Man Oh Man – Fezile Mkhize
Top Billing presenter, Dr Fezile Mkhize, 28, on why he lives to make his mom proud, and being unfazed by titles like ‘Dr Bae’!
I’m just an average guy from Oslo
Beach, a small town in KZN. Growing up, I was an introvert and read a lot. I tried to learn about as many things as I could, which is how I taught myself to sketch. I’m actually not half bad at it.
My mother is a teacher. She raised us, as well as our extended family, all by herself. My dad, unfortunately, passed on when I was four. My mom is one of the sharpest people I know. She had hopes of studying medicine, and even secured a scholarship. However, her acceptance letter got lost, so she ended up teaching instead. She’d always tell this story to my siblings and I, which inspired me to make her dream come true. My older brother, driven by this anecdote, also went the medicine route. He’s currently working towards specialising as an orthopaedic surgeon. So my mother didn’t just get one, but two doctors [chuckles]! Making my mom proud means everything to me. As a single mother, she was constantly working and stressed out. For her to witness everything that I have achieved so far, has really been worth it. I love medicine, especially surgery.
I like having the option of being able to cut someone open and fixing them right there and then. However, I’m still undecided about what to specialise in — it’s between cardiothoracic surgery or neurology. The former is very intricate and, as a result, you have to dedicate your whole life to it. I want to start my
own family, but there doesn’t seem to be any room for that in cardiothoracic surgery. And, I’ve noticed that a lot of cardiothoracic surgeons are divorced. Neurology, on the other hand, seems to be a more feasible option as it offers a better work-life balance. My girlfriend, physical activity and reading bring
me the greatest joy. My girlfriend was my best friend before we dated, so she really gets me. Because I’m introverted, I’m generally difficult to understand.
In the same breath, I love bringing people joy and hate letting them down. As a result, I can exhaust myself while making others happy. My girlfriend gets that, and helps to centre me when I take on too much. Active meditation is a need for me. That’s why
I train as hard as I do. I fell in love with basketball growing up and still play it — I’m even joining a league soon. I go to the gym at least five times a week and play basketball regularly. Being active is a form of meditation for me.
I’m trying to write a book. I devoured science fiction books growing up, and I still love those thick 2 000-page reads where the author had the audacity to create a whole new world. I hope to write my own science fiction novel when I hit my thirties. Right now, my head is filled with a few short stories told from a young black child’s perspective. Currently, a lot of narratives don’t have people of colour as the lead. I’ve always feared putting my ideas on paper, but of late, I like living on my own terms and not doing things because they are expected of me. The fun part about all the projects I’m involved in, is actually putting my head down and doing the work. I become less excited once I realise a goal. I’m always anxious to move on to the next thing. For instance, when I think back to the Cosmo’s Sexiest Man event, I enjoyed the buildup more than receiving the actual accolade. Maybe I’m weird [chuckles]! I never know what to do with all the female attention and titles like ‘Dr Bae’. I just want to be seen as a regular guy, showing people they can be anything they set their minds to – and not be a sex symbol. People tweet something along the lines of, ‘Where do we find doctors like this?’ with my picture attached. I delete some of the DMs I receive because they’re really silly. I think people see me on TV and assume there’s something special about me, when there really isn’t [chuckles]. I’m transparent about all the work I do. This helps me maintain a balanced schedule. All the people I work with understand the different aspects of my work. I plan things to a T, so whether I’m on a TV shoot, a modelling gig, or at the practice, I’m fully present so that I don’t ever compromise the quality of my work. Soaking in a bathtub, reading, chilling with my girlfriend or childhood friends are my favourite forms of
unwinding. I have a tight circle of friends on whom I can bounce ideas off. They keep me in check and stop me from thinking I’m all that [chuckles].