Witsie medic earns prestigious Rhodes Scholarship for 2025
- Wits Alumni Relations
Wonderful Khumalo, a soon-to-be doctor and proud Witsie, has been awarded the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, granting him the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford in 2025.
The 23-year-old from the Katlehong, in the southeast of Johannesburg, is the only Witsie to be selected from the Southern Africa region this year and is set to join an elite group of scholars from across the globe.
The Rhodes Scholarship, celebrated as one of the most distinguished academic awards, allows young leaders to pursue full-time postgraduate study at one of the world’s leading institutions. For Khumalo, the accolade is not just a personal milestone but a testament to resilience, purpose, and service.
“Being selected for this scholarship is an
incredible honor. It serves as a powerful reminder that my dreams are valid, my purpose is meaningful, and my efforts have never been in vain. It reinforces the belief that anything is truly possible,” Khumalo shared in an email to Wits Alumni Relations.
Reflecting on the journey ahead, he added: “Studying at Oxford represents the chance to meet people from diverse backgrounds, share experiences, and engage in cultural exchanges—all while working to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges. To be part of the Rhodes Scholar community, with its legacy of purpose-driven individuals, is a dream come true.”
Khumalo said his time at Wits “has been a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences”. As chairperson of both the Medical Students’ Council and the Health Sciences Students’ Council and as head of pathology education at Wrapitup—a Wits Medical Society—he has had a distinguished record of service and student leadership. He also played a leading role as the head of pathology education at Wrapitup, a Wits Medical Society for a two-year period, delivering tutorials to third and fourth year medical students.
“These roles were the highlight of my journey, offering invaluable lessons and building the resilience I needed to excel during the rigorous Rhodes Scholarship interviews. Wits has taught me the depths of failure and the peaks of success, both of which have shaped me into who I am today. As Mama Charlotte Maxeke said, ‘If you can rise, bring someone with you.’”
As an aspiring orthopaedic surgeon, Khumalo plans to specialise in musculoskeletal sciences, focusing on rheumatological and musculoskeletal diseases in immunocompromised individuals. His ultimate goal is to transform orthopaedic practice in resource-constrained settings, addressing some of the leading causes of disability worldwide.
“One of my greatest passions is reimagining how orthopaedics is viewed, practiced, and taught, particularly in under-resourced areas,” he said. “Despite the allure of Europe, I am deeply committed to returning to South Africa. There is no place like home, and I believe that true success lies in giving back to the communities that shaped us.”
Khumalo joins a proud lineage of Wits Rhodes Scholars including Dr Bradley Segal (MBBCh 2021, MSc Eng 2022) who was awarded the scholarship in 2024 as well as Michael Beukman (BSc 2021, BSc Hons 2022) and Akudziwe Mawere (MBBCh 2022) who were awarded the prestigious scholarship for 2023.