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Netcare fined R4m for illegal kidney transplants

The court also granted a R3,8 million confiscation order against the company in light of the profit made from the transplants

The Netcare medical group has been fined R4 million by the Commercial Crimes Court after it pleaded guilty on charges of illegal kidney transplants at its St Augustine Hospital in Durban.

SABC reports the hospital faced 100 counts in three main charges -- including that the hospital's staff had illegally acquired kidneys between 2001 and November 2003.

It was also charged with performing transplants in which five of the suppliers were minors and also receiving payments for the operations.

The court also granted a R3,8 million confiscation order against the company in light of the profit made from the transplants.

The Mercury newspaper reported in September that Netcare allegedly made more than R22 million with the operations.

The newspaper said the charges related to more than a 100 operations at the hospital between 2001 and 2003 in which people - mainly Brazilians - were paid "as little as" R42,000 to donate their kidneys.

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