These essentially opposing discourses of professionalism seem to reflect the approaches of the South African Minister of Health (organisational professionalism) versus the understanding of a commitment to a care-based pharmacy practice inherent in Judge Sach’s opinion. Which discourse dominates in (and over) South African pharmacy in particular, may depend in part on the readiness of pharmacists to engage in conversations about what it means to be professional in pharmacotherapy in a covenantal relationship with their patients.