The Ballots vote Wits

The first of three generations of the Ballot family at Wits began over 60 years ago. George Ballot married Dr Jean Sharpe and the couple had four children: Two of their three daughters are Wits Medical School alumnae, their third daughter graduated from the Wits School of Dramatic Art and their son is an Accountancy alumnus. Two of the sisters married alumni, and all three sisters have either already produced Witsies, or had or will have more of their children at Wits between them. 

George and Jean’s only son, Carl (BCom 1986, BAcc 1987) says, “Our parents were both Wits graduates - the only ones in each of their families - and all four of their children went on to become Wits graduates. The tradition is continuing with several of their grandchildren either already qualified at Wits, or about to embark on their Wits adventure.”

GEORGE BENNET MOUSLEY BALLOT, born in 1924, was a ‘farm boy’ from Clarens in the Free State. George served in the Allied Forces of the Second World War from October 1942. He was discharged in 1946, returning from Italy to Johannesburg to start at Wits as part of a particular group of ex-servicemen. He studied Mechanical Engineering at Wits and graduated in 1951. George was very ill in his first year but support from Professor James Walker, who recognised his potential, enabled him to complete his studies. George subsequently completed the NTC5 practical engineering course and registered as a Mechanical Engineer. He was invited to read for his MSc but declined in order to earn a living.

Dr JEAN MARY SHARPE matriculated from Parktown High School for Girls, aged 16, and enrolled at Wits Medical School. She graduated MBBCh in 1951 and completed her housemanship at Baragwanath Hospital. She accepted a Registrar’s post at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, UK, and specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Jean returned to Johannesburg in 1956 and worked in the cardiology department at Baragwanath, went into private practice in 1961 and was awarded fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in 1983.

Her daughter, Noëlene, says, “She was one of very few women studying medicine at the time. However, she refused to belong to any ‘women doctors’ organisation, because she was adamant that she was equal to her male colleagues and that women in medicine should not see themselves as different to men.”

She was also an accomplished sportswoman and as a student represented Wits in hockey, tennis and swimming.  She played in the Wimbledon qualifying rounds as a young woman, and continued to play tennis until a few months before her death.

Jean died on 22 May 2014, aged 84. “She was a pioneer in the field of women in medicine. Her contribution to the medical profession, especially in the fields of obstetrics and women’s health, was enormous over a period of more than sixty years,” says Noëlene. “She was an accomplished surgeon and an astute clinician with exceptional diagnostic skills and medical intuition. She was a passionate teacher and lectured student midwives for many years. She was widely loved and respected as a person and as a doctor.”

Jean and George’s eldest daughter, Professor DAYNIA ELIZABETH BALLOT graduated from Wits Medical School and has spent her entire academic career at her alma mater. She earned an MBBCh in 1982 and then completed a research fellowship in Prof. Bothwell's Iron and Metabolic Unit, for which she received her doctorate in 1989. She specialised in Paediatrics and was awarded Fellowship of the College of Paediatrics in 1990.

Daynia has held joint appointments in the Wits Department of Paediatrics and Child Health and the Neonatal/Paediatric intensive care unit for over 20 years. In 1992, she obtained a sub-speciality registration in Neonatology. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002 and Principal Specialist in 2004, a post she still holds.

Daynia is Chair of the Wits Paediatric Fund and received a Wits Alumni Volunteer award in 2009. She became a National Research Foundation L-rated researcher in 2009 and is currently the Research Coordinator for the Department of Paediatrics. She supervises several MMed and MSc projects.  She received the Vice Chancellor’s Team Award for academic citizenship in 2012.

Daynia says, “Despite many challenges, Wits is an excellent academic institution that I’m proud to be associated with.” Daynia is married to Charles Phillips, and their eldest son, James, will study Computer Science or Engineering at Wits in 2015.

Dr NOËLENE SUSANNA BALLOT graduated MBBCh in 1983, winning the Nestle Prize for Paediatrics and the Dennis Goldstein Memorial for community medicine. Noëlene specialised in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Wits and won the Van Dongen Prize for Part I of the specialist exam. She is a Fellow of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa. She is in private practice and worked in association with her late mother, Dr Jean Sharpe, for 22 years.

Noëlene is married to Dr Mark van Niekerk (MBBCh 1983) who has been an honorary lecturer in the Department of Family Medicine at Wits for many years. He is currently a GP in private practice.

Noëlene and Mark’s eldest son, Lionel van Niekerk, graduated with a BSc in Statistics and Actuarial Science (Cum Laude) (2014) and was awarded the Liberty Medal for Statistics II, the Liberty Medal for Actuarial Science III and the Sanlam Medal for the Best Student in Actuarial Science III. He is currently completing Honours and will join Discovery Life next year.  In 2011 and 2012, Lionel was Treasurer of the Wits tennis club – a special connection to his late grandmother’s tennis days at Wits.

Lionel’s younger brother, Douglas, is currently in second-year Biomedical Engineering at Wits and intends completing an Electrical Engineering degree as well. Douglas represents Wits in waterpolo.

Daynia, Noëlene, and Carl’s youngest sister JENNIFER JANE BALLOT(JANE) studied a BA Dramatic Art (Hons). She completed her BADA in 1984 and got her Higher Diploma in Education in 1985.

Jane recalls, “During this period, the West Campus and The Wits Theatre opened. The BADA students were based in University Corner - where to this day the lifts don’t work properly! - and the ‘Top of the Town’ was the best canteen on campus!”

From 1997 to 2003, Jane taught in the School of Dramatic Art and then the School of Arts at Wits. She was part of the team that developed the School of Arts and was involved in the early discussions about Media Studies and the recently established BA Television. Today Jane teaches Drama Method and Content part-time in the Arts Division in the School of Education at Wits.

Jane is married to Dr PAUL GOLDSCHAGG, who obtained a Higher Diploma in Education from Wits (1985) before going on to study further at other institutions. In 1992, Paul was seconded to teach at the Johannesburg College of Education (JCE) which became part of Wits in 2002. Since 2010, Paul has been the Assistant Head of the Wits School of Education (undergraduate).  He is the Education Advisor to the Council of Education – an NGO that finds bursaries for students in education.

Jane and Paul’s eldest son, David Goldschagg successfully completed first-year BCom PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Economics) before changing direction to pursue Medicine at Tukkies.

Daynia, Noëlene and Jane’s brother, CARL BALLOT holds BCom (1985) and BAcc (1986) degrees from Wits. He attained his Certificate in the Theory of Accountancy and went on to write – “and pass on the first attempt!”  – the Final Qualifying Examination to become a Chartered Accountant (SA).

The West Campus was opened during the period Carl was at Wits. “I was fortunate to be among the first year of students on that campus – in the wonderful new Faculty of Commerce building – after having started on the East Campus and enjoying that part of the Wits tradition,” says Carl.

He completed his Articles with KPMG and qualified as a CA in 1989. Carl was a Partner at KPMG for 17.5 years. He recently left the firm to pursue his own business interests in strategic marketing, communications and corporate citizenship advisory. “I’ve always had a keen interest in education and, more specifically, the growth and development of people, especially professionals, through effective coaching, mentoring and training,” says Carl.