Dr Sandile Qwabe Biography, Qualifications and Why He is Famous

Dr. Sandile Qwabe is a medical practitioner with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh) degree. He is, however, better known for sharing dancing videos on TikTok.

Qwabe became an internet sensation after videos where he was seen dancing in medical regalia with a stethoscope went viral. He is known for his unprofessional dressing style, which is more of a pantsula style. With the certified healthcare worker unapologetically showing off his eccentric personality on social media, there have been complaints about him bringing his esteemed profession into disrepute.

How Old Is Dr Sandile Qwabe?

Dr. Sandile Qwabe’s age is still under wraps as he just recently came to the limelight for his entertaining social media posts. At present, there is little to no information about his personal life in the media. And this includes his date of birth, childhood experiences, parents, and siblings, if any. However, he is said to be originally from Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal.

Why is Dr. Sandile Qwabe so Famous?

Congratulations to our star of The Week : Dr Sandile Qwabe.

Stay true to yourself and keep shining🇿🇦🏆#sasma23 #drqwabe pic.twitter.com/nfauDCGAty

— SA Social Media Awards (SASMA) | #SASMA2022 (@SMAWARDS_ZA) March 6, 2023

Dr. Sandile Qwabe is well-known in Mzansi for posting dancing or any other entertaining videos on TikTok. For some years, the medical doctor has been active on some social media platforms without attracting any media attention, and he’s mostly active on TikTok. However, in early 2023, a Twitter user shared a video of Dr. Qwabe on the platform, and before long, more TikTok videos of the surgeon found its way on Twitter, and this made him top the trending list.

In some of the videos, Dr. Sandile Qwabe can be seen wearing pantsula-style clothing at work and dancing in the corridors. There is also a photo of him smoking a cigarette while putting on the stethoscope on his neck. Additionally, the doctor, on one occasion, was spotted walking around his working environment with a music speaker, dancing and entertaining his patients and colleagues.

Though he has a good outlook on life, as he seems to be always happy and tries to spread happiness to the people around him, Dr. Sandile Qwabe’s pantsula-inspired lifestyle has garnered backlash on social media. Nevertheless, the comic doctor also has been applauded by a fraction of Twitter users who are proud of him for breaking stereotypes of how medical doctors should behave in public.

In spite of being dubbed “a gangster doctor”, the independent medical officer has gained recognition for his social media content. On March 6th, 2023, Dr. Sandile Qwabe received the Star Of The Week Award from the SA Social Media Awards.

Is Dr Sandile Qwabe a Practicing Medical Doctor?

Yes, Dr. Sandile Qwabe has a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBCh) degree and works at Madadeni Provincial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. He is reportedly praised by his patients and colleagues for the work he does and his kindness. With his job as a surgeon said to be quite a difficult task, the KwaZulu-Natal native has found a way to have fun with his eccentric content creation.

Dr Sandile Qwabe. (MBBCh)
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. pic.twitter.com/eswLa4f15m

— Africa Research Desk (@MightiJamie) March 5, 2023

Despite being judged for his lifestyle, many people believe that Dr. Qwabe is an example of Black Excellence. It’s worth noting that the degree he has achieved takes six years to be completed before specializing in fields. And based on research, MBBCh admission entry requirements include aggregate Level 5 scores in Matric results and exceptional performance in the National Benchmark Test (NBT).

How Many Followers Does Dr Sandile Qwabe Have?

In recent months, Dr. Sandile Qwabe has captured the hearts of many South Africans on social media for staying true to his personality while being focused on his profession. On TikTok, his account (@qwabekastufuza) has garnered over 265K followers with more than 1.4 million likes. Then his Facebook page (@DrSandileQwabeDr) has over 9.9K followers and equally gained more than 7.5K likes.

Unlike the aforementioned social media platforms, the healthcare professional is less active on Instagram. Thus, he has 2,980 followers on the platform and has shared only 11 posts. Besides posting dancing videos, Dr. Qwabe shares pictures and videos of his family life as he is married with a son. In July 2023, he trended online for sharing a video where he was dancing at a wedding as one of the groomsmen.

Interestingly, his videos have gained millions of views online, skyrocketing his fame. For instance, one of the videos where he was spinning around in an office chair with his legs crossed, sliding back and forth with a stethoscope on his neck, calling himself the manager of the hospital, has gained more than 2.4 million views.

Dr. Sandile Qwabe’s Social Media Accounts and Number of Followers

• TikTok: @qwabekastufuza (265.4K followers)
• Facebook: @DrSandileQwabeDr (10K followers)
• Instagram: @qwabekastufuza15 (2,890 followers)

Controversies Courted by Dr. Qwabe Over His Social Media Content

HPCSA says it does not control the appearance or way of life of medical professionals. This comes after doctor Dr. Sandile Qwabe, whose TikTok videos depict a pantsula-inspired clothing code and lifestyle, drawn criticism for his way of living on social media. pic.twitter.com/DnSwwpIVBd

— THE TRUTH PANTHER (@TheTruthPanther) March 7, 2023

Dr. Sandile Qwabe has been slammed by a section of Twitter users who find his social media content demeaning to his profession. Not only has his township-inspired dress code been a much-discussed topic, but his public smoking habit has also set tongues wagging. Even though some people claimed to have lodged complaints against him with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) for his lifestyle, the council’s spokesperson, Christopher Tsatsawane, said they have received no such complaint.

HPCSA further clarifies that it doesn’t regulate medical doctors’ dress code or lifestyle. However, it only regulates the work-related code of conduct of health professionals with the purpose of guiding the profession to protect the public. Tsatsawane added that it was uncommon for people to complain about the dress code of medical practitioners, which has no bearing on their professional life.

In addition, he made it clear that the Health Professions Council of South Africa would have acted if the allegations were about the integrity or dignity of a registered person. Additionally, Dr. Mvuyisi Mzukwa – Chairperson of the South African Medical Association, weighed in on the matter. He stated that doctors should ensure they do not cross the boundaries or regulations of their employer despite not being prohibited from expressing their personality.

He further asserted that the picture of Dr. Sandile Qwabe smoking in public is very controversial as it contradicts the anti-smoking message passed to the public by healthcare workers. In spite of the backlash Dr. Qwabe has received, he is yet to respond to the criticisms.