I was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and grew up mainly in Cape Town and Johannesburg. I completed my medical studies in Pretoria in 1982 and worked in rural hospitals for the next 3 years, gaining experience in paediatrics, obstetrics and genecology, as well as internal medicine and working the last year as a senior medical officer in general and orthopaedic surgery. I entered general practice in a small rural town (Mtunzini) on the kwaZulu-Natal North Coast in 1986. In addition to my very busy general practice, I was appointed as district surgeon for the area with a population of approximately 180 000 which also made me responsible for the medico-legal work as well as caring for the less privileged. For my sins, I was mayor of the town for some years during the 1990's!
Upon deciding to leave South Africa I sold my practice and moved to the very scenic town of George in the Garden Route zone of the Southern Cape, performing GP locum work plus working in the emergency and internal medicine departments of the local academic hospital. I arrived in New Zealand with my family in April 2001 and joined Green Bay Medical Centre (GBMC) in May of that year. I wrote the necessary examinations and performed the requirements to become a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners in 2004. I thoroughly enjoy the excellent working relationship I have with my colleagues and staff at GBMC as well as serving the very good quality patient roll.
My family and I are very happily settled in our adopted country, having been awarded citizenship in December 2004. My eldest son, Jan, completed his Masters degree in Sport and Recreation at AUT He is married to a a lovely Kiwi girl and they have produced our grandchildren William Jnr and Tilly. Jan represented Auckland Rugby up to U/23 levels. He recently completed his building apprenticeship and is working for a company specialising in luxury homes.
Elena, my daughter, took a gap year after finishing school and rose through the retail ranks to manage a Hallensteins store at the ripe old age of 19. She subsequently completed a BCom degree at Auckland University, and currently works in marketing within the pharmaceutical industry in London. Carl, my youngest, keeps me honest (and laughing). He attended Blockhouse Bay Primary School (achieved Dux in 2010) and then ACG Parnell College. He is on course to complete a Biomed degree at Auckland University and hopes to study medicine in the future.
In my spare time I enjoy boating, scuba diving, jogging, motorcycling and I am a very keen (mad?) fisho, having represented and captained South African deep sea angling teams on several occasions in international tournaments.
