More arrests have been made in the nationwide crackdown on healthcare practitioners operating illegally, with the latest case reported in the Northern Cape town of Kuruman.
The crackdown was launched by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the SAPS. “The HPCSA’s inspectorate office, in a joint operation with members of SAPS, conducted an inspection in Kuruman, where Tshifata Katembwe, a Congolese national, was found practising as a medical practitioner while not registered,” said spokesperson Christopher Tsatsawane.
Katembwe, who had been working at a practice registered to a Dr TK Gopane since January 2022, appeared in court last week, and his case was postponed, reports IOL.
Tsatsawane said Gopane was registered with the HPCSA as a medical practitioner, and would be reported to the Medical and Dental Professions Board for appointing an unregistered person, and “putting the health of unsuspecting members of the public at risk”.
In another case the HPCSA’s inspectorate office arrested a bogus medical practitioner who was impersonating a registered practitioner by illegally using her registration credentials.
In April, Dr Lesne Pucjlowski contacted the HPCSA saying an unknown person had used her details, including her name, identity number and registration number, to secure a job in Cape Town.
“When it discovered the fraud, the recruitment agency dismissed him (the bogus medical practitioner) and notified Dr Pucjlowski of the fraud,” Tsatsawane said.
The suspect was arrested after being lured to another job interview for which he again used Pucjlowski’s information.
Detectives from him and on interrogation, Simba Koromani, a Zimbabwean citizen with no valid passport, conceded he was an impostor. He was found with a fake ID, with his picture, but bearing Pucjlowski’s details. He was arrested and detained at Douglasdale SAPS.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Bogus doctors nabbed for selling fraudulent certificates
Unregistered Northern Cape doctors arrested by HPCSA and SAPS
Bogus Zim doctor worked at hospital for 7 months undetected
Fake doctors: Improve job screening KZN Health tells hospitals