Durban — Investigations by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) have led to the arrest of illegal practitioners in Durban recently.
In a statement, issued on Tuesday, HPCSA acting head of division: corporate affairs Priscilla Sekhonyana said HPCSA Inspectorate Office members, in collaboration with law enforcement officials, arrested one more individual for practising while not registered with the council.
Officials, investigating a complaint of an unregistered person practising in the Durban Central area, discovered that a 39-year-old was practising illegally. She violated section 17(1) of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974 by providing health-care services without being registered with the HPCSA, Sekhonyana said.
She said the investigation also revealed that the woman had been advertising services as a legitimate medical practitioner on various popular social media sites. Upon arrest, she was detained at Durban Central SAPS, denied bail by the magistrate’s court, and is expected to make another court appearance soon.
Sekhonyana said that in a separate incident in Sydenham, Durban, authorities found another doctor practising while not registered with the council as a medical practitioner.
“The culprit was arrested for illegal medical practice and detained at the Sydenham SAPS. During his initial court appearance, he was denied bail and is scheduled to appear in court again at a later stage,” Sekhonyana added.
Sekhonyana said the council is intensifying its efforts to combat bogus and unregistered practitioners. This is evident in a significant increase in the number of arrests by the Inspectorate Office.
She said the surge in arrests emphasises the council’s commitment to eliminating bogus practitioners who pose a serious risk to public health and safety.
“During the 2023/24 financial year, 24 illegal medical practitioners were arrested nationwide. Since the current financial year began in April to date, 10 more arrests have already been made,” Sekhonyana said.
“The HPCSA hopes the arrests and possible prosecutions will serve as a strong deterrent to the potential offenders.”
Sekhonyana urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the HPCSA via email at [email protected].
Additionally, individuals can verify the registration status of medical practitioners by using the “Search the Register” tool on the HPCSA website or by contacting the Call Centre at 012 338 9300/1.
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