Partnering with the Smile Foundation and the Vodacom Foundation, the Steve Biko Academic Hospital (SBAH) aims to perform reconstructive surgery, including cleft lip and cleft palate procedures, on 15 children today and on Saturday.

A key focus of this Smile Weekend is the Academic Programme, led by Professor Solly Selahle, Head of Plastic and Reconstructive Department at SBAH, together with Prof Mzubanzi Mabongo, the head of the Department of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery at the University of Pretoria (UP).

With extensive experience in the public health sector, Selahle and Mabongo are deeply committed to mentorship and the development of future surgeons.

Throughout the weekend, the professors will work closely with consultants and senior registrars, facilitating hands-on surgical training in cleft lip and cleft palate repair, procedures that require specialised skill and continuity of care.

“Developing surgical capacity within our public hospitals is essential. By training registrars in complex reconstructive procedures, we are not only helping the children on the operating list today, but empowering surgeons who will go on to treat many children over the course of their careers,” said Selahle.

Dr Fatima Cotwall, Clinical Manager at SBAH, said this will change the lives of communities, patients and their families.“Following this marathon, we will have no backlog regarding cleft lip and cleft palate procedures. We will continue our partnership on a need-to-operate basis. We want to thank Vodacom, Foundation Smile and all stakeholders as we continue to put a smile on many children’s faces,” Dr Cotwall said.

Smile Foundation’s COO Tshidi Chabane-Xaba highlighted the importance of combining patient care with professional development.

“Smile Weekends allow us to create impact that lasts beyond a single operation. While children receive life-changing surgery, we are building long-term surgical capacity within our public hospitals, ensuring sustainable care for many more children in the years ahead,” Chabane-Xaba said.

The Smile Foundation had been collaborating with the hospital for the past three years, organising weekly slates, which led to surgeries every Tuesday. With the help of donors, they have operated on over 5 300 children across the country.

Chabane-Xaba said the partnership is beneficial to the children of Pretoria, and it doesn’t benefit one party in particular but all involved.

“The operation is done today, but this is a life-changing surgery for the child. It will help them with their speech, it will help them with their schooling, as opposed to being moved to a special needs school because the child has a speech impediment and is not like all the other kids.

“We also all know that children are bullies, children are mean, even adults can be bullies, and teachers are mean. So, because the child looks different from others, they can be targeted. So, we’re very happy because this gives the children confidence and gives them hope,” Chabane-Xaba said.

One of the donors for the Smile Weekend is Vodacom Foundation, whose 24-year ongoing partnership continues to enable access to specialised healthcare for children nationwide.

“Vodacom is honoured to support Smile Foundation’s work. Together, we are improving health outcomes for children while contributing to the sustainability of reconstructive care in the public sector,” said Dean Naidoo, Executive for Consumer Business Unit at Vodacom Gauteng North region.

The Vodacom Foundation has invested over R26-million into the Smile Foundation’s work, spanning over 20 years.

Locally, they’ve recently led a robotics teaching initiative at WF Nkomo Secondary school in Atteridgeville.

“It’s important to note that we don’t just exist in a vacuum, but our success is tied to the upliftment and empowerment of the communities we serve. Sitting with the various teams that make all this possible is an honour, and we need more of this. It isn’t just a side-project for us, it’s in our DNA, and exceptionally close to our hearts,” Naidoo said.

Five-month-old Onalerona Ledwaba is one of the patients receiving surgery.

The child has already faced challenges, as he was born with a bilateral cleft lip and a heart condition.

This has made feeding difficult, and frequent hospital visits have become a part of daily life for his family.

His mother, Lebogang, said she will remain eternally grateful for the stakeholders’ willingness to include her child.

“I’m just happy that he’ll be fine and won’t be treated differently by some people. Because when a child is born differently, others can look at them somehow or treat them differently, and it’s not right. So, I’m glad he won’t have to go through that,” Ledwaba said.

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