Dr Cebisa Ephraim Mabena is a Traditional Health Practitioner and Founder of Mothong African Heritage Trust in Mamelodi Township, South Africa. A multi-disciplinary martial artist, activist and former freedom fighter in the anti-Apartheid movement, Dr Mabena followed an ancestral call which led him to 25-year journey restore a portion of the ancient Magaliesberg Mountains in Mamelodi, which had become a killing and dumping ground. Responding to the atrocities of human nature, he cleared the land of the elements of crime and degradation, subsequently transforming it into a nature conservation site of prized indigenous medicinal plants Mothong has now developed as a research site in partnership with universities and government departments and boasts being a leading African culture and heritage site.

Mothong African Heritage has received many accolades and has been the recipient of many awards, including the National Heritage Council’s 2019 Golden Shield Heritage Awards in the category of National Living Treasure. Perhaps the most illustrious award received to date is the 2019/2020 National Science and Technology Forum (NSTF) / South-32 Non-Governmental Organisation Award – known as the ‘Science Oscars‘. TDr Cebisa Mabena won the award for uniting scientists, government and the community through the Mothong African Heritage in nature conservation, technology innovation for socio-economic development using indigenous knowledge systems and modern societies.