Dr Musa Mthombeni qualifies as a neurointerventionist – What it means for SA’s favourite TV doc
· Citizen
Dr Musa Mthombeni has added yet another title to his already impressive CV.
The media personality and specialist doctor has officially completed his sub-specialty training in interventional neuroradiology and endovascular neurosurgery, making him a fully qualified neurointerventionist.
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His latest qualification is giving his followers one more reason to call him “South Africa’s most overqualified TV presenter.”
The 36-year-old shared the milestone on Instagram this week in a caption that was a blend of medical jargon with his trademark humour. Mthombeni said the past year had involved early starts, long stretches in the angiography theatre and no shortage of coffee before he finally wrapped up the fellowship.
“Translation: I am now a fully qualified neurointerventionist,” he wrote, adding with a wink that followers could now “trust me around your brain’s blood vessels.”
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What exactly is a neurointerventionist?
For readers unfamiliar with the title, a neurointerventionist is a highly specialised doctor trained to treat conditions affecting the blood vessels of the brain, neck, and spine using minimally invasive, image-guided procedures rather than open surgery.
Working with thin catheters and advanced imaging technology, specialists in this field treat strokes, brain aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations and other vascular conditions that can otherwise be life-threatening.
The discipline sits at the crossroads of neuroradiology, neurology, and neurosurgery, and the additional training required is famously demanding – which is partly why Mthombeni’s announcement struck such a chord with his followers.
This matters because the latest South African statistics by Discovery and the Gauteng Department of Health reveal that over one in three adults live with high blood pressure, which is the root cause of one in every two strokes.
Additionally, the demographic most affected is changing significantly: strokes and hypertension are no longer just issues for the elderly; they are increasingly striking younger adults (starting from 18 years) and historically underserved rural populations.
‘Daddies are up’
True to form, Mthombeni didn’t let the seriousness of the achievement get in the way of a joke.
His Instagram caption opened with his now-familiar catchphrase before he reflected on the grind of the past year, referencing the parking complaints about his car, the late nights in theatre and a fellowship schedule he admitted had tested everyone close to him.
He went on to thank his mentors and colleagues, singling out a senior doctor he credited for much of what he’d learnt, before turning to his family. He had particular praise for his wife, joking that she deserved “a medal” for tolerating his unpredictable schedule and his habit of recounting the details of his procedures at home.
Closing out the post, Mthombeni said he was looking forward to applying his new skills in a field he had “absolutely fallen in love with” – a sentiment that resonated with fans who have followed his medical journey for years.
From YoTV Wildroom to the angiography suite
For South Africans of a certain generation, Mthombeni’s medical career is a pivot that everyone loves.
Long before “Dr Musa” appeared on his Instagram handle, Musawenkosi Mthombeni was a familiar face on SABC1’s YoTV, presenting on segments including YoTV Land, Wildroom, Blue Couch and the Big Breakfast after landing the job as a teenager. He went on to work in radio, including stints on Voice of Wits FM and YFM, before moving into television hosting roles such as Trending SA and the SABC2 medical magazine show Vital Signs.
While building that media profile, Mthombeni was working through one of the country’s toughest academic pipelines. He completed his MBBCh at the University of the Witwatersrand, qualified as a specialist Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist after passing the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa board exams, and graduated with a Master of Medicine in diagnostic radiology from Wits in 2025 – all while maintaining a public-facing media career. The neurointerventionist fellowship is the latest, and by most accounts most gruelling, chapter in that academic run.
A power couple cheering each other on
Dr Musa Mthombeni and his wife, Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni. Picture: Instagram/@liesllaurieMthombeni’s wife, Liesl Laurie-Mthombeni – Miss South Africa 2015 – featured prominently in his thank-you message, continuing a pattern of public support that has become part of the couple’s appeal.
The pair, who married in 2021, are known for a relationship that plays out warmly and visibly on social media, from anniversary tributes to behind-the-scenes glimpses of his study schedule. Their dynamic has made them one of the more closely followed celebrity couples in South African entertainment circles.