From skipping grades in a rural primary school to earning her medical degree at just 21 years old, Dr. Thakgalo Thibela embodies brilliance, resilience, and hope for a new generation.
But now, at 24, South Africa’s youngest female doctor faces a devastating roadblock: she is unemployed and unable to do what she trained so hard to do—save lives.
Born and raised in the modest village of Violet Bank in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, Dr. Thibela’s rise is nothing short of phenomenal.
After skipping both Grade 7 and Grade 9 due to her exceptional academic performance, she matriculated at just 15 with seven distinctions and was named the Top Student in the Shatale Circuit in 2014.
That same year, the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) awarded her a bursary, allowing her to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. She enrolled at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and graduated in December 2020 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) at the age of 21.
Dr. Thibela went on to complete her internship at Helen Joseph Hospital and Rahima Moosa Mother & Child Hospital, and recently wrapped up her community service at Mapulaneng Hospital in December 2023.
But despite her remarkable qualifications and drive—including a Diploma in Child Health, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and membership in the Golden Key International Honour Society—she now finds herself among more than 800 unemployed doctors in South Africa.
“I became a doctor because I wanted to help people, and not being able to do just that has been mentally taxing,” Thibela shared. “I am willing and ready to serve anywhere in the country but that opportunity is not being afforded to me. Please help.”
Thibela has also expressed interest in relocating for work, saying she is open to opportunities in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
Her dream? To specialize in neurosurgery, a field that demands not just intelligence and dedication, but the kind of resilience she has demonstrated since her days at Farel Primary School.
Dr. Thibela’s journey, recently highlighted on platforms like LinkedIn, where she continues to advocate for employment, is a reminder of the urgent need to address the structural gaps in South Africa’s healthcare system—especially when its brightest talents are left on the sidelines. Among other things, she describes herself as an Aspiring Neurosurgeon on her LinkedIn profile.
For hiring or partnership inquiries, she can be reached directly at thakgalothibela@gmail.com.
LinkedIn Profile – Dr. Thakgalo Thibela
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Editor’s Note: Dr. Thibela was named to the Mail & Guardian’s 200 Young South Africans list in 2022, a recognition reserved for the nation’s most promising change-makers.
Her story is not just about beating the odds—it’s about what happens when the system fails to meet the brilliance it cultivates.
