Marivate excelled as doctor, musician
Pretoria medic was inspirational soul
Born: June 20 1951
Died: June 2 2021
Funeral: Today, at St Columbus Presbyterian Church, 374 Hilda Street, Hatfield, Pretoria, from 10m
Burial: Garsfontein Cemetery
Dr Billy Bohane Marivate was born in Phefeni, Soweto, in 1951. He attended primary and secondary schools in Pretoria before finishing high school at Lemana High at Elim in Limpopo.
He then proceeded to the University of the North (now University of Limpopo) in Mankweng, where he obtained the bachelor of science degree (BSc) in botany and zoology in 1974.
After teaching at Madikodi Technical College in then Pietersburg for a year, he then moved to Hofmeyr High School in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, where he also taught for a year.
Marivate then registered for an MBChB at the Medical University of South Africa (Medunsa), where he qualified as a medical doctor in 1983, with distinctions in obstetrics and gynaecology.
He also qualified as the seventh black psychiatrist in SA, and the youngest at the time. His medical career spanned over 30 years working as a general practitioner, consultant psychiatrist and he owned a private practice at Louis Pasteur Medical Centre in Pretoria and at Zwavelstream Clinic Pretoria East.
Dr Marivate further acquired academic qualifications via the following degrees: Master of Medicine in Psychiatry in 1991 (Medunsa) and Master of Clinical Pharmacology in 2011 (University of Pretoria).
His academic and research interests led him to deliver scientific research papers at various conferences and workshops locally and overseas.
He was also a part-time lecturer at the University of Pretoria in the department of pharmacology (2009-2011) and an external examiner for undergraduate degrees at the department of psychiatry at Medunsa (1992-2000).
One of his many firsts is with Drs Boaz Risenga, Frank Ndhambi and Jan Nkuna regarding the establishment of Malamulele Hospital at the then Gazankulu in Limpopo. This was a medical project under the leadership of Dr Robert.
Dr Marivate’s commitment to psychiatry as a specialised medical field created an understanding and access to these services among many African clients who consulted him. These clients came from all over SA and countries like Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Of late these special medical interests in psycho-pharmacology, mood and anxiety disorders, epilepsy: psychiatric manifestations landed him a position as a psychiatrist at Zwavelstream Clinic.
Marivate also had great inhis terest in music as a qualified pianist. His musical skills and talent as a pianist and music choir conductor are known locally and abroad.
As a conductor he became the youngest conductor win a trophy at Khindlimuka Gaza Music Festival, where he was conducting students from Hofmeyr High School.
He relaxed by travelling to places of scenic interest, listening to classical and jazz music when not playing his piano. He a very humble but creative man with an ability to relate to all people at various social levels.
A humble man with a sharp mind and a high sense of humour indeed!
He will be dearly missed by family, friends and fellow congregants at St Columba Presbyterian Church in Pretoria and all his clients locally and overseas.
We will in our memories hold dear his words that one should: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can” as we appreciate his contributions to family, society, the medical fraternity, church, music and special development and love of the people he served.
Dr Marivate is survived by four siblings, seven children and seven grandchildren.
He will be buried in Pretoria today.
May his soul rest in peace!