Bogus doctors in sick notes scam

Following an investigation into bogus medical certificates by a King Williams Town based factory, China Garments, a five percent drop in absenteeism in the last month has been reported. A full report listing at least three doctors has been handed over to the Medical and Dental Council who will be conducting their own investigation into the listed doctors.

This follows gross absenteeism by workers in the factory over the last few months by repeatedly producing medical certificates from three specific doctors in the King Williams’s town and Dimbaza area. The doctors were investigated by private investigator Christian Botha after allegedly issuing bogus medical certificates but only one of them Sipho Sijako, who claims to be a medical doctor, in Dimbaza is currently under investigation by the Medical board.

It was found that he was practising illegally and not registered with the Medical and Dental Council or the Pharmaceutical Council. The Allied Health Professional Council removed Mr Sijako’s name 20 months ago after he failed to complete compulsory upgrading programmes as a homeopath.

Mr Sijako previously denied that he had been struck from the roll. Attempts to reach Mr Sijako at his medical practise in Dimbaza had been unsuccessful.

China Garments CEO Manie Gerber said he was going to lay a criminal charge against the so-called doctor in the next week. "The police are waiting for me to lay the charge but I have just not had a chance yet. It is the factory’s busy period." He said there has been a remarkable change in absenteeism since the start of the investigation. "We had a seven per cent absenteeism per day which has now dropped to about two per cent." This is excellent taking into account that this is the holiday season.

The company has instructed supervisors not to accept any medical certificated from Mt Sijako and to be very careful when any of the other doctors still under investigation issue medical certificates. Mr Gerber declined to release the names of the two other doctors as they are only under suspicion of issuing fraudulent certificates.

The Medical and Dental Council confirmed that the registration number 7274 under which Mr Sijako is supposedly registered belongs to a Mrs F J Rossouw from Plattekloof in Parow.

The decision to employ a private investigator followed growing absenteeism, which occurred on a regular basis. In some cases production came to a complete standstill. "This happened especially after payday and on a Mondays and Fridays," said Mr Gerber.