Join us for this two and half days’ exciting and insightful event! Get ready to immerse yourself in the latest advancements, cutting-edge technologies, and transformative ideas shaping the field. Join fellow professionals, researchers, and industry leaders as we come together to explore new horizons, exchange knowledge, and foster innovation. This premier event promises a dynamic blend of insightful sessions, hands-on engagements, and engaging exhibitions, offering multiple opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this gathering.
We look forward to see you at #SAOPA2026.
The preliminary program is planned for publication during early May 2026, with the final program foreseen to be available by mid August 2026.
The overall program structure will mirror previous SAOPA Congresses and is expected to include:
- Keynote plenary session/s
- Clinical and professional sessions
- Sponsored CPD presentations and demonstrations (as per package inclusions)
- SAOPA and ISPO SA Annual General Meetings
- Dedicated exhibition and networking times integrated into the program
- 7 October – Exhibitor registration and set-up between 09:00 and 23:00
- 8 & 9 October – Full day Congress/Exhibition with an Opening Cocktail Dinner on Day 1
- 10 October – Half day Congress/Exhibition and exhibit break-down after lunch (to be completed by 20:00)
- SAOPA & ISPO Annual General Meetings on Day 1 and Day 2
See the Flyers & Brochures section for more information.
- Delegates Brochure (Version 1 – March 2026) Click to download
- Delegates Registration – Opening May 2026 (Link to register will be added here and shared via social media and members communication)
- Accommodation must be booked directly with hotel (see separate tab)
The Protea Hotel by Marriott Stellenbosch & Conference Centre offers a welcoming and convenient base for the SAOPA 2026 Congress. Located in Techno Park, Stellenbosch, this well-appointed hotel combines comfortable accommodation with extensive conference facilities and easy access to the beauty of the Cape Winelands.
Surrounded by picturesque vineyards, mountain views, and world-class golf courses, the hotel provides a peaceful yet accessible setting for delegates arriving from across South Africa and abroad. Whether you are attending sessions, networking with colleagues, or exploring the region, the venue supports both professional engagement and relaxation.
Accommodation options range from modern, air-conditioned rooms with complimentary Wi-Fi and scenic views to more spacious layouts suitable for extended stays. On-site amenities include two outdoor pools, fitness facilities, and a variety of dining venues serving local and international cuisine — from buffet breakfasts to à la carte dinners.
The hotel’s conference and event facilities are fully equipped to support the Congress’s sessions and exhibition, with versatile meeting spaces, high-speed connectivity and catering services tailored to business needs.
Situated just a short drive from Stellenbosch town centre — with its historic charm, boutique shops and acclaimed wine estates — the Protea Hotel Stellenbosch offers both convenience and character, making it an ideal backdrop for SAOPA’s premier O&P event.
More detail will be available in the Sponsor/Exhibitor Prospectus, Delegates Brochure or via the venue’s website.
Delegates and exhibitors are responsible for own transport & accommodation cost and booking directly with the hotel. Preferential block rates at the Protea Hotel are available and the reservation code will be shared once available. Alternative accommodation can be considered in the area via options such as AirBnB, Lekkerslaap etc.
The hotel will hold allocated rooms until 90 days prior to the event (7 July 2026), whereafter unconfirmed rooms will be released as follows: 90 days prior – 50%; 60 days prior – 50%; 30 days prior – All remaining unconfirmed.
Congress Rates (Bed & Breakfast PPPN – Including VAT, Excluding Tourism Levy):
Guest Room King (10 available) R2100 single/R2 600 double
Guest Room Twin (25 available) R2100 single/R2 600 double
Larger Guest Room King (30 available) R2 800 single/R3 300 double
Larger Guest Room Twin (15 available) R2 800 single/R3 300 double
Dinner reservations are suggested if you wish to dine at the hotel (excluding Thursday evening if the Opening Dinner is included in your registration or additional tickets were purchased for companions). Visit the hotel website for onsite or nearby options:
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/cptst-protea-hotel-stellenbosch/dining/
Transport options may include services such as rental cars from the airport, Uber or other transfer services. While the Hotel itself does not offer transfer services from and to the airport, they have an on-site service provider which could assist with any such arrangements: En Route: +27 78 459 9241/+27 68 691 9554; enquiries@enrouterentals.co.za; www.enrouterentals.co.za
- Free Wi-Fi and Parking are included for all guests and delegates.
- Check-in: 14:00 onwards
- Check-out: 10:00 (arrange with hotel reception to store luggage on Saturday until after lunch if so required)
- Dinner reservations should be considered if you wish to dine at the hotel (excluding Thursday evening if the Opening Dinner is included in your registration or additional tickets were purchased for companions).
Access, Innovation, Quality: Shaping Outcomes of O&P in South Africa
The 2026 SAOPA Congress is centered on a critical question facing the orthotic and prosthetic profession today: how do we translate progress into meaningful, measurable outcomes for patients across South Africa?
Across diverse clinical settings, funding environments, and patient populations, orthotists and prosthetists are required to balance access to care, responsible innovation, and consistent quality – often under complex and resource-constrained conditions. This Congress theme recognises that true advancement in O&P is not driven by technology or policy alone, but by how effectively these elements come together to improve real-world function, participation, and quality of life.
Access speaks to the profession’s responsibility to ensure that appropriate orthotic and prosthetic care is available, equitable, and sustainable. This includes addressing systemic barriers, service delivery models, workforce development, and the realities of public and private healthcare contexts within South Africa.
Innovation reflects the rapid evolution of materials, digital workflows, componentry, and clinical approaches shaping modern O&P practice. The Congress will explore innovation not as an end in itself, but as a tool that must be clinically appropriate, ethically applied, and responsive to patient and service needs.
Quality remains the foundation on which trust, credibility, and outcomes are built. Through evidence-informed practice, outcome measurement, professional standards, and continuous learning, the profession can ensure that care delivered is safe, effective, and defensible—both clinically and within broader healthcare systems.
By bringing these three pillars together, the SAOPA Congress 2026 aims to move beyond discussion and towards actionable insight, showcasing how access, innovation, and quality can be aligned to shape better outcomes for individuals, communities, and the profession as a whole.
This theme provides a unifying framework for clinical content, professional dialogue, industry engagement, and policy discussion – supporting SAOPA’s ongoing commitment to strengthening orthotic and prosthetic practice in South Africa, today and into the future.
- Prospectus Version 1 – March 2026 (Click to download)
- SAOPA Congress 2026 Sponsor & Exhibitor Application Form (Click to access)
- Exhibition Staff, Delegate and Speaker Registration (to follow soon)
The South African Orthotic & Prosthetic Association (SAOPA) invites industry partners, sponsors and exhibitors to participate in the SAOPA Congress & Exhibition 2026 – the leading national gathering of orthotists, prosthetists, educators, researchers, funders and policy stakeholders in South Africa.
Under the theme “Access. Innovation. Quality. Shaping Outcomes of O&P in South Africa.”, the 2026 Congress will explore how progress in technology, service delivery, education and policy translates into measurable, meaningful outcomes for patients across diverse healthcare environments.
The Congress provides a focused platform for engagement, collaboration and thought leadership – bringing together professionals who are committed to advancing responsible innovation, strengthening professional standards, and improving equitable access to orthotic and prosthetic care.
Why Partner with SAOPA 2026?
As a sponsor or exhibitor, you will have the opportunity to:
- Engage directly with decision-makers and clinical leaders in O&P
- Showcase products, services and technological advancements to a highly targeted audience
- Align your brand with professional excellence and ethical practice
- Contribute to CPD education and professional dialogue
Strengthen relationships within both the public and private healthcare sectors
This is more than a marketing opportunity — it is an opportunity to be visibly associated with shaping the future direction of orthotic and prosthetic practice in South Africa.
Sponsorship & Exhibition Opportunities
A range of structured sponsorship and exhibition packages are available, including Platinum, Diamond and Gold options, as well as additional targeted branding and hospitality opportunities.
Packages are designed to provide:
- Strategic brand visibility
- Meaningful engagement opportunities
- Integrated exposure across Congress communications
- Access to networking and relationship-building platforms
All packages are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability.
Join Us in Stellenbosch! SAOPA 2026 will be hosted at the Protea Hotel & Conference Centre, Stellenbosch, from 7 October (exhibitor set-up) to 10 October 2026.
We invite you to partner with us in advancing access, innovation and quality in orthotic and prosthetic care.
For enquiries, please contact:
coo@saopa.co.za and info@saopa.co.za
We look forward to welcoming you as a valued partner at #SAOPA2026.
- Invitation & Call for Abstracts – published and circulated by first week of April 2026 (see link below to Information and Guidelines)
- Deadline for Submission of Abstracts: 17 July 2026
- Deadline for Acceptance of Presentations & Speakers: 31 July 2026
- Final/Draft Program Announcement: 07 August 2026
- SAOPA Congress 2024 – Call for Abstracts – Information and Guidelines (Click to Download)
- Call for Abstracts and Clinical Content – Flyer (Click to download)