'Bogus TikTok doctor' under fire in South Africa

A man who goes by the name Dr Matthew Lani on TikTok has been accused by health authorities in South Africa of impersonating a medical doctor.

The bogus doctor, reported to be in his 20s, appears on the app wearing scrubs in a public hospital, giving medical advice to TikTokers.

"Lani managed to weave his way into the system, pretending to be in the employ of Helen Joseph Hospital, where he moved around," Gauteng province’s health department has said in a statement.

It has opened up a criminal case against the man, saying it is a criminal offence to practise when not registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

He had "assumed various pseudo-medical roles falsely presenting himself as an employee of the department”, the statement said.

The name that he alleged to be his real identity - Dr Sanele Zingelwa – actually belonged to a second-year medical intern at a local hospital, the health department said.

The real Sanele Zingelwa had since opened up a case of identity fraud with the police, it added.

The fake doctor has alleged he is a medical graduate of the Witwatersrand Medical School and the “youngest” doctor to own a pharmaceutical company in the country.

The University of the Witwatersrand said in a statement: “The university cannot find any person who graduated by the name of Matthew Bongani Zingelwa or Sanele Zingelwa in recent years. We are requesting ‘Dr Matthew Lani’ to retract any such claim with immediate effect.”

The Gauteng authorities say the incident has highlighted the need to improve who has access to health facilities and improve employee identification processes.

Dr Matthew Lani's account no longer appears to be available on TikTok.