eyes of goldfish pop out in the laboratory, but drew the at-tention of the press and focused the eyes of the security police. We were fortunate. These people were stirring our consciences. It’s a stirring that re-mains alive for many of us as we have committed to making South Africa and the world a better place.

It was a sad day when we witnessed the lamp of academic freedom being extinguished at UCT. It took another 30 years for all of that to change. But we are fortunate to have been able to return to South Africa just celebrat-ing ten years of democracy; to a Cape Town which has a new sense of free-dom; to a university still changing minds and changing history; and to

a medical school which not only has a new name, but a charter document-ing commitments we can all endorse. How proud we are that two of the class of 1964 are among the signatories. Thank you Dudley, thank you, Ralph.

We’ve been together for these few days and will soon scatter to continue what we’ve been doing. We’ve come to-gether as the Koisan gather around the fire each morning in the cold Kalahari. They share their dreams of the night before. We’ve been sharing stories of the past 40 years! Their stories hold the Koisan together – our stories will hold us together.

Like most of you I studied hard to grasp, understand and remember the many concepts we were taught. Gener-ally I succeeded. I confess there is one subject I never found easy. I struggled with organic chemistry. I wasn’t alone, for should our class not have received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for in-venting a new steroid nucleus with the number 41 attached! Three dimen-sional models did little to help when he spoke of rings rotating. How were these rings and particles held together? Then I heard about the double bond. Well that completely mystified me.

In those days I was too shy to ask. But in these few days together I’ve caught a glimpse of understanding of the double bond – and I’ve seen it strengthened.

No it was not in the regraduation, solemn and interesting though it was,Nor was it in renewed friendships, impor-tant though these are,It was in the double bond of the past and the future held together in one single moment,It was in the double bond between the uni-versity and society which we embody,It was in the double bond we share with col-leagues on the one hand and patients on the other,It was in the double bond between the crea-tor and all of creation.

Ralph, Ed, Irwin, Fay – your vision for this reunion – this opportunity to renew the double bond has become something beautiful for us, the class of 1964. And on their behalf I thank you.

ClaSS OF 1974

Our adventure started on Friday morning, the 26th of November.

We left 30 years ago, in an era that could be termed: In the Shadow of Jan-nie Louw. Apartheid has long gone and we are now 10 years into the Rainbow Nation. That’s a big change. How will it be after all these years and changes?

The reunion started with coffee in the upstairs spiral staircase area. As I reached the top of the stairs, my pal-pitations stopped as I received a warm welcome from many who had already arrived. Nobody had changed much and if anything, the 30 years have im-proved our relationships. David Shlug-man (the black hair a respectable sil-ver) was embracing people left, right and centre. Murray Solomon has even less hair than before, but his welcom-ing smile is unchanged. Ted Lowther lost ALL his hair in Australia, but has kept his warm heart. Ivan Shewitz has NOT changed at all, I promise you: slim, fit, enthusiastic and friendly. It was nice to meet Joan Tuff, who did us all a personal favour by working so hard at preparations.

Tour of the Student Learning Cen-tre and the Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine building - The banks of computers and the small group discussion rooms impressed us and proved that UCT is

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moving with the times. It was interesting listening to Prof

Gevers telling us of the research with international teams taking place here on the Big Five or more diseases of Af-rica: HIV, TB, Malaria, Rotavirus and others.

Tour of Groote Schuur Hospital, Chris Barnard Cardiac Unit and the Transplant Museum - What impressed me was the low-tech equipment and the space available in the transplant theatre, compared with today’s stand-ard equipment. The post cards that are sold are from photos taken 30 years ago by our own Revere Thomson!

I didn’t like the big hospital. It must have been planned by somebody with a cement psychosis! However, walking through the long and famous corri-dors of the hospital, many memories from long ago came to me….

Cocktail Party - New Institute of In-fectious Diseases and Molecular Medi-cine Building (IIDMM) – Medical School - At the cocktail party on Fri-

day evening, we were welcomed by the Deputy Dean of the UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Gonda Pe-rez, who reminded us of our past and what had changed in the past 30 years. In particular she mentioned that we needed to remember that not all our classmates had enjoyed equal access to patients and teaching materials (such as cadavers) and that an important part of her work and that of UCT was to redress the historical injustices that had occurred.

The Academic Meeting was a very entertaining and impressive event. I particularly enjoyed the many photos that were shown: of events 30 years ago and of families. Pete Cooper told us how he and Geoff Budlender took the government to court about their ridic-ulous HIV policies. Both were known for the liberal views in the apartheid days, and they have not changed, de-spite their advanced age and at cost to them in terms of professional career, etc. If I was the king here, I would give

them both special medals. Paul Roux impressed with his talk on his HIV Clinic - realising the biggest problem most children and their families faced was poverty. They initiated income generating self-help projects with a turnover of R1 million in 2004.

Trip to Robben Island - I was glad that I had the opportunity to do this pilgrimage to this important place. How often had I stood on Table Moun-tain and wondered what was happen-ing over there. It was another highlight of a very intense 3 days.

Gala Dinner –Radisson Hotel, Granger Bay - At the Dinner, at the in-sistence of Pete Schwartz and with the help of Manfred Teichler, Tim Noakes opened his address by saying in words, overcome by the emotion of the mo-ment, that he was absolutely aston-ished at what each member of the class had achieved and how much good we had done for so many people through-out the world. This he could never possibly have imagined in December 1974. Nor could any of us appreci-ate how remarkably talented all of our classmates were. He wondered where the 30 years had gone since it seemed that only yesterday we had graduated together. Since we had now completed 75% of our careers and nothing much was likely to change in the final 25%, he suggested that it was time to take stock and to prepare our class report card. His impression was that the group was in remarkably good physical and emotional health and that there was a confidence, assuredness and certainty that could not have been ex-pected from the uncertain group that had graduated 30 years ago. Despite our common training, we had gone in many different directions, reflect-ing the creative diversity of the group. He was impressed by the fact that not once had anyone discussed how im-portant he or she was because of what he or she had achieved and which was clearly much to be envied. In fact the reticence of anyone to refer to them-selves was remarkable for any group and has to reflect on the mature self-acceptance of all the members of the group. Nor had anyone asked why we

Back Row Peter Schwartz, Philip Melmed, Peter Reid, Beau Dees, Andreas Oberholzer, Paul Roux, Dave Franklin, Brian Warren, Les Emdin, Darryl Kalil

Second row Howard Shuman, John Woods, Peter Cooper, Revere Thomson, Murray Solomon, Ted Lowther, Ivan Schewitz, Jeffrey Perlman, Charles Palmer, Matt Haus, David Shlugman, Brynne Ascott-Evans

Seated Ian Gilbertson, Barry Penn, Tim Noakes, Jeanne Nel, Faika Jappie, Gillian Knox, Beverley Adriaans, Pat Hawke, Helen Wainwright, Linda Wainwright, Rhodia Gool, Peter Bonafede

Front Row Hugh Morris, Vincent Miller, Peter Beresford, Haggis Black, Peter Chapman, Arthur Huber, Vijay Magan, Manfred Teichler, Dirk Mouton, Stuart Meintjies, Tony Currie, Jacques de Haan

Absent Raymond Jonas, Charles Larsen, Stephen Louw, Olaf Opitz

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had chosen to continue our careers either in South Africa or overseas. We appeared to respect each others’ choices without any second guess-ing. His opinion was that leaving the country was always the more difficult choice. But what was really noticeable was that everyone now seemed com-fortable with their choices. Perhaps 5 years ago, those who had chosen to stay might not have been so certain but with the remarkable advances in the country since 1994, the choice seemed to be working. Speaking for those who had stayed, he said that we are very proud of what the nation has achieved and we have a new-found confidence in the future that would not have been possible in the diffi-cult period of the 1970’s and 1980’s through which many of us had lived in South Africa. He used the example of Paul Roux’s initiatives in first acquir-ing retroviral therapy for his patients and then for establishing a successful business model to help the mothers of children with HIV, as an inspiring example of a creative solution to what appears to be a hopeless situation.

He concluded by suggesting that we had been a fortunate group to have lived in such interesting times and to have come out of those challenges stronger and with evident purpose to our lives. He wondered if there was not some way to capture our joint ex-perience in a book of individual ex-periences that would tell our country and the world what it had been like to be amongst the first group of South African medical students to have been born under apartheid and to have reached maturity at the time that de-mocracy finally arrived. Properly told he thought it would be a glorious story of historical significance and a remarkable tribute to what we had all achieved as a collective unit. For none could have foreseen the importance of what we have achieved.

Guided tour of Kirstenbosch Gar-dens followed by a buffet lunch at Kirstenbosch Restaurant - This was a nice way to end a wonderful event.

Manfred Teichler

ClaSS OF 1979

Early in 2004 a committee consist-ing of Martin Bailey, Omar Brey,

Andrew Du Toit, Chris Hugo-Ham-man and Derek Solomon got together and decided that 25 years was a good time to re-acquaint ourselves with old classmates. It was our mission to reach as many as we could and, in conjunc-tion with the tenacious Joan Tuff of the alumni office, we plundered the available e-mail addresses. Persistence paid off and finally a record of 80 alumni had the joy of attending what

turned out to be a memorable week-end. The weather was gorgeous, the Cape Doctor was put to bed and Cape Town was at its best.

Sunrise on Friday 3 December saw a group of golfers tee off at Royal Cape. Alan Szeftel was obviously too busy studying and dating rag queens at varsity to exhibit his golfing talents then. Today he is a +1 handicap living in Los Angeles and doing Respiratory Medicine as a hobby in his spare time. Due to the heat of the day a degree of thirst quenching was necessary which precluded most of the golfers from at-tending the afternoon’s events.

The excitement and anticipation

Front Row Anton Miller, Tineke Vermaat, Wayne Mackintosh, Mark Cotton, Dilshaad Brink, Janet Stanford, Robert Honeth

Second row Steven Velkes, Lucy Linley, Jean Bassett, Martyn Payne, Allie Jardine, Athol Stanford

Third Row Kevin Crombie, Don Hudson, Zea Borok, Michael Gold, Bertie Saunderson, Nicky Padayachee

Fourth Row Keith Cronwright, Sinclair Wynshank, Joan Lewis, Krisela Steyn, Dennis Goodman, Gary Chaimowitz, Achmat Nackerdien

Fifth Row Alan Szeftel, Paul Gebers, Paul Whittaker, Charlie Keen, Mark Whistler, Elizabeth Robinson, Omar Brey

Sixth Row Charlie Miller, Gareth Jones, Sid Davis, Martin Bailey, Michelle Youngleson, Steve Blanckenberg, Abdul Cariem, Rory Mulligan

Seventh Row Sharon Kling, Marion Absolom, David Nye, Richard Scheffer, Judith Norman, Andrew Du Toit, Patricia Knox, Derek Solomon, Neil Solomons, Neil Braude

Eighth Row Anton Kruger, Xa Heywood, Liz Gwyther, Bruce Matthew, Rodger Meyer, Rob Stein, Greg Whittaker

Ninth Row Martin Richardson, Tony Westwood, Richard Keys, Paul Hayse-Gregson, Greg Musson, Chris Hugo-Hamman, Peter Koll

Back Row Philip Levine, Dirk Hoffman, Gordon Bonellie, Noel Ziady, Chris Narramore, David Espen

Absent John Anthony, Anthony Human, Larry Jee, Bruce Starke, Dave Whitelaw

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at registration was palpable, people were generally happy to see one other and there was a sense of warmth and kinship that prevailed throughout the weekend.

The rest of Friday afternoon was spent doing the customary tour of the medical school, including the new Student Learning Centre, library and the transplant museum. Those of us who were a little distrusting of the new medical curriculum were pleasantly surprised by the enthusiastic Lau-rie Kellaway who reassured us that a computer assisted, group discussion approach to medical problem solving was in line with international trends in medical tuition. We were however all grateful that we had had the op-portunity to learn our craft under the watchful eye and personal guidance of some very experienced wise old owls.

After a few drinks at the Mac Club we crossed over to the cocktail party in the new Institute of Infectious Dis-eases and Molecular Medicine building where the golfers resurfaced and many more locals arrived. The din of excited chatter and smiles on people’s faces said it all. We were fortunate that the Dean of Medicine, Nicky Padayachee, a 1979 classmate, addressed us that evening, ex-panding on the changes in curriculum, transformation in admissions policies and developments at medical school in general. How times have changed! In our day, transformation was what hap-pened to Jean Basset’s figure between second and third year.

On Saturday morning we had a nos-talgic return to lectures in the old but revamped Anatomy building. Andy (Billy Crystal) du Toit and Martin (Johnny Carsen) Bailey chaired a wide range of funny and fascinating presenta-tions from the likes of Gary Chaimow-itz, Bruce Matthew, Krisela Steyn, Sin-clair Wynchank, Liz Gwyther, David Nye, Sharon Kling, Dave Whitelaw, Dennis Goodman and Sydney Davis. Roger Meyer’s talk on “The Impaired Practioner” was a brilliant and honest reflection of his own personal journey and experiences with substance abuse and we all felt humbled and privileged that he shared it with us. Time was

limited, Dirk Hoffman was unable to give his talk on family planning in the female residences of UCT and Den-nis Goodman had to be dragged off the podium. True to 1979 form, Noel Ziady arrived late and Bones Bonellie fell asleep after tea.

Dinner on Saturday evening took place at the Arabella Sheraton on the Foreshore. The evening was enhanced by the background music of a local oil-can guitarist who usually busks at the Waterfront. Gareth Jones thrived dur-ing the class photo which was basically a scrum on the staircase. The speech by Chris Hugo-Hamman was brilliant and it is included in this issue. After dinner several adjourned to the patio for a late night-cap and a few puffs of traditional Chris Narramore cigars.

Sunday, another perfect Cape Town morning, was spent at Kirstenbosch. After an interesting guided tour of the gardens, exchanging stories and tak-ing photographs, we had a lovely light lunch in the restaurant. It was then time to say goodbye, to reflect on what had indeed been an awesome week-end, to make plans to keep in touch and to look forward to our next oppor-tunity to all get together again.

It is not easy to sum up the meaning of a reunion and I feel this is best done by sharing some of the responses and letters I received.

“The Class of 1979 Reunion brought all of us the warmth of cama-

raderie and pleasure of shared memo-ries relived. This reunion attracted a record number of participants indicat-ing that there was something special about our class and the individuals in it. I would like to thank everyone for the friendship I experienced and the time we spent together over the last three days. I hope it will not be an-other 25 years before we gather again.” – Kevin Crombie

“It was great reminiscing with those old friends who used to go to all the lectures while we happily played golf – and then had the cheek to get their notes. Noel Ziady will remember his hole-in-one at Mowbray being wit-nessed by the Professor of orthopaed-ics at 11h00 on a Monday morning!” – Bones Bonellie

“I do believe our class was exception-al in many ways. The past weekend’s reunion proved that” - Allie Jardine

“I was personally going through a difficult time … going to medical school and my four little boys kept me sane, hopeful and believing in the future. This weekend made me under-stand why” - Krisela Steyn

“This was one of the most meaning-ful and memorable weekends of my life” - Zea Borok

“The weekend proved to be an amaz-ing blast from the past – exceeding all my expectations. The tangible warmth was very special and the striking thing to me was that so many, if not all, of us have a story of some kind of blow dealt to us in the course of life; some overwhelming. Yet there was a huge sense of enriched survival overall. A massive, more complex ‘big chill’ … and to those who missed it, from one who thought at first ‘Do I really want to go?’, for heaven’s sake, come next time; it will be wonderful to see you. I now know!” – Lucy Linley

To any other alumni who may read this report; if you have the opportunity to attend a class reunion all I can say is, don’t miss it for the world!

Finally, a huge thanks must go to Joan Tuff for her dedicated and enthusiastic role in organizing this special weekend.

Derek Solomon

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ReFleCTiOnS On THe ClaSS OF 1979 By Chris Hugo-Hamman Class Rep and Speaker at the Gala Dinner

10 years of democracy25 years since graduation175 years of the university

My friends and colleagues

In your distinguished company I am greatly honoured that Derek Solomon’s asked me to address you all tonight. I am not going to lead you in song but will try to pull things together and contextualise our reun-ion. You will all have an opportunity to speak later on so I urge you not to speak while I am busy! Sinclair Wyn-chank declared boldly this morning that he was not the oldest in our class. I would just like to remind the highly perceptive and still gorgeous Jean Bas-sett, from the River Club nog al, that I am neither of the two older persons to whom he referred! God bless the candour and honesty of classmates. Furthermore, when David Nye polite-ly noted how well we looked because he was expecting us all to be bald and fat, he was not looking at Steve Velkes or I!

So here we are at 25 years and what an extraordinary last 25 hours it has been. On behalf of the organiz-ing committee, Martin Bailey, Omar Brey, Andrew du Toit and Derek Solo-mons, a very generous welcome to all of you back to UCT, back to Cape Town and back to South Africa. We celebrate this significant milestone in our lives and I am happy to do that. I am dwarfed by the reality that in this year we remember also that our uni-versity is 175 years old. A university which has educated generations of South Africans. For me a phenom-enon beginning with my grandfather in 1898 and extending through my uncle and father, three siblings, three nieces and next year, probably 2 of my three daughters. That is a rich herit-

age, which I know many of you share. Barnard Fuller, a familiar name to any student of UCT Medical History, was my wife’s great, great uncle. In his presidential address to the Medi-cal Association in 1907, EB, as he was known, once again made an impas-sioned plea for the establishment of a medical school in Cape Town and ended his speech with these words;

“Looking on into the future, how-ever, I see before me as in a vision a great teaching University arising un-der the shadow of old Table Moun-tain and a part of that University is composed of a well equipped medical faculty. I say I see these things as in a vision, for you, and I may never be-hold it with my own eyes”. As Time magazine recognised in 1974, the year we began together, that vision be-came a reality. We took much of this for granted when we were at UCT but with the benefit of time, travel and experience, this community of high achievers has grown to recognise and appreciate the extraordinary privilege we enjoyed here, the high standard of our training and the excellence of our institution.

But simultaneously, none of this means much when we recognise that there is an event this year of even greater significance. We are able to-day to celebrate together 10 years of peace and democracy in our country. A non-racial South Africa as I want-ed to know it, the country which is mine and the nation which makes me proud – 10 years old. Nkosi Sikelela I’Afrika.

As Sid Davis noted this morning, the differences between 2004 and 1979 are stark. We studied medicine in an era free of the scourge of HIV and AIDS. We were educated in an age without the PC indeed how many of us could type? How many would have thought they might some day wish to keyboard? The fax machine arrived 6 years after we had finished at this university. Without the inter-net or e mail and without the mobile phone. Text messages are referred to in South Africa as an SMS. For us SMS was something Dirk Hoffman

did at night in med res! We only re-ceived real television in 1976 and our highlights were Dallas, Wimbledon, intervarsity and the test channel!

Let me remind you a little more about 1979 because whilst 170 gradu-ated MBChB at UCT, from Absalom through Ziady, there were some other notable events.

It was a time of change in some countries. On January 16 the Shah fled Iran, and on February 1 Ayatol-lah Khomeini made a victorious re-turn from 14 years in exile. The oc-cupation of the US Embassy was to follow in November and last a year. In Britain the Labour Government fell, in May the Conservative Party won the election and Margaret Thatcher became the first women Prime Minis-ter of Great Britain. Anthony Blunt, the fourth man, was recognised with his fellow traitors Burgess, Mclean and Philby, and was stripped of his peerage.

There were events of great horror. The invading Vietnamese discovered the mass graves of the Pol Pot regime and on August 19 Pot was sentenced to death. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, deposed Premier of Pakistan, was hanged on April 4. Thankfully Idi Amin fled Uganda. Airey Neave was killed in London in the House of Commons. On August 27 Earl Mountbatten of Burma was killed, also by the IRA, in Mullaghmore, Ireland. India, of which he was the last Viceroy, de-clared a week of national mourning.

It was also a time for peace. Jimmy Carter was President of the USA and busy signing treaties. On March 26 between Israel and Egypt, and on June 18 the SALT 2 treaty with the Soviet Union. Two treaties which still hold today. Mother Theresa was awarded the Nobel peace prize. Rhodesian whites voted for black rule. After a transition period under the very Abel Muzorewa, on December 21, after 14 years of illegal independence, Robert Mugabe, Joshua Nkomo and Bishop Muzorewa signed the Lancaster House Agreement, there was a ceasefire, new elections were called, sanctions lifted and Rhodesia became Zimbabwe.

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It was also a time for war and soon after we became doctors, on Decem-ber 27, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and the US started its support of the Taliban and other re-sistance movements.

What of health? On March 31 an explosion of hydrogen gas crippled the reactor at Three Mile Island. Shortly thereafter Derek Yach and Michael Kantey started the Anti Koe-berg Campaign here in Cape Town. Godfrey Hounsfield and Allan Cor-mack shared the Nobel Prize for their invention of the EMI CAT scanner. Cormack of course was born in Jo-hannesburg and graduated MSc from UCT in 1945. In the same year, two years after the last known case of naturally transmitted smallpox was reported, the WHO declared its cam-paign a success and to date, small-pox is the only disease that has been completely eradicated through public health efforts.

In South Africa, most languished misery and Nationalist oppression was only gaining a serious momen-tum. There were lighter moments provided for us by those in high office. “Muldergate” rocked and shocked our country. After initial allegations of misdirection of funds to finance clandestine activities, PW Botha had already succeeded BJ Vorster as Prime Minister, in December 1978. The first casualties of ’79 were Cor-nelius “Connie” P. Mulder, Minis-ter of Information, and Eschel M. Rhoodie, his Department Secretary. Mulder was expelled by the National Party (I did not think that possible!) and charged with contempt of court. Then on June 4, on the day that the Erasmus commission accused him of giving false testimony, Balthazar Jo-hannes Vorster resigned as president of South Africa. The name of his successor, Marais Viljoen, will remain a handsome challenge for all partici-pants in the local production of the board game “trivial pursuit”.

Finally on 1979, who remembers the number 1 single in the UK that year, Art Garfunkle’s Bright eyes? I hear him now.

Tonight, whilst we celebrate the presence of 80 of our class mates and about 50 of their partners, we lament the absence of another 80 who were sadly unwilling or unable to join us. I have personally received messages and bring you greetings from Max-well Michael, Deon Venter, Bruce Adnams, Angelo Grazziolli, Andrew Smith, Gordon Haddow and my best friend Derek Yach - who last year capped an astonishingly successful ca-reer in Public Health by with his wife Yasmin, having his first child, a son Ju-lian. More particularly, we remember quietly those few who could never be with us. Steve Harle, Creswell Smith, Chris Dare, Mike le Grange and my old school friend Stanley Newman. But I feel them here tonight, Chris Dare walking her dog, (the only ani-mal to graduate MBChB UCT) and a slightly dishevelled Mike le Grange, just having a fag!

So who are you and what’s hap-pened to you? Let me save you some math. 82 (47%) of us live in South Africa, only 49 of whom trained for the greater Cape Town. Of those 82 in South Africa, 60 are special-ists, 22 preferring general practice. My reading tells me that there are 9 Paediatricians, 5 Orthopods and 4 Anaesthetists. Three more Paediatri-cians overseas places us in an unas-sailable position! There was truly a diaspora. UK 18, USA 17, Canada 14 and Australia 11, NZ 8. The rest of Africa was not well served. Only 1 of us lives in Namibia and only 1 of us returned to Zimbabwe. It is a pity that half of us are not in the country but it is nothing new. My father graduated in 1954 and his class was similarly diasporate within a decade. Sadly, still we read that despite the glory of our democracy, the demographic changes in the stu-dent body and punitive measures de-signed to keep our young graduates here, the figures remain the same and it is only the reasons for leaving that seem to change.

No event of this nature is held without great effort and two persons deserve special thanks. Joan Tuff is

the UCT Alumni officer responsible for all the medical reunions. She has refined the programme to perfection and this well oiled machine is appar-ently faultless. However, that does not diminish the fact that she has worked tirelessly for over a year so that we could all be here tonight, debts paid! Derek Solomon’s has applied the same efficiency and effectiveness to this reunion as he has in his profes-sional life. He too has laboured hard on our behalf and deserves our warm-est thanks and appreciation.

Finally, what of me? I am still just an aspiring rock star! I am happy to be able to live with my family, in this beautiful city. I had a wonderful 6 years at UCT and many of you here tonight helped make that a happy and fulfilling time for me. I have only had two car accidents in my driv-ing life. Both of them whilst at UCT – both of them on university premis-es! The first, a head on collision into Catherine King outside the Physiol-ogy building was after miraculously passing second year. The second, into the back of Richard Keys, whilst leaving our last lecture the morning of our farewell dinner at the Holiday Inn. His fault! I have only two re-grets. Firstly, that I was not the most diligent student but then the univer-sity offered so many tantalizing extra curricular activities and I drank heav-ily at many of those fountains. And yes that includes the Pig and Whistle. Secondly, that I did not get to know more of my class mates a whole lot better. I was inspired this morning by the diversity of your experience and the passion with which you continue to apply your skills in your careers. I was playing golf with Allan Seftel on Friday morning. I should correct that, he was playing the golf and I was occasionally making contact with a white ball. We had a fabulous out-ing with 6 others. We had many mo-ments of reflection on these special 6 years which he succinctly paraphrased thus. “Those were the best years of my life”.

I agree. A toast to you all and a toast to UCT.

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ClaSS OF 1 994

For the 10 year reunion class, 1994 was a year of celebration with the

birth of South Africa’s new democracy, as well as a year of trepidation at the possibility of new impending legislation relating to community service and vo-cational training. We were young birds about to take our first flight from the nest of medical school into the world of practicing medicine. Many classmates literally “flew”, traveling abroad, gaining experience, paying off student loans etc. Some have settled overseas permanently, but what is so encouraging is the trend of classmates to return to South Africa.

Ten years on, classmates are gener-ally at the stage of life of being midst or post specializing, or established in general practice from a career point of view; and married, with or without young children from a social point of view. This meant that much of reun-ion had to be played by ear with last minute attendances and cancellations due to family commitments

The 1994 Class reunion commenced with coffee and registration, followed by a tour of the new sections of Medi-cal School, the UCT Private Academic Hospital and the Transplant Museum, finishing off with a finger lunch – all this with 2 newborns in tow! The Cock-tail party on Friday evening kick–started the reminiscing with the opening ad-dress by Deputy Dean Gonda Perez, who outlined the progress within the Health Sciences Faculty in past 10 years (one of the significant changes being the name-change from “Medical Faculty” to “Health Sciences Faculty”).

The reunion committee had decided to forgo the traditional academic sec-tion of the programme, since most of the class were either currently involved in fulltime registrar programmes, and those that weren’t had young families to accommodate in addition to their demanding careers.

The highlight of the Reunion events was most definitely the gala dinner at Arabella Sheraton – once again with a few (more) newborns in tow. It was a

wonderful opportunity to catch up with classmates and their spouses / partners. Classmates found it hilarious to look through copies of the 1994 Class year-book and compare the sections “where will I be in 10 years time?” with where classmates actually are today. On a more somber note, tribute was paid to class-mates who had passed away tragically since graduation. The “Backsberg Red” Class of ’94 wine had aged particularly well and was thoroughly enjoyed by the connoisseurs and plebs alike.

The picnic lunch at Kirstenbosch Gardens was a fantastic event albeit a bit windy, with races across the lawns between dads and multitudes of young kids, and toddlers sampling all of the lunches on offer! A very relaxed laid back affair.

All in all the 1994 Class Reunion was a very special time with renewing of acquaintances and friendships, and was absolutely well worth it!

Kerrin Begg

Front Row Peter Polley, Belinda Prestage, None Ramonate, Kerrin Begg (née De Haas), Jo-Ann Soldin (née McLoughlin), Greg van Osch

Second Row Chris Outram, Larissa Panieri (née Peter)Third Row: Simone Meer (née Forlee), Roze Phillips, Gary Kroukamp,

Gillian Robertson, Michelle Carrihill, Shirley MacPherson, Andrew Morrish, Fraser Ward

Fourth Row: Ziad Meer, Indhrin Chetty, Naseema Barday-Karbanee, Lisa Todd, Nici Scheepers, Simone Honikman, Tracy May (née Janse van Rensburg), Mark Cvitanich

Fifth Row: Ian Forsyth, Yolande van der Heyde, Briget Borwick, Ola Basson (née Rzepecka), Ruth Cornick, Thomas Crede, Wayne May

Back Row: Andrew Boulle, Ryan Soldin, Mike Levin, Chris Kenyon, Geoff Fatti

Absent: Irene Brokensha, David Carter, Graeme Copley, Tanya Kinvig

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By Rubendren Naidoo, 6th year class representative, 2004

Sometimes I look back at the last six years in total disbelief that I actu-

ally went through the whole thing… and mostly have a sense of amazement that it all went by far too fast. That’s how I feel when I look back upon my time at medical school.

It was rather different for me. I was the first in my family to venture into this world of health care, this need to help people, this life sacrifice to commit myself to something bigger than me. Well, when I eventually got there, I thought I was in the right place, for everybody expressed the same need, the same want, the same goal… ‘And why did you come to medi-cal school?’... And the shy first years an-swered in chorus, ‘I want to help people’. I was soon to find out that these superfi-cial wants might not be enough, and that the only true way to loving the experience is to understand what you want and why.

The world I thought I was about to enter seemed far too different from the reality ‘ER’ and other soapies had pre-pared me for… there was physics, chemis-try, health and society … how were these ever going to help me be a good doctor? I was afraid! Did I make the right decision? Was I really meant to be here? Family had already started nagging me with their ail-ments and problems. So many questions, and yet there were so few answers. Amidst all of this, I struggled with being away from home for the first time, living in this mega huge city with so many people, none of whom I had known. How was I supposed to make any friends?

The universal icon of medical school has to undoubtedly be the dissection of human bodies. I remember being so afraid to make the first incision. All the anatomy repeaters formed a dissection group on their own, and I remember watching them that very first day, and be-ing amazed at how swift they were with their scalpel. It was to be one of the very many important lessons I was to learn in

medical school. ‘Never panic about what you don’t know, because soon you will get there.’ And has good teaching and dedi-cated work would have it … the scalpel in my hand was like the stamen in a petal, waiting eagerly for the bee to arrive.

That friendly enthusiastic nature of the second year lecturers was soon ‘su-namied’ out by the aggressive welcome into third year. One of my questions I had been asked in an entrance interview into medical school at Natal was what I understood by the word ‘pathology’, and until third year, I hadn’t the faint-est clue… Not knowing that made me somewhat insecure. I was never curious to find out what the forthcoming years in medical school had to offer. I found myself in the flow of the programme and felt comfortable and safe and left worrying about the yet to come, when it came. Suddenly, at the end of third year, the puzzle started to fit into place and the image was becoming clearer! Like Dr Warton had said in our early days at medical school, “find within everyday a ‘wow’ factor”, something we would look back at in amazement, and he was right … because not a day has gone by when I have not been amazed by something.

Until third year, I had never been onto Hospital Street in Groote Schuur! What an amazing experience to start see-ing the world in motion, isolated in this beautiful building in an amazing city. The comfort in familiarity I had found within those medical school walls in those 6 years added to a sense of belong-ing. It is something we all search for in life, though usually afraid to admit it. In finding this belonging, I was reassured that perhaps I am in the right place, that I am meant to be a doctor.

And of course who can ever forget the annual formal and variety show… A chance for us all to prove to each other that we do have some sort of so-cial life outside medical school! Though I have to admit, by the time the spirits of life processed us, nothing could tear that mutual bond we all shared, that

lOOKiNG BaCK

“That friendly enthusiastic nature of the second year

lecturers was soon ‘sunamied’

out by the aggressive

welcome into third year”

Rubendren Naidoo

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By: Ed Coetzee – Class of 1964 Hackey Edelstein – Class of 1954

There was all the pomp and ceremony of a university graduation but what

is a re-graduation? Why waste a valuable afternoon with such a boring activity? If people are going to sing their own praises I want nothing to do with it!

These are some of the responses we got from our classes when we first suggested that our class should have a re-graduation ceremony. Despite the opposition we pressed ahead. Like all the classes from those years, we had been separated by the Apartheid laws and at our original gradu-ation ceremony none of our colleagues from previously disadvantaged back-grounds had attended.* We wanted our re-graduation to be a symbol of the new South Africa. We wanted to be truly unit-ed for the first time. We wanted everyone in our class to be re-committed and proud of their university, which, like South Af-rica had also changed extensively.

Our steadfast belief in the re-gradua-tion ceremony paid off. At the ceremony held in Jameson Hall on Friday, 10 De-cember last year, virtually everyone that came to the Class reunions participated (about 100 in all) and re-enacted their graduation ceremony. This ceremony was a replica of the university’s normal gradu-ation ceremonies.

When the Academic Procession en-

tered Jameson Hall they were greeted by the singing of Gaudeamus Igitur and there was hardly a dry eye in the hall. The alumni were capped by the vice-chancel-lor, Professor Njabulo Ndebele. Professor Cheryl de la Rey, deputy vice-chancellor, said that we were an important part of UCT’s community. This was an opportu-nity for us to take a moment to reflect on and savour all of our achievements.

We were glad to celebrate the unique-ness of our classes and the privilege of serving the community in different places in the world for 50 and 40 years respec-tively, thanks to the excellent training that we had received at the University of Cape Town, Faculty of Health Sciences. We were sad that some of our colleagues were no longer with us and that some had not attended the reunion as they missed a very special occasion. We celebrated that Apartheid was behind us and our coun-try and university was transformed.

We all agreed that it had been a truly special day which was filled with a sense of fun and enjoyment, a feeling of pride and togetherness that was so much more than everyone expected.

Our thanks go to the many people who made this great event possible.

* This fortunately did not apply to those of us who graduated in 1954 as all our colleagues from previously disadvantaged backgrounds at-tended our graduation ceremony

reMiNisCeNCes Of The Classes Of 1954 aND 1964 re-GraDuaTiON

Regraduates from the class of 1964 (top) and the class of 1954 (right)

common denominator that made us ‘uniquely’ the same.

I really can’t recall what happened in fourth and fifth year. Maybe because it all appears to have merged into one big experience! What I do remember are the individual people I have come across, be it patients, doctors and friends. These years were about what you wanted to know. There was a syllabus, but unless you made the effort, it did not matter. Some colleagues might argue this fact, for to some, what did matter most was, how many copies of past exam papers one could acquire …

Fundamental things I have learned while at medical school:

1. There definitely is a greater plan for all of us… we just have to make the right choices along the way and things will unfold as they are meant to unfold…

2. There can only be one in each class who could see themselves 90% fat free in 10 years

3. If life were a box of chocolates, then the most promising speciality to get into would be vascular surgery, but we all know how early they start their ward rounds

4. The only reason we study what the best option of management would be for our patients, is so that we know how to tell them that the state can’t afford to provide that for them

5. If it was not for surgeons, then the family medicine people would be out of business

6. And finally, considering that only two people in my class decided that they love medical school so much, they need more time, it definitely is possible to study medicine by correspondence

Are our decisions pre-destined in life? That I must confess to not knowing, but what I do know is that the last 6 years have made me more optimistic and hope-ful for the next 6 decades.

To all my colleagues, be strong, stand tall and don’t be a prick with your needle.

�0

1930’sJoSEPH BaRoN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1934] did a diploma in Obstet-rics at the Royal College of Obstetri-cians and Gynaecologists in England and is a retired doctor from Kenilworth in the Cape. He is a Member of the British Empire (MBE – Military) and re-ceived the Military Cross (MC). Joseph is married to Gwendoline, and has two children, both of whom studied at UCT – Diane HPTD and Peter (MBChB, FCP). Joseph writes that in 1984, he and Mr Owen Kinahan organised the 50th anniversary dinner for the Class of 1934. Hobbies include fishing, golf and walking (until his knee “grounded” him)!HENRi MaRaiS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1938] did postgraduate private study for an ChM degree with the late Professors Jannie and James Louw dur-ing the war years at UCT. He passed the exam but was never able to write his thesis hence was unable to obtain his degree. He was in general practice in Queenstown and Kingwilliamstown from 1946-1979 before he retired to Plet-tenberg Bay with his wife Louise (née Vlok), also a UCT alumnus (BA, Sec T Cert), where he did part-time clinics un-til 2002. He was President of the Border Branch of MASA from 1954-55 and has been a life member since 1981. Whilst studying at UCT he obtained colours for rowing and won first prize for Bota-ny in 1933. They have three sons, all of whom studied at UCT – Ian graduating MBChB in 1967. Henri went on active military service from 1940-1945 and was stationed in East Africa and the Middle East. Hobbies include bowls, Probus club, nature conservation and snooker.MaNNiE RaTHuS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1939, FAFOM (RACP), FA-COM] was former Director of Industri-al (Occupational) Medicine in Queens-land, Australia. He lives in Durack, Queensland, with his wife, Elise (née Scott). Among his special achievements he was “Miembro De Honor” of the

Latin-American Association and has written a number of research papers. They have three children, all of whom studied at the University of Queensland where two have graduated with PhD’s. Mannie served in World War 2 in the South African Air Force and was sta-tioned in North Africa and Italy. Hob-bies include squash, tennis, rose grow-ing and languages. 1940’sHERCulES Du PlESSiS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1944] lives in Pretoria with his wife, Rita. He is retired and they have five children. Hercules enjoys watching sport and the news on televi-sion.PaTRiCK FoSTER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1949, DA RCS, DA RCSI, FRCA, FFARCSI] is a retired Physi-cian from Hummelstown, Pennsyl-vania, where he lives with his wife of 50 years, Pamela. Amongst his many achievements, Patrick was Professor and Chairman, Department of Anaesthesia at Stellenbosch University, Chairman of the SA Society of Anaesthesiologists and the SA Association of University Anaesthetists. He was for many years Secretary of the Faculty of Anaesthetists of the SA College of Medicine with a special interest in developing audio-vis-ual education. After a period as assist-ant editor of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists quarterly journal, he became editor of the WFSA Newsletter and a vice-president of the organisation. He held the rank of Lt. Commander in the South African Navy and participated in the development of the underwater diving training course for medical officers and was associated with the Wynberg Military Hospital. During a SA Navy exercise off the Co-moros Islands he was one of the team involved in the Navy’s first successful surgical operation at sea, an appen-dectomy. Hobbies include electronics, woodwork and photography.JoHN HaNSEN [MBChB 1943, MD,

DSc Hon (Cape Town) DSc (Witwa-tersrand)] was on the UCT staff from 1953-1971. He is a retired Paediatrician from Plettenberg Bay, and is married to Joy (née Wheeldon). They have three sons - Sven and Rob graduated MBChB from UCT in 1985 and 1989 respective-ly and Tony obtained a BCom (Hons). John writes that he is fortunate to be able to enjoy retirement in a beautiful place. Hobbies include reading, walking and nutrition.JaN HoFMEyR [MBChB (Cape Town) 1946] is from Mount Edgecombe in Kwa-Zulu Natal where he lives with his wife, Lucia (née Havenga). They have two children. Jan is still employed by the Kwa-Zulu Natal Health Depart-ment as a Service Provider to Geriatrics. He enjoys playing bowls.DESMoND lE Roux [MBChB (Cape Town) 1949] was in General Prac-tice in Knysna from 1953-1982 and was Chairman of the Hospital Board from 1977 until 1982. He moved to Swazi-land in 1982 and was Chief Medical Officer on a sugar estate in Big Bend. Desmond and his wife, Delene, have four children. Their daughter, Cindy, studied MBChB at UCT. Hobbies in-clude bowls and golf.PETER PERRoTT [MBChB (Cape Town) 1949, MRCOG (London) FR-COG] retired from practice as an Ob-stetrician and Gynaecologist in March 1996. He had a quadruple coronary ar-tery bypass in 1994 and lives in Berea, Durban with his wife, Merle. They have three children. Peter has many hobbies and writes that he is a Jack of all trades.lEoNaRD TiBBiT [MBChB 1945, D (Community Medicine) (Cape Town)] is the Director of the Association of Re-tired Persons and Pensioners – a medi-cal portfolio - and lives in a retirement village in Sun Valley, Fish Hoek, Cape with his wife, Margaret. He was a Gener-al Practitioner in Pietermaritzburg from 1949-1977 and was Minister of Health, Divisional Council and Cape Regional Services Council from 1978-1988. He

Where are They NOW?

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was awarded the Hamilton Maynard Medal by the South African Medical Journal for the best article by a single author in 1992 for his article “Health Services for the Elderly”. He was also Chairman of the SA Geriatric Society from 2000-2001 and Chairman of the Probus Club of Constantia in 1998. Le-onard enjoys golf and sport in general.DaNiEl VillET [BChB (Cape Town) 1949, FRCS (England)], a retired sur-geon, is married to Joan and has four children. Whilst at university, he won the Gynaecology class medal and was in the UCT rowing team. Daniel spent four years doing surgery in England and eighteen months each at both Groote Schuur Hospital and King Ed-ward Hospital in Durban, before going into private practice in Port Elizabeth in 1959. He also did vascular surgery for the State hospitals after retirement. In his ramblings of the past, he writes that when he started his private practice in Port Elizabeth, no one did vascular surgery and hardly anyone was aware of it. He decided to brush up by spend-ing two months at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. When he returned he told the Provincial Hospi-tal operating theatre matron that they would require some special instruments to do these procedures. She said that she could not order them as he would have to attend a hospital committee meeting to get permission for them. When he explained his requirements to the meet-ing he was asked if he would ever use them! Hobbies include yachts and sail-ing and water-colour painting. 1950’sRoNalD BENSoN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1951, DCH RCP (London) RCS (Eng), MRCP (Edin) FRCP (Edin)] is a Paediatrician who was in private prac-tice in Port Elizabeth for forty years before his retirement. He is still active in SA Medical Association affairs and is on the Eastern Cape Branch Coun-cil where he has served as President, Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. He is married to Christine (née Rogers) and lives in Port Elizabeth. They have

five children, three of whom studied at UCT where all three were in Smuts Hall – Anthony (BSc Chem Eng) and Bruce and Peter (MBChB). Ronald is interested in the musical scene and worked on the steering committee for the Feather Market Organ Society. The organ, which was inaugurated in 1999, has over 5,500 stops and is one of the biggest in South Africa. He attended the Class of 1951 reunions that were held at UCT in 1991 and 2001. Hobbies in-clude photography and gardening. He also enjoys history and did courses at UNISA.WulFRED BERMaN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1958, DTM&H (Liver-pool)] is Medical Director of the Rose-wood State Hospital in Baltimore, USA. Married to Trudy (née van Rhyn), they have three sons and six grandchildren. Wulfred completed Speciality Certifi-cation in Paediatrics and Neurology in Israel and Paediatrics and Developmen-tal Disabilities in the USA. Hobbies in-clude tennis, hiking, travel and cycling.JoHaNNES (BloMMiE) BloMER-uS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1956, BSc, MMed (Stell), DMRD (London)] is a retired radiologist from Durbanville. He is married to Ansie (née Vermeu-len) with three children. Blommie was awarded an MMed in Diagnostic Radi-ogy Cum Laude. He runs a small farm in the Tankwa Karoo and his hobbies include painting and writing. MalColM BoWiE [MBChB 1954, MD (Cape Town), BSc (Natal), MRCP, FRCP (Edinburgh), DCH (RSP Lon-don, RCS England] has retired to Knys-na with his wife Elaine (née Allan), who graduated with a Social Science degree from UCT in 1958. Malcolm served on the UCT staff from 1964-1994 and part time from 1994 until 1999. Among his achievements, Malcolm was President of the UCT Golf Club from 1980-88, Chairman of the Red Cross Children’s Hospital Board, President of the SA Nutrition Society and Chairman and President of the SA Paediatric Society. He received the Dowie Dunn Prize for Paediatrics in 1954. He was the first resi-dent doctor appointed to the Red Cross

Children’s Hospital when it opened in 1956 and retired as clinical Head of Pae-diatrics at the hospital in 1994. Two of their children studied at UCT – David (BSc Hons and PhD) and Lynn, (BSc HDE MSc). Hobbies include golf, gar-dening and painting.iSaaC BRaJTMaN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1955] is now a part-time General Practitioner from Rose Bay, New South Wales, Australia. Married to Myriam (neé Zweig), his hobbies include garden-ing and bike riding. He also enjoys his grandchildren.RiCHaRD CaHi [MBChB (Cape Town) 1953, DA (England), FRCA] is an Anaesthesiologist from Harare in Zimbabwe. Married to Joan (née Ban-nard), a UCT alumnus, they have three children, two of whom studied at UCT. Richard’s grandson, Duncan Wild, is currently studying at UCT. Richard writes that he was sorry to miss his 50th medical class reunion that took place in 2003.HERBERT CliFFoRD [BSc, MBChB (Cape Town) 1954, FRCS (England) FRACS (Aus)] is a retired surgeon from Wahroonga, New South Wales, Aus-tralia. He is married to Doreen (née Staples) with two children and enjoys cabinet making, astronomy and history. He graduated in Medicine with distinc-tion and received Distinguished Service Awards from the Private Hospitals As-sociation as well as the Council on Hos-pital Standards in Australia. RalPH GillMER [MBChB UCT 1951, DPM (Wits), FF Psych (SA), FRC Psych (London)] from Durban North, has done fifty years of clinical work as a Psychiatrist. Ralph has been married for 59 years to Joan (née Kinsman), who has a PhD from Rhodes University. They have three children, all of whom are now in their 50’s. His son, Dr DJ Gillmer, who graduated in Medicine in 1972 from the University of the Wit-watersrand, practises in Durban as a Cardiologist. Ralph’s hobbies are swim-ming and psycho-analysis.MiCK lEaRy [MBChB 1958, MD (Cape Town)] served on the UCT staff from 1968 until January 2000 where

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he was Associate Professor and Head of the Paediatric Neurology Service at Red Cross Hospital. Married to Edith, he is now Consultant Paediatric Neu-rologist at Bristol Children’s Hospital. They have four children, three of whom studied at UCT – Tim (BA Hons PhD), James (MBChB) and Frances (BA, Dip HRM). In Cape Town Mick was heavily involved in mountain rescue but now enjoys hill walking, gentle cycling and carpentry. Mick writes that since his retirement from UCT and Red Cross Hospital, he has had five very happy years in Bristol, United Kingdom.lEoN lauBSCHER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1952] is a retired General Practi-tioner from Panorama in the Cape. He was Mayor of Walvis Bay in Namibia from 1970-1973 and again in 1975 and featured in the SA Who’s Who (South West Africa section) in 1974 and 1976. He also featured in the World Who’s Who from 1978-1979 and received the Leipoldt Medal for a medical article in 1957. Leon also belonged to Lions International for many years and was Club President for Walvis Bay for sev-eral terms. He is married to Lourina and they have three children. Hobbies include surgery – assisting with opera-tions, gardening and reading.MauRiCE luNTz [MBChB (Cape Town) 1952, MD (Witwatersrand), FRCS (Edinburgh), FRCOPath (Eng), FCS SA (Hon)] is an Ophthalmolo-gist from New York. Among his many achievements, Maurice was Chairman of the New York Academy of Medicine (Ophthalmology Section), Chairman: Medical Advisory Board of the New York Eye Bank for Sight Restoration, President: Intra-ocular Lens Society of New York, and President of the New York Laser and Imaging Society. He received the Royal Society of Medicine Prize, London for the most original re-search in Ophthalmology, published in the UK as well as the Conrad Behrens Prize for the best ophthalmology teach-ing film. Married to Angela (née My-erson), Maurice writes that he enjoyed his 50th Medical Class reunion held in 2002.

louRENS (laPa) MuNNiK [MBChB (Cape Town) 1950] is a retired Medical Practitioner from Dordrecht in the Cape. He was former Minister of Health & Welfare from 1979-1983, Minister of Telecommunication & Posts and Public Works and Land Af-fairs from 1983-1987. He is married, has five children and enjoys farming and sport - especially rugby, cricket and golf.JoHN oSMoND [MBChB (Cape Town) 1952, FRCS (Ireland)] is an Or-thopaedic (spinal) Surgeon from Lunen-burg, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he lives with his wife Gillian (née Preston). He is semi-retired, still consulting in spinal disorders. Hobbies include golf and bridge. John writes that he was sad-dened to hear of the death of Dr Louis Babrow who coached the U19A rugby team for which John played flanker. He captained the team from 1948/49 before he was put out of rugby with a knee dislocation. John and his wife at-tended the 50th Medical Class reunion in 2002. He writes that it was an amaz-ing and unforgettable experience and that Cape Town, his birthplace, is still the most beautiful city he has ever ex-perienced.GEoRGE PaRSoNS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1954, DTM&H (Liverpool), DO (RCP, RCS), FRSH, FRANZCO] is a retired Ophthalmologist from the Gold Coast in Australia. He was Honorary Surgeon to the Governor General in 1969 and Surgeon Commander in the Royal Australian Navy. George is mar-ried to Euthene (née Wallace) and has four children. GEoRGE Pillay [MBChB (Cape Town) 1954, DMRD, FRCR (London)] is a retired radiologist, who still does part-time work and lives in Bellville in the Cape with his wife Maria. They have four children, the youngest of whom, George, studied at UCT – BA, BSc and a postgraduate Diploma in African Studies.JEaN TalBoT [MBChB (Cape Town) 1955, DPM (Witwatersrand)] is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Married to Jean (John) Williamson

(MBChB UCT 1954) they live in Lane Cove, New South Wales, Australia and have four children. Three of their chil-dren – Ruth Parker (BSc Hons), Janet Williamson (BA) and Ian Williamson (BA) studied at UCT. Jean writes that they spent 16 years living in Tasmania, the “most wonderful place to live”, be-fore their family brought them to Syd-ney a year ago.DE WET VoRSTER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1953, FRCPsych, DPM (Eng), Dip in Psychiatry (McGill, Canada)] is from Devon, UK. He is married to Iona and has five children. Since his semi-retirement from the National Health Service, he has presented many papers on the Psychoses concerning problems of isolation Psychotherapy and em-ployment at international conferences. These include the World Mental Health Association in Finland and Santiago, Chile, where papers were also presented on Religion and Mental Health. He is a member of the Spiritual subsection of the Royal College of Psychiatry as well as a member of the Southwest Com-mittee of Rethink (a charity that used to be called the National Schizophre-nia Fellowship). A special occasion was the presentation in Moscow at the first Russian Conference on Infant Mental Health. A group were invited by Mrs Yeltsin in order to help orphans to re-enter families. At the conference he presented their research in Plymouth of the value of contact between mother and baby immediately post-birth. He showed a video of Zulu mothers he had taken on a South African visit where holding of babies was pursued by all in the village and less crying and distress appeared to occur. This presentation was also given at the Sun City Psychiat-ric Congress. De Wet enjoys travelling. 1960’sCEDRiC alSToN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1961] is a General Practitioner from Vryheid in Kwa-Zulu Natal where he lives with his wife, Rose. They have three children and his hobbies include farming and golf.BRiaN aNziSKa [MBChB (Cape

Where are They NOW: CONTiNueD

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Town) 1968] is a Neurologist and Uni-versity Professor from New York, USA. He is married to Rochelle and his old-est son did an elective at Groote Schuur Hospital in 2000.BaRRy BaSS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1961, FACA, Dip A&A, Dip A&PM] is Associate Professor of Anaesthesiology and Pain Management at the University of Texas in Houston, USA. He is Presi-dent of the Coastal Bend Anaesthesia Associates and was Pain Teacher of the Year in 2004. He is married to Susan with three children and enjoys sailing, computers and dog training.RoBERT (DoC) CalDWEll [MBChB (Cape Town) 1969, FCP (SA), MRCP (UK), FRCP (London)] is a spe-cialist physician from Hilton in Kwa-Zulu Natal. He is married to Patricia (née Preston), a UCT Alumnus (BSc 1971) who also has a PhD from the University of Natal. They have three children, all of whom studied at UCT - Robert, BA HDE, Gillian BA, BA (Hons) and Ian, BSc (Civil Engineering). Doc’s father, Robert Alfred, also studied MBChB at UCT graduating in 1958. Hobbies in-clude writing and stage performance.JoHaNNES CloETE [MBChB (Cape Town) 1960, BA MA (US) M Fam Med (UOFS), MFGP (SA)] is mar-ried to Paula (née De Villiers) and lives in a retirement village in Bloemfontein. He worked in Maclear from 1967 until 2004. Amongst his achievements is that he did bloodless medicine and surgery (now known as blood conservation). He has six children and is a Minister of Religion. SyDNEy CulliS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1967, FCS(SA), FRCS (Edin)] is a General and Gastrointestinal Surgeon from Rondebosch in the Cape. He is in partnership with five other UCT graduates - Peter Jeffery (1968), Keith Brice (1969), Bob Baigrie (1983), James Tunnicliffe (1985) and Philip Matley (1980). He is married to Catherine (née Hathorn) and has two children, both of whom studied at UCT – James (BSc (Civil Eng) and Robyn (MBChB) in 2001, fifty years to the day after her grandfather Robin. Sydney is the co-

ordinator of the CPD programme at Kingsbury Hospital CHRiSTiNE DaWKiNS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1966, Dip Anaesthetics (Dublin)] is a Medical Practitioner from Alexandra Headland, Queensland, Australia where she lives with her hus-band, James Dick. After thirty years as an anaesthetist, Christine re-trained as a Menopause Consultant and now runs a Menopause Clinic on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. They have three sons and her hobbies are camping, bush walking, bird watching, travel, reading and watching sport.lEoNaRD KaHN [MMed (Path) (Cape Town) 1965, MBChB (Rand), MRC Path (London), FRCPath (Lon-don)] is Chairman of the Department of Pathology at both Long Island Jew-ish & North Shore University Hospitals as well as Professor of Pathology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Married to Louise (née Tuch), BA, STD (Secondary Teachers Diploma) UCT, with three children, they live in Great Neck, New York. Leonard received the Medal of Honour from the Internation-al Skeletal Society in 2003. He has pub-lished over 150 articles in peer reviewed Pathology journals and is also on the editorial board of some journals. Hob-bies include tennis, skiing, swimming, arts and entertainment.lEoN KlEiNMaN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1963, Master of Applied Ethics (MAE) (University of Newcastle), FRC-SC, FACS, FRACS, FA Orth A] is an or-thopaedic surgeon from New Lambton Heights, New South Wales, Australia. Leon is an Examiner with the Austral-ian Medical Council and an External Examiner for the University of Papua New Guinea. He is married to Melissa (née De Vos) with a daughter and a son. Hobbies include reading, art and travel – especially outback Australia. Leon writes that he would be delighted to hear from old classmates or colleagues.RiCHaRD KoHN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1967, FFA] has been a consult-ant Anaesthetist in Leicester, UK for 25 years. He is married to Gerda (née Kleinschmidt) and has two children - a

son, who is an architect and a daughter, who is a political journalist. They are at Cambridge and Oxford respectively. Hobbies include opera, classical music and tennis. Richard retired from cricket at the age of 55.PETER MaTTHEWS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1966, MCFP, M Fam Med (Me-dunsa) is Line Function Head of the Department of Family Medicine, Uni-versity of Pretoria where he established and has run the Mpumalanga branch of the MMed (Fam Med) degree since 1998. Married to Ann with three chil-dren by a previous marriage, Peter en-joys gardening (especially roses), cook-ing and wine-tasting.aDRiaN MoRiSoN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1967, DCM, FCP (SA)] is a Pae-diatrician from Bergvliet in the Cape. He is married to Stella and has four children, all of whom studied at UCT – John (BCom GDA), Tracy (BSc), Ryan (BMus) and David (BSc), who is in his second year. He is presently Head of Paediatrics at Victoria Hospital. Hob-bies include sport, running and cara-vanning.oCKiE ooSTHuizEN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1969, MMed, MD (Stell) is a Specialist Physician from Wind-hoek, Namibia. In 1976 he received the ICI Clinical Scholarship Award and was Chairman of the Education Com-mittee, Medical Board of Namibia from 1995-2004. He was also Chairman of the Medicines Control Council of Na-mibia from 1992-1995 and is Consult-ant Professor, Faculty of Health Scienc-es at the University of Namibia. He is married to Erica (née van Niekerk) and has three children.NEVillE PoKRoy [MBChB (Cape Town) 1965, FCP(SA) and (USA), MD Int Medicine/Nephrology (USA)] is a Nephrologist from Las Vegas, USA where he lives with his wife Esther (née Siboni). He was Man of the Year in Las Vegas in 1993 and has been at the Uni-versity of Nevada Medical School for 25 years. Neville is also Medical Direc-tor of the Dialysis Services of Southern Nevada. They have four children. Hob-bies include squash, which he still plays

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three times a week, rose and vegetable gardening, travel and deep sea fishing. Neville writes that Las Vegas has been a wonderfully stimulating environment to grow in all aspects of life’s offerings. His oldest son teaches Emergency Medi-cine in Gainsville, Florida whilst his two daughters are studying for Master’s de-grees. His wife was recently awarded a BSc in Hotel Administration.RoB RuSH [MBChB (Cape Town) 1963, MRCOG, FRCOG] is an Obste-trician/Gynaecologist from Adelaide, Eastern Cape. He is married to Jenni-fer (née Painter) and has three children. His one son, Gavin, studied BSc (Hons) and Phd (Med Micro) at UCT. Hobbies include golf, hiking and wildlife photog-raphy.aNNEMaRiE SaiNSBuRy (née Pre-torius) [Dip Physiotherapy (Cape Town) 1965] changed careers to become Race Administrator of the Two Oceans Mar-athan for 21 years but has since retired. She is married to Michael “Chet” Sains-bury with three sons (Neil, Paul and Mark) and lives in Rondebosch, Cape. Neil did track, cross country and road running for UCT and also did a Master’s in Urban Design at Oxford. He works as an Urban Designer in Milton Keynes in the United Kingdom. Paul runs an Event Management company and Mark is a Trader with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney.RoBERT VaN DER liNDEN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1960] is an Or-thopaedic Surgeon still working part-time at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth. He is married to Isabelle and has eight children – four sons and four daughters. His one son, Geoffrey, studied MBChB at UCT and is now a consultant Psychiatrist living in Bristol, United Kingdom. He enjoys playing jazz with his sons who are musicians, two of them professional. Robert plays double bass in the Eastern Cape Philharmonic orchestra and also plays chamber music with his wife, who is a cellist.JoHaN VaN DER SPuy [MBChB (Cape Town) 1961, FCS(SA)] is a Medi-co-legal Consultant on Injuries. He re-ceived the UCT Distinguished Surgeon

Award for Surgery of Trauma in 2003. He is married to Gerda with one child and lives in Brackenfell in the Cape. Johan was Head of the Groote Schuur Hospital Trauma Unit from 1977-1987 and Head of the Medical Research Council National Trauma Research Programme from 1987 until 2000. His hobby is farming with Damara sheep.NaaS VilJoEN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1961, MSc (Anatomy) (Pret), MMed (Urol)] (Stell), FCS (SA)] is the retired Professor of Urology of the Uni-versity of the Free State. He lives in Her-manus with his wife, Lazelle. They have four children.JoHN WERNER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1967, MS (Ophthalmology) USA] is the Melvin Jones Fellow of Li-ons International. After 24 happy years in private Ophthalmology practice in Bethlehem, he moved to a mission hos-pital in Lesotho. He is married to Ce-lia and has two children. His daughter, Heidi did a BSc Nursing at UCT. John enjoys music and hiking. 1970’sMaRioN aBSaloM [MBChB (Cape Town) 1979, FRCPC (C)] is an anaes-thetist from Gallo Manor, Gauteng. She is married to Neil McDonald.DESMoND BEll [MBChB (Cape Town) 1970, LMCC (University of Van-couver), FRCS (C)] is an Ear, Nose, and Throat Surgeon from West Vancouver, Canada. His wife, Barbara (née Taylor), studied physiotherapy at UCT. They have three children and his hobbies include golf, watercolour painting and skiing. aNDRé BiRKENSToCK [MBChB (Cape Town) 1975] is a Medical Prac-titioner from Katima Mulilo, Namibia. He is engaged full-time in primary health care activities amongst the staff of various safari lodges in Northern Na-mibia and Botswana, particularly with regards to HIV/Aids. He is married to Anne Marie (née Melgaard) and they have a son and a daughter.aRNolD Di BElla [MBChB (Cape Town) 1974, Orthopaedic Residency (University of Connecticut), Hand Fel-

lowship (Hartford Hospital)] has been practising Hand Surgery at Baylor Hospital in Dallas since 1983. His wife Hana (née Kubik) is a UCT alumnus having graduated with a BSc degree in 1974. They have two daughters, Nicole and Danielle.RiSHDa CRoMBiE (née Hendricks) [BSc Physiotherapy (Cape Town) 1978] is married to Ebrahim with two daugh-ters and lives in Zeekoevlei, Cape. Their one daughter, Zayaan, also graduated from UCT as a physiotherapist and their other daughter, Ilhaam, is current-ly studying Business Science. Hobbies include karate and scrapbooking.Paul GEBERS [MBChB 1979, MMed (Paed) (Cape Town), FC Paed (SA), is a Paediatrician from Port Elizabeth. He is married to Theresa (née Rabbets) who completed two years of a BSocSci de-gree at UCT. They have three children, the eldest in second year at UCT study-ing B Film and Media Studies.Hobbies include bird watching, Den-drology and Cystic Fibrosis.DaViD HElFET [BSc, MBChB (Cape Town) 1975] is an Orthopaedic Sur-geon from New York where he lives with his wife, Mary (née Crittenden). They have two children and he enjoys playing golf.liNDa HERiNG (née Perkins) MBChB (Cape Town) 1979, Dip Com-munity Medicine (Stell) 1988] is Direc-tor of the Associated Psychiatric Hospi-tals in the Western Cape - Alexandra, Lentegeur, Stikland and Valkenberg. She is married to Prof E Hering, a PhD Medical Physics graduate from UCT, and has two children, one currently in third year at UCT studying Business Administration: Finance and Account-ing. They live in Pinelands in the Cape.RoEloF louRENS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1975, DA (SA), DCH (SA), FCP (SA), FRACP] is a Paediatrician in Tau-ranga, New Zealand where he lives with his wife, Kathryn. Hobbies include sport and gardening.JoHN MElMED [MBChB (Cape Town) 1970, MBA (University of Mary-land), Diplomate (American College of Radiology, University of Rochester)

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1979] is a Radiologist in Private Practice in Maryland, USA. He has won numer-ous awards for public speaking. John is married to Rianne Green and they have three children, two of whom married recently. Hobbies include Toastmasters, motivational speaking and hiking. John writes that he would like to try his hand at stand-up comedy unless being a radi-ologist brings financial security soon!RüDiGER MoiSEl [MBChB (Cape Town) 1977] is a General Practitioner from Swakopmund, Namibia. Married to Gisela (née Müller) with three chil-dren, hobbies include mountaineering, part-time farming, nature conservation and singing.PRESToN MooRCRoFT [MBChB 1975, MMed (Cape Town), FCS (Orth)(SA), BSc (Rhodes), FRACS (Roy-al Australasian College of Surgeons)] is an Orthopaedic Surgeon from Rotorua, New Zealand. He is divorced with two children and writes that he is “just an ordinary bloke getting on with the busi-ness of living”. Hobbies include kayak-ing, motorcycle touring, snow skiing, photography, oil painting and fishing.iVaN SCHEWiTz [MBChB (Cape Town) 1974, FCS (SA)] is a Cardiotho-racic Surgeon from Bryanston, Gau-teng. He is married to Jacqueline and has four children.NoRMaN SMuTS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1975, FF Rad(D)SA] is a Radi-ologist from Rondebosch in the Cape. He is married to Heidi, also a UCT Alumnus (PhD Virology) 1986. They have two children, one of whom, Troy, has just started studying at UCT for a degree in Environmental Science. Hob-bies include classical music, opera, thea-tre, literature, collecting art, gardening, travel and fine food.NEil SoloMoNS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1979, FRCS(Eng), FRCS(Ed)] is an ENT and Facial Plastic Surgeon from Guildford, Surrey in the United Kingdom. He is married to Jennifer and has two daughters – Lucy and Kate, aged 21 and 19 respectively.BEN VaN RENSBuRG [MBChB (Cape Town) 1977, BA (UOFS)] is a General Practitioner from Gaborone,

Botwana where he lives with his wife, Margo. They have four children and his hobbies include indigenous trees and the renovation of historical monuments and buildings.CHRiSToPHER WiNEaRlS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1973, D Phil (Oxford), FRCP (London)] is a Neph-rologist from Oxford, United Kingdom. He is Clinical Director of the Oxford Kidney Unit, Honorary Senior Lecturer in Nephrology at Oxford University, Vice President of the Renal Association and Fellow of the Jesus College. He is married to Beryl (née Butler) and they have four sons. Christopher enjoys din-ghy sailing.

1980’sMaRTiN BRoSSy [MBChB (Cape Town) 1981, DA (SA), Dip Mid COG (SA), FFA (SA) FRCA (England)] is an anaesthetist in private practice in Cape Town. He is married to Rosemary with two children – Christopher (10) and Emma (7). Martin enjoys squash, where he is involved in the administration, as well as playing in the top Western Prov-ince leagues. He also enjoys golf, wind-surfing, jogging and hiking.MaRK DaVoREN [BSc (Physiol-ogy) 1985, MBChB 1991 (Cape Town)] has just completed his paediatric post-graduate training (FRACP-Paeds) in Brisbane, Australia and is now work-ing as a consultant Paediatrician in the Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospitals on the outskirts of Brisbane. Mark writes that he would love to hear from any old classmates and if they ever need a place to stay when visiting Brisbane, he would be most willing to offer them ac-commodation – at the cost of a drink and friendly reminiscent chat about the good old days spent as students at “Ikeys”.CaTHy FRaSER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1981, Master’s in General Prac-tice Psychiatry (Monash)] is a General Practitioner with a special interest in Psychotherapy from Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia. She is President of the Australian Doctors Orchestra and Founder and Manager of the New

South Sales Doctors Orchestra. Cathy plays the flute annually for medically related charities.DETlEN HaVEMaNN [BSc Med Hons (Exercise Science) (Cape Town) 1989, BA (Phys Ed) Hons, MA(Phys Ed), HED (University of Pretoria)] is a retired Bio-Kineticist from Val De Grace in Pretoria. He is married to Jeanette and has two children.FRaNS KoRB [MBChB (Cape Town) 1985, BSc and BSc Hons (UOFS), MA Clinical Psychology, MMed (Psychiatry) (Witwatersrand) is a Senior Clinical Research Physician from Sandton, Gau-teng. Hobbies include arts, theatre, film and literature.SHloMo lEiBoWiCH [MBChB (Cape Town) 1982] is a Radiologist from Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, USA. He is married to Vivienne and has two children.RiCHaRD lEiGH [MBChB (Cape Town) 1987, MSc (Health Research Methodology), PhD (McMaster Uni-versity)] is a Medical Specialist / Physi-cian Scientist from Calgary, Canada. He received the CIHR Clinical Scien-tist Award and is married with no chil-dren.MiCHaEl PEPPER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1982, PhD, MD (University of Geneva)] is Director of the Netcare Molecular Medicine Institute and lives in Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria. He is married to Professor Tess van der Mer-we and has four children. SHaWN PoWEll [BSc (Physiology), MBChB (Cape Town) 1986, DCH (SA), MCFP(SA), MF (Hon) (London)] is married to Ruth, BSc, BSc (Med) (Hons), MSc (Med), BSocSc (Hons), HDE (Cape Town). They have two chil-dren and live in Knysna. Shaun wrote the best postgraduate publication for the SA Journal of Surgery in 2002. Hob-bies include complementary medicine, indigenous plants and iridology.HilaRy RaizoN (née Fig) [BSC Oc-cupational Therapy (Cape Town) 1981] is an Occupational Therapist from Potomac, USA. Married to Arnold who graduated from UCT with an MBChB in 1980, they have four children aged

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16, 13, and twins of 9.CaRoliNE (Cally) RoBSoN (née Levitt) [MBChB (Cape Town) 1984, FFRAD.D (SA), Board certified in Ra-diology, Certificate in Neuroradiology (American Board of Radiology)] is a Paediatric Neuroradiologist from We-ston, Massachusetts. Cally is Director of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Direc-tor of Head and Neck Imaging at the Children’s Hospital in Boston as well as Assistant Professor in Radiology at Harvard Medical School. She is also a Member of the Advanced Foetal Care Centre at the Children’s Hospital in Boston. Married to her husband, Si-mon, for 18 years, they have two daugh-ters – Victoria and Eliza aged 13 and 11 years respectively. Hobbies include pho-tography, walking, skiing, swimming, reading and movies.louiS TRiCHaRD [MMed (Psych) (Cape Town) 1983, FF Psych (SA), BSc, MBChB (Witwatersrand)] is a retired psychiatrist living in Edmonton, Can-ada with his partner of 20 years. Hob-bies include food and cooking, craft, language and swimming.

1990’sFioNa ColE [BSc Physiotherapy (Cape Town) 1992, Dip in Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy (Johannesburg)] is a physiotherapist living in Isleworth, Middlesex, UK. Fiona married Philip Goodwin in May this year. Hobbies in-clude mountain climbing and cycling.aNToNy DaRNé [MBChB (Cape Town) 1999, BSc (Witwatersrand)] is a Pathologist-in-training from Durham in the United Kingdom. He is married to Sharmela (née Naidoo) and they have one child. Antony enjoys running as a hobby.MaRTiN ElVEy [BSc (Physio) (Cape Town) 1994 is currently studying for his MSc in Physiotherapy at the University of the Witwatersrand. He is married to Merril, lives in Fairmount, Johan-nesburg and has four children. Martin studies the Talmud as a hobby.Sally FRaSER-MaCKENziE (née Mackenzie) [BSc (Occ Therapy) (Cape Town) 1995, BSc (Psychology) (Unisa)]

is an Occupational Therapist from Kny-sna where she lives with her husband, Martin. She wrote a series of books on learning difficulties – see www.sally-mackenzie.com. Sally enjoys adventure sports.DiaNE HaWaRDEN (née Lategan) [BSc, MBChB (Cape Town) 1992] is a consultant in the Allergy Unit at the UCT Lung Institute. She is married to André, has two daughters (Caitlin and Kelly), and lives in Milnerton, Cape. Diane was the Allergy Society of SA’s (ALLSA) research award recipient in 2003. Hobbies include swimming and travel.lEiSEl HERSElMaN [MBChB (Cape Town) 1998] is a General Practi-tioner from Newlands in the Cape. She is married to Dr Grant Pienaar and they have one child. Leisel enjoys reading.iaN KallMEyER [MBChB (Cape Town) 1991 is an Anaesthesiologist from Needham, Massachusetts. He is married to Vanessa (née Stipinovich), a Radiologist, and has two girls, Olivia and Sophia, aged 3 and 2 respectively. Hobbies include travel, bicycling, art and music.SuSaN lEVETT [MBChB 1991, MBA (Cape Town), FCPsych] is a Psychiatrist from Paarl in the Cape. She is married to Geoff Cargill and has two children. Hobbies include outdoors, reading and travel.JoNaTHaN louW [MBChB 1993, MBA (Cape Town)] is the Managing Director of Adcock Ingram Pharmaceu-ticals and lives in Sunninghill, Gauteng. Hobbies include scuba diving, wine and motor racing.DESMoND STEVENS [MBChB (Cape Town) 1990] is a General Practi-tioner from Emerald Hill in Port Eliza-beth. His wife, Navaneedhi Reddy, is also a doctor and they have two sons of 6 and 8 years of age. Hobbies include golf, fishing, surfing the web, outdoor life, na-ture and psychoneuroimmunology. 2000’sClaiRE DEaCoN [BSc Med (Hons) (Cape Town) 2000, MCur (UPE)] is a Consultant in health and safety, ergo-

nomics and occupational health to in-dustry and specialises in construction. She is currently registered for a PhD in Construction Management at the Uni-versity of Port Elizabeth and has two boys aged 10 and 12 years. Hobbies are ergonomics and geriatrics.TaNya DoHERTy [B Nursing, MSc Nursing (Cape Town) 2000] is from Claremont in the Cape and is a Re-searcher at Health Systems Trust. She won a Fulbright scholarship and studied for a Master’s degree in Public Health at Harvard University.SHoaiB KazEE [BSC (Physiotherapy) (Cape Town) 2002] is employed by the Durban District Office as a Physiothera-pist. He was on the medical team for the International Karate Tournament that was hosted by the Durban Inter-national Convention Centre in 2004. Shoaib writes that he is most grateful to UCT for his undergraduate instruction and especially Ms Adri Winckler for her support and sincere kindness.liza luCaNi [BSc Physiotherapy (Cape Town) 2000] is a Physiotherapist from Constantia in the Cape. She is presently engaged to be married.TSHEPiSo MaDiHlaBa [MBChB (Cape Town) 2002] is a Senior Medi-cal Officer from Nelspruit. Hobbies include travelling and reading.RiCHaRD MauSliNG [MBChB (Cape Town) 2003] is an unmarried medical doctor from Edgemead in the Cape.laMEzE PaRKER (née Ismail) [MBChB (Cape Town) 2001] is a Gen-eral Practitioner from Wynberg in the Cape. She is married to Kader and has four children. Their daughter, Fa-rah, who recently married an MBChB student from the University of Stellen-bosch, studied BSocSci at UCT and has now completed BPsych Hons at the University of the Western Cape. Their other daughter, Mariam, has just com-menced her studies in Physiotherapy. They also have two sons, Mahmood and Yaseen, who studied the Qur’an for a year before starting high school. Hob-bies include handcraft, floral arrange-ment, gardening, music and theatre.

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Welcome to our 2005 edition of Cathartic. Thank you for your

contributions of news that is featured in this publication. Please continue to return the questionnaires so that you may be included in future editions of Cathartic.

The medical class reunions held in 2004 were a great success. Read all about them in this edition. Preparations for this year’s reunions are at an advanced stage – the programmes for which are featured in the magazine.

Four reunions are planned for 2006: Class of 1956Class of 1966Class of 1976Class of 1981

If you are a member of any one of these classes, please contact the Alumni Of-

fice to update your address and contact details so that you can be sure to hear from us. Reunions usually take place at medical school from the latter part of November until the middle of Decem-ber, with activities over a 3-day week-end.

We are also planning to bring on board reunions for the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences in the near future. Please therefore keep us updated on your contact details so that we can make contact with you when this new event gets underway.

On our website we have introduced a new feature entitled “news from our alumni”. If you have recently been given an award or have anything of interest to report, we would love to hear from you. Make sure that you visit our website fre-quently so that you can be kept up-to-date on what is happening at the Faculty on the following address: www.health.uct.ac.za/alumni.

We hope that you will enjoy this edi-tion of Cathartic.

With best wishesJoan TuffAlumni Officer

From the Alumni Office

Use this section to tell us more about yourself and what you’ve been doing since you left UCT for inclusion in a future publication.

PLEASE USE BLOCK LETTERS

Title, initials, first name: _________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Surname: ____________________________________________________

Maiden Name: ________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________ Post code: ________

Telephone: Home (….) ________________ Fax: (….) ________________

Telephone: Work (….) _______________ Fax: (….) __________________

What years were you at UCT? (e.g. 1968-1973) ______________________

Degree(s) obtained: ____________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Degree(s) obtained at other institutions (Please specify):

_____________________________________________________________

Occupation: ___________________________________________________

Special achievements/honours: ___________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Are you married? If so, to whom? __________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Is he/she a UCT Alumnus? _______________________________________

If yes, what degree? ________________________________ Year: _______

Do you have children? If so, how many? ____________________________

Did they study at UCT? If so, name/s and degree/s

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Year degree/s was/were obtained: _________________________________

Hobbies/special interests: ________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Any other news:

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________

Please return the completed questionnaire to:The Cathartic, UCT Faculty of Health Sciences, Alumni Office, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925South Africa or fax: 27 21 406-6584You can also complete the form on our website at the following address:www.health.uct.ac.za/alumni - click on ‘Cathartic’

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Programmes:

CLASS OF 1975

Friday, 2 Dec10h00: Registration and coffee at Medical

School10h45 Tours of the Medical School and

Groote Schuur Hospital13h00: Finger lunch – Tafelberg Room,

Groote Schuur Hospital18h00: Cocktail party at the home of Joan

Louwrens, 44 Muir Road, Rondebosch

Saturday, 3 Dec9h00-12h00: Academic meeting at

Medical School19h30: Class photograph and20h00: Reunion Dinner – Alphen

Hotel, Constantia

Sunday, 4 Dec9h30: Walk and picnic lunch on

Table Mountain

Organising committee members: Jean Borg-strom, Geoff Friedlander, Julie Jaffer, Joan Louwrens and Maureen Stein

CLASS OF 1980

Friday, 9 Dec10h00: Registration and coffee – Medical

School10h45: Tours of the Medical School and

Groote Schuur Hospital13h00: Finger lunch, Groote Schuur Hospital18h00: Cocktail party at Medical School

Saturday, 10 Dec 9h00-12h00: Academic meeting at

Medical School13h30 for 14h00: Optional Trip to Robben

Island

19h45: Class photograph and20h00: Reunion Dinner – Radisson Hotel,

Granger Bay

Sunday, 11 Dec10h30: Guided tour of Kirstenbosch Gardens12h30: Cold buffet lunch at Kirstenbosch

Restuarant

Organising committee members: Ellen Bolding, Jonathan Maskin, Eddy Lee Pan, Charles Slater and Judy Whittaker

CLASS OF 1955

Thurs, 15 Dec10h00: Registration and coffee at Medical School10h30: Tours of the Medical School and

Groote Schuur Hospital12h30: Finger lunch – Tafelberg Room,

Groote Schuur Hospital18h00: Dean’s welcoming cocktail party at

Medical School

Friday, 16 Dec9h00-12h00: Academic Meeting at

Medical School19h00: Class photograph and19h30: Reunion Dinner – Alphen

Hotel, ConstantiaSat, 17 Dec12h30: Lunch at Kirstenbosch

Restaurant

Organising Committee members: Aubrey Michalowsky, Lionel Opie and François Retief

CLASS OF 1965

Thurs, 15 Dec8h30-11h30: Breakfast – Cape Town

Hotel School, Granger Bay12h30: Tour of Groote Schuur Hospital

17h30 for18h00: Registration and Dean’s welcoming cocktail party at Medical School

Fri, 16 Dec 9h00-12h30: Academic Meeting at

Medical School19h45: Class photograph, and20h00: Reunion dinner – The Ca-

petonian Hotel, ForeshoreSat, 17 Dec12h30: Lunch at Kirstenbosch Tea

Room

Organising Committee members: Dave Beatty, Solly Benatar, Paddy Hartley and Fahmi Williams

reuNiONs fOr 2005Class of 1975 – 2-4 DecemberClass of 1980 – 9-11 December

Class of 1955 – 15-17 DecemberClass of 1965 – 15-17 December

Should you wish to attend one of these reunions, please contact Joan Tuff as follows:

Ralph KirschGonda PerezDavid DentJoan Tuff

Layout:Department of

Communication & Development

University of Cape Townwww.dcd.uct.ac.za

Web Sites to visit:

www.health.uct.ac.za/alumniwww.uct.ac.za

www.health.uct.ac.za

ediTORial COMMiTTee

UCT FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7925

UCT Faculty of Health SciencesAlumni OfficeAnzio RoadObservatory, 7925South Africa

Telephone: +27 21 406-6686Fax: +27 21 406-6584Email: jtuff@curie.uct.ac.zaOr visit our website on:www.health.uct.ac.za/alumni