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Healthcare Conference | 12 May 2025

Nedbank CIB proudly hosted the Healthcare Conference at their head office in Sandton.

Spotlight on South Africa’s healthcare sector

 

The Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) Healthcare Conference was hosted on 12 May 2025 at the Nedbank 135 Rivonia Campus in Sandton.

The conference aimed to discuss the healthcare sector in South Africa as it stands at a critical crossroads. The sector faces complex challenges, but it also offers clear opportunities for innovation, investment, and reform. The half-day conference brought together senior leaders from government as well as the healthcare and finance sectors and aimed to unpack the future of this vital industry.

 

Public health and National Health Insurance

 

The path towards a workable form of National Health Insurance (NHI) was explored and discussions on scalable investment models and infrastructure priorities were held. The conference tackled the most pressing issues in the sector and identified the partnerships needed to solve them. 

Panel discussions featured policymakers, investors, healthcare operators and the Department of Health and the following 3 core themes were unpacked:

  1. The investment case for SA healthcare – Valuations, market demand and growth drivers.

  2. Scaling up primary healthcare.

  3. The state of South Africa’s healthcare infrastructure and the role of regulatory frameworks in shaping its future.

 

The 1-day event included in-person keynote speakers, 3 panels, and networking opportunities with senior management from companies across the healthcare landscape.

Sustainability awards

Dr Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi 

Minister of Health

 

Dr Motsoaledi is the Minister of Health and was appointed in this position on 3 July 2024.

Dr Motsoaledi holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from the University of Natal.

Dr Motsoaledi was the Minister of Home Affairs from 2019–2024 and the Minister of Health from 2009–2019.

He became a member of the National Assembly in 2009 and is a member of the National Executive Committee of the African National Congress (ANC).

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Dr Tshegofatso Gopane  

CEO: Tshela Healthcare

 

Dr Gopane is a medical practitioner and business leader with a career in healthcare spanning 20 years. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tshela Healthcare, founded in 2010. The company provides bespoke solutions to clients focusing on women’s health. The company also focuses on preventive health, research, project management and advisory services, with key clients in the medical aid and mining industry.

With a passion for prevention and women’s well-being, the company provides a comprehensive digital health and wellness platform that enables access to personalised on-demand virtual care, telecare, personalised health tracking, and a comprehensive suite of specialised support programmes for every stage of their health.

Dr Gopane's qualifications include the following:

  • Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) (University of KwaZulu-Natal).
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Health Economics (University of Cape Town).
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (University of South Africa).

Her current leadership positions include the following:

  • Boardmember of SA Primary Medical Financial Co-operative Ltd and Member of the Credit Committee.
  • Chair of the Black Business Council's Healthcare Portfolio Committee.
  • Boardmember of the Health Professionals Council of South Africa.
  • Deputy National Chair of the Private Sector Forum within the South African National Aids Council.
  • Executive member of the United Forum of Family Practitioners.
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Lynda Toussaint  

CEO: Unjani Clinics

 

Lynda is a chartered accountant and is passionate about the healthcare industry and ensuring access to quality, affordable healthcare for all South Africans. She is a generalist, eager to find solutions to complex problems, and she loves a good challenge.

After completing her articles at KPMG, she joined United Pharmaceutical Distributors (UPD) in January 1999 and later held the following positions:

  • Financial Director for the Clicks Group (1999–2005).
  • Managing Director of UPD, a subsidiary of the Clicks Group (2005–2010). UPD is South Africa’s largest national pharmaceutical wholesaler.
  • Executive consultant at Clicks Group (October 2010 to November 2011), dealing with regulatory issues and researching business opportunities.
  • CEO of Pure Pharmacy (Pty) Ltd (February 2012 to December 2013).CEO of Unjani Clinics (from January 2014).

As CEO, Lynda is responsible for the fundraising, implementation, management and rollout of the Unjani Clinic Network in South Africa.

In March 2025, the company had expanded to over 250 care settings and aims to have scaled to over 600 care settings by 2032. Over 6 million consultations have been delivered through the network since its inception.

Unjani Clinics is a non-profit company and registered public benefit organisation established to manage, raise funds for, and train the health practitioners in the network. It empowers professional nurses to operate and ultimately own sustainable primary healthcare clinics in low-income communities, serving the employed uninsured market. There are currently 250 care settings in the network nationally, including over 221 fixed clinics, 2 mobile clinics, and 27 health pods.

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Marieke Geurts  

Investment Director: Amethis

 

Marieke holds a Master in Management (MiM) degree from the Global Alliance in Management Education (CEMS), an MSc in International Business (Rotterdam School of Management) and a Bachelor of Business Studies (Tilburg University).

She is a citizen of the Netherlands and fluent in Dutch, English, and French.

She started her career as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company.

Marieke was an Investment Principal at Ascent Capital based in Nairobi, where she led various mid-market private equity transactions across multiple sectors in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.

Marieke joined Amethis in 2022. Her responsibilities include deal sourcing and analysing, overseeing due diligence, leading transaction execution teams, as well as monitoring investments in the portfolio. She focuses her efforts mainly on the eastern and southern Africa region.

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Nthime Khoele  

Co-founder and Managing Partner at Bopa Moruo Private Equity

 

Nthime started his career at Rand Merchant Bank Asset Management, where he was an investment professional and research analyst. Nthime has extensive investment experience, spanning the areas of private equity fund management and corporate finance.

As a Managing Partner at Bopa Moruo Private Equity, Nthime is responsible for the leadership, management and direction of the investment and operations management activities.

Other positions Nthime held in his career includes the following:

  • Director in Brait’s private equity business, where he spent 8 years. Brait was one of South Africa’s largest independent private equity fund managers, with R10 billion in funds under management.
  • Co-founder and Executive Director of Legend Capital, an advisory services and funds management business.
  • Group Treasurer and Head of Corporate Finance, Structured Finance, and Investor Relations at South African Airways (SAA). He led the restructuring of SAA’s balance sheet, executing over R4 billion in transactions through capital raising and aircraft refinancing. 
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Grant Rock  

Partner at HAVAÍC

 

Grant has a talent for finding new business opportunities and providing business-minded and practical advice.

For nearly 20 years, Grant worked as a corporate transactional lawyer, solicitor, and executive in South Africa, London, and New York on a wide range of transactions in banking, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, debt and equity capital markets, as well as private equity.

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Hendri Hanekom  

Managing Director at Intercare Group

 

Hendri Hanekom serves as the Managing Director of Intercare Group (Intercare), a leading South African healthcare provider organisation committed to delivering innovative, integrated, and accessible care. Intercare operates 28 primary care practices, 5 day hospitals, and 4 physical rehabilitation hospitals in South Africa, serving over a million patients per year.

Under Hendri’s leadership, Intercare has embraced a customer-centred healthcare model, designing services around the evolving needs of its customers. The group continually introduces innovative products and services to enhance patient outcomes and streamline care delivery. Intercare’s focus on value-driven innovation has solidified its position as a leader in South Africa’s healthcare landscape.

With an MBA from IE Business School, experience at Scripps Healthcare and Cleveland Clinic, and 15 years in South African healthcare, Hendri brings a global perspective to advancing disruptive healthcare strategies. His expertise supports his efforts in continuing to drive Intercare’s strategy both locally and internationally.

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Dr Nonkululeko Boikhutso  

Chief Executive Officer: Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital

 

Hendri Hanekom serves as the Managing Director of Intercare Group (Intercare), a leading South African healthcare provider organisation committed to delivering innovative, integrated, and accessible care. Intercare operates 28 primary care practices, 5 day hospitals, and 4 physical rehabilitation hospitals in South Africa, serving over a million patients per year.

Under Hendri’s leadership, Intercare has embraced a customer-centred healthcare model, designing services around the evolving needs of its customers. The group continually introduces innovative products and services to enhance patient outcomes and streamline care delivery. Intercare’s focus on value-driven innovation has solidified its position as a leader in South Africa’s healthcare landscape.

With an MBA from IE Business School, experience at Scripps Healthcare and Cleveland Clinic, and 15 years in South African healthcare, Hendri brings a global perspective to advancing disruptive healthcare strategies. His expertise supports his efforts in continuing to drive Intercare’s strategy both locally and internationally.

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Chris Maxon  

Deputy Director for Private Licensing: KZN Department of Health

 

Chris Maxon believes we need to transform Africa’s healthcare challenges into strategic opportunities.

As a medical technologist who became a health leader in KwaZulu-Natal Health, Chris bridges public and private sectors with deep policy expertise.

Chris holds advanced degrees (Stellenbosch University, University of KwaZulu-Natal, and Wits) and lends his training with the United Nations to helping fuel data-driven solutions for sustainable growth.

As trusted partnership builder, Chris is a PhD candidate looking into blended finance and public-private partnerships (PPPs) for health infrastructure, while navigating national health insurance reforms. His rare blend of technical and executive skills aligns investments with real-world needs.

'Africa needs solutions, not just diagnoses. Let’s build them together,' says Chris.

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