DURBAN - Four bogus practitioners have been arrested in connection with illegal and unregistered practices in Silverton, Pretoria.
At the time of the arrests, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the Road Traffic Management Corporation were conducting a joint operation at the Waltloo Licensing Centre in Silverton, in an effort to alleviate the increasing number of bogus practitioners.
Dr Hambakahle Ntukwana, a registered medical practitioner, Dr Stanley Mphela, Zizipho Wanana and Rosette Malatji were arrested and charged with fraud.
The HPCSA head of division Christopher Tsatsawane said: “During the operation, it was established that Dr Hambakahle Ntukwana (a medical practitioner registered with the HPCSA) and Tshegofatso Lepelle (an optometrist also registered with the HPCSA) were sharing a mobile unit and in our absence,”
He said Wanana was issuing medical certificates while Malatji was issuing eye screening certificates.
“Wanana, who is a registered nurse, was found to be completing, signing, stamping and issuing medical certificates to applicants for Professional Driving Permits, at a cost of R150, under the name and HPCSA registration number of Ntukwana.
“Malatji, who is not registered with the HPCSA, was found to be conducting eye screening tests and completing, signing, stamping and issuing eye screening certificates, at the cost of R100 to R150, to applicants for Professional Driving Permits under the name and HPCSA registration number of Tshegofatso Lepelle,” said Tsatsawane.
Wanana and Malatji were further charged for using the HPCSA’s details while they were not registered with it.
“As a result, Dr Hambakahle Ntukwana, Dr Stanley Mphela, Zizipho Wanana and Ms Rosette Malatji were arrested and taken into custody at the Silverton SAPS CAS numbers and were charged with fraud.
“Ms Zixipho Wanana and Ms Rosette Malatji were further charged with contravening Section 39(1)(a) of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974, which is a criminal offence in terms of Section 39(2), as well as Section 40, by performing acts as a medical practitioner and an optometrist by completing medical certificates and eye screening certificates for PDPs,” said Tsasawane.
The HPCSA said it welcomes the tip-offs that members of the community had provided and urged the community to continue to report all suspicious illegal practices by unregistered practitioners.
To comment on this story send a WhatsApp message to our BackChat column on 071 485 7995.
Daily News