My early years were spent in Knysna and then Bellville. After finishing matric in 1992 at DF Malan High School I studied medicine at the University of Stellenbosch where I graduated in 1998. My internship and community service were completed at Frere Hospital in East London. After working in various disciplines in hospitals as far apart as Kimberley, Northern Cape and Exeter, United Kingdom I returned to South Africa in 2003 to begin my surgical training at the University of Stellenbosch (Tygerberg Hospital).
I am a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of South Africa since 2007 and obtained my MMed degree in Surgery from the University of Stellenbosch in 2008. After completing my studies I was employed as a senior specialist at Tygerberg Hospital and a lecturer at Stellenbosch University for five years. During this time I gained a wealth of experience in the fields of colorectal, upper gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, endocrine and trauma surgery as well as gastrointestinal endoscopy. I am now in full time private practice, but still have a sessional post at Tygerberg Hospital where I oversee their bariatric surgery programme.
I was also privileged to be awarded the Karl Storz / SASES travelling fellowship and spent two months during 2012 in Straubing, Germany with Prof Robert Obermaier and Dr Markus Walz gaining valuable expertise in a variety of advanced laparoscopic procedures.
My wife, Colette, is an anaesthetist and we have two sons, Charlie and Zac. I am an avid endurance athlete having completed three Otter Trail Runs, the SkyRun 100km, the Mont Blanc Ultra Trail Run and the Cape Epic MTB race in recent years.