Dr Patrick Maduna
Dr Patrick Hawkins Maduna Dr Maduna was born in Ngodwana, a farm situated about 50km west of Nelspruit where SAPPI is located. His family was affected by the forced removals of the then South African apartheid government where families were taken to Pienaar Trust (Msogwaba Trust) north-east of Nelspruit in 1963.
Dr Maduna received his primary education at Ngodwana and Kaapschehoop consecutively and obtained his junior certificate with a distinction in 1971 at Khumbula High School situated outside White River in the Mpumalanga Province. He obtained his Senior Certificate at the then Amanzimtoti Zulu Training College (now called Adams College) situated in Adams Mission, 8 km inland from Amanzimtoti south of Durban, in 1974. He participated in student activities and was elected as a prefect. He went on to further his undergraduate studies at the then University of the North (now called Limpopo), where he was registered for a B. Pharm degree. However, due to political upheavals at that university, he went to Durban where he registered at the then-University of Natal (Black Section) for an MBChB medical degree which he obtained in 1980. Dr
Maduna started his medical career at Themba Hospital in KaBokweni within the City of Mbombela where he did his medical internship. He was the first black medical doctor in Mbombela. After completing his internship, Dr Maduna continued his services at Themba Hospital as a medical officer and later as the first black medical superintendent of the hospital. At the same time, Dr Maduna furthered his studies and obtained his Masters’ Degree in Family Medicine in 1987 from the then Medical University of Southern Africa (MEDUNSA) now called Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University. He was appointed as a part-time lecturer at the same university after that.
In 1988 Dr Maduna was appointed by the then Chief Minister of the KaNgwane Homeland government to the position of Minister of Health and Welfare, a position that assisted him to contribute to the improvement of health service delivery in the KaNgwane Homeland. When the CODESA process started in 1991, Dr Maduna represented the Inyandza National Movement (the ruling party of the homeland) where he chaired the CODESA Working Group 3 that developed the transitional constitution for South Africa. During this time, Dr Maduna also held the cabinet positions of Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, followed by that of Minister of Home Affairs in KaNgwane.
Dr Maduna left the public sector in 1994 to be full-time in his private practice in KaNyamazane as a specialist family physician. He continued with his part-time academic work with MEDUNSA until 2003 when he joined MEDUNSA as a senior lecturer and principal medical specialist in the department of Family Medicine and Primary Health care. During his tenure as the lecturer, Dr Maduna supported several post-graduate students in research. In support of students from other African states, Dr Maduna undertook numerous academic trips to countries such as Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2004 Dr Maduna was appointed Chief Executive Officer for Dr George Mukhari Hospital, north of Pretoria. He was transferred to the Gauteng Department of Health head office in 2006 where he was made the Provincial Family Medicine Specialist, tasked to coordinate Family Medicine and Primary Health Care activities in the province. Dr Maduna was also given the responsibilities of Chief Director responsible for District Health Services for Johannesburg/West Rand and Tshwane/Metsweding regions.
Dr Maduna joined the Department of Defense in 2010 as a Lieutenant Colonel and Chief Specialist responsible for Family Medicine and Primary Health Care, based at 1 Military Hospital in Pretoria. At the same time, he was the head of the South African Military Service Phidisa Research Project on HIV and AIDS, in collaboration with the US Defence Force and the US National Institutes for Health. In the meantime, Dr Maduna obtained his Masters’ Degree from the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom.
In 2014, Dr Maduna joined the Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDOH) as Deputy Director-General responsible for clinical management services. During this time, he interacted with the four universities within the province and facilitated the formation of an academic forum that brought the four universities and the ECDOH together for joint planning, implementation and monitoring of academic programmes and research. In the meantime, Dr Maduna obtained his PhD from the University of Fort Hare focusing on clinical governance.
After retiring from full-time public, private and academic work in 2017, Dr Maduna served as a medical specialist responsible for clinical governance in the Mpumalanga Department of Health between 2017 and 2020, and as a technical specialist responsible for health systems strengthening for Right to Care NPC, seconded to the NDOH between 2022 and 2023. He is currently a member of the advisory committee for the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS), a member of the advisory panel of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC) and the Health Ombud, a Director of Affinity Health Insurance, a Member of the Ehlanzeni Mental Health Review Board in Mpumalanga, and a member of the UMP Council.