Robert Fremborg, a 71-year-old bogus doctor, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced by the Emalahleni Magistrate Court for violating the Health Professions Act.
The Ghanaian national was handed a 24-month prison sentence or a R12,000 fine, with half the sentence suspended for five years, after being caught dispensing medicine without a licence.
Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi, Hawks provincial spokesperson in Mpumalanga, confirmed that Fremborg was arrested in an undercover operation at his Witbank surgery in October 2018. His receptionist, Zanele Masondo, was also arrested and her case was postponed to February 2022 to secure legal representation.
Major General Zodwa Mokoena, provincial head of the Hawks in Mpumalanga, praised the dedication of those involved in securing the conviction.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has issued warnings to the public about bogus doctors issuing fraudulent medical certificates. Last year, eight workers and another bogus doctor, Zimbabwean national Christopher Kutoka, were arrested in Gauteng for issuing fake sick notes.
HPCSA spokesperson Christopher Tsatsawane urged the public to be cautious when obtaining medical certificates, emphasizing the risk of fraudulent practices. Kutoka was arrested after being caught issuing fake certificates at a café and charged with fraud and contravening the Health Professions Act.
