Dr Matthew Lani’s ‘actions put huge strain on me and my family’ − Dr Zingelwa

The real doctor whose identity was stolen by Gauteng TikTok Dr Matthew Lani said she has no association with the imposter and that he has put a “huge strain on her and her family.”

Lani landed in hot water with the police after the Gauteng Department of Health opened a criminal case against him for impersonating Dr Sanele Zingelwa, which he claimed was his “legal name” registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

The imposter is known for the medical advice he shared on TikTok, where he claimed to be a Wits Medical School graduate and the “youngest” doctor to own a “pharmaceutical company in South Africa”.

Stolen identity

Dr Zingelwa said she has taken note of Lani’s unscrupulous action of stealing her identity.

“I must put it on record that I do not know the so called “Dr Matthew Lani”. His actions have put a huge amount of strain not only on myself, but also on my family. It is unfortunate that he would abuse social media for his own selfish end. I have opened a case with the South African Police Service of identity fraud.

“I hope the bogus doctor will be brought to justice. I would like to request that the Saps and the whole justice system work expeditiously to conclude the matter. I must say I am grateful for the overwhelming support that I have received from my family, friends, colleagues and South Africans at large on this matter,” said Dr Zingelwa.

ALSO READ: ‘Not the first time’ – Gauteng health, Dr Zingelwa open criminal case against ‘Dr Matthew Lani’

Qualifications

Dr Zingelwa also shared details of her qualifications  she applied and was awarded the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro (NMFC) scholarship by the Gauteng Department of Health in 2014.

“I studied from late 2014 until August 2020 for a medical degree (Doctor in Medicine) in Cuba. As part of the Cuban programme, students were expected to come complete an 18-month integration programme at a local institution.

“I completed my integration programme at the University of the Witwatersrand from September 2020 until December 2021. I began my internship at Tembisa Hospital in January 2022 to date,” she said.

Dr Zingelwa said she will not be making any further comments on the matter.

Lani has since vanished from the social media platform after the recent social media frenzy surrounding the validity of his qualifications.

His account that had amassed 294 000 followers on the popular video app has been banned.

ALSO READ: TikTok ‘doctor’ goes AWOL: 6 things you should know about Matthew Lani