maryke bezuidenhout
Chairperson
Assistant director physiotherapy, Manguzi Hospital
Maryke graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BPhysT in 2001, thereafter also surprising herself with a certificate in OMT. After a brief dabble in private practice, she has since firmly entrenched herself as far away from civilization as possible- a move which she feels has given her a strong sense of justice and an excellent sense of humor. Maryke comes from a long line of incredibly stubborn people who feel life is not worth living unless it is packed to the max with activity and filled to the brim with challenges. When not tackling remote donkey tracks on her mountain bike or tempting crocodiles on her kayak, Maryke is found heading the 22-strong rehab team at Manguzi Hospital in the remote north eastern corner of KZN. Providing rehabilitation services in rural low-SES settings is both incredibly challenging and highly rewarding. The job diversity is what has kept me- in conditions, settings and tasks, as well as the trans-disciplinary nature of the job and the need to be highly creative- it makes it hard to match. I am also fortunate to work with an incredibly passionate team, within an amazing community.' The Manguzi Rehabilitation team has earned accolades including the Mail and Guardian Under 35 Top 200 award, the KZN MASEA award and the Rural Therapist of the Year award, and continue to trial and monitor models of rehab service delivery in a deep rural South African context.
Assistant director physiotherapy, Manguzi Hospital
Maryke graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BPhysT in 2001, thereafter also surprising herself with a certificate in OMT. After a brief dabble in private practice, she has since firmly entrenched herself as far away from civilization as possible- a move which she feels has given her a strong sense of justice and an excellent sense of humor. Maryke comes from a long line of incredibly stubborn people who feel life is not worth living unless it is packed to the max with activity and filled to the brim with challenges. When not tackling remote donkey tracks on her mountain bike or tempting crocodiles on her kayak, Maryke is found heading the 22-strong rehab team at Manguzi Hospital in the remote north eastern corner of KZN. Providing rehabilitation services in rural low-SES settings is both incredibly challenging and highly rewarding. The job diversity is what has kept me- in conditions, settings and tasks, as well as the trans-disciplinary nature of the job and the need to be highly creative- it makes it hard to match. I am also fortunate to work with an incredibly passionate team, within an amazing community.' The Manguzi Rehabilitation team has earned accolades including the Mail and Guardian Under 35 Top 200 award, the KZN MASEA award and the Rural Therapist of the Year award, and continue to trial and monitor models of rehab service delivery in a deep rural South African context.
