SAMLA
South African
Medico-Legal Association
The aim of the SAMLA 2026 Conference is to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience among healthcare, legal and medico-legal professionals, while exploring the critical role of the human factor in medical error, accountability and ethical decision-making in modern healthcare.
Through discussions led by experts from healthcare, law, governance and ethics, the conference seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how professional accountability, organisational culture, patient safety, leadership, technology and human judgement intersect within the medico-legal environment.
The programme will examine contemporary challenges facing healthcare professionals, including medical error, professional misconduct, disciplinary processes, governance, burnout, informed consent, emerging technologies and the growing complexity of accountability in healthcare systems.
Explore three days of expert-led sessions, practical insights, case studies and networking focused on ethics, accountability and the human factor in healthcare.
| Time | Session | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 – 09:00 | Registration & Welcome Refreshments | |
| 09:00 – 09:10 | SAMLA Conference 2026 Opening – Director: Conference | Ms Carina van de Wall |
| 09:15 – 09:55 | Opening Address | Dr Mogori Mogashoa |
| 10:00 – 10:40 | Current Status of Medico-Legal Claims in South Africa | National Auditor-General: Ms Tsakani Maluleke |
| 10:40 – 11:10 | Tea / Coffee Break & Networking | |
| 11:10 – 11:40 | Keynote Address 1: The Human Factor in Medical Error: Ethics, Accountability and the Law Beyond Technology | Prof Alex van den Heever |
| 11:45 – 12:35 | Case Studies about Catastrophic Medical Errors | Prof Ethelwynn Stellenberg and Ms Carina van de Wall |
| 12:40 – 12:50 | Main Sponsor Slot | |
| 12:50 – 13:50 | Networking Lunch | |
| 13:50 – 14:30 | Public Health Defence | Prof Alex van den Heever |
| 14:35 – 15:15 | Malpractice litigation in Nursing Practice in South Africa: A national study | Prof Ethelwynn Stellenberg |
| 15:20 – 15:25 | Sponsor Session | |
| 15:25 – 15:55 | Afternoon Break & Networking | |
| 16:00 – 16:40 | Accountability Challenges in State Healthcare Facilities: Systems, Staffing & Ethical Responsibilities | Dr Meshack Mbokota |
| 16:45 – 17:05 | International Law Conference in Antwerp 2026 – Feedback | Dr & Adv Anton van den Bout |
| 17:05 – 17:20 | Recap & Closure | Ms Shelley Broughton |
| Time | Session | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration & Welcome Refreshments | |
| 08:30 – 08:40 | Welcome by SAMLA Board Member | Adv Clementine Makhoana |
| 08:45 – 09:25 | Accountability in the Healthcare Sector: Governance, Reporting & Patient Safety | Dr Siphiwe Mndaweni |
| 09:30 – 10:10 | Leadership, Governance & Organisational Accountability | Dr Brenda Kubheka-Chauke |
| 10:10 – 10:40 | Tea / Coffee Break & Networking | |
| 10:40 – 11:20 | Keynote Address 2: Technology, Ethics & Accountability in the Future of Healthcare | Prof Malegapuru Makgoba |
| 11:25 – 12:05 | Sponsor Session | |
| 12:10 – 12:50 | System Factors versus Individual Negligence | Dr Willem Moore |
| 12:50 – 13:50 | Networking Lunch | |
| 13:50 – 15:20 | Navigating Ethical Healthcare in an Era of Human and Technological Complexity: Exploring the impact of clinical wellbeing, emerging technologies, and ethical leadership on decision-making, patient safety, and medico-legal accountability. |
Ms Jualande Brink Dr Sharon Munyake Dr Ife Ofunne Mr Doug Reed |
| 15:20 – 15:50 | Tea / Coffee Break & Networking | |
| 15:50 – 15:55 | Sponsor Session | |
| 16:00 – 16:40 | Professional Accountability and Disciplinary Processes in Healthcare Practice | Adv Alton Samuels |
| 16:45 – 17:25 | Validated guidelines that contribute to the prevention of malpractice litigation in nursing practice in South Africa | Dr Luleka Gcawu |
| 17:30 – 17:45 | Recap & Closure | Dr & Adv Santa-Marie Venter |
| 19:00 – 21:30 | Cocktail Function | Mr Johan Jordaan – MC |
| Time | Session | Presenter |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 – 08:30 | Registration & Welcome Refreshments Networking Tea |
|
| 08:30 – 08:40 | Welcome Address by SAMLA Board Member | Ms Naomi Williams |
| 08:45 – 09:25 | Cutting Medico-Legal Claims through Effective Communication between Doctor and Patient | Adv John Mullins |
| 09:30 – 10:10 | Medico-Legal Lessons from Medico-Legal Case Law | Adv Maryke Pienaar and Dr & Adv Santa-Marie Venter |
| 10:15 – 10:55 | Informed Consent in the Digital Era | Ms Retha Britz and Ms Naomi Williams |
| 10:55 – 11:25 | Tea / Coffee Break & Networking | |
| 11:25 – 11:30 | Sponsor Session | |
| 11:35 – 11:50 | Patrimonial Damage Revisited | Dr & Adv Anton van den Bout |
| 11:55 – 12:35 | Panel Discussion – Beyond Technology: Preserving Humanity in Healthcare |
Dr Nonceba Koranteng Dr Hlombe Makuluma Mr Reginald Masemola Dr Chris Mathew |
| 12:40 – 13:10 | Conference Resolutions & Future Directions | Dr Mogori Mogashoa |
| 13:15 – 13:30 | Final Reflections & Closing Remarks | Dr Stefan Jansen van Vuuren |
| 13:30 – until we meet again | Packed Lunches |
Please note that student registrations should include an uploaded copy of their student card as proof.
Adjunct Professor Alex van den Heever holds the Chair of Social Security Systems Administration and Management Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Cape Town and has worked in health economics, public finance, and social security policy in South Africa since 1989. His professional experience spans roles in the Department of Finance (Central Economic Advisory Services), the Industrial Development Corporation, the Centre for Health Policy at Wits, the Gauteng Department of Health, and the Council for Medical Schemes. He has contributed to several major policy and regulatory processes, including the Melamet Commission of Inquiry into Medical Schemes (1993–94), the Committee of Inquiry into Comprehensive Social Security (2000–02), the Ministerial Task Team on Social Health Insurance (2003–05), the Medicines Pricing Committee (2007–11), and the Health Market Inquiry of the Competition Commission (2016–19). He also served as a member of the Council for Medical Schemes between 1996 and 1998.
Adv Alton Ulrich Samuels holds an LLB and an LLM from Stellenbosch University. He was admitted as an advocate in 2013 and completed pupillage at the Cape Bar in 2016. He is also a qualified mediator.
His academic career includes teaching Commercial and Private Law at North-West University, Family Law, Law of Succession, Law of Persons and Introduction to Legal Studies at the University of the Western Cape, and Property Law, Law of Succession and Civil Procedure at the University of Cape Town.
He joined Elsabe Klinck and Associates in 2021, became a director in 2022, and became a named partner at Klinck and Samuels in 2024. His work includes Council for Medical Schemes complaints and appeals, forensic audits of healthcare practitioners, and representing healthcare practitioners at the HPCSA. His advocacy practice has included civil litigation involving property, succession, administrative and constitutional law.
Dr & Adv Anton H Van den Bout: Extracted CV Key Highlights Dual-qualified Professional: Medical Doctor and Advocate of the High Court of South Africa. Specialized Expertise: Orthopaedic Surgeon with extensive experience in spinal surgery and medico-legal practice. Legal Acumen: Holds BLC and LLB degrees, qualified as a Medical Negligence and Commercial Mediator, and initiated LLD and Doctoral studies in Medical Law focusing on causality and "Egg Shell" cases. Medico-Legal Authority: Founder and former President of the South African Medico-Legal Association, with over 13,000 expert third-party medical reports and numerous court testimonies. International Recognition: Certified Independent Medical Examiner (C.I.M.E.) in the USA.
Professional Journey Medical Practitioner: Full qualification in 6 years (Leiden University, Netherlands). Orthopaedic Surgeon: MMed from the University of Pretoria (1983). Private Orthopaedic Practice: 32 years of private practice (from 1984), performing a high volume of surgeries, particularly spinal, shoulder, and arthroscopic knee procedures. Legal Practice: Admitted as an Advocate in 1999. Full-time Medico-Legal Work: Currently focuses on expert medical reports for third-party claims, medical negligence, labour law, insurance, and child protection cases.
Publications & Presentations Authored multiple peer-reviewed articles in prestigious medical journals (e.g., SA Medical Journal, Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Spine). Regularly lectures on Medical Law and Medico-legal matters at congresses. Course organiser and lecturer for Medico-Legal report and minute writing.
Education & Qualifications Medical Doctorandus and Arts: Leiden University, Netherlands (1977) MMed (Orthopaedics): University of Pretoria (1983) BLC & LLB: University of Pretoria (1996, 1998) C.I.M.E. (USA): Certified Independent Medical Examiner (2000) Mediator Qualification: UCT Law Faculty (2016)
Key Skills & Interests Proficient in Afrikaans, Dutch, English, German, French, Ancient Greek, and Latin. Active in sports: 1st Dan black belt in Judo, participated nationally and internationally. Hobbies include law studies, nature, Friesian horse breeding, bonsai, and studying ancient Christian writers.
Dr Brenda Kubheka-Chauke is a physician executive, entrepreneur, researcher and facilitator with more than two decades of leadership across healthcare governance, clinical practice and health systems transformation. She co-founded Health IQ Consulting, which focuses on clinical risk management, research, ethics consulting and training, and Matched Media, a health communications company.
She holds a medical degree from MEDUNSA, a PDBA, an MBA from GIBS at the University of Pretoria, Harvard Medical School certificates in Media and Medicine and clinical ethics, a diploma in project management, and an MSc in (Bio)ethics from Harvard Medical School.
Her previous leadership roles include Chief Director for Hospital Services at the Mpumalanga Department of Health, Chief Medical Officer at Clinix Health Group, and medical advisor and Senior Operations Manager at Medscheme. She has also been a Practice Principal for an emergency department practice, an external surveyor at COHSASA, and a consultant to hospitals and managed-care organisations.
Dr Kubheka-Chauke serves on the Professional Conduct Committee at the Health Professions Council of South Africa and boards and subcommittees including the Cancer Association of South Africa, the Research Ethics Association of South Africa and COHSASA. She teaches at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University and facilitates leadership, health justice and digital ethics programmes. She is also an AI Research Associate in the Department of Medical Physics at SMU.
NAME: Carina van de Wall
Known As: Carina
Qualifications: B.Cur (Pret), BaCur (UNISA), B.Cur Hons Psych (Clin) (Pret), Masters in Nursing (US), Medico-Legal Practitioner (SAMLA), Medico-Legal Mediator (MiM)
Registrations: SANC, SAMLA, SASOHN, MiM.
Salient experience: Medico-Legal Nurse Practitioner. SAMLA Board member. Lecturing - SAMLA’s Foundation Course in Medico-Legal Practice. Part of SAMLA’s Mediation pilot project.
Medico-Legal Experience: Yes. Number of years: 11.
Other: Mental Health Course Developer and Presenter, Occupational Health Nurse, Clinical Research Co-ordinator.
Special Interest Areas and Skills: I have a special interest in: 1) Empowering Nurses to deliver safe and quality healthcare, 2) Raise awareness of medico-legal issues and nurses’ contribution to the high number of claims, 3) Promoting medico-legal nurse practice, 4) Promoting fairness in medical malpractice claims.
Dr Chris Mathew (MBBCh, MSc, MBA) is Managing Director of Cancer Care and Business Development at Netcare Limited, one of South Africa's largest private healthcare groups.
He trained as a medical doctor before completing an MBA at the University of Oxford as a Louis Dreyfus Weidenfeld Hoffmann Saïd Scholar, followed by an MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine as an ExxonMobil Global Health Scholar. He joined Netcare as Health Informatics Officer and led the implementation of CareOn, the EMR through which Netcare established South Africa's first fully digitised hospital network. Since then, his work has focused on turning that foundation into measurable clinical value: close analysis of clinical workflows and data quality, and the deployment of wearables, virtual care and hospital-at-home models. He now leads Netcare's cancer care business and its group business development function.
He is passionate about the intersection of healthcare and technology, and how we can create new value and synergies to unlock greater potential for impact in healthcare.
Mr Douglas Reed is a registered Professional Engineer in South Africa with extensive experience in information technology and telecommunications.
His early career included roles at South African Airways and Barlow Rand. In 1988, he founded a business that was acquired by Siltek in 1997, and he subsequently served as a director of several Siltek subsidiaries until 2001.
In 2002, he established a venture that evolved into Atlantic Holdings. As CEO, he has led the delivery of IT and telecommunications solutions across Southern Africa. Since 2019, his work has included healthcare delivery platforms for corporates and NGOs in the region.
He graduated with a BSc (Engineering) from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1980 and has been registered as a Professional Engineer since 1985. He is also a private pilot.
A Brief Biography
Prof Ethelwynn Stellenberg is:
• An Emeritus Associate Professor: Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University
• Lifetime member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care’s Academy of Quality and Safety in Health Care (IAQS)
• Fellow of the Academy of Nursing South Africa (ANSA)
• Honorary Life member of the South African Medico-Legal Association
• National Chairperson: South African Medico-Legal Association
• Board Director: The Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa
• Member of the Nursing Education Association (NEA)
She was a National Health Minister’s appointment for the first board for the Office of Health Standards Compliance in South Africa in 2014 and reappointed for a second term of office.
She was the first researcher to lead a national research project to investigate malpractice litigation in Nursing practice in South Africa. Her continued research focus is capacity building in leadership and management with the prime focus of improving the quality of healthcare and decreasing adverse events in health institutions.
Her practice includes twenty years in the clinical field and 26 years as an academic. Currently as the chairperson of the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA), her 4th term of office, she is actively busy in capacity building of medico-legal practitioners through a foundation programme in medico-legal practice, workshops and fire-side chats.
Dr Hlombe Makuluma is a medico-legal risk specialist whose work includes advising medical specialists and professional indemnity insurers, conducting medico-legal risk audits for practices and hospitals, and presenting at conferences and CPD meetings.
He holds a BSc in Microbiology and Biochemistry, an MBChB, an MPhil in Sustainable Development Planning and Management, and an MPhil in Medical Law and Ethics. His supplied CV identifies him as a PhD candidate in Medical Law at the University of Pretoria, researching legal challenges and healthcare accountability when clinical cases become criminal matters.
His experience includes medical negligence consulting, business coaching for health practitioners, and training practice administrators. He is the author of “The Business of Healthcare: Managing your Private Practice”. Previous roles include general medical practice, research and development at the CSIR, and sustainable development management at Gold Fields.
DR IFE OFUNNE PROFESSIONAL BIO Dr Ife Ofunne is Namibia's only MBBS/LLM physician, combining medical and legal expertise within a single professional practice. He is the inaugural and incumbent Chief Medical Officer for Legal Support Services and has over two decades of experience spanning clinical medicine, public health, healthcare leadership, medical law, healthcare ethics, governance, and health systems strengthening. Current Leadership Role He currently serves as Chief Medical Officer for Legal Support Services and Medico-Legal Consultant to the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Namibia, where he functions as the inaugural Medical Malpractice Expert and principal advisor on healthcare law, ethics, clinical governance, patient safety, professional liability, and medico-legal risk management. National Leadership and Innovation Dr Ofunne is recognized for establishing Namibia's first dedicated Ministry of Health Medico-Legal Unit and for developing the first Clinical Ethics and Medical Law curriculum for the University of Namibia School of Medicine, where he served as Adjunct Lecturer in Professional Ethics. Policy and Guideline Development His contributions to national healthcare policy include leading the development of the first World Health Organization (WHO) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) clinical guidelines in Namibia with a dedicated focus on healthcare law and ethics using Namibian statutory frameworks. Previous Appointments He previously served as Chief Medical Officer for the ǁKharas Region of Namibia and as WHO Regional Coordinator during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Earlier in his career, he served as District Medical Officer and Family Medicine Registrar in the Kingdom of Lesotho and worked as a United Nations Volunteer supporting community and social development initiatives through healthcare service delivery. Academic Qualifications He holds postgraduate qualifications in family medicine, law, philosophy, aesthetic medicine and health management.
Professional Appointments and Presentations He is a Certified Ethics Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Facilitator and Adjunct Ethics Consultant with the Health Professions Councils of Namibia (HPCNA). He has also been recently invited to South Africa to serve as a panellist at the SAMLA Conference in October 2026. His conference presentations include AI in Healthcare: A Principlist Approach (AMCOA 2024), Medical Malpractice Trends and Solutions in Namibia (Namibia Medical Society 2024), Medical Law in Contemporary Practice: Medico-Legal Protection as a Right (Medical Association of Namibia 2026), A Medico-Legal Approach to Gender Issues in Sport (2026), and The Ethics of Colorectal Cancer: A Primary Healthcare Approach (2026). Professional Interests His professional interests include medical malpractice, healthcare ethics, bioethics, health law, clinical governance, patient safety, healthcare risk management, artificial intelligence in healthcare, defensible clinical practice, and aesthetic medicine.
Adv John Finbarr Mullins SC specialises in professional negligence, including medical negligence and attorneys’ and advocates’ liability, insurance and personal injury.
He obtained his BProc through UNISA in 1981 and his LLB in 1983. He was admitted as an attorney in 1982 and became a director of Savage Jooste & Adams Incorporated in 1983. He joined the Pretoria Bar as an advocate in 1990 and became Senior Counsel on 7 May 2002.
He has been extensively involved in training at the Pretoria Bar and General Council of the Bar. His training work includes running the annual Pretoria Bar / Pretoria University Trial Advocacy Course. He is co-author of “Mullins and Da Silva’s Morris – Technique in Litigation” (6th edition), published in 2010, and has served as an acting judge.
Jualandé Brink is a qualified Chartered Accountant. She built her career on one question most people are afraid to ask out loud: who is really accountable when a machine makes the decision?
For twenty years, Jualandé has worked inside that gap. It's the space between the person who carries the blame for a decision and the person who never had a say in what fed that decision.
Jualandé started her career at KPMG in Johannesburg. From there, she moved into senior finance, commercial, and operations leadership roles across three continents. That experience taught her how decisions really get made inside a business - and where governance breaks down when things get busy.
Today, Jualandé builds AI governance frameworks for executive teams and boards across many industries. Her frameworks are built on King V, ISO 42001, and the BSI AI Skills for Business Competency Framework. Her work has been published in Accountancy SA.
She founded VectorLight in 2025 after watching the same pattern play out again and again: technology moving faster than leadership could see or control it - putting accountability in the wrong hands and the business at risk. Closing that gap takes more than a policy. It means updating job roles and workflows, so every person moves through the change with the business, not behind it. The goal is simple: match the authority someone has over the input with the accountability they carry for the output.
Her work focuses on making AI decisions clear, defensible, and ready from the boardroom to the operating floor - not as a technical box to tick, but as a discipline that protects the business while helping it move forward with confidence.
Her belief hasn't changed: governance isn't paperwork filed after the fact. It's the foundation the technology has to stand on. She designs the decisions first - then makes sure the people carrying them have both the authority and the clarity to do it well.
Dr Luleka Patricia Gcawu is a nurse academic, midwifery specialist, and strategic education leader. She currently serves as the Programme Manager for Midwifery at Lilitha College of Nursing, Eastern Cape Department of Health, and as the Acting Campus Head at the East London Campus.
She holds a Diploma in Nursing (R425), a Bachelor of Nursing (BCur) in Nursing Administration and Nursing Education from the University of South Africa (UNISA), and an Advanced Diploma in Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing Science. She also holds a Master of Nursing (MCur) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Stellenbosch University.
Dr Gcawu has extensive experience in nursing and midwifery education, with expertise in academic leadership, curriculum development, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, academic governance, and the integration of theory and clinical practice.
She is a member and former Board Member of the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA), a member of the Society of Midwives of South Africa (SOMSA), and Chairperson of the Eastern Cape Society of Midwives (ECSOM).
Dr Gcawu is committed to advancing excellence, innovation, evidence-based practice, and professional accountability in nursing and midwifery education and practice.
Malegapuru William Makgoba (born 1952 in Sekhukhune, South Africa) is a leading South African immunologist, physician, public health advocate, academic and former vice-chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal and former national Health Ombud. In 2013 he was recognised as "a pioneer in higher education transformation", by being awarded the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver.
Professor Makgoba was President of the Medical Research Council of South Africa in 1998-2002. It was during his presidency that state-sponsored AIDS Denial was at its peak.
He was a member of the National Planning Commission of South Africa in 2010, that produced the National Development Plan and becoming its Deputy Chair in 2015-2020.
In 2016, Professor Makgoba was appointed the founding national Health Ombud. During this period he conducted investigations into the Life Esidimeni tragedy, the Tembisa Provincial Tertiary Hospital into the COVID-19 death of Mr. Shonisani Lethole and the Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital.
He retired on 31st May 2023 to Schoonoord, in Limpopo.
Advocate Maryke Pienaar
Advocate Maryke Pienaar is an admitted Advocate of the High Court of South Africa with extensive experience in civil litigation, medical negligence, personal injury, divorce and urgent court matters. She has been practising as an advocate since 2016 and is an accredited mediator.
Adv Pienaar has significant judicial experience, having served as an Acting Judge in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in both Pretoria and Johannesburg across civil trials, urgent applications and motion courts.
She is a member of the Gauteng Society of Advocates and has held several leadership positions within the Society, including Chairperson. She has also served as a Board Director of the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA) since 2022.
Her professional expertise includes medical negligence litigation, third-party claims, drafting of pleadings, trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution. She is recognised for her structured approach, strong advocacy skills and ability to analyse complex legal matters and develop focused, persuasive arguments.
Dr Meshack Mbokota is a specialist gynaecologist practising in Pretoria with a special interest in aesthetic and cosmetic gynaecology and the medico-legal aspects of obstetrics and gynaecology.
He qualified as a medical doctor at the University of Natal in 1991 and completed specialist training in 1999, becoming a Fellow of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa. He holds an MSc in Health Systems Management from the University of Liverpool, with research on the role of private healthcare professionals in implementing National Health Insurance in South Africa.
His career includes private practice in Tzaneen, serving as CEO of Letaba Hospital, and leading the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Witbank Hospital. He returned to private practice in Pretoria in 2006. He also taught obstetrics and gynaecology as a part-time consultant at Medunsa.
His professional service includes board and committee roles with the South African Medical Association and a board role with the Health and Medical Publishing Group. His interests include reconstructive gynaecological surgery, aesthetics and women’s health.
Ms Naomi Williams is an attorney, accredited mediator and arbitrator. Her supplied CV identifies her as Managing Director and Chairperson of Livingston Leandy Inc., with extensive experience in commercial litigation, personal injury actions, recoveries and the administration of deceased estates.
She holds an LLB from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and qualifications and training in arbitration and mediation. She was admitted as an attorney in 2003 and as a conveyancer in 2006. She has been a director of Livingston Leandy Inc. since 2006.
Naomi is a director of the South African Medico-Legal Association and chairs its Mediation Committee and Disciplinary and Appeals Committee. Her work includes arbitration, mediation, labour and employment law, forensic investigation, expert evidence and complex damages claims.
She has contributed to legal education as a lecturer, trainer of candidate legal practitioners and convenor for the attorneys’ admission examinations. Within Livingston Leandy Inc., her responsibilities include strategic initiatives, business development and innovation.
Dr Promise Nonceba Koranteng is a specialist radiologist and medico-legal radiology expert. Her medico-legal work since 2021 includes reporting on cerebral palsy matters, pre-trial consultations, joint minutes and court appearances.
Her supplied CV lists her as Director and Managing Specialist Radiologist at Drs Koranteng and Mndebele Inc, a consultant radiologist at Envisionit Deep AI, and an Honorary Lecturer and research coordinator in the radiology department at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her previous appointments include Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital and Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital.
She holds an MBBCh and an MMed in Diagnostic Radiology from the University of the Witwatersrand, Fellowship in Diagnostic Radiology, a postgraduate diploma in Business Administration, and European diplomas in Paediatric Radiology and Paediatric Neuroradiology. Her professional interests include paediatric imaging and artificial intelligence in radiology.
Biography Retha Britz
Retha Britz holds three Masters Degrees. Two in Philosophy (M.Phil): 1. Medical Law and Ethics 2. Applied Ethics and a M.Sc in Physiology. She has published on the topic of Informed Consent as first author in the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ) in September 2012 and published a book in 2014 as first author on “Clinical Research Conduct in South Africa: Informed Consent”.
Based in Johannesburg, Retha is a clinical research consultant. During her 27-year career in research she has managed multinational projects for a large international Pharmaceutical Compan ies. In addition Retha has acted as the Regional Clinical Quality Assurance Manager for various countries. Retha also developed and facilitated various accredited training courses and workshops in health care. Her expertise has been recognised both nationally and internationally including African Countries such as the Botswana Ministry of Health.
She has been involved as training facilitator for international industry standards in the highly regulated clinical trial industry and she has presented and facilitated at various local and international conferences, workshops and webinars.
She is conducting compliance auditing of international clinical trials since 2008 in various countries in Africa and Europe. Retha was a Module Advisor and Lecturer for an international MSc course offered by the Cranfield University based in the United Kingdom.
Within the clinical trials field, Retha has acted as an expert witness in an international arbitration proceeding conducted under the Rules of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce.
Dr Venter completed her MBChB from the University of Pretoria (UP). During her internship, she enrolled for a BA Languages and Literature degree at UNISA, which she completed in 2011. After working as an orthopaedic registrar at Steve Biko Academic Hospital from 2011 to 2013, she decided to pursue a Master’s degree in Sports Medicine, which she obtained at UP in 2017. Dr Venter’s research on concussion in mixed martial arts athletes was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. She was invited to present her research at the International Conference on Concussion in Sport in Berlin. Dr Venter worked as team doctor for the Blue Bulls Rugby Union during the 2016 season and completed an LLB degree at UNISA in the same year.
In 2017, Dr Venter was offered an orthopaedic surgery registrar position at Groote Schuur Hospital, where she obtained her MMED Orthopaedics degree Cum Laude in 2021. Her research on multi-ligament knee injuries was published in an international journal and presented at various congresses. She has a passion for hand surgery and is an active member of SASSH.
Dr Venter was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal College of Orthopaedic Surgeons (SA) in 2021 and as advocate of the High Court of Pretoria in 2022. She was recently elected as director of the South African Medicolegal Association, serving as the chairperson of the legal and ethics committee. She also chairs the morbidity and mortality meetings at Mediclinic Kloof Hospital. Dr Venter is an avid sportswoman, ranked number one in her age group in the South-African Tennis Masters division. She has earned Protea colours in various sports, representing her country internationally in karate, mixed martial arts and tennis.
Dr Sharon Munyaka is an Industrial and Organisational Psychologist with extensive experience in medico-legal consulting, employability assessments, mediation and organisational development. She holds a BA Honours in Psychology, a Master of Commerce and a Doctor of Commerce in Industrial Psychology, and is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
Dr Munyaka has over 20 years of professional experience across the private, public, education and non-profit sectors in South Africa and internationally. She is an accredited mediator with Conflict Dynamics and CEDR (UK). She serves on the mediation panel for Conflict Dynamics. She also works as a Conflict Resolution Specialist for the International Monetary Fund (Mediation Office) providing mediation, coaching and facilitation services across English-speaking African countries and at headquarters in Washington DC.
Sharon was the President (2022/2023) and now Honorary Life Member of the Society of Industrial Psychology South Africa (SIOPSA) and previously chaired its Psycho-Legal Interest Group. She has also held leadership positions within the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA) and is now an Honorary Member. Sharon currently serves as a Council Member of the University of Cape Town and serves across various committees. She is the current Board Chair for Citizen Leader Lab, and a Trustee for the SHL Educational Trust
Her areas of expertise include industrial psychology, medico-legal assessments, mediation, psychometric assessment, leadership development, coaching and organisational effectiveness.
Dr Siphiwe Mndaweni Chief Executive Officer: Office of Health Standards Compliance
MBCHB, Masters in Public Health, MSc (Microbiology), BA Hons (Biology), Post Grad Dip (Health systems management and leadership) Dr Mndaweni is a public health advocate with extensive knowledge of public healthcare. Dr Mndaweni’s public health career and leadership journey is imbued in entities she has served in previous roles including amongst others, Deputy Director-General: District Health Services, Chief Director: of Strategic Health Programmes in KwaZulu -Natal Provincial Department of Health
She held several portfolios with the University Research Corporation as Chief of Party, of the national USAID TB Programme and Deputy Chief of Party of the Right To Care EQUIP Programme. Dr Mndaweni's professional accomplishments include amongst others, management of the overall implementation of the HIV, TB, Child, and Maternal Health programmes and development of quality improvement strategies. Her area of focus and expertise is public health policy, program implementation and quality improvement. She has also worked and support ed several SADAC countries as a technical advisor in strategic health programmes. She holds a BA Degree in Biology from Knox College, Illinois, USA; a Master’s in Medical Science Microbiology and MBCHB from Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University; a Management Development Course for Healthcare Professionals from Wits Business School and Duke University; a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Systems Management Executive Leadership and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Pretoria. Dr Mndaweni is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC). The OHSC is an independent regulator for quality and safety in the healthcare sector.
Ms Tsakani Maluleke is the Auditor-General of South Africa and the first woman appointed to the role in more than 100 years. Before this appointment, she served as Deputy Auditor-General.
She has nearly three decades of experience in auditing, consulting, corporate advisory, development finance, investment management and skills development. Her corporate governance experience includes service on numerous boards and strategic committees in the private and public sectors.
Her commitment to service excellence, ethical leadership and transformation has been recognised by bodies including the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Black Management Forum, African Women Chartered Accountants, the Black Business Council and the Association for the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa, where she is a past president.
Ms Maluleke is a fellow and moderator of the Aspen Global Leadership Networks and the African Leadership Initiative.
After completing his theological studies in 1982 and acting as head of the Language Laboratory of the University of Stellenbosch from January 1983 until July 1988, Willem took up the position of Minister of the Dutch Reformed Congregation of Suiderhof in Windhoek in August 1988. In the next couple of years, he obtained Masters degrees in Theology and Philosophy and left the service of the Church in 2002 to start lecturing Philosophy and Business and Medical Ethics at the University of Namibia in respectively 2003, 2011 and 2012. Willem obtained his DPhil in Medical Ethics from Stellenbosch University in South Africa 2010 on the topic of Patient Autonomy and Evidence-Based Patient Choice – Philosophical and Ethical Perspectives and left the full-time service of the University of Namibia in 2013 to head Therapeutic Informatics, a practice that specialises in consultations and lecturing in Medical, Business, Environmental and Relationship Ethics. He is a member and Certified Ethics Officer of The Ethics Institute (EO 424), a member of the South African Medico-Legal Association (SAMLA) and am currently heading a research project on the topic of A Proposal for the Empowerment and Mobilisation of the Real Civil Society in South Africa and another, arising from his dissertation, on the writing of a textbook on the concept of Medico-Legal Information Mediation for the eventual training of Medico-Legal Information Mediators as a new medical specialty.
Accommodation is available at the aha Kopanong Hotel. Accommodation booking and fees are for each delegate’s own account. We urge you to book as soon as possible to prevent disappointment. There are sharing of rooms or even units available with a reduction in fees.
Shuttle Service: The hotel provide a complimentary shuttle service from OR Tambo International Airport for delegates traveling per air from other provinces.
Please note that all attendees are responsible for booking their own accommodation. If you choose to stay at a different venue, please make sure you have transport arrangements to and from Kopanong.
Important: Please ensure you are logged into your account before completing the registration form. If you are not logged in, your registration may not be linked to your member account.
Once you have completed and submitted the form, you will be automatically redirected to the secure payment page to complete your registration.
If you require any assistance, please contact the SAMLA Office:
Email: info@samla.org.za | Tel: 060 978 1889
