OTASA Congress 2024

Vona du Toit (van Staden) was in the first cohort of students to receive an occupational therapy diploma in 1946 from the Wits, the first training centre in the country. This diploma was an addition to the diploma in primary education and higher primary education which she had already achieved.

She initially worked in the Johannesburg Hospital complex and one year after qualification she was appointed to the first occupational therapy post at the Pretoria General hospital. In 1951 she established the OT department at the newly opened Pretoria School for the Cerebral Palsied. In 1955 she and Ilse Eggers developed the 3-year curriculum for the occupational therapy diploma as well as the teaching resources for the Pretoria College of Occupational Therapy. In 1963 she became the Principal of the college (later renamed the Vonna du Toit college of Occupational Therapy in her honour) and head of the occupational therapy clinical services at the HF Verwoerd hospital. It was from  this position that she advocated for and advanced influenced for the development of the profession across the country.

She will be remembered best for two key initiatives who she pioneered with a committed team of clinicians who provided the first professional evidence to support practice:

• Pretoria Multi-Motivational Therapeutic apparatus
• VdT Model of Creative Ability which is now internationally recognised and provides the philosophy and process for occupational therapy intervention in many fields of practice

She was awarded “Professional woman” of the year in 1962 and  in 1973 was recognised as one of the top 25 most influential “Business and professional” women across South Africa.

She served on many Health and Disability related Councils.

She held many official positions within national occupational therapy association (SAAOT) including Chairperson of the Education committee and a President. In 1972 She became an Honorary Life President

In 1973 she was elected the first Chairperson of the Professional Board for Occupational Therapy of the SA Medical and Dental council (SAMDC later renamed HPCSA).

Internationally, she was the South African delegate to the WFOT from 1962 and became 2nd Vice president in 1970 and 1st Vice President in 1972.

In 1974 she was made an Honory Fellow of the WFOT at a meeting in Vancouver and the citation which summarised her contribution to the profession both as a professional but also as a person.

• “ We believe that Vona has had an inestimable influence on the development of the profession in South Africa and her imagination and pre-sight have had far-reaching effects beyond the confines of her own country. We recognise her indestructible belief in the worth of the profession and her unflagging efforts to stimulate its growth in breadth and depth. Her provocative ideas act as a catalyst to her colleagues’ thinking and effectively prevent professional complacence. A dynamic approach and conviction typify Vona’s contribution within her profession and beyond it.”
• The OTASA Memorial Lecture is awarded to Occupational therapists who emulate the characteristics of this extraordinary occupational therapist.