Born in the Netherlands and trained as a doctor in Rotterdam. Married to Mies for 41 years and we have 4 boys and three granddaughters. After a training in surgery and obstetrics we worked for 10 years at Gelukspan Community hospital, an ex-mission hospital with a thousand beds(general, TB, handicapped and old age). Thereafter I worked for three years at Medunsa in Family Medicine and Human Nutrition. Our children were born at Gelukspan and have Christian and Tshwana names.

From 1990-2010 we had a flourishing private practice in Leerdam with 3300 patients and run a weight control programme integrated in the practice.
From 2010 up to now I am employed by the Department of Health in Mpumalanga and seconded to the university and the BCMP programme. 

Roles and responsibility:
I do not have clinical responsibilities and only see patients with students. I coordinate the BCMP and SIC teaching platform with about 25 clinical learning centres. I am responsible for the final year BCMP class and see all SIC students when they do their community obstetrics and district health rotation.

Research interests:
Primary health care, rural health, quality improvement projects, monitoring and building a good quality teaching platform in district hospitals and clinics.

Student supervision:
60-70 BCMP III students.
220-250 MBChB-SIC students who do their Coom Obs and District Health Care and QIP.