A LIFE WELL LIVED IN MEDICINE AND BUSINESS
BORN: April 5 1965 DIED: September 1 2016 FUNERAL: September 10 2016 BURIAL: East London Cemetery
DR PAULA Nombasa Kali-Mbande, who died last Thursday from cancer, eventually chose the family business over her career as a doctor.
The family business was her second passion (family being the first) and she ran it with pride and gusto as she was determined to preserve the family legacy of Daddy’s Pride and grew it from strength to strength.
She was diagnosed with stagefour colon cancer not so long ago, which ultimately was the cause of her death.
Kali-Mbande was born at Glen Grey Hospital in Lady Frere on April 5 1965 to Victor Sonwabile and the late Kali, nee Nkotha. She was the second child in a family of five.
She attended primary school in Lady Frere (Cacadu) and at St Mark’s School in Swaziland. She matriculated at Inanda Seminary School where she was the deputy head girl in Grade 11 and head girl during her matric year.
She proceeded to the University of Natal Medical School and later the Medical University of South Africa (Medunsa), currently called Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, where she completed her medical degree.
Her character was tested when her mother died in 1984, in her first year at medical school.
She decided to take a gap year to assist her father with the family business. She then went back to Medunsa and completed her MBChB in 1991.
She did her internship at Livingstone Hospital in Port Elizabeth, and subsequently worked at Cecilia Makiwane Hospital in East London as an anaesthetics doctor.
She later elected to specialise in primary healthcare, with particular emphasis on HIV/Aids, while managing her own surgery in King William’s Town.
Her interest in research led her to join the research units at Anglo American Hospital in Welkom and later at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg, during which period she published and delivered papers at various international conferences.
She was part of HIV collaboration studies with John Hopkins University in the US.
She later enrolled for her masters in public health with Wits University to augment her work.
In 1994, she married Chuma Mbande and they were blessed with three lovely daughters – Siphesihle, Chumisa and Bonga.
In 2004, after much consideration, they bought the family business in Lady Frere and Kali-Mbande became the managing director, thus closing a chapter as a medical practitioner.
In 2016, she was nominated in the entrepreneur category by the Businesswomen Association of South Africa.
Kali-Mbande was a spiritual, principled, loving, caring and determined daughter, sister, friend, aunt, wife, mother and who enjoyed a good laugh.
Her commitment to God never wavered despite the trials and tribulations that she faced, particularly through her illness.
She was greatly loved by her parents, her husband, her daughters and friends.
Her abundant love, kindness, humility and zeal for life will be greatly remembered. A life well lived. It will stay and linger in our hearts forever.