A brief overview of the orthopaedic surgery division of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits). A review of the literature from 1962 to 2023: this is one of the departments that has contributed greatly to the country, the orthopaedic community, and the world. For the past sixty-one years, the Wits Orthopaedic Surgery department has been led by seven chairs of the department. Under their guidance, the university has produced over hundreds of orthopaedic graduates, including undergraduate and postgraduate students and leaders. Orthopaedic eponyms are regarded as prestigious honours bestowed upon those who have made noteworthy achievements. Eponyms are gradually being replaced by orthopaedic vernacular around the world. Nonetheless, the department still prides itself on Mirels classification, Lautenbach technique, and numerous other eponyms.
