Bongani Mayosi


Bongani Mawethu Mayosi BMedSci, MB ChB, FCP, DPhil, was a South African professor of cardiology He was the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Cape Town and an A-rated National Research Foundation researcher. Prior to this, he was head of the Department of Medicine at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. His father was a medical doctor and so is his wife; his research interests included rheumatic fever, tuberculous pericarditis and cardiomyopathy. He was a member of the Academy of Science of South Africa and a former President of the College of Physicians of South Africa and he headed numerous other biomedical organisations during his career.
In 2017 he was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine. Professor Mayosi published over 300 peer-reviewed academic articles individually and collectively, including collaborating with eminent researchers like Salim Yusuf. He was part of the team which discovered one of the gene mutations responsible for causing the life-threatening heart disease arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, this discovery was regarded as one of the most important medical advances in South Africa since the first human heart transplantation.
Professor Mayosi served as the chairperson of the team appointed by the South African Minister of Health Aaron Motsoaledi to investigate irregularities and maladministration at The Health Professions Council of South Africa, the organisation which registers, regulates and guides health professionals. He was very involved in creating systems to train the next generation of physician-scientists; his vision included training 1000 of them across South Africa every year. Mayosi raised over 250 million rands for research.

Death

Mayosi died by suicide on 27 July 2018; he had been experiencing depression for two years. Eight months before his death he had tendered his resignation to the University of Cape Town, however, it was apparently declined. According to his family the FeesMustFall protests contributed to Mayosi's declining mental health. An exit strategy from his "very stressful" job was being planned apparently where Mayosi would instead head the South African Medical Research Council. The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, conveyed his condolences on Mayosi's death and accorded him a provincial funeral. Among several dignitaries Graca Machel the Chancellor of UCT sent her condolences too.