The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is committed to ensuring that practitioners provide quality healthcare standards for all.
It is mandated to regulate the health professions in the country in aspects pertaining to registration, education and training, professional conduct and ethical behaviour, ensuring Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and fostering compliance with healthcare standards.
To ensure that the HPCSA continues to uphold its mandate of guiding the professions and protecting the public, the HPCSA through the Inspectorate Office, ensures compliance in line with the provisions of the Health Professions Act, 1974.
The Inspectorate Office also ensures that unregistered healthcare professionals do not practise and bogus healthcare professionals are investigated, exposed and criminally charged.
In the month of May, the Inspectorate Office, the South African Police Service and other law enforcers received two tip-offs in the North-West regarding bogus locum doctors.
Mr Augustin Menji, an unregistered locum doctor from Congo was found practising at Dr Mokoena’s office. Dr Mokoena is a registered practitioner. The investigators found that Mr Menji was impersonating Dr Mboenkake who is a registered practitioner employed at George Mukhari Hospital.
During the raid, Mr Menji was found in possession of Dr Mboenkake’s practicing card, which he alleges was bought from an acquaintance, who obtained if from one of the hospital employees. Mr Menji was arrested and detained at Ottosdal police station and a case was opened against Dr Mokoena for employing an unregistered locum.
In a separate incident, another unregistered locum doctor, Mr Losaba from Congo was also found practising at Dr Bongongo’s medical practice. When questioned, Mr Losaba reported that he wrote the HPCSA board exams in 2008 and 2009. In both instances, he failed the board exams. Mr Losaba was arrested with the assistance of the Hawks and detained at the Rustenburg police station. A case was opened against Dr Bongongo for employing an unregistered locum.
Both practices were shut down and the medical records of the patients examined by the said locums were seized.
Should you know of any practitioners transgressing against the HPCSA Conduct and Ethics rules, please contact the regional office closest to you:
- HPCSA HEAD OFFICE AND GAUTENG REGIONAL OFFICE: Mr. Vincent Skosana, 553 Madiba Street, Arcadia, 0083 or P. O. Box 205, Pretoria, 0001, Tel: 012 338 3984
- HPCSA WESTERN CAPE REGIONAL OFFICE: Mr. Anele Botile,Century City Business Centre, No 1 Bridgeway Road, Bridgeway Precint, Century, 7411, Tel: +27 (0)21 830 5920/21
- HPCSA KWAZULU NATAL REGIONAL OFFICE Ms. Busisiwe Nguse,The Business Centre, 2 Ncondo Place, Ridge Side Umhlanga Ridge, Postnet Suite 47, 4320, Tel: 031 830 5293/94
- HPCSA EASTERN CAPE REGIONAL OFFICE, Mrs. Hayley Smith, Regus Business Centre, Office No: 29 & 31, No: 14 Stewart Street, Berea, East London, 5241, Tel: 043 783 9734
Last Updated on 13 June 2017 by HPCSA Corporate Affairs