On Her Back, We Rose
A Tribute to the Mothers Behind the Medicine
There’s a photograph that lives in many of our memories, whether faded by time or vivid in its warmth: a mother with a child on her back — wrapped tightly in a blanket or towel, safe, fed, and at peace. It is more than a cultural image. It is a symbol of resilience, of protection, of love in motion.
This blog, this digital sanctuary, is not just for reading. It is for remembering.
This is a tribute to the women who didn’t just carry us as children, they carried our dreams when they felt too heavy. They carried our tears, our triumphs, our school bags, and our prayers. They sold vegetables and sewed garments, worked night shifts and cleaned offices — so we could wear stethoscopes and save lives.
Some of these mothers are still here. Some have gone. But all of them , every single one, gave the world a gift when they gave it you.
Dr Randzu Maluleke
“Because of Her, I Am”
In the words and photos submitted by SAMDP members, a powerful tapestry of gratitude emerges. From short tributes and tender memories to laughter and loss, the voices of our doctors echo a shared truth: none of us got here alone.
These mothers taught us how to care before we knew what medicine was. They were our first healers, our first listeners, and often our fiercest protectors.
A Living Archive of Love
This blog is not just a digital post — it is a living archive of honour, carrying the names, faces, and stories of the women who built the foundations of South Africa’s medical and dental community.
It is also a tribute to the many mothers within our ranks. Those who do ward rounds while raising toddlers. Those who care for their own patients with the same tenderness they give their children. Those who are fighting two battles at once, one in their scrubs, the other in their homes.
You are seen. You are celebrated.
We Stand Because They Stood for Us
We honour these mothers because they are part of our legacy. We cannot speak of progress, excellence, and empowerment in the health sector without first acknowledging the women who made our journeys possible.
This tribute is a mirror, for us to reflect, reconnect, and realign with the human side of medicine. It’s also an invitation to doctors who have yet to join the SAMDP family. We are a home for your career and your story, because we understand that your identity doesn’t begin with your title, but with your roots.
Dr Themba Mashiane
A Blanket of Love, A Lifetime of Impact
If our mothers carried us on their backs, we must carry their memories on ours. Let this blog be a blanket, woven with memory, stitched with thanks, and wrapped around every one of them.
To our mothers , we see you. We thank you. We honour you.
To our members, may you walk taller, knowing whose shoulders you stand on.
To future members, come be part of a community that remembers where it came from.
On Mother’s Day on 11 May, we honour the mothers who carried our dreams.
A tribute from the CEO of SGH — Dr Nkateko Munisi
In honour of my beloved mother, MaShezi, and all the mothers who made doctors out of love.
“Before I ever held a stethoscope, I was held by her, my mother, MaShezi, as she was affectionately known. Though she has passed on, her presence is the quiet strength in my bones and the fire behind my purpose. It was on her back that I first learned what resilience meant. She carried not just my body, but my future, my calling, and every dream I would one day pursue. This tribute is for her, and for every mother whose love has been the unseen scaffold of our journeys. They are the silent architects of our success, the healers behind the healers.”
Dr Alastair Kantani. This is my mother who’s still alive and turned 87 years old on the 6th May.
As the South African Medical and Dental Practitioners (SAMDP), we are proud to dedicate this heartfelt tribute to the incredible women who made us — our mothers, grandmothers, aunties, guardians, and mother-figures.
We honour the ones who are still with us and the ones who now walk with the ancestors. Your strength is woven into the fabric of our white coats and the beat behind every stethoscope.
This is also a moment to honour our female members — many of whom are mothers themselves. You are carrying forward a legacy of healing while nurturing the next generation of greatness. Your dual role as doctors and mothers is nothing short of miraculous.
To our members’ spouses, your sacrifices are seen and deeply appreciated. You are often the invisible backbone behind the resilience of your partners.
We also thank our members who participated in this tribute by sending personal photographs, your images have created a legacy of love and gratitude that will live on for generations.
This Mother’s Day blog is not just a celebration, it’s a reminder of what makes SAMDP unique. We are more than just professionals. We are a community rooted in humanity, built on shared values, and inspired by the people who made us.
If you are not yet a member, we welcome you to be part of this extraordinary movement. A movement that values not just your expertise, but your story, your family, and your purpose.
“At SAMDP, we honour the full person behind the professional. Because we know, on their backs, we rose.”
Join us. Grow with us. Let’s carry our legacies forward, together.
Dr Nkateko Munisi
CEO, SGH
Dr Odirile Rooi
