Written by
Robin-Lee Francke
Multimedia Journalist, IOL News
Rashid Fareed Mahfouz, a 66-year-old man from Cape Town, has been sentenced for a series of crimes after pretending to be a doctor and attempting to bribe a court official.
Appearing in the Bellville Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, Mahfouz pleaded guilty to charges including fraud, forgery, contravention of the Health Professions Act, contravention of the Medicines and Related Substances Act, and corruption. The crimes took place in 2023, with Mahfouz illegally practicing medicine as an unregistered doctor.
On February 15, 2023, Mahfouz was arrested at a medical practice in Philippi after it was discovered he had been issuing sick notes and dispensing medication under the credentials of a registered doctor. He had been practicing without proper registration, violating South Africa’s Health Professions Act of 1974.
Mahfouz’s desperation didn’t stop there—during his bail hearing on March 8, 2023, he allegedly tried to bribe a court orderly at Phillipi Magistrate’s Court to destroy his case docket, which led to an additional corruption charge.
In addition to these recent charges, Mahfouz was convicted in 2020 for similar offenses, receiving a fine of R5,000 and a five-year suspended prison sentence on the condition he wouldn’t commit any further crimes. However, due to his recent actions, the court imposed a two-year direct imprisonment sentence on Mahfouz, and his previous suspended sentence will now be activated, commencing on January 23, 2025.
Mahfouz’s case highlights the dangers of unqualified individuals posing as medical professionals and attempting to manipulate the legal system to avoid justice.
