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Co-founders of Wits-Wethu

“Inspired by the image, characteristics and survival story of the Cape Pangolin, whose close relatives are found across the globe, this webinar series seeks to unpack the interconnectedness of health, humanities, environment and science, through a lens of systems-thinking. As is exemplified by the story of the pangolin - an ancient, yet endangered creature - the narratives that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic reveal a tracery of inter-linkages: simultaneous and persistent epidemics; protective lock-down defences, highlighting both strength and vulnerability; adaptivity and nimbleness alongside the burden of inherited and keratinized structures. The pangolin’s Fibonacci-like patterns evince the complexity of this crisis, the puzzles facing scientific experts, and the conundrums in our human responses.” 

Richard Cooke

Head of Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care

He is also the Director of the Faculty’s Centre for Rural Health. After an early career in finance and project management, Dr Cooke switched to Medicine, qualifying as a specialist Family Physician. He forged a passion for primary and rural health care during an 8-year stint as the Clinical Manager of Madwaleni Hospital in the Eastern Cape. Joining Wits in 2011, he now chairs the Curriculum Review Committee responsible for the final two years of the Graduate Entry Medical Programme (GEMP), as well as tasked with the directorship of the Wits Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro (NMFC) Collaboration Programme. 

Catherine Burns

Medical and Health Historian at Adler Museum

Catherine Burns is a medical and health historian, and inaugurated the first medical humanities interdisciplinary programme in the Southern African region and has taught undergraduates and supervised many graduate students in humanities and health sciences faculties. She joined the WITS Health Sciences Faculty just before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged into view and drew on her research and teaching interests to develop teaching and research materials from Adler Museum, with her affiliation there, and the history of African health systems (precolonial, missionary, colonial and biomedical health systems; the history of clinician-led research; obstetrics and maternal health; hospital histories; the history of race and sexuality and gender roles; and epidemics in Southern African history) as part of curriculum teams and as a teacher on several degrees. 
 

Stephen Pentz

Lecturer in Health Systems Science  

Stephen Pentz is a lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine & Primary Care. Since 2015, his work has involved developing a new field of inquiry in Health Systems Science within the Wits Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) degree programme. At present, he is working on developing Medical Humanities within the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences. Wits-Wethu is a fantastic flatform to forefront health systems issues and open up conversations within a medical humanities lens. His currrent research involves developing a competency framework to guide non-clinical undergraduate health science education. In his spare time, he plays the clarinet in the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra.  

Janus van As

Academic and Blended Coordinator 

Based in the DFMPC and wears multiple hats, he coordinates the Health System Sciences 1 year programme, oversees the development of Blended learning within the DFMPC and manages a team of interns that does instructional design and provides technical support to staff. He is also responsible for professional learning within the DFMPC and the setting up of academic hubs on the extended clinical platform.

Members of Wits-Wethu

TEAM FOR 2021

Tshehetso Montso

Instructional Design Intern (2021)

An intern in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care will assist with the creation of invitations, social media marketing and the maintenance of the Dreaming Disruption web-series. 

Smangaliso Ntuli

IT Support Intern (2021)

As an IT Support Intern at the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, that is tasked with the role of providing technological input to enhance the online learning experience whilst also developing software to meet the department’s needs. 

Arshad Moolla

Instructional Design Intern (2021)

Lead Instructional Design intern in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care where he project-manages the design and development of various courses and assists with the implementation of suitable learning technologies. 

Aiden Marosi

Instructional Design Intern (2021)

I am a Graphic Design intern in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care assisting with the creation of the Helping You Learn Online site along with assistance on all other sites that need graphics and structuring. 

Angie Mashabela

Administrative Intern (2021)

Angie Mashabela is an intern in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care, who will be responsible for various administrative tasks which will include Organizing, arranging and coordinating meetings, dealing with email enquiries and assisting with the social media marketing. 

Thandiwe Mkhasibe

Instructional Design Intern (2021)

Instructional Design intern in the Department of Family Medicine and Primary Care. Assists in various projects designed and in development of courses. Also, uploading session content of various course on uLwazi. Provide overall support to Professional stuff with instructional design developments.  

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