THE Health Professions Council of SA has conceded that it failed in its duty to protect South Africans when it allowed a bogus doctor to practise as a neurosurgeon in the country.
"Yes, we have erred in our mandate of protecting the public and guiding the professions," council president Professor Sam Mokgokong said.
"I would like to reassure the public that their safety is a priority."
The council called a press conference after a series of articles on Nyunyi Wambuyi Katumba by Sowetan.
It has also emerged that after serving three years in the public service, the Department of Home Affairs gave Katumba a permanent residence permit based on his "outstanding performance at work".
Departmental spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa said the department would reverse this move.
"We have been caught wanting and are now forced to be reactive, while we should have been pro-active. It was our fault and we are not going to lay charges against him," he said.
The HPCSA said yesterday it had begun auditing qualifications of all foreign doctors working in the country.
In 2007 the HPCSA awarded Katumba a certificate to practise as a neurosurgeon here.
This was despite the fact that Katumba, who is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, had been fired in Zimbabwe and Botswana for incompetence.
After working for four years in the country, Mokgokong said the council received an enquiry from the Chris Hani-Baragwanath Academic Hospital, where Katumba was working as a neurosurgeon, about his competency.
"We then asked Katumba on numerous occasions to submit documentation to ensure we have evidence that he acquired and completed the required training for registration as a neurosurgeon, but failed," Mokgokong said.
The council then erased him from its registry.
Mokgokong said they later established that false information that Katumba passed the necessary examinations were submitted to the council, which approved his registration in the category Public Service Neurosurgery.
" Katumba produced a letter in support of his employment as a specialist from the Foreign Workforce Management Programme and was subsequently registered on June 27 2007".
Mokgokong said it was evident that the council was supplied with erroneous information stating that Katumba had passed the required examinations.
"Not all the necessary certified copies and qualifications were provided and the Education International Credential Services could only provide one verification namely Dr Katumba's basic medical qualification MD, the Specialty Neurosurgery was unverified," Mokgokong said.