Thandi and Pieter trained together at Groote Schuur's sports medicine unit. Between them, they cover two of the most demanding areas of musculoskeletal physiotherapy — running biomechanics and post-operative rehabilitation. They founded Harbour Physio in 2019 on a simple idea: that every patient deserves 45 uninterrupted minutes with a qualified physio, every single time.
Our story
Built on a frustration with how things were done
Both Thandi and Pieter spent several years in clinical environments where a physiotherapy appointment meant 30 minutes — and often not all of it with a qualified practitioner. Assessments got rushed. Patients were handed off to assistants for exercise supervision. Treatment plans were stretched further than the evidence supported.
They didn't think that was good enough. So in 2019, they opened Harbour Physio in Green Point with a deliberately different model: longer appointments, always with the treating physio, and no incentive to oversell sessions. The practice is privately owned and has no targets to meet beyond giving patients honest, effective care.
The location, close to Cape Town Stadium and the Sea Point running corridor, reflects where both of them have always spent their time — and where many of their patients come from.
Meet Thandi & Pieter
Both hold an MSc in Physiotherapy and are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Thandi has been a runner for as long as she's been a physio, and that combination shapes how she works. Her postgraduate research focused on lower-limb running mechanics in distance athletes — which means she's not applying generic principles when she assesses your gait. She's looking at patterns she's spent years studying and tracking in real runners.
Her gait analysis sessions draw clients from across Cape Town, including competitive club runners preparing for the Two Oceans and Comrades Marathons. She completed the Comrades Marathon herself — 87 km from Pietermaritzburg to Durban — which gives her a particular credibility with runners who want a physio who understands what their training actually involves, not just what the textbooks say.
She treats sports injuries across the board, with particular depth in running-related conditions: ITB syndrome, plantar fasciitis, stress reactions, and the cumulative fatigue patterns that develop in high-volume training blocks.
MSc Physiotherapy — postgraduate specialisation in running biomechanics and lower-limb mechanics
HPCSA registered — Health Professions Council of South Africa
Clinical background: Groote Schuur Hospital sports medicine unit
Specialist in slow-motion treadmill gait analysis with written video report
Comrades Marathon finisher — 87 km Pietermaritzburg to Durban
Pieter's area is post-operative rehabilitation, with a particular focus on shoulder and knee surgery. He works closely with orthopaedic surgeons in the Green Point and Cape Town CBD area — many of whom refer their patients directly to Harbour Physio because they know their protocols will be followed accurately and their patients will be communicated with honestly.
Post-operative rehab is detail work. Timelines matter. Loading progressions have to be right. Pieter's approach is methodical and evidence-based — he tracks where each patient should be at each phase of recovery and adjusts when the evidence says to, not when it's convenient. Patients appreciate that he gives them realistic information about where they are in their recovery, even when that means telling them they're not ready to return to sport yet.
He also manages complex chronic musculoskeletal pain presentations, where treatment often involves calibrating patient expectations as much as it does hands-on work — and where an honest, unhurried conversation can matter more than any single technique.
MSc Physiotherapy — postgraduate specialisation in post-operative shoulder and knee rehabilitation
HPCSA registered — Health Professions Council of South Africa
Clinical background: Groote Schuur Hospital sports medicine unit
Referral relationships with orthopaedic surgeons in Green Point and Cape Town CBD
Specialist in chronic pain management and musculoskeletal presentations
HPCSA Registered
How we practice
Evidence-led. Straight-talking. No shortcuts.
01
We show you the evidence
If we recommend a treatment approach, we can explain the research behind it. If the evidence for something is weak, we'll tell you that too. We're not here to sell you sessions you don't need.
02
You get the physio, every minute
Every 45-minute appointment is one-on-one with your treating physio — not split between assessment and time with a junior or an exercise sheet. The person who assesses you is the person who treats you.
03
Honest about what we don't know
Musculoskeletal healthcare has uncertainty in it. We'll give you our best clinical reasoning and tell you clearly when we're unsure — and when a second opinion or further investigation makes sense.
Ready to book an appointment?
Call or WhatsApp to arrange a time. No online booking — just a quick conversation to find the right slot. Monday–Friday 07h00–18h00 · Saturday mornings · Green Point, Cape Town.