Excess weight
Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
Sleep apnea
Joint disease
Varicose veins
Fatty liver disease
Reproductive health problems
Age under 18
Malignant tumors
Less than six months since breastfeeding ended
Acute illness or flare-ups of chronic disease
Severe chronic and mental illness
Blood clotting disorders
Pregnancy
Our specialists
Our experienced bariatric surgeons care about every patient's health
Ruslan S. Menzulin
Bariatric surgeon · surgical oncologist
Completed training at Mercy clinic with Vadim Gushchin; presented at the World Congress of bariatric surgery (2025). Co-authored an international study in The Lancet.
Andrey G. Ugay
Lead bariatric surgeon · surgeon
Has carried out the largest number of SASJ operations in the country. Serves on the expert council of the national Society of Bariatric Surgeons and presents regularly at national and international congresses.
Bariatric surgery in Johannesburg: what you should know
Surgery is usually justified with a BMI above 40, or above 35 when serious related conditions are present, and sometimes at lower values if other approaches have failed. People in Johannesburg who have carried 30 kg or more above normal for years, whose weight returns after every diet, or who live with type 2 diabetes, hypertension or joint pain are typical candidates.
Several things are worth planning ahead. Pregnancy is advised no earlier than 12–18 months after surgery, once weight and nutritional status stabilise. Vitamins become a permanent part of life because the body absorbs some nutrients less well. Swimming waits 30 days, strength work longer. Patients from Johannesburg discuss these points with the surgeon well before the operation date.
Everything needed for the result is combined in one package, with no hidden fees and no surprises. For patients from Johannesburg, it includes surgery by a dedicated team, round-the-clock care in the ward with meals and nursing, a doctor nearby 24/7 and a personal coordinator. The first step is a free 15-minute consultation with a bariatric surgeon.
Stories of well-known people
Well-known people who spoke openly about this operation, in their own words.
- Vuyokazi Nciweni and the gastric sleeve: “I've tried everything”Vuyokazi Nciweni explained in 2025 why she chose a gastric sleeve. Her own words, how the operation works and what recovery really involves.
- Abubakar Hussain and his obesity surgery: “It changed my whole life”Norwegian comedian Abubakar “Abu” Hussain had obesity surgery in November 2020 and called it perhaps the best choice ever. His words and how the surgery works.
- Agnese Meiere and bariatric surgery: “a second chance”, in her own wordsLatvian journalist Agnese Meiere wrote in Ir about her weight-loss surgery in October 2023. What she said, how the operations work and what recovery involves.
- Al Roker and gastric bypass: twenty years of talking about it honestlyAl Roker had gastric bypass surgery in March 2002 and has talked about it for 20 years. His words, how the operation works and what recovery involves.
- Aneta Ivanović and her stomach-reduction surgery: what she said herselfTV presenter Aneta Ivanović lost 30 kg after stomach-reduction surgery. What she said, how weight-loss surgery works, who it suits and what recovery involves.
- Did Antti Railio have weight-loss surgery? Yes, a mini bypass, as he said himselfAntti Railio had a mini gastric bypass in May 2025 and later lost about 60 kg. What he said, how bariatric surgery works and what recovery involves.