Fake Congolese Doctor Arrested in Mpumalanga and Freed Without Verifying His Papers

Fake Congolese Doctor Arrested in Mpumalanga and Freed Without Verifying His Papers

A 38-year-old Congolese man, Jonathan Ilungwa Kulimba, was arrested for allegedly pretending to be a medical doctor at a surgery in Embalenhle, Mpumalanga. But his quick release on free bail has left many South Africans outraged, especially after officials admitted they still hadn’t verified his asylum documents.

Fake Congolese Doctor Arrested in Mpumalanga

According to authorities, Kulimba was caught red-handed during a surprise compliance inspection on Wednesday, 12 June 2025. A health inspector visited a local medical practice operating under a registered doctor’s name in Extension 07. The inspector arrived just as a patient was leaving the consultation room.

Inside, the inspector found Kulimba attending to patients. He identified himself and handed over five patient files, including one from the person who had just walked out. When questioned further, Kulimba admitted he was not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), even though he was working under the license of a qualified doctor.

Police were called, and Kulimba was arrested on the spot for violating the Health Professions Act. Authorities also seized patient files as evidence and launched a broader investigation into how long he had been operating, and what role the registered doctor may have played.

Questions About His Status and More Charges Might Follow

Officials are also trying to verify whether Kulimba’s asylum documents are legitimate. For now, he’s facing charges for practising medicine without a license, but police say more charges could be added based on the findings.

Kulimba appeared in the Evander Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 17 June 2025. He was released on free bail and is expected back in court on 17 July.

Mzansi Outraged After Congolese National’s Release

The case sparked a wave of anger and disbelief on social media, especially over the fact that Kulimba was let go without verifying his immigration status first.

Many questioned how someone could be released when the most basic checks hadn’t yet been done. Others warned fellow citizens to avoid doctors without an online footprint. There was also frustration that foreign nationals were allegedly being prioritised over unemployed South African doctors.

Here are some of the comments and reactions:

@JohnDoe_ZAR:

Avoid foreign Drs by any means possible…and avoid Drs who you can’t google their University past either on google, linkedin, hellopeter etc.

@Theblackjagua12:

And you think he’ll show up to court… also how do you release him without verifying all his documentation.. SA courts are a joke.

@Aya_Muzi:

You’ve already released the suspect but you’re still in the process of verifying the asylum papers if they’re authentic. You’re special people indeed.

@SandileKaMsibi:

Am I the only one who never consults a Doctor with a weird surname?

@Caralemoloi3:

You employ bogus foreign doctors while SA doctors are staying at home because ” no money to hire them”

The post Fake Congolese Doctor Arrested in Mpumalanga and Freed Without Verifying His Papers appeared first on iHarare News.