he is the fifth child in a family of seven. his paternal great-grandfather was one of the great heroes of the mkhize clan of nkandla in the early to mid 19th century. at the age of 26, zweli mkhize had completed his degree in medicine at the university of natal. by 1983 his internship at the mccord hospital was completed; this was important since mccord was often reprimanded for disobeying the group areas act. mkhize ended up gaining employment at edendale hospital in his hometown of pietermaritzburg in the following year. despite his accomplishments at edendale, life was not safe for a successful young black doctor and activist: due to the apartheid movement, he was forced into exile in swaziland, eventually settling in zimbabwe. he returned to south africa in 1991, where he worked at themba hospital in the then eastern transvaal.