Oatile Phakathi

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon — Orthopaedic Oncology, Wits University

Dr Oatile Phakathi completed his medical degree (MBChB) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and his orthopaedic surgery training at Wits University. He then remained at Wits University as a clinical fellow in Musculoskeletal Oncology and Infection. To further his knowledge and technical expertise in limb-salvage surgery, he pursued a clinical fellowship in Musculoskeletal Oncology at the University of Toronto, Mount Sinai Hospital and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. He returned to Johannesburg and works as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in Musculoskeletal Oncology at Wits University, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Although early in his career, Dr Phakathi is involved in undergraduate and registrar teaching at Wits University, supervises several Master’s students, serves as a peer reviewer for the “Oncology and Infection” section of the South African Orthopaedic Journal (SAOJ), serves as an external examiner (Wits University) for Master of Medicine candidates, and contributes to the “Orthopaedic Oncology/Tumour” section of the College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) Fellowship of the College of Orthopaedic Surgeons Final Examination. He also contributes to sarcoma textbook chapters.

He is an active member of local and international professional bodies, including the South African Orthopaedic Association (SAOA), the South African Oncology & Limb Preservation Society (SOLS), the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), and the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS). He regularly contributes to scientific meetings through posters, podium presentations, or as an invited speaker. Dr Phakathi is passionate about reducing global disparities in sarcoma outcomes by providing best-practice care contextualised to individual patients in low- and middle-income countries.