E D I T O R I A L

EDITOR:
- C.J. Eales, PhD

University of the Witwatersrand

ASSISTANT EDITOR:
- A. Stewart, PhD

University of the Witwatersrand 

EDITORIAL BOARD:
NATIONAL MEMBERS
- S.L. Amosun, PhD

University of the Western Cape
- P. Gounden, PhD

University of Durban-Westville
- M. Papadoupolos, MSc

University of Pretoria
- M. Faure, MPhil

University of Stellenbosch
- N. Mbambo, MSc

MEDUNSA

INTERNATIONAL MEMBERS
- A. Akinpelu, PhD

University College Hospital,
Ibadan, Nigeria

- T.H.A. Kolobe, PhD
University of Illinois, Chicago  

- K. Shepard, PhD
Temple University, Philadelphia

- C. Partridge, PhD
University of Kent, Canterbury

REVIEW PANEL 2003:
- Bester, Ria
- Bischof, Faith
- Bowerbank, Pat
- Crocker, Jenny
- Crous, Lynette
- David, Helen
- Diener, Ina
- Eisenberg, Masha
- Eksteen, Carina
- Fearnhead, Lynn
- Frieg, Annette
- Giraud, Jill
- Hunter, Linda
- Irwin-Carruthers, Sheena
- Jelsma, Jennifer
- Kemp, Stephanie
- Krause, Tiney
- M’Kumbuzi, Vyvienne
- Mothabeng, Joyce
- Mpofu, Ratie
- Naidu, Prinola
- Paulsen, Tom
- Potterton, Joanne
- Puckree, Lina
- Van Rooijen, Tania

2          SA JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY 2003 VOL 59 NO 4

The year 2003 is nearly over and as always so much has happened 
in this relatively short period of time.

There have been changes in the SASP

and we have a new President, Zola

Dantile, and we are excited at the

prospect of where this new leader will

take us. We are confident in her vision

for the future of physiotherapy in South

Africa. I believe it will be somewhat

different to what we have known but

there-in lies the excitement of new things

to come in the future. Certainly physio-

therapy in South Africa cannot be the

same as physiotherapy in Norway or

Canada or anywhere else in the world,

because we are dealing with totally dif-

ferent populations and disease profiles.

It has to have its own unique flavour.

But I am confident about the future

of Physiotherapy and I do know that 

the profession is alive and well. The

great Cicero said that “Confidence is

that feeling by which the mind embarks

on great and honourable courses with a

sure hope and trust in itself”. Confi-

dence imparts a wonderful inspiration

to its possessor (John Milton) and so 

I am wonderfully inspired by our 

profession. I believe physiotherapy has

developed into an exclusive and inde-

pendent profession that absolutely meets

the requirements of the future medical

model. With rehabilitation taking a 

primary role in the management of

chronic diseases and with the emphasis

being progressively moved to empower-

ment and involvement of patients in

their own care to the extent that 

they have to take the responsibility for

themselves in the chronic phases of 

disease, the physiotherapist will be

there to guide and to facilitate the

patients through these phases. So we

have undoubtedly embarked on a great

and honourable course with a sure hope

and trust in ourselves. And we will be

successful even though we are often

fearful and unsure when things around

us are changing constantly! 

We will provide quality services to

all South Africans, and we have already

embarked on this path when we esta-

blished compulsory community service

for all newly qualified physiotherapists.

It was especially rewarding to see how

professionals rallied around to assist

those who were newly qualified to 

render appropriate and valued services.

Thank you all for your remarkable

effort and most of all our thanks and

appreciation to those young profes-

sionals who were the first to embark on

the role of community physiotherapists!

We hold you in high regard.

We now move on to the new year

2004 and we are excited to meet the

challenges that this year will bring.

From all of us at the Journal we want to

thank you for your input this year and

for the enthusiastic way in which you

responded to the CPD questions in the

Journal. May the new year bring much

happiness and success to all of you.

Celie Eales
(Editor)

A TIME FOR REFLECTION