The South African Foot Surgeons’ Association (SAFSA) is a society of South African orthopaedic surgeons with a special interest in the medical and surgical management of foot and ankle pathologies. We have quarterly meetings for topic discussions and difficult case presentations. SAFSA organises a foot and ankle congress biennially, with international guest speakers. A foot and ankle instructional course is presented at every third SAOA congress by the society. The association promotes research and education in foot and ankle surgery.
From The Foot of the bed:
I once heard a quote from a short-term insurance broker: “Any benefit to the client is just a coincidence…” Membership of SAFSA should be the exact opposite — and the current EXCO is working hard to achieve exactly that.
Several advancements towards this goal have already been made:
- Establishing a comprehensive member database
- Revising and modernising the SAFSA Constitution
- Developing a fair and transparent coding structure
Dr Naas Terblanche, our immediate past president, led this society with great dedication. He organised a world-class biennial SAFSA meeting in Cape Town last year. The South American charisma of Dr Christiaan Ortiz, the French flair of Dr Yves Tournet, and the home-grown expertise of our local faculty made that meeting truly memorable. We are grateful to have Naas on the EXCO as Past President, continuing to guide us through this term.
Dr Mark Maritz, our President-Elect, is also serving on the EXCO of SAOA — congratulations on your election, Mark! He is a pioneer in the field of minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery and proudly represents SAFSA at several academic levels. Together with a number of our senior SAFSA members, he works tirelessly on developing a fair and transparent foot and ankle coding structure. Coding has been a contentious issue since I first became involved with SAFSA, and the reality is that it will always require careful navigation. Rest assured that Mark and his team are proactive in their approach and have our members’ best interests at heart.
The newest elected member of the EXCO is Dr Andrew Strydom, who serves as Secretary. His arrival brought a whirlwind of fresh energy! He is not only an accomplished clinician, but excels at every level of administration. Thank you, Andrew, for driving the revision of the SAFSA Constitution, upgrading the member database, communicating effectively with both members and EXCO, moderating our monthly EXCO meetings and quarterly SAFSA meetings, and bringing the monthly case discussion meetings into the SAFSA fold.
We have also appointed two members to optimise the running of the society. We welcome back Dr Paulo Ferrao, a past president of the society, who manages the portfolio of Website and Social Media. Dr Matthew Workman serves as our Treasurer. Both are dedicated to advancing foot and ankle surgical care through their service to the society. Please visit the website from time to time — it is being actively updated, and Paulo will ensure it remains a relevant and current resource for members.
We look forward to a stimulating foot and ankle session at the annual SAOA Congress in Cape Town later this year. We have invited Dr Andy Molloy from England as our principal international faculty member. He has published and lectured extensively, and was also part of the Steps2Walk faculty in Windhoek in 2024. Dr Ned Amendola, the current AAOS President, will also join the faculty. As always, they will be complemented by excellent presentations from our own association members.
We are also greatly looking forward to the biennial SAFSA Congress in 2027 — to be held in Windhoek, Namibia, for the very first time! This milestone represents an exciting step for our society, and we encourage all members to diarise the event and plan to attend what promises to be a landmark occasion.
On behalf of the EXCO, I would like to thank every member for their continued support of SAFSA. This society is only as strong as the surgeons who make up its membership, and it is your engagement — whether through attending meetings, participating in case discussions, or simply staying connected — that drives us forward. We remain committed to serving your interests, elevating the standard of foot and ankle surgical care in southern Africa, and ensuring that membership of SAFSA is, in every sense, a benefit worth having.
Dr Jacques Jonck
President, South African Foot Surgeons Association