Lieutenant Colonel Dr Mathobela has earned a PhD in Pharmacy, with research focused on antibiotic misuse in poultry farming and its impact on human health.
By Jeanette Makhura – ulpublications@ul.ac.za
Swapping the brown uniform of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) for academic regalia, Lieutenant Colonel Dr Caswell Mathobela has accomplished what few dare to pursue—he has graduated with a PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Limpopo (UL)
His research tackles a pressing global issue: the misuse of antibiotics in poultry farming and its implications for human health.
Born in the rural village of Setupulane in Limpopo, Waterberg District, Dr Mathobela’s journey has been anything but conventional. With over a decade of military service and a deep commitment to healthcare, he represents a unique blend of soldier, scholar, and scientist.
Enrolled in his doctoral studies in 2021, Dr Mathobela was motivated to investigate how the irrational use of antibiotics in chickens, administered by farmers for growth promotion and profit, and their effects on human health. “What drove me was the risk of antimicrobial gene transfer,” he explains. “Microorganisms in these chickens can pass resistant genes to humans, making common antibiotics ineffective. It’s a ticking time bomb for public health.”
His research not only connects animal and human pharmacology but also highlights what he describes as the “silent pandemic” of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). His findings were so impactful that his abstract was accepted by the International Committee of Military Medicine and presented in Australia in September 2024.
The recognition continued when the accolades didn’t stop there. In September 2023, he received the Best Research Paper Award at the Surgeon General’s Academic Days Symposium. There, he presented on the military’s role in antimicrobial stewardship and zoonotic diseases under the ‘One Health’ theme, which acknowledges the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment.
“My goal has always been to transform and optimise medication use in the military. I want our work to positively impact both soldiers and civilians,” says Dr Mathobela, who now serves as the Deputy Manager (Policy and Planning) in the Directorate of Pharmacy within the South African Military Health Service (SAMHS).
However, the road to success was not without challenges. Equipment difficulties in sourcing animal samples, hesitant participants, and technical obstacles often threatened to impede his progress. “There were days I managed on just four hours of sleep,” he recalls. “I had to be disciplined with my time, communicate transparently with my supervisors, and fiercely protect my weekends for my family. My mental and physical health became my shield.”
His resilience was cultivated long before he donned the white coat. In 2009, he began his career as a pharmacist at Mankweng Hospital. However, he felt called to serve in a different capacity. In 2011, he joined the SANDF, and by 2012, he was deployed as a pharmacist on a peacekeeping mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo, demonstrating his ability to provide care even in conflict zones.
Always eager to learn, Dr Mathobela earned a Master’s in Pharmacology from UL in 2017. Concurrently, from 2015 to 2020, he served as a part-time lecturer in pharmacology, mentoring future healthcare professionals.