Changing the Conversation: Dr Randall Ortel’s mission to empower men’s health

Dr Randall Ortel is on a mission to change how men view their health this Movember. 

The taxi-driver turned doctor from Manenberg, who has spent 15 years in the healthcare sector, said that too many men only seek medical help when it’s already too late. 

In an aim to tackle this issue, he is launching the Dr Randall Ortel health club on Saturday, November 22, at his practice in Watergate Medical Centre, Mitchell’s Plain, as part of the Movember campaign. 

“Too often, men come to the hospital when they’re already very sick - when their kidneys are failing, or when diabetes and high cholesterol have taken a serious toll,” said Dr Ortel.

“These are silent killers, and the only way to catch them is through regular screenings.”

The initiative aims to create a relaxed, supportive environment where men can talk openly about health issues that are often ignored.

“I chose to call it a health club because men enjoy socialising,” he said, adding that men open up best when they’re relaxed - around a braai, talking about football, or sharing stories.

"That’s the kind of safe space I want to create.”

Dr Ortel said that while men are generally comfortable discussing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol, they are far less likely to talk about erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, or infertility - even though many silently struggle with them.

“Instead of seeking help, men often compare themselves to others and make their own assumptions,” he said.

“Culturally, many of us turn to family before visiting a doctor, and there’s still a stigma that ‘real men don’t cry’ or that going to a clinic makes you weak. That has to change.”

He believes that early screening is key to prevention and saving lives.

“Prevention is better than cure,” he said.

“I would rather have the small inconvenience of getting screened than the struggle of treating something serious later. I’ve seen men lose their jobs, their income, and even their limbs to preventable diseases. When that happens, the whole family suffers.”

He hopes to bring together 200 men aged 30 to 55, the working class, he calls “the backbone of the economy.”

“When children see their fathers and uncles talking openly about health, it shifts how the next generation thinks,” he said.

While attendance is free, participants are encouraged to make a R100 donation to the Dr Randall Ortel Foundation, which would be utilised to fund and support early development centres in Manenberg.

He has mentored three young doctors who are now completing their government service years. “Education is key,” he said.

“Even if only two men come to the event, that’s two lives changed,” he said. “When men’s health improves, the health of the entire community improves.”

Before becoming a doctor, he drove a Siyaya taxi for five years to fund his studies. The work in his community continue to shape his commitment to health advocacy and mentorship.