Health Department fires fake doctors
JOBURG – Eight officials were dismissed after the department found they had false qualifications.
The Gauteng Department of Health has uncovered 10 employees with fraudulent qualifications as part of its on-going qualification verifications process.
The details of these cases were disclosed by the Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu.
According to Mahlangu, the10 cases refer to three administration clerks, two medical practitioners, two nursing auxiliary officers, two household workers and one porter.
Eight officials were dismissed, one was given three months’ suspension without pay and a final warning sanction and the other is awaiting the appeal process to be concluded.
DA member of the Oversight Committee at the Premier’s Office and Legislature Jack Bloom welcomed the firing of these doctors.
“I am concerned that the two fake doctors may have injured patients who can sue for damages. We need details about their activities and why they were allowed to practice without their qualifications being checked prior to employment,” Bloom said.
Bloom added that qualification checks have been made on 1 013 employees in the Gauteng Provincial Government since 2012, and have uncovered 17 false qualifications.
“It is particularly disturbing that only 100 staff have been checked by the Gauteng Health Department, which has picked up two fake doctors, but there may be more. More senior level personnel need to be checked, and fired if found to have false qualifications.”
According to Gauteng Department of Health spokesperson Prince Hamnca, there is sufficient case law to warrant the department, and employers in general, to take strong action against employees who are not entirely honest during the employment selection process.
