Local doctor grateful for fulfilling career
After 41 years’ service, Dr Herman Botha has decided to retire.
Botha (72), who worked as a general practitioner at Medicross, in Farrarmere, for 19 years, plans to retire at the end of October.
“I want to retire while I am still healthy; I want to visit my children and grandchildren (Hermana, Monique, Arlene and Lourene Botha) in New Zealand and Australia,” he said.
Botha and his wife, Gerda, plan to visit their two sons, Solomon Petrus and Adriaan Botha and their families for longer periods after his retirement.
“Both my sons attended the now Noorderlig Gekombineerde Skool before relocating abroad,” said the Northmead resident.
Although his retirement will enable him to visit his family and tour Southern Africa, Botha intends staying up-to-date with the latest trends in medicine, so that he will still be able to practice as a doctor, if needs be.
“I would still like to visit local clinics to offer my services as a doctor when they need help,” he said.
“But this is voluntary, not permanently.”
Botha has been passionate about medicine since the age of six.
“My parents bought a toy medical set for me and, from that age, I became very fascinated by medicine,” he explained.
The doctor has been living in Benoni for the past 22 years, but was born in KwaZulu-Natal, and relocated to Johannesburg to study at the University of Pretoria.
He completed his internship and worked at Tambo Memorial Hospital (TMH) from 1975 to 1979.
“At that time TMH was a good hospital at which to be trained and after my internship I continued to work there,” Botha added.
“One of my most memorable experiences was the first Caesarean I performed at TMH, under supervision of course.
“It was beautiful to see a new life.”
In 1980 he decided to practice privately, using the premises currently occupied by the Life the Glynnwood Hospital.
“The people of Benoni are friendly and humble and they made my journey satisfying,” Botha said.
“I am grateful to them for making my time practicing a fulfilling one.”
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