Friday, 29 March, 2024
HomeSA Provincial HealthBogus doctor worked for month in Gauteng hospital

Bogus doctor worked for month in Gauteng hospital

A 24-year-old man hoodwinked the Mamelodi Hospital into accepting him to work as a student doctor while he did not have qualifications, says a Sowetan report. For a full month, the man carried a stethoscope and reported for duty at Mamelodi Hospital daily as a student doctor from one of the South Africa's medical schools.

The man, identified as Richard Phumlani Magudulela, is now wanted by police for impersonating a student doctor after using what was later discovered to be a fraudulent letter bearing the letterheads of the University of KwaZulu-Natal to convince the hospital to take him in.

Dr Naing Soe, CEO of the hospital, is quoted in the report as saying that Magudulela started on 29 September and was last seen on 31 October as the hospital had been doing background checks on him. Soe said when Magudulela first came to the hospital he found a manager "who was generous and kind" and wanted to help him secure space as a student doctor. Magudulela's letter "from UKZN" was later discovered to be fake.

The report says the hospital and the provincial department of health have since launched an investigation into the matter.

[link url="https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-11-19-cops-launch-manhunt-for-bogus-student-doctor/"]Sowetan report[/link]

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