“Humans have walked on the Moon; there’s nothing stopping us from leaving our own mark on this planet.”

Waheed Amanjee

Category

Health & Wellness
 

Organisation / Company

WiZmed
African Research Society
 

Position

Co-founder | Chief operations officer (COO) | Medical student

 

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Profile

Waheed Amanjee promised to one day help families facing rare diseases, inspired by his mother’s health battles. Today, Waheed, 23, is an aspiring clinician-scientist-entrepreneur determined to transform healthcare in South Africa and beyond. As a fifth-year medical student and master’s researcher at UCT’s Neurogenomics Lab, his research explores the epigenetics of ALS, while his entrepreneurial ventures have already made a national impact. He co-founded WiZmed, a student-led medical supply enterprise serving 50 000 healthcare professionals. From launching Africa’s first in-house stethoscope personalisation service to producing affordable, locally made scrubs, his work offers medical students and clinicians essential tools. Waheed is also the co-founder and COO of the African Research Society, a continent-wide student movement strengthening research capacity. With 1 500 members, the society has raised over R600 000 for African-led research initiatives. Named a 2025 Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Waheed’s leadership extends to initiatives like the Reach Alliance and Cape Town Expo for Young Scientists.

Qualifications

  • MBChB, University of Cape Town – Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Class of 2025 (*fifth year)
  • Master’s in Medical Science, University of Cape Town (Neurogenomics Lab, *in progress)
  • Bachelor of Medical Science Honours (BMedSci Hons) in Bioinformatics, University of Cape Town, 2023 – first class with distinction and Top Academic Achiever

Achievements

  • Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Class of 2025 – recognised for leadership, academic excellence, entrepreneurship and a commitment to reconciliation and social impact across Africa.
  • Youngest authorised 3M Littmann Stethoscope distributor worldwide through WiZmed, launching Africa’s first in-house stethoscope personalisation service and a locally made scrub range.
  • Co-founder, African Research Society — a student-led, continent-wide NPO with over 1,500 members. The team raised more than R600,000 for research capacity-building and hosted events featuring Nobel laureates, demonstrating the power of collective impact.
  • Winner, Rising Star Award, South African Health Excellence Awards 2024 – honoured for academic excellence, research impact and leadership in medical education and community health.
  • Recipient, UCT DSA Individual Student Leadership Award 2024 – acknowledged for six years of sustained, values-driven leadership in student governance, curriculum reform and community outreach.
  • Eskom Expo for Young Scientists –  three-time gold medallist and two-time Best Energy Award winner. Represented South Africa at international science fairs in Turkey and Zambia. These early achievements fostered a lifelong commitment to translating scientific curiosity into practical solutions.
  • Global presenter, Reach Alliance – presented work in Turkey, Mexico and Rwanda, affirming that South African-born ideas, when rooted in community needs, hold powerful global relevance.

Mentors

My late grandfather, Suleman Bux, was a shopkeeper in rural Ixopo who believed that dignity was not determined by race or wallet size. He treated everyone — regardless of background — with the same compassion and respect, guided by a deep sense of justice and an unwavering belief in the power of education, even though he was never afforded that privilege himself. His legacy was defined by quiet acts of kindness. Most notably, he supported a young Raymond Zondo (who later became South Africa’s chief justice) by providing groceries to his family for three years while he studied. When Zondo later offered to repay him, my grandfather simply said, “Do for others what I did for you.”