South African Police Arrest an Illegal Zimbabwean Man Practising Unregistered Dentistry in a Polokwane Bust

• The Hawks raided a Polokwane doctor's office after a tip-off about a bogus dentist by a health governing body
• The suspect, who remains in custody, is also charged with being an illegal immigrant
• South Africans are being urged to continue raising alarms about suspected illegal activities

POLOKWANE - On 7 June 2023, the South African Police Services' Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested a Zimbabwean man accused of practising as an unlicenced dentist in Polokwane.

The 42-year-old man identified as Chihoho Taurai appeared in the Polokwane Magistrate's Court after being reported to the Hawks by the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).

Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority Spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi told TimesLIVE that:

"The accused was working at a medical practice registered in Polokwane. He contravened Section 17(1) of the Health Professions Act, 56 of 1974. He was also charged [under the] Illegal Immigration Act.”

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The accused was nabbed at an office registered under another doctor's name since September 2022

In an interview with News24, Limpopo Hawks Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke explains how the Hawks received a tip-off from the HPCSA about an alleged medical doctor practising without a licence.

This is when the Hawks performed a tactical visit to the Polokwane doctor's office where the suspect failed to produce licencing and was placed under arrest. Turai will remain in custody until 15 June.

The SAPS and HPCSA registrar Dr Magome Masike call for citizens to report unregistered practitioners

“Working with law enforcement agencies we will endeavour by care and diligence to do everything in our power to root out any form of practice by unregistered persons.”

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South Africans however, had mixed emotions about the bust:

@d_vihemba didn’t mind the illegal practice:

"But if he is a qualified one, I don't see any problem considering that he have been helping South Africans."

@AyandaBiana1 quickly blew the whistle:

"Come to Rahima Moosa and Small Street. Buildings are full of bogus foreign doctors."

Hawks investigates police trying to free incarcerated Zimbabwe businessman

In a previous Briefly News report, a SAPS constable is in hot water for trying to help free an incarcerated businessman, Frank Buyanga, out of prison.

Buyanga is a Zimbabwean businessman who was placed on Red Notice by Interpol after he allegedly kidnapped his son and fled to South Africa in April 2020.

The Johannesburg Correctional Services was soon notified about the prison break attempt where the cop was caught.

Source: Briefly News