Dr Senzelwe Mazibuko is one of only two Black African men at the University of KwaZulu-Natal to hold a PhD in physiotherapy.
During a recent interview with Sunday World, Mazibuko explained that he focuses on physical treatment rather than medicinal therapy.
“Normally, when people are sick, they are given medication, but in our case, we treat patients using special machines and exercise until the person is healed. We fall under health sciences, along with other disciplines that treat people without using medicine.
“For example, if you have a backache, we’d treat it using scientific techniques rather than medication. I decided to go beyond a junior degree and pursue studies up to a PhD level,” said Mazibuko.
Mazibuko’s life story began in the rural village of Mahlabathini, in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
It was there, in a community with limited access to healthcare, that his path into physiotherapy was unknowingly paved by a personal tragedy.
At a young age, Mazibuko watched helplessly as his beloved mother suffered a debilitating stroke. The lack of local rehabilitation services in the area meant she had to be transported to Pietermaritzburg, a delay that significantly impacted her recovery.
Tragically, she passed away before he began his career in physiotherapy.
Spurred by that painful experience, Mazibuko has made it his life’s mission to help prevent others from suffering a similar fate because of inaccessible healthcare.
“We cannot wait for the government alone to resolve the scarcity of rehabilitation services. We have a role to play in changing the status quo,” said Mazibuko.
After completing his junior degree in physiotherapy, he immersed himself in both the public and private health sectors, where he observed stark disparities in service delivery and access.
Inspired to be a catalyst for change, he returned to academia with a vision to develop a model of partnership between the public and private sectors that would sustainably address these challenges.
His doctoral research proposes a public-private partnership (PPP) model that aligns with South Africa’s commitment to universal health coverage through the National Health Insurance (NHI). The model advocates for shared resources, cross-sector collaboration, and community-centred care. Its goal is simple yet profound: to guarantee timely, equitable and quality rehabilitation services across all communities, especially underserved rural areas.
In 2021, guided by faith and purpose, Mazibuko realised a long held dream, the establishment of Senzelwisihe Rehabilitation Hospital, a facility designed not just to serve but to stand as a pilot for his proposed PPP model.
The hospital, which he is the director of, embodies his belief that with the right partnerships, a healthcare system can be created where every person, regardless of their location or background, can access the rehabilitation they need and deserve.
He has authored four peer-reviewed journal articles, with two more accepted for publication. In September 2024, he presented his groundbreaking work at an international physiotherapy conference in Cape Town, solidifying his voice on the global stage.
Correction: On May 27, 2025, the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Strategic Communications Manager Bheki Mbanjwa told Sunday World that “there was an error in the media statement that we issued after one of our graduation ceremonies this month”.
“The statement erroneously stated that one of our graduates, Dr Senzelwe Mazibuko, was the second African male to graduate with a PhD in physiotherapy in the country. In fact, he is the second African male to graduate with a PhD in physiotherapy at UKZN, specifically, not in the entire country.
“We deeply regret this error. We understand the importance of accurate reporting, not only for the integrity of your publication but also for the record of Dr Mazibuko’s achievement and the broader academic community.
“Therefore, we respectfully request that the article be amended to accurately reflect Dr Mazibuko’s achievement: that he is the second African male to graduate with a PhD in physiotherapy from the University of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Mbanja.
