Professor harry seftel biography of christopher

Roy Watson, health sector journalist, pays tribute to South Africa’s legendary professor who died this month, aged 94, and who had a huge influence on his career.

Watson writes:

I was saddened to hear about the passing of my “kindred spirit”, Professor Harry Seftel, who played an incredibly influential role in my development as a health sector journalist in a variety of capacities, starting from when he was on the editorial board of the doctor newspaper, SA Medical Post, of which I was appointed editor in 1977.

My task was a daunting one, to say the least, not having had any experience in medical or healthcare communication, but the good Prof (never called him “Harry” out of pure respect) was always there to assist and guide me in his own inimitable fashion – something the 702 Radio and Cape Talk listening public grew to love and enjoy during his tenure as medical slot anchor many years later.

Larger than life in many resp