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Full-time Consultants · Sessional Consultants · Scientists · Honorary Professors · Fellows · Registrars · Research postgrads · Medical Officers · Administrator

 

As outlined in our history, a key factor shaping the Division was the promotion of subspecialisations by Professor Peter during his tenure as Chair (1994-2007). These have strengthened our clinical service and allowed us to offer Fellowship training in a number of areas. 

The Division has also always enjoyed a strong relationship with colleagues in the private sector who have worked as sessional or voluntary part-time consultants. 

More recently, we have strengthened our research program through attracting scientists as staff members, facilitated through the SARChI Chair of Clinical Neuroscience Research held by Professor Anthony Figaji. A number of alumni have served as Honorary Professors at UCT, which has also boosted our academic activities. We have 15 Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) Training Numbers and have filled all these positions with registrars from South Africa and elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

Full-time Consultants

  • ENSLIN, Nico

    Nico Enslin

    Position: Head of Firm, Paediatric and Functional Neurosurgery, Red Cross War Memorial  Children’s Hospital

    Email address: nico.enslin@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Pretoria

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • FC Neurosurg (SA) 2014
    • MMed (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town 

    Areas of interest

    • Paediatric Neurosurgery             
    • Functional Neurosurgery
    • Epilepsy, Spasticity and Movement Disorders   

     

    Biosketch

    I studied physiotherapy and then medicine at University of Pretoria. This joint interest in neurology has led me to pursue a career in Neurosurgery. I specialized at University of Cape Town and completed my neurosurgical training there, after which I did short fellowships in functional neurosurgery at various European neurosurgical units. I completed a year fellowship in Paediatric neurosurgery at Red Cross Children’s hospital in Cape Town, and this is where I am currently working as a consultant neurosurgeon. My special interests are functional neurosurgery: epilepsy surgery, spasticity surgery and movement disorder surgery.

  • FIEGGEN, Graham

    Professor Graham Fieggen

    Position: Helen and Morris Mauerberger Professor and Head, Division of Neurosurgery

    Email address: graham.fieggen@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Cape Town

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • MSc (Neuroscience) University of London
    • MD (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town
    • FCS (SA) (Neurosurgery)

    Year of registration: 1997

    Further training

    • Paediatric Neurosurgery under the mentorship of Professor Jonathan C Peter at Red Cross Children’s Hospital
    • Short-term visits to units in Munich, Paris and San Francisco

     

    Areas of interest

    • Paediatric Neurosurgery
    • Functional Neurosurgery
    • Global Surgery
    • Education and Training in Surgery
    • Neuroscience

     

    Current positions

    • Helen and Morris Mauerberger Professor and Head, Division of Neurosurgery, University of Cape Town
    • Director, UCT Neuroscience Institute University of Cape Town
    • Head, Department of Surgery, University of Cape Town (2017-2021)
    • Paediatric Neurosurgeon Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital
    • Patron, Student Surgical Society University of Cape Town

     

    Professional affiliations

    Leadership

    • International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (President 2018, Annual Meeting Chairman 2008)
    • World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (2nd Vice President 2017-2019)
    • Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies (President 2014-2016)
    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (President 2018-2021)
    • College of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (Councillor)

    Membership

    • American Association of Neurological Surgeons (iFAANS)
    • American Academy of Neurological Surgeons (Corresponding member)
    • World Academy of Neurological Surgeons (Member)
    • European Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery (Teaching Faculty for Annual Course 2010-2012)
    • World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (Chairman of local organizing committee for 2011 Interim Meeting)
    • Editorial Boards: Neurosurgery, The Guide (ISPN electronic textbook)


    Biosketch

    I have been privileged to work in the challenging specialty of neurosurgery for almost 30 years, at the intersection of 3 great South African institutions- Groote Schuur Hospital, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, and the University of Cape Town. Appointed as the Helen & Morris Mauerberger Chair and Head of the Division of Neurosurgery in 2008, I have also served as Director of the Neuroscience Institute and Head of the Department of Surgery (2017-2021). As the largest clinical department with 11 Divisions spanning the Groote Schuur Hospital complex, this position has provided opportunities for operational as well as strategic leadership. The Department of Surgery has moved forward with a clear vision for the future through supporting Divisional leadership, driving transformation, and establishing the interdisciplinary field of Global Surgery within our Faculty.

    My vision for Neurosurgery at UCT is to build on the existing strengths of a world-class Division through collaborating with other disciplines in neuroscience, to enhance multidisciplinary patient care and interdisciplinary research. This approach led to the launch of the Neurosciences Initiative in 2015, accreditation of the interdisciplinary Neuroscience Institute in 2016 and construction of a home for this Institute on Groote Schuur Hospital campus, which opened in 2020. This project depended on our ability to raise the necessary funds, securing large donations from philanthropic foundations, together with strong support from the Province and University. 

    I care deeply about people and have sought to build productive working relationships within my own Division, the larger Department and the Institute that I lead, and have placed a strong emphasis on professionalism, respect, team-work and clear communication, valuing diversity highly.  Through leadership positions in the Continental Association of African Neurosurgical Societies, the International Society for Paediatric Neurosurgery Society, and the Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa, I have been able to drive a vision of the Global South contributing to the leadership of neurosurgery worldwide. There will be no better opportunity for this than the 18th World Congress of Neurosurgery in Cape Town in 2023 -  enabling South African and African neurosurgeons to take their place on the world stage. 

  • FIGAJI, Anthony

    Graham Fieggen

    Professor Anthony Figaji

    Positions

    • Professor and Head of Clinical Unit: Paediatric Neurosurgery, Red Cross War Memorial  Children’s Hospital
    • DSI/ NRF South Africa Research (SARChI) Chair in Clinical Neuroscience Research

    Email address: anthony.figaji@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Cape Town

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • MMed (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town
    • PhD University of Cape Town
    • FCNeurosurg (SA)

    Year of registration: 2004

     

    Further training

    • Paediatric Neurosurgery under the mentorship of Professors Peter and Fieggen, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
    • Short-term visits to units in New York, San Francisco and Verona

     

    Areas of interest

    • Paediatric neurosurgery
    • Neurotrauma
    • Neurocritical care
    • Intraoperative neurophysiology   

     

    Current positions

    • Head of Paediatric Neurosurgery Unit and Head of Firm
    • Head of Neurocritical Care Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital

     

    Professional affiliations

    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa
    • Critical Care Society of South Africa
    • International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
    • International Neurotrauma Society (Executive Board)
    • International Society for Intraoperative Neurophysiology (Executive Board, Chairman of the 2013 biennial Congress)
    • Editorial boards: The Guide (ISPN Electronic textbook), Child’s Nervous System
    • Steering Committee, AONeuro (AO Foundation)
    • Scientific Chair of the Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa

  • LE FEUVRE, David

    Graham Fieggen

    David Le Feuvre

    Position: Head of Firm: Neurovascular and Skull Base, Groote Schuur Hospital

    Email address: david.lefeuvre@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Cape Town

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • MMed (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town
    • MSc (Universities of Bicetre (Paris) and Mahidol (Chiang Mai))
    • FCS Neurosurgery (SA)

    Year of registration: 2003

     

    Further training

    • Neurointerventional training under the mentorship of Professor Pierre Lasjaunias, Paris, France and Professor Allan Taylor, Cape Town

     

    Areas of interest

    • Cerebrovascular surgery
    • Neuro-intervention
    • Neuro-oncology: Skull Base surgery and glioma surgery

     

    Current positions

    • Consultant Neurosurgeon, Neurovascular Unit, Groote Schuur Hospital
    • MBChB Convener, Division of Neurosurgery

     

    Professional affiliations

    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South AfricaSouth African Neurointervention Society
    • World Federation of Therapeutic and Interventional Neuroradiology (Secretary, 9th Bienniel Meeting, 2011)  

  • MATHOLE, Andrew

    Andrew Mathole

    Position: Head of Firm: Neurospine, Groote Schuur Hospital

    Email address: andrew.mathole@uct.ac.za

     

     

     

     

  • ROTHEMEYER, Sally

    Graham Fieggen

    Sally Rothemeyer

    Position: Head of Firm: Neuro-oncology and Functional Neurosurgery, Groote Schuur Hospital

    Email address: sally.rothemeyer@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Witwatersrand

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • FCS Neurosurgery (SA)

    Year of registration: 2007

     

    Further training

    • Functional Neurosurgery with Dr RL Melvill (Constantiaberg Medi-Clinic) and Professor Marwan Hariz, Queen Square, London

     

    Areas of interest

    • Functional Neurosurgery (Epilepsy, pain and movement disorders)
    • Neurooncology and Neuroendoscopy
    • Multidisciplinary Rehab Clinic
    • NeuroHIV

     

    Current positions

    • Consultant Neurosurgeon Groote Schuur Hospital

     

    Professional affiliations

    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa
    • World Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery (Secretary, Organising Committee, 2011 Interim Meeting)
    • WFNS Young Neurosurgeons Committee (South African delegate)

  • SEMPLE, Patrick

    Patrick Semple

    Professor Patrick Semple

    Position: Professor and Head of Clinical Unit: Neurocritical Care

    Email address: patrick.semple@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Cape Town

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • MMed (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town
    • PhD University of Cape Town
    • FCS(SA) Neurosurgery

    Year of registration: 1994

     

    Further training

    • Fellowship in pituitary surgery (Professor Ed Laws, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA)
    • Trained in endoscopic pituitary surgery (Prof Paolo Cappabianca, University Fredrico II, Naples, Italy)

     

    Areas of interest

    • Pituitary surgery
    • Neuroendoscopic surgery
    • Neurointensive care

     

    Current positions

    • Head of Clinical Unit and Head of Firm
    • Head of Neurointensive care
    • Co-director Neuroendocrine and Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery

     

    Professional affiliations

    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa
    • College of Medicine of South Africa (Senator)
    • American Association of Neurological Surgeons
    • International Society of Pituitary Surgeons
    • College of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (President)

  • TAYLOR, Allan

    Graham Fieggen

    Professor Allan Taylor

    Position: Professor and Head of Clinical Unit: Adult Neurosurgery

    Email address: allan.taylor@uct.ac.za

     

    Training

    Medical school: University of Witwatersrand

    Postgraduate qualifications

    • MMed (Neurosurgery) University of Cape Town
    • MSc (Neurointervention) University of Paris Sud/ Mahidol
    • FCS(SA) Neurosurgery

    Year of registration: 1995

     

    Further training

    • Neurointerventional training under the mentorship of Professor Pierre Lasjaunias, Paris, France and Professor Karel ter Brugge, Toronto, Canada

     

    Areas of interest

    • Cerebrovascular surgery
    • Neurointervention
    • Skull Base surgery
    • Radiosurgery

     

    Current positions

    • Head of Neurovascular Unit and Head of Firm Groote Schuur Hospital
    • Visiting Professor University of the Witwatersrand

     

    Professional affiliations

    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (Secretary)
    • South African Neurointervention Society
    • World Federation of Therapeutic and Interventional Neuroradiology (Chairman of the 11th Bienniel Meeting, 2011)

  • THANGO, Nqobile

    Nqobile Thango

    Position: Consultant Paediatric Neurosurgeon, Red Cross War Memorial  Children’s Hospital

    Email address: nqobile.thango@uct.ac.za

     

     

     

 

Sessional Consultants

  • FISHER-JEFFES, Norman

    Dr Norman Fisher-Jeffes

     

     

     

     

  • MBATHA, Andile

    Dr Andile Mbatha

     

     

     

     

  • MELVILL, Roger

    Dr Roger Melville

     

     

     

     

  • PARKER, Shafik

    Dr Shafik Parker

     

     

     

     

  • THOMPSON, Crispin

    Dr Crispin Thompson

    Head of Neurospine

    Head of Green Firm

     

     

  • WELSH, David

    David Welsh

    Medical School

    University of Cape Town

    Postgraduate qualifications

    FRCS (Eng)FCS (SA) Neurosurgery

    Year of Registration

    2001

    Further training

    University of Cape Town

    Areas of interest
    • SpineCraniocervical junction
    • Neuro-oncology

    Current positions
    • Head of Firm, Consultant Neurosurgeon
    • Acute Spinal Cord Injury Unit Groote Schuur Hospital

    Professional affiliations
    • Society of Neurosurgeons of South AfricaSA Spine Society (Secretary and Treasurer)
    • International faculty, AO Spine
    • Editorial board: European Spine Journal

     

  • WHITE, Grant

    Dr Grant White

     

     

     

     

 

Scientists

  • LANGERAK, Nelleke

    Degrees
    • PhD Biomedical Engineering (2009)
    • Bsc Physiotherapy (2004)
    • MSc Human Movement Sciences (2001)

    Research Projects

    Interdisciplinary studies: gait analyses - physical, functional and fitness assessments - X-ray, MRI and DXA imaging – psychosocial, neurocognitive and life-style questionnaires.

    Principal investigator on following projects:

    • Long-term follow-up after Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) in children with Cerebral Palsy (CP)
    • Long-term follow-up after multiple orthopaedic interventions in children with CP
    • Follow-up of children with HIV encephalopathy
    • Transition from childhood into adulthood with CP

    Biography

    Dr Nelleke G. Langerak is a Human Movement Scientist (HMS) working at the Division of Neurosurgery, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Besides her Master’s degree in Biomedical Health Sciences (HMS, 2001), she also has a Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy (2004, Cum Laude) and a PhD degree in Biomedical Engineering (2009, Tripe A: Cum Laude). Her first two degrees were obtained in the Netherlands, while she completed her PhD at UCT in South Africa (SA). After completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Faculty of Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU) in SA, she moved back to UCT where she is currently based.

    Her expertise lies in interdisciplinary research with a special interest in the lives of people with childhood-onset neuromuscular disabilities. She enjoys working with a holistic approach resulting in studies with a wide variety of outcome measures including gait analysis, physical examinations, functional tests, brain and spine imaging, neurocognitive studies, and quality of life, activity and participation assessments.

    Dr Langerak’s primary research is in the field of long-term follow-up studies after Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), a neurosurgical procedure, in children with spastic diplegic Cerebral Palsy (CP). In line with this, she also focuses on long-term outcomes of orthopaedic interventions in this population and transition problems. Another area of interest is the status of children with HIV encephalopathy and spastic diplegia, which formed the basis of a prestigious Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) award she received from the International AIDS Society. In addition, Dr Langerak received a five-year Research Career Advancement Fellowship funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF) South Africa, what she is currently holding at UCT.

     

     

     

  • ROHLWINK, Ursula

    Degrees
    • B.A Psychology and Neuroscience (2009)
    • MSc Neuroscience (2009)
    • PhD Neuroscience (2014)

    Selected Academic Grants
    • Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative -Wellcome Trust PhD Fellowship
    • Clinical Infectious Diseases Research Initiative -Wellcome Trust Post-doctoral Fellowship
    • South African National Research Foundation Competitive Support for Unrated Researchers Grant
    • USA National Neurotrauma Society TEAM Women in Neuroscience Visiting International Scholar Grant

    Research focus
    • Dr Rohlwink stives to answer clinically relevant questions through translational research by integrating clinical data from multimodality brain monitors with laboratory data from transcriptomics, proteomics, drug recovery and metabolic analyses.

    Research Projects
    • Biomarkers of brain injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
    • Differential gene expression profiling of the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of children with tuberculous meningitis
    • Transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis of brain injury mechanisms and energy metabolism in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
    • Neurocritical care in brain injury – traumatic and infectious
    • Cerebral microdialysis in traumatic brain injury and tuberculous meningitis
    • Pharmacokinetic profiling of rifampicin in site of disease samples in tuberculous meningitis
    • Pharmacokinetic profiling of analgosedatives in traumatic brain injury
    • Pathways of cell death in tuberculous meningitis
    • Long term consequences of paediatric tuberculous meningitis

    Biography

    Dr Ursula Rohlwink joined the UCT Division of Neurosurgery in 2009 when she began her Master’s in Neuroscience investigating the relationship between intracranial pressure and brain oxygentaion following paediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). Through her continued research in neurotrauma in the Paediatric Neurosurgery Unit she has gained insight into neurocritical care and multimodality neuromonitoring. For her PhD in Neuroscience she expanded her research on brain injury to tuberculous meningitis (TBM), a severe form of disseminated tuberculosis. Her project examined biomarkers of brain injury and inflammation in association with neurodevelomental and clinical outcome. Key findings indicated ongoing brain injury in patients despite full TBM treatment, and compartmentalisation of inflammatory and injury responses within the central nervous system. She pursued this work further during her post-doctoral fellowship by characterising the immune response and mechanisms of brain injury using whole-genome RNA-sequencing in site of disease samples. In 2018 Dr Rohlwink was awarded one of the first fellowships in the UCT Neuroscience Institute. She continues her work on TBI and TBM as a member of the Division of Neurosurgery.

    Collaborations
    • John’s Hopkins Medicine, USA
    • Cambridge University, UK
    • Francis Crick Institute, UK
    • Imperial College, UK
    • University of Stellenbosch, RSA

     

     

 

Honorary Professors

  • PEACOCK, Warwick

    Dr Warwick Peacock

     

     

     

     

  • WOOD, Matthew

    Professor Matthew Wood

    Honorary Professor

    University of Oxford, United Kingdom

     

     

     

     

     

     

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Postgraduate Students: Fellows

  • ARNOLD-DAY. Christel

    Dr Christel Arnold-Day

    Neurocritical care fellow

     

     

     

     

 

Postgraduate Students: Registrars

  • ASANTE-BREMANG, Moses

    Dr Moses Asante-Bremang

  • APPIAH-BADEN, Andrew

    Dr Andrew Appiah-Baden

  • DE JOHN, Byron

    Dr Byron De John

  • HINA, Thembani

    Dr Thembani Hina

  • KAMBINGA, Paty

    Dr Paty Kambinga

  • KATUNGI, Tomson

    Dr Tomson Katungi

  • KGAODI, Bakang

    Dr Bakang Kgaodi

  • KIRIINYA, Martin Muthinja

    Dr Martin Muthinja Kiriinya

  • KRUGER, Stefan

    Dr Stefan Kruger

  • LAZARUS, Jed

    Dr Jed Lazarus

    Medical Officer

    Dr Lazarus completed his MBChB at the University of Pretoria in 2015. He underwent his 2 year internship at New Somerset Hospital in Cape Town and completed his community service in 2019 at Potchefstroom Hospital, spending the year in the general surgery department. In 2019 he joined the Department of Neurosurgery at Groote Schuur Hospital as a Medical Officer. Outside of medicine he enjoys travelling to various countries around the world and expanding his horizons. He is a great fan of sport and likes to keep fit and active. 

  • LEKOLOANE, Rene

    Dr Rene Lekoloane

    Dr Rene Lekoloane completed undergraduate training in 2012 with the University of KZN. After a 2-year internship in Cape Town, she went on to do rural attachment in the Limpopo province, followed by time spent in general surgery. She then returned to UCT as a medical officer in neurosurgery, before joining the registrar training programme in 2018.

  • LOUW, Lizette

    Dr Lizette Louw

  • LUBASI, Manyando

    Dr Manyando Lubasi

    MD, Yaroslavl State Medical Academy- Russian Federation

    Did Internship at University teaching hospital (UTH) Lusaka Zambia for two years from 2009 to 2010 then was attached to a neurosurgical unit for over three months prior to being posted for rural service. Began neurosurgical training as a supernumerary registrar at UCT in September 2016.

  • RASHID, Sakina

    Dr Sakina Rashid

  • TROMP, Sean

    Dr Sean Tromp

    Dr Tromp completed medical training at University of Cape Town in 2012.  After two years of internship in East London, he spent time in general surgery and neurosurgery in Kimberley Hospital Complex, 2015.  He then returned to UCT in January 2016 to begin his registrar training.

 

Postgraduate Students: Research

  • DLAMINI, Lindizwe

     

  • SALIE, Roshaan

     

  • TSHAVHUNGWE, Phophi

     

 

Medical Officers

  • BULABULA, Jesse

     

  • MONDANE, Sydney

     

 

Administrator

  • BATHAKA, Vuyiwe

     
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