A lifetime dedicated to breaking barriers, advancing healthcare and inspiring generations of medical professionals has earned Prof Kubedi Patrick Mokhobo one of Wits University’s highest honours,Cape {town} Etc reports.
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The University of the Witwatersrand awarded the 94-year-old medical pioneer an Honorary Doctorate in Medicine during the Faculty of Health Sciences graduation ceremony on 15 July 2026, recognising a career that reshaped medicine in South Africa and across southern Africa.
As Prof Mokhobo walked across the stage in the Great Hall, he received a standing ovation from graduates, academics and guests. Watching proudly from the audience were four generations of his family, making the occasion even more meaningful.
Accepting the honour, the veteran physician reflected on the moment with humility.
‘The English language, and indeed my own mother tongue, Setswana, are too limited to express the honour and gratitude that I really feel,’ he said.
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The recognition marks another milestone in a remarkable journey that began under apartheid, when opportunities for Black South Africans in higher education were severely restricted.
Prof Mokhobo only started school at the age of 10 and, as the only Black student in his Wits medical class in 1953, faced significant obstacles throughout his studies. At the time, Black students even required government permission to attend white universities.
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Despite those challenges, he steadily carved out a path that would change South African medical history.
He became the first Black registrar in both paediatrics and internal medicine before making history again in 1966 as the first Black doctor to pass the prestigious Medical Fellowship examinations. Two years later, he successfully completed the British Specialist Examination in the United Kingdom, paving the way for another landmark achievement.
In 1973, Prof Mokhobo became southern Africa’s first Black cardiologist.
His impact, however, reached far beyond his medical qualifications.
While running medical practices in Daveyton, Benoni, he also became a founding member of the Pan Africanist Congress, balancing public service with political activism during a defining period in South Africa’s history.
His influence stretched across neighbouring countries too. Prof Mokhobo became the first medical specialist in Eswatini and played a key role in developing Lesotho’s healthcare system by helping establish medical institutions, professional organisations, medical congresses and the Lesotho Medical Journal.
His commitment to improving access to healthcare continued when he later served as Minister of Health in the former Bophuthatswana. During his tenure, he championed community-based healthcare, expanded the role of nurses as frontline clinicians and supported the decentralisation of health services to improve care in underserved communities.
Alongside his clinical work, Prof Mokhobo also devoted much of his career to education.
He helped shape medical curricula, trained future doctors and mentored healthcare professionals across several countries, leaving a legacy that continues to influence medicine long after many of his own patients were treated.
His story serves as a powerful reminder that perseverance, courage and a commitment to service can leave an impact that extends far beyond one lifetime.
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