Discovery Foundation Awards: Supporting academic excellence, leadership, and innovation in SA healthcare

Johannesburg, 03 November 2025 – The Discovery Foundation, an independent trust as part of Discovery’s BEE transaction to invest in healthcare training, announced the recipients of its 2025 Awards at a ceremony in Sandton. These annual grants support public sector doctors, specialists, researchers and institutions to enable continued progress, quality and accessibility of healthcare in South Africa.

This year, the Discovery Foundation celebrated Award recipients under the theme ‘Light the path’, recognising innovative approaches to care and medical research that touch people at every stage of life.

A vision for leadership and transformation
Dr Vincent Maphai, Chairperson of the Discovery Foundation, reflected on the Foundation’s long-standing commitment, saying, “The Discovery Foundation continues to invest in the next generation of medical leaders to help strengthen South Africa’s healthcare system. The Foundation was established with a powerful mission to nurture healthcare talent, support our healthcare system, and ensure that every South African has access to quality medical care. Looking at the reach of the Discovery Foundation to date, the impact of that vision is visible in every province and across every medical discipline, from family medicine and radiology to paediatrics and surgery.”

Dr Maphai added that the work of the Discovery Foundation is rooted in a belief that transformation in healthcare goes beyond numbers. “It is about enabling a generation of professionals who carry with them skill, leadership and an understanding of service and innovation grounded in human dignity.”

Research indicates that South Africa is experiencing an undersupply of doctors with 5.5 doctors per 10,000 lives. The number of medical specialists is also lower than expected - around 100,000 in total. Even though the number of specialists is expected to double by 2040, there will still be shortages in areas like heart and lung surgery, forensic pathology, brain surgery, ENT (ear, nose, and throat), radiology, public health, and general surgery.

Since its inception in 2006, the Discovery Foundation has helped fund up to 10% of South Africa’s training posts, and with 584 grants to date, investing over R331million in grants.

It has achieved 97% of its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) target in both rand value and beneficiary count. More than 75% of annual grants are awarded to black recipients, and 56% of all recipients are women, reflecting a growing commitment to transformation and diversity.

These grants support doctors at various career stages, from postgraduate studies and sub-specialist training to rural service and training initiatives for the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system. Dr Maphai highlighted that the 2025 Award recipients represent more than individual success stories. “Each recipient embodies our shared vision for a healthier, more equitable healthcare system. Their achievements and ongoing work remind us that South Africa’s healthcare story is one of resilience and progress.”

Over the years, Discovery Foundation grants have supported doctors specialising in anaesthesiology, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology, psychiatry, paediatrics, family medicine, radiology, and more. Award recipients have contributed to research and service delivery in every province, helping to strengthen healthcare delivery, specifically in rural and underserved areas.

Advancing medical innovation and health priorities
The Discovery Foundation’s ongoing partnerships with universities, teaching hospitals, and research institutions ensure that grants not only support individual excellence but also strengthen systemic capacity across the country.

The Discovery Foundation’s alumni also continue to advance South Africa’s academic and clinical landscape. Among them are Professor Lionel Green-Thompson, Dean of the School of Clinical Medicine at the University of Cape Town, whose leadership is shaping specialist training and clinical governance, and Professor Ncoza Dlova, Chief Specialist and Head of Dermatology at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN), a trailblazer in medical education and mentorship who has strengthened clinical services across the province.

Andronica Mabuya, Discovery’s Head of CSI, emphasises that sustainable healthcare requires long-term collaboration. “We believe access to quality healthcare should not depend on geography or circumstance. The Discovery Foundation’s mission is to bridge that gap and to empower doctors and institutions serving in rural areas. The impact of their research, training, and service delivery is felt across communities, helping to make healthcare more equitable, resilient, and responsive.”

Each recipient of a Discovery Foundation Award is required to serve in the public sector for at least two years following completion of their studies or training, yet more than 60% of alumni remain in public service beyond this period, which is a testament to their commitment to social impact. The 2025 Award recipients represent medical professionals at the forefront of digitisation, and clinical research. Their work reflects a global shift towards personalised, and value-driven healthcare, trends that align with South Africa’s health priorities.

From Limpopo’s palliative-care expansion, the Eastern Cape maternal-health studies and KwaZulu-Natal’s infectious-disease research to Western Cape radiology innovation, the Discovery Foundation’s reach in strengthening healthcare delivery through training is broad. Grants for telehealth, and digitisation are also helping to future-fit the health system while ensuring that technology enhances the human touch in care.

Dr Maphai noted the long-term impact of sustained investment, saying, “When we invest in a doctor, we are not merely funding an individual, we are empowering a multiplier of change. Every specialist trained, every patient treated, and every innovation introduced in the system improve the health of entire communities.”

Academic Fellowship Award

1. Dr Marwah Jenneker, Obstetrics and Gynaecology 
2. Dr Sayed Shakeel Kader, General Surgery
3. Dr Sello Machaea, Paediatric Surgery

Rural and underserved areas - Distinguished Visitor

1. Dr Maria Mmaphefo Maluleka, Family Medicine
2. Dr Mikateko Petunia Maswanganyi, Family Medicine
3. Dr Vuyo Nogela, Family Medicine
4. Dr Gabriel Steyn Botha, Family Medicine
5. Dr Ismail Ateeqah, Family Medicine
6. Dr Adelade Bernadette Le Roux, Family Medicine

Rural and underserved areas - Institutional Award

1. Dr Riha Mukhinindi, Family Medicine
2. Prof Mergan Naidoo, Family Medicine
3. Dr James Henry Marais, Department of Medical Practice
4. Dr Gert Marincowits, Family Medicine

Sub-specialist Award

1. Dr Wendy Maimela, Paediatric Cardiology
2. Dr Sivenderen Thaver, Colorectal Surgery
3. Dr Lesego Thomas, Maternal and Fetal Medicine
4. Dr Nokubonga Vundla, Clinical Haematology

About the Discovery Foundation

Established in 2006, the Discovery Foundation is an independent trust that provides grants to healthcare professionals and institutions committed to advancing South Africa’s public healthcare system. The awards recognise and support excellence in medical training, research, and service delivery, with a focus on rural and underserved areas.

Award categories

Academic Fellowship Award

These awards aim to promote research-focused training in Academic Medicine and to develop more clinician scientists to benefit healthcare in South Africa. The recipients receive funding for postgraduate research.

Sub-specialist Award

The Discovery Foundation Sub-specialist Awards aim to contribute to human resources for clinical and Academic Medicine by supporting further subspecialist training, research and development in health faculties in South Africa.

Healthcare in rural and underserved areas: Institutional Award

The Award supports improving the quality and delivery of healthcare through a one-year grant to an institution for training and capacity development in rural and underserved areas.

Healthcare in rural and underserved areas: Distinguished Visitor Award

Grants are provided to institutions that offer healthcare services to rural and underserved communities. Selected Clinicians provide guidance and mentorship.