Nearly a decade after fraud was uncovered, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in KwaZulu-Natal says its investigation into a fake doctor case is still active – even though no decision has yet been taken to prosecute.
The case centres on Reshal Dayanand, who worked as a medical intern at Northdale Hospital from January 2016. A Department of Health investigation found he “intentionally submitted fraudulent qualifications” and was paid approximately R637,000.
Verification processes were skipped at multiple stages.
Hospital officials admitted no qualification check was done. Dayanand submitted a fake medical degree certificate and academic record. The University of KwaZulu-Natal confirmed he never completed his degree and was not on the 2016 graduation list.
One registration form bore a forged signature.
KwaZulu-Natal NPA spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson confirmed the matter remains under investigation and involves multiple accused.
“No decision has been taken yet to prosecute. There have been investigation challenges,” Ramkisson said. “This matter is not only about Dayanand but also other individuals.
“It is of no use approaching such a matter in piecemeal.”
She noted recent court appearances by three students, three parents, and one friend. “This indicates the matter is being worked on.”
The investigation has also examined whether others facilitated Dayanand’s fraudulent employment. The Department of Health report flagged weak oversight but did not name additional suspects. Criminal cases opened in 2017 and 2018 remain unresolved.
On March 13, 2017, the hospital learned Dayanand had been “erroneously registered” as an intern. He was suspended that same day. But by then, he had already treated patients for several months.
The health department report did not document any patient harm, but the incident raised serious questions about credential verification in public hospitals.
But years passed without charges. In May 2022, attorneys for the complainant wrote that the prosecution had “more than sufficient evidence” to charge but had failed to do so after nearly four years.
Follow-up letters in October and December 2025 described the delay as “a clear indication that justice is being obstructed”. A December 2025 email noted the investigation had been “almost complete” since July 2025, with no charges filed.
An earlier open letter from May 2020 warned: “If the state persists in delaying to prosecute, then the state is equally complicit.”
Despite the frustration, the NPA insists the probe has never gone cold. Ramkisson acknowledged challenges but said the investigation remains active and broad—and that a decision on prosecution has simply not yet been reached.
“This matter is not only about Dayanand but also about other individuals,” she repeated, stressing that a piecemeal approach would be useless.
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- Reshal Dayanand worked fraudulently as a medical intern at Northdale Hospital from 2016, submitting fake qualifications and receiving around R637,000 in salary.
- Multiple verification failures allowed Dayanand’s fake medical degree and forged documents to go undetected; the University of KwaZulu-Natal confirmed he never graduated.
- The KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been investigating since 2017-2018, involving multiple suspects, but no prosecution decision has been made due to investigation challenges.
- The hospital only discovered Dayanand’s fraudulent registration in March 2017, after he had treated patients, raising concerns about credential verification but no documented patient harm.
- Despite repeated calls from complainants and delays criticized as obstructing justice, the NPA asserts the investigation remains active and comprehensive, emphasizing the need to address all involved individuals together.
