South African Orthopaedic Journal

OBITUARY

Page 130 SA Orthop J 2022;21(3)

Remembering Prof. Roelie Gräbe  
(7 February 1930–4 April 2022)
Roland Peter Gräbe was born in Volksrus on 7 February 1930.  
Roelie, as he was fondly called, grew up in the vicinity of 
Amersfoort and attended the local farm school where his father 
was the headmaster. He later moved to Springs, and completed 
his high school education at the Hoërskool Hugenote. He qualified 
as a medical doctor from the University of Pretoria in 1954, and 
completed his Orthopaedic training with the degree MMed(Chir)
(in Orthopaedics) (Pretoria) in 1961. He then moved into private 
practice in Pretoria for 12 years but decided that the full-time 
academic environment was more challenging for him.

In 1973 he became the Head of the ‘satellite’ Department of 
Orthopaedic Surgery at the newly built Kalafong Hospital next to 
Atteridgeville, Pretoria. He led the National Council for the Care 
of Cripples (as it was known then) Travelling Fellows team to 
various major orthopaedic centres in Europe and the UK in 1977. 
In 1979 he was promoted to the overall Head of the Department of 
Orthopaedic Surgery of the University of Pretoria at the Academic 
Hospital (the then HF Verwoerd Hospital, now Steve Biko Hospital).

His special interests were the conservative management of back 
pain, painful conditions of feet, and especially the management of 
children with cerebral palsy, which are reflected in his numerous 
publications on these topics. After his retirement as Departmental 
Head in 1996, he continued in the department as a consultant, 
teaching the pre- and postgraduate students, until finally taking full 
retirement in April 2016 at the age of 86 years. In August 2002, 
Prof. Gräbe initiated the South African Orthopaedic Journal, and 
was the first Editor-in-Chief, a position he held for many years. 

Probably more orthopaedic surgeons have qualified under Prof. 
Gräbe than under any other Professor of Orthopaedics in South 
Africa. He not only became a legend as a mentor in his lifetime but 
was also regarded as an orthopaedic father figure. In 2009 Prof. 
Gräbe was awarded the South African Orthopaedic Association’s 
Educational Medal ‘for his work as a leading educator’. His 
publications won him the SAOA Presidential Medal in 1978, 1979 
and 1980.

On a more personal note, I got to know Oom Roelie (as we 
preferred to call him, rather than ‘Professor’) in 1968, in my fourth 
MBChB year. This was through the ‘Junior Christen Geneesheers 
Bond’ (JCGB), of which he was the patron. Over the years I had the 

privilege to know him quite well, first as a medical student, then as 
a postgraduate, later as a colleague and even later as his doctor, 
when he became a patient of mine. 

He was an excellent clinical teacher, a doctor with sincere 
compassion for his patients, and with utter integrity. Even under 
difficult and stressful occasions, which happen when running a 
large department with ‘clever’ and mischievous registrars, he would 
never raise his voice; his admonishment was gentle but very clear 
and unambiguous. On one occasion while he assisted me when 
I was a registrar, he reprimanded me to stop a nasty habit I had. 
But being nervous and his being my mentor watching every step 
and movement, I did it again out of habit. Very firmly, and using 
the strongest swear word I ever heard him utter, he said: ‘Dêksels, 
Ulrich, moenie!’ This was Oom Roelie. 

He was an exemplary family man, a husband, father and 
grandfather, and insisted when he was HOD, that all the registrars 
should not neglect their families. We had to take our annual leave 
to spend quality time with our loved ones. If not, he would allocate 
‘compulsory leave’ to those who failed to submit their leave forms.

Roelie was married to Rina (née Van Rooyen), who died in 
1986 after suffering a debilitating illness, with whom he had two 
sons – Chris, also an orthopaedic surgeon, practising in Pretoria, 
following his dad as a foot and ankle surgeon, and Pieter, a Minister 
of Religion and professor, living in the USA.

Roelie then married Susan (née Strydom) in 1987. They have a 
son, Roland, an engineer, presently working in Belgium.

Our condolences to Susan and her family. 
‘Oom Roelie, ons almal gaan jou baie mis, en sal jou altyd onthou 

vir wat jy vir ons beteken het.’ 

 Prof. Ulrich Mennen

My first contact with Prof. Gräbe was in 1978 when I did a spinal 
fellowship with the late Prof. George Dommisse at the Pretoria 
Academic Hospital. At that stage Prof. Gräbe was Head of the 
Department at the Kalafong Hospital which was part of the 
academic complex in Pretoria. His contributions to the academic 
discussions were of a very high standard.

He was very involved with the National Council of Cripples 
and the South African Orthopaedic Association. He took a group 
of upcoming young orthopaedic surgeons on a tour of the major 
orthopaedic centres in Europe and the UK. I had the privilege to 
be part of this group and could appreciate his masterful handling of 
us with fatherly care. He proved his leadership abilities when they 
refused to let us into Holland because of their ban against South 
African academic interaction. We were confined to the airport 
until he could make other arrangements to fly us to Liverpool to 
continue our tour in the UK. During the tour he joined in all our 
social activities and enjoyed having a beer with us.

In 1979 he was appointed as Head of the Orthopaedic Department 
at Pretoria Academic Hospital which he led until his retirement 
in 1996. He maintained excellent relations with all the other 
orthopaedic departments including Stellenbosch and was regularly 
invited as external examiner. He was a much respected and fair 
examiner.

During this time, he always stayed with us at home and we 
enjoyed his company very much. I was also warmly welcomed as 
a guest by him and Susan in later years.

Prof. Gräbe made a huge contribution to Orthopaedics in this 
country which includes his work with Cripple Care, the Orthopaedic 
Association and especially the South African Orthopaedic Journal, 
of which he was the first Editor-in-Chief.

Oom Roelie, I shall always remember you as an outstanding 
academic educator but, more importantly, as a very good friend.
Prof. Gert Vlok