Associate Prof Mikateko Ndhambi, a Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) scholar and head of the Department of Natural and Rehabilitative Sciences at the University of Fort Hare, has clinched two major honours at the 2025 African Health Excellence Awards (AHEA).
Prof Ndhambi was named the Health Care Profession (HPC) Educator of the Year and further received the prestigious Honorary Award for Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare in Africa.
These accolades come just months after she was appointed at UFH to become South Africa’s first Black Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology. Her appointment signalled a new era of transformation, representation, and academic excellence at UFH and in the field of speech-language pathology.
For her, Prof Ndhambi said the awards were significant because they reflect collaborative impact rather than individual acclaim.
“These recognitions acknowledge work that extends beyond individual achievement to the collective efforts of students, colleagues, and the communities we serve across the continent,” she said.
A Career Built on Community, Research, and Transformation
A fierce advocate for multilingual, culturally grounded healthcare education, Prof Ndhambi has dedicated her career to shaping a more equitable, African-rooted landscape in rehabilitation sciences. “My commitment has always been to advance speech-language pathology education that is culturally responsive, multilingual, and grounded in the realities of African contexts.
Her work champions community-based research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and evidence-based practices that speak directly to the linguistic and cultural realities of South Africa and the continent.
Before joining UFH, Prof Ndhambi built an influential career in academia, community rehabilitation, and national policy development. She served on the HPCSA Language and Culture Task Team, contributing to guidelines for linguistically and culturally responsive practice, and led the Xitsonga research component of the South African Communicative Development Inventories (SA-CDI) project.
“The honorary award affirms the importance of centering African languages and indigenous knowledge systems in our healthcare professions. As educators and practitioners, we have a responsibility to prepare professionals who can serve diverse communities with both competence and cultural humility. These accolades motivate me to continue working toward a more equitable, decolonized, and authentically African approach to healthcare education.”
Congratulations Assoc Prof Ndhambi.