Fake TikTok doctor arrested at South African hospital
By BBC
Published
1 min read
Matthew Lani was arrested by the security of Johannesburg’s Helen Joseph Hospital as he attempted to enter the facility on Sunday night.
A popular South African TikToker who claimed to be a doctor has been arrested, nearly three weeks after authorities accused him of being a fraud.
Matthew Lani was arrested by the security of Johannesburg’s Helen Joseph Hospital as he attempted to enter the facility on Sunday night.
The Gauteng Department of Health said that hospital security team surrendered him to police.
"Lani was caught just before 8pm disguised in a hoodie and wearing a surgical mask with a stethoscope around his neck," the department said in a statement.
It added that Lani "had previously entered the same facility to curate misleading content under the pretence that he was a qualified doctor".
Lani had built a considerable following on TikTok, where he posted medical content and sold his own brand of pills.
He claimed to have graduated as a doctor from the University of the Witwatersrand, which the university refuted.
He also claimed that his real name was Dr Sanele Zingelwa, but was exposed to have impersonated a medical intern at another facility.
The Health Professions Council of South Africa said that Lani was not a registered health practitioner.
