A doctor born and bred in Manenberg and who funded his studies by driving a taxi, has graduated with his master’s in medicine from the University of Cape Town (UCT)
Dr Randall Ortel, a family physician and occupational medical practitioner graduated on Thursday December 15.
He is currently a lecturer at the Family Medicine Department of UCT, and also attached to Groote Schuur Hospital.
Dr Ortel said he didn’t know which career path to choose when applying for tertiary eduction but with the help of career guidance teachers at high school he did capability testing, which had showed that he needed to be in a caring and advocacy career.
“I literally applied for every possible career, got accepted for everything I applied for, but chose medicine as per my father’s words ‘people will always get sick’,” he said.
Dr Ortel’s father’s friend was a well-known doctor practising in Manenberg then, Dr Abu Mowlana.
“Observing him as a positive role model had an impact on my decision to choose this path.”
Dr Ortel is positive about his community: “Manenberg is one of the best communities to hail from – very supportive, motivating, nurturing culture, upholding the ‘coloured’ culture but unfortunately the minority movements of gangsterism and drugs seems to dominate.”
Dr Ortel also plays a postive role in his community by sharing skills and intervening with the gangs as many of them attended the same schools and church as he did. And he emphasises that gang violence is not an everyday occurance.
“Violence and gang violence is in the minority and does not persist all the time. It’s sporadic but when gang violence happens it impacts one’s movement. You have to limit your activities, all in the fear of being caught in the crossfire of gangs.”
Dr Ortel said when he graduated in 2010 everyone was quite excited. “As a student I was a taxi driver on weekends and university vacations to generate funds for my bursary shortfalls at times, books, travelling fees and day-to-day needs as a young person.
“I was recognised as a taxi driver in the community and when the news broke I qualified as a medical doctor people were obviously in disbelief, but as the story unfolded they realised I was a medical student and only drove a taxi part-time. People were then happy for the so-called taxi driver turned medical doctor in Manenberg.”
Initially, Dr Ortel’s studies were funded by his father but later he received a bursary. His mom was employed as a factory worker at Rex Trueform and belonged to the South African Clothing Textile Workers Union (SACTWU).
Dr Ortel said: “We applied for a bursary, and it was awarded to me for quite a few years during my medical training. Minister Ebrahim Patel and Fachmy Abrahams from SACTWU were instrumental in assisting me with the bursary. I also received a bursary from the HCI/Golden Arrow Bus company foundation, the Dr Aadiel Moerat bursary fund also supported me for a year or two. The remainder of my medical career I funded with the money earned while driving a taxi.”
Dr Ortel also started the Dr Randall Ortel Foundation for Manenberg students only who want to become doctors.
“To date we have another qualified doctor who finished two years ago at Stellenbosch University, one fifth and one fourth year medical students both at Stellenbosch University, all hailing from Manenberg,” he said.
Dr Ortel said his future plans include academia and to pursue a PhD.
“I would love to have a shot at becoming the next minister of health in the province and then hopefully nationally,” he said.
A few short-term goals is to become the CEO of a government hospital to be built in Manenberg in the near future, connect the community with UCT, create opportunities for other youngsters – learn with or from the new doctor generation that will be discovered from Manenberg.
His dream is that the professional or educated people from Manenberg come together and have more input and influence in the community. “We need to stop the supply of youth to the underworld activities that terrorise or traumatise our communities. Let’s put out more good deeds. Manenberg is still the place to be.”