The Department of Physiotherapy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) is the only training centre for physiotherapists in the province of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The Department of Physiotherapy was established in 1964 at King Edward VIII (KEH) hospital between the old Natal Provincial Administration (NPA) and the University of Durban Westville (UDW), under the leadership of Prof Schultze, who was a Physical Medicine Specialist. He questioned the absence of non-white physiotherapists in the apartheid era and he proposed that KEH become the training centre for non-white physiotherapists. All non-white students were recruited from all of the four old South African provinces. They were to study for a National Diploma in physiotherapy and serve the whole country during this time. There were also students from Swaziland and Lesotho. Prof Schultze was the National Head of Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and Remedial Services in South Africa. He was a medical doctor based at KEH in charge of Training and ALL rehabilitation services (OT, PT Speech and Hearing etc) for the country. Miss Gwen Jones from England was the first head of department (HOD) of the school of physiotherapy and, of course, all lecturers were white at that time. Shiela Blackwood and Charles Liggins joined the school in 1968. Between 1964 and1973, a Diploma in Physiotherapy was offered. Student intake was small at this time, with about 12 students entering the programme each year…
