“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someoneplanted a tree a long time ago.” – Warren Buffett

Some weeks back, I suffered the loss of a colleague and mentor, Dr Miriam Mmabatho Mokoka Ndwandwe, a pharmacist that was fiercely passionate about our profession. Whilst drafting her tribute on behalf of the Eastern Cape pharmacy team and recounting her professional accolades, experiences and achievements, I realised the actual depth of the impact she had on us both professionally and personally and the immense contributions she made to the healthcare sector. The tribute was relatively easy to complete, with Dr Mokoka Ndwandwe graduated with her PhD in May 2026, previously serving as the pharmacy manager, acting in various senior management roles, followed by the role of Chief Executive Officer of the facility, before finally moving to the Office of the Eastern Cape Department of Health (ECDOH) Head of Department, heading the newly formed Business Intelligence Unit. Dr Mokoka Ndwandwe was impactful, she created a legacy and mentored future leaders. She was someone I was incredibly proud of and looked up to with her strong business acumen, great leadership and excellent pharmaceutical analytical skills.