Prof. Dr. Koto Modise Zacharia
Professor Koto Modise Zacharia is a distinguished surgeon, academic leader, and educator with extensive contributions to gastrointestinal and minimally invasive surgery. He is a Fellow of the College of Surgeons of South Africa and the American College of Surgeons, holds a Certificate in Surgical Gastroenterology (CMSA), and earned a PhD in Surgery from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
He currently serves as Chair of Surgery at Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU) and Head of the Upper GI, Bariatric, and Minimally Invasive Visceral Surgery Unit. Professor Koto is the President of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA), having previously served as President of the College of Surgeons of South Africa and as immediate Past President of the Association of Surgeons of South Africa (ASSA). In recognition of his global impact on surgical education, he was recently inducted into the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators of the American College of Surgeons.
An NRF-rated researcher, Professor Koto has delivered more than 100 presentations and publications nationally and internationally. He is a leading authority on laparoscopic surgery, having hosted numerous workshops across South Africa and abroad, and is widely recognized as a pioneer in advancing laparoscopy in trauma surgery, with multiple influential publications in this area.
Professor Koto is a passionate teacher and mentor to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Over the years, he has received numerous awards for excellence in teaching and has trained generations of future surgeons. His professional affiliations are extensive and include membership in SASES, ASSA, HIG, SAGES, Surgicom, and the European Association for Endoscopic Surgery (EAES). He has also served as an external examiner for the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) and the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA).
Through his leadership, scholarship, and dedication to education, Professor Koto has made a lasting impact on surgery in South Africa and internationally.
