Advertised on a dingy piece of board inside the stifling shipping container from which Dr MJ Maduma runs his ‘practice’, is the cost of a sick note, R80.
Dr Maduma denies that he sells sick notes and insists that he ensures that every patient who comes to him is, “checked,” before the need for sick leave is determined, but the Vryheid Herald knows better… Because we bought a sick note from him.
The allegation that Dr Maduma may be fraudulently selling sick notes was brought to the Vryheid Herald by a businessman, who became suspicious when he began to notice that certain members of staff were repeatedly bringing him sick notes signed and stamped by this doctor.
Our investigation began with a phonecall to Mischelle Julius, an inspector in the Legal Services Department of the Health Practitioners Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Mrs Julius said that Dr Maduma is not registered with the council, nor is he a qualified doctor. As such, he is not allowed to use Dr in his title. She confirmed that she had received several reports of Dr Maduma selling sick notes and that a criminal case had been opened at Vryheid SAPS.
Const MG Nyandeni of the Vryheid Detectives Unit declined to comment but confirmed that a criminal case is being investigated.
