Management Structure
SASOP is managed by a board of directors who is supported by an executive advisory committee and national council.
Board of Directors
President: Dr Anusha Lachman
President-Elect: Dr Anersha Pillay
Past-President: Dr Sebolelo Seape
Honorary Secretary: Dr Alicia Porter
Honorary Treasurer: Dr Thupana Seshoka
Public Sector Convenor: Dr Thuli Mdaka
Private Sector Convenor: Dr Melane van Zyl
Advisory Committee
The advisory committee consists of members and each manage a division of the board:
African Psychiatry - Dr Mvuyiso Talatala
Communication & Liason - Dr Anusha Lachman
Early Career & Registrars - Dr Tejil Morar
Education & Training - Prof Soraya Seedat, Prof Bonga Chiliza
Ethics, Peer Review & Disability - Dr Sebo Seape, Dr Indhrin Chetty
Mentorship - Dr Ian Westmore
Publications Division:
- Convenor: Prof Bonga Chiliza
Scientific Meetings & CPD Division:
- Convenor: Dr Mvuyiso Talatala
- Committee (Convenors of meetings):
- Biological Psychiatry: Soraya Seedat
Special Interest Groups - Dr Anusha Lachman, Dr Indhrin Chetty
Subgroups - Prof Bonginkosi Chiliza
National Council
The national council consists of the regional subgroups chairs and special interest groups convenors.
The regional subgroups each have an executive subgroup management committee, which reflects national SASOP structures:
Vice-Chair: Dr Ian Westmore
Subgroup Chair
Secretary
Treasurer
Public and Private Sector Groups’ representatives.
The current Subgroups include:
Eastern Cape Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Stoffel Grobelaar
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Vice-Chair: Dr Thupana Seshoka
Free State Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Jeannette Pienaar
KwaZulu-Natal Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Varsha Maharaj
Limpopo Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Rose Leputu
Northern Gauteng Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Eugene Allers
Southern Gauteng Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Thuli Mdaka
Western Cape Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Laila Asmal
North West Subgroup:
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Chair: Dr Henriette Smith
Special Interest Groups
South African Society of Psychiatrists (SASOP) Special Interest Groups (SIGs) have been constituted in terms of sub speciality areas dimensional clusters:
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Biological Cluster (Biological SIG; HIV and Neuropsychiatry SIG; Cellular & Molecular SIG; Pain SIG; Adult ADHD SIG; Substance Use and Addiction SIG)
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Sub-Speciality Cluster (Child & Adolescent SIG, Forensic Psychiatry SIG, Old Age Psychiatry SIG)
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Psycho-Social Spiritual/Culture Cluster (Philosophy of Psychiatry SIG; Psychotherapy SIG; Social Psychiatry SIG; Spirituality and Psychiatry SIG)
Special Interest Groups Division:
Convenor: Dr Anusha Lachman, Dr Indhrin Chetty
Biological Cluster
Chair: Prof Soraya Seedat
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Biological Psychiatry SIG: Prof Soraya Seedat
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Neuropsychiatry SIG: Dr Prinesh Miseer & Dr Lindokuhle Thela
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Cellular and Molecular SIG: Dr Eugene Allers and Dr Kobus Roux
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ADHD SIG: Prof Renata Schoeman
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Interventional SIG: Dr Marcelle Stastny
Subspeciality cluster
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Child and Adolescent Psychiatry SIG – Dr Merryn Young
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Old Age Psychiatry SIG – Prof Dana Niehaus
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Forensic Psychiatry SIG – Dr Indhrin Chetty
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Women’s Mental Health SIG – Dr Bavi Vythilingum
Psycho-Social Spiritual/Culture Cluster
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Philosophy of Psychiatry SIG – Prof Werdie van Staden
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Psychotherapy SIG – Dr Melané van Zyl
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Substance Use and Addiction SIG – Dr Liza Weich
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Spirituality and Psychiatry SIG – Dr Kobus van der Walt and Dr Judy Ludwick