Dr Matthew’s controversy highlights gullibility in SA

It never ceases to amaze me just how credulous we South Africans can be. One of the trending topics on Twitter is #DrMatthew, thanks to a 24-year-old gentleman by the social media name of Dr Matthew Lani, who continues to claim he is a qualified and registered medical doctor.

Despite the institution he claims to have graduated from – Wits University – and the Health Professionals Council of South Africa denying his credentials, Lani has duped South Africans in more than one way.

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

The TikTok sensation boasting almost 300 000 followers not only sells a line of multivitamins with bogus barcodes, but he also gives medical advice online about HIV and other prevalent diseases. And still some South Africans stand by him and his claims, one of them being that he graduated with a medical degree at the age of 21.

The simple question of how it is possible to go through primary and high school and at least six years of medical studies should have alerted his converts that there is no way his title can be Dr.

Even more worrying is that the self-proclaimed doctor has featured on at least one department of health video on their Facebook page, where he was reported to be an intern at Helen Joseph Hospital. This is the same department that has opened a criminal case against the individual.

ALSO READ: Wits University and HPCSA: We have no record of ‘influencer doctor’ Matthew Lani

Lani’s lies are as believable as the ’90s sitcom Doogie Howser, M.D. The plot revolved around Douglas Howser who had a photographic memory, completed high school in nine weeks, graduated from Princeton at the age of 10 and finished medical school four years later, being the youngest licensed doctor yet. Yeah, right!

But why am I surprised that the wool has been pulled over South Africans’ eyes again, as it seems to be a regular occurrence?

Think of the arms deal, the Nkandla debacle, state capture, 2004’s oilgate (R11 million transferred from the state-owned PetroSA to the ANC for electioneering), 2005’s travelgate (MPs fraudulently used parliamentary travel vouchers in excess of R37 000 000 for personal use), the VBS Bank scandal and Digital Vibes, just to name a few.

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

And still, some continue to be gullible. We might as well declare SA a free-for-all state where anyone can impersonate medical professionals.