TZANEEN: Living a dream at 30

At the age of 30, Dr Mike Ramothwala, oversees the clinical governance of the hospital.

On April 10, the MEC for Health in Limpopo, Phophi Ramathuba, announced Ramothwala as the new Clinical Manager of the institution.

Ramothwala is one of the three youngest clinical managers in the province and says he is excited about his appointment and intends to leave a legacy in the hospital.

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“I want to leave a legacy in the hospital of having taken the institution with limited services and brought excellent services to the public, that is my honest professional goal,” said Ramothwala.

The young doctor was born and bred in Botshebelo Village outside Giyani, where his passion for medicine started.

“My love for medicine began at a very young age, when I used to visit the Botshabelo Clinic, the nurses there made me fall in love with the profession,”he said.

After passing his Grade 12 at Merensky High School, he went on to the University of Cape Town (UCT) to study for his medical degree.

His leadership ability started showing in UCT after joining student politics and was later a Chairperson of the School Representative Council (SRC) on campus.

After completing his degree, he started working at Polokwane Provincial Hospital, but he had always wanted to go back home and work in the Mopani region.

In 2015, his dream of working closer to home was realised when he started working at Letaba Hospital.

After joining the hospital, his leadership ability was prevalent and he was named the leader of South African Medical Association in Letaba.

He says that one of his goals as the head of the department is to give ordinary citizens quality medical care, so that people don’t have to spend a lot of money in private hospitals.

“The hospital has recently hired three specialists namely; Dr Ntsoane, a surgeon; Dr Dreyer, a maxilo facial surgeon and Dr Oupa Shipalana, a gynecologist and he says that local people must take advantage of these medical services which are all free.

And he says that the institution is also in the process of buying other machines such as an C-Arm, a medical imaging device, which will be very useful in orthopedic procedures.

Ramothwala denounced rumours that his new appointment was not based on merit, but on the fact that he was a ‘comrade’.

“The rumours are clearly wrong, my appointment was not a political one, because I was nominated by fellow senior doctors in the hospital and nothing else.”

Dr Gert Du Preez told the HERALD that he was one of the doctors who has great faith in Ramothwala.

“I was one of the people who nominated him, I fully support him 100%, because I have seen him being a good leader.

“He is a new blood and he brings a new era in the orthopedic department,” said Du Preez.

And yes, the young doctor is off the market, he is married to a fellow doctor, Dr Pamela Ramothwala, who also works at Letaba Hospital.

One thing for sure for the young manager is that he is living his dreams and he is a testament that nothing is impossible.

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