Govt must act against fake doctors

11 February 2011 - 10:50
By Getrude Makhafola and McKeed Kotlolo

THE prevalence of bogus doctors in South Africa is "shocking" and the Department of Health needs to intervene immediately

So says Lizette Esterhuizen. Her company, CSI Africa, is a leading private forensic investigator based in Pretoria. Her comment comes after the arrest of seven bogus doctors who are Nigerian nationals.

The two doctors, arrested during a raid on bogus practices, were yesterday remanded in custody while the police continue investigations.

The men were arrested with four others who have also been remanded. The two are accused of renting out their practice certificates to the other men to operate illegal surgeries.

The suspects are doctors Wale Aremu, 43, of Garsfontein in Pretoria, and Ewe Oye, 42, who worked for Ga-Matlala Hospital in Limpopo.

The others are Daniel Monde, 39, Okafor Chukhlumeka, 42, from Siyabuswa in Mpumalanga, Olutu Bolapele, 35, from Western Cape and Valentine Chike Zulu, 34, from BJ Vorster Hospital in Eastern Cape.

They were all arrested in a sting operation on Wednesday.

Aremu and Oye each owned three practices in Gauteng, Limpopo, Eastern and Western Cape and allegedly staffed the practices with bogus doctors.

"The medical profession is one of the most targeted areas for credentials fraud," Esterhuizen said.